Shifnal Town Council By-election Results

12.00.00am GMT Fri 5th Feb 2010

David Murray was elected as one of the two new councillors for the Manor Ward, along with Cllr Gordon Tonkinson, who represents Shifnal North on the Shropshire Council. The unsuccessful Independent candidates were Tony Stringfellow, Kevin Turley and Brian Jones. The turnout was a disappointing 23%. Jane Blackstock, Independent, was elected for the single vacancy in the Rural Ward, with an even lower turnout of 15.8%, and John Horne, (Independent) and Jill Seymour (UKIP) came second and third.

In Manor, the full results were: Brian Jones 100; David Murray 157; Tony Stringfellow 143; Gordon Tonkinson 289; Kevin Turley 136.

In Rural, the result was: Jane Blackstock 63; John Horne 37; Jill Seymour 18.

It was the first election for the Town Council for a long time. In 2007, there were six co-options on to the council, because not enough people put their names forward before nominations closed. It is an indication of the interest that people have in local democracy, that less than one in four of those eligible to vote took part in Manor, and less than one in six in Rural, including those who voted by post, who were not limited by time or weather to make their choice known.