Saddleworth Parish Council Election Results: Live

This is the Saddleworth News liveblog of the count for the Parish Council election. Press F5 to refresh your page for regular updates!

For last night’s blog of the Oldham Council results, click here.

2:15pm: That’s it! I’m off home to go and write some considered pieces featuring interviews, pictures and more detail about what’s taken place, so look out for those.

2:10pm: And the final result is in! Conservatives John Hudson, David Atherton and Neil Allsopp are elected along with Liberal Democrats Mavis Bingley and Robert McCann.

That leaves the final state of the parties: Liberal Democrats 12, Conservatives four, Independents four.

2pm: The result is in from Dobcross. As expected it’s Lib Dems Mike Buckley and Royce Franklin, and Independent Lesley Brown elected. Just Greenfield to go now.

1:45pm: Still no results from Dobcross or Greenfield. Apparently there’s at least one recount taking place.

1:10pm: Turning back to the borough council for a moment, a statement from Lib Dem leader Howard Sykes has arrived in my inbox. It begins: “I have to be honest and say I’m not surprised at this election result.”

He added: “Despite our vigorous and positive campaign, which focused on our record of achievement since May 2008, anti-government sentiment was strong and punching our successful message through, proved a tall order.”

1pm: Two wards left to declare with eight seats still available. Dobcross is said to be heading for two Lib Dems and an Independent, which would leave the Lib Dems needing just one of Greenfield’s five seats to retain overall control of Saddleworth Parish Council.

12:40pm: Just spoken to the five victorious Lib Dems from Springhead Lower. Brian Lord admitted he was disappointed at losing his borough seat, but said it would give him more time to spend with his wife in the future.

The five victorious Lib Dems from Springhead Lower ward.

Both Brian and his wife Pat were elected in Springhead Lower, as was another couple, Bill Cullen and Enid Firth. Garth Harkness is the odd one out.

Brian Lord also said he was prepared to work together with Independents, but called on Ken Hulme and his colleagues to “put the politics behind them.” He again repeated his criticism of Paul Fryer, who stood as an Independent while also acting as a Labour agent in the borough election.

12:30pm: Better news at last for the Lib Dems as they take all five seats in Springhead Lower. Brian Lord tops the poll, to help make up for his disappointment in losing his borough seat last night. His wife Pat is also elected, along with Bill Cullen, Garth Harkness and Enid Firth.

12:20pm: Ken Hulme has hailed a “cracking” result in Delph, and Nicola Kirkham has told me she’s “looking forward” to representing all the people of Saddleworth.

Independents Ken Hulme and Nicola Kirkham celebrate victory in Delph ward.

However, Cllr Hulme is furious about what he described as a “dirty campaign” against him by Liberal Democrats in the borough council battle for Saddleworth North, which he lost by 17 votes last night. He said he’s going to sleep on it, and think about making some kind of complaint: “There will be action” he warned.

12:10pm: There’s consolation for Ken Hulme as he tops the poll in Delph. Another Independent, Nicola Kirkham, is also elected, with Lib Dem Alan Roughley just taking the third seat by 21 votes from party colleague Louie Hamblett.

12:05pm: Had a quick word with Derek Heffernan a short time ago. He congratulated Rob Knotts on being elected, but added he was “very sad” that his Lib Dem colleague Barbara Beeley will be leaving the Parish Council.

12pm: The Uppermill result is in. Conservative Graham Sheldon topped the poll, with Lib Dem Lesley Schofield second. Lib Dem Alma McInnes has lost her seat, while Independent Nick Watts finished bottom with 262 votes.

With two of the six results declared, that’s two losses for the Lib Dems so far, one to the Conservatives, and one to an Independent.

11:45am: Had the announcement from Springhead Higher. Lib Dem Derek Heffernan and Independent Rob Knotts elected. Lib Dem Barbara Beeley out.

11:40am: The recount has now been completed in Springhead Higher. Hopefully should finally get our first Saddleworth declaration soon.

Candidates in the Uppermill ward gather round the counting table.

We’ve had one announcement from Shaw and Crompton, where two Lib Dems and an independent won in the West ward.

11:20am: The declaration in Springhead Higher has been delayed by what looks like a recount. Given the reaction of Ken Hulme, who slapped Rob Knotts on the back and announced “Councillor Knotts!” when the candidates received the provisional results, it’s presumably a recount for the second seat.

11:10am: Independent Rob Knotts has gained a seat in Springhead Higher ward, which covers Scouthead and Austerlands as well as part of Springhead. That means one of the senior Lib Dem borough councillors, Barbara Beeley or Derek Heffernan, has missed out. Declaration imminent.

11:05am: The Lib Dem candidates and supporters are by far the best-organised at the count. In as much as they have clipboards, which nobody else does.

10:55am: The first announcement about the checking of doubtful ballots has been made already. It’s for Springhead Higher ward. Hopefully the results shouldn’t be too long in coming.

10:40am: Brian Lord has arrived, and received what looked like commiserations from Lib Dem colleagues as he walked onto the counting floor. Despite his surprise defeat last night, he should retain his parish seat in Springhead Lower, because there are just seven candidates standing for five available seats.

10:30am: Down on the counting tables, the lilac ballots used in the Parish Council election are being sorted, with just a handful of candidates and observers looking on.

The parish count in progress. The chairs for candidates and observers are much emptier than for the borough election!

Today is an opportunity for two of the candidates left disappointed last night, Lib Dem Brian Lord who suffered a shock defeat in Saddleworth West and Lees, and Independent Ken Hulme who narrowly failed to gain Saddleworth North, to get some consolation by way of holding their seats on the parish. Haven’t seen either of them here yet though.

Graham Sheldon, the new Conservative councillor for Saddleworth South, is on the ballot for Uppermill today. He’s the sub-postmaster there and apparently the area went strongly for him at borough level, so he seems likely to be celebrating again.

Preamble: Good morning and welcome to the Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham, where they’ve started counting the votes cast in yesterday’s Saddleworth Parish Council election. It’s welcome back for many people here (including me!) who had to stay up until 6am for the borough council results in the early hours of this morning. As a result it’s a rather more subdued atmosphere now, with plenty of bleary-eyed candidates and others around the place.

The Liberal Democrats won 17 of 20 seats at the last parish election in 2007, with the Conservatives winning two and Ken Hulme (then Labour, now an Independent) taking the other. But after last night’s setbacks for the Lib Dems, when they lost the borough seats of Saddleworth West and Lees to Labour and Saddleworth South to the Tories, and only just clung on to Saddleworth North by 17 votes, it seems certain they will lose ground on the parish too.

Given that the Lib Dems provided 20 of the 40 candidates standing for the parish, it’s likely they will remain the largest party. But expect the Conservatives and Independents to make gains. Labour could too, even though they’re only fielding a total of three candidates.

Full Saddleworth News coverage of the parish campaign can be read here.

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

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