LibDems retain local power (From Yeovil Express)

LibDems retain local power

4:26pm Friday 4th May 2007

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THE Liberal Democrats retained control of South Somerset District Council with a strong stranglehold on power of local government.

They won 38 seats on the 50-seat authority - one fewer than when they started out when voters went to the polls yesterday (Thursday) morning.

The Tories gained two - moving up from 15 to 17. Independents saw their tally of councillors fall from six to five.

The Tories gained their two extra seats in the Blackmore Vale ward where Tim Inglefield and William Wallace were victorious at the expense of an independent and LibDem.

The Yeovil wards maintained its sold LibDem support retaining all 12 seats in the four wards.

J. Vincent Chainey, Peter Gubbins and Andrew Kendall won in Yeovil Central.

The controversial British National Party candidate Bob Baehr came fifth in the the keenly-contested ward which had ten candidates.

Yeovil East saw Tony Fife, Tony Lock and David Recardo come home for the LibDems, while in Yeovil South there was success for the LibDem trio of Dave Green, Thomas Parsley and Alan Smith.

Julian Freke, Ruth Kendall and Ian Martin retained their LibDem seats in Yeovil Without.

The turnout in the election across the district was 39.71 per cent - 1.71 per cent cent higher than the election of 1999.

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