The Isle of Wight's Conservative MP, Bob Seely, has thanked residents of Ventnor and St Lawrence after Ed Blake was selected as their new Tory councillor.
A by-election was held in the area yesterday (Thursday), with three candidates pushing forward to fill the position — Ed Blake (Conservatives), Steve Cooper (Labour) and Ray Harrington-Vail (Liberal Democrats).
The election was called after former representative, Conservative Gary Peace, stood down for personal reasons.
Ed Blake was voted in, securing 40 percent of the vote, and will now take up the position.
The local businessman, Cllr Blake, who operates Ventnor Haven Fishery and the management of the harbour along with his family, won with 274 votes.
Coming in a close second — and hoping it would be third time lucky after two previously unsuccessful attempts to take the seat — was the town’s current mayor, Steve Cooper, for the Labour Party.
Mr Cooper received 26 fewer votes, garnering support from 248 residents — 37 per cent of the overall votes.
In third place, was the Liberal Democrat’s candidate, Ray Harrington-Vail, a co-founder of The Footprint Trust, who received 145 votes.
The LibDems had been on a winning streak, winning the two previous Isle of Wight Council by-elections.
Fewer than a quarter of those eligible turned out to vote yesterday — 22.4 per cent — with only 669 ballot papers received out of a possible 2,987.
The turn-out was down by 17.5 per cent on the previous election’s results for Ventnor and St Lawrence, with 562 fewer votes cast – possibly due to the election being so close to Christmas.
The timing of the by-election is decided by law as it must be held within 35 working days of it being triggered.
That meant, with Mr Peace’s resignation at the end of October, it could have either been held yesterday or next week — between Christmas and New Year.
Cllr Blake, a member of Ventnor Rugby Football Club, will join his Conservative colleagues at County Hall in January, keeping the number of seats held by the group at 16.
It means the Tories are still the largest group on the authority but do not control it.
The power remains in the hands of the Alliance Administration, which has 13 councillors.
Bob Seely MP said:
“Thank you to Ventnor and St Lawrence residents for choosing Ed Blake as their new Conservative Councillor. Ed, a local fisherman, will be a strong voice for the town and the people of St Lawrence.
“We had a very positive reaction on the doorsteps during the campaign. Ed was the stand-out candidate and I know he'll do a great job representing his residents.
"I look forward to working with him in holding the Alliance Council to account."
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