Liberal Democrat Andrew Sherrington has secured a win in the Worfield by-election with 400 votes to the Conservatives on 392 and Labour taking 40.
This is the first time the Liberal Democrats have ever won the Worfield division, which was one of the safest Conservative seats in Shropshire until the result – the previous Conservative councillor being elected with 75% of the vote.
Newly elected councillor Andrew Sherrington thanked residents for their support, and pledged to ‘stand up and make local voices heard’ as well as using his 40 years experience in the private sector to ‘restore sanity to Shirehall on the county finances’.
Andrew Sherrington, Councillor for Worfield said:
“There is no longer such thing as a safe Conservative seat in Shropshire.
“I am enormously grateful to the residents of Worfield division for putting their faith in me – it is a really great privilege to be the first Liberal Democrat to ever win in our beautiful and special area.
“This was a vote about many things, but one clear issue was the total mismanagement and terrible investments being undertaken by the Conservatives at Shropshire Council.
“I have 40 years experience working in finance in the manufacturing industry and want to use that to restore sanity to Shirehall on the county finances.
“This is a clear sign that the sands are shifting under the Conservatives in Shropshire, and that they can no longer take rural areas for granted.”
Shropshire Labour Leader, Cllr Julia Buckley commented:
“We are not surprised to hear that even in the Conservative rural heartland of Worfield and neighbouring villages, our local residents have had enough of the Conservatives. In a seat we did not previously contest, Labour increased its vote share by 4.2%.
“Across Shropshire, residents realise that increased taxes and cutting our services to the bone are no way to run our Council during the cost of living crisis.
“After this result in Worfield, the Conservatives’ flaky hold over Shropshire Council has now reduced to a majority of only 5. We anticipate this to be decimated further by the upcoming Alveley by-election with our excellent candidate.
“It won’t be long until our Council will have a fresh administration with fresh ideas, and crucially, fresh faces at the helm”.
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