Conservatives 'make history' in Killamarsh by-election

Conservatives in Killamarsh say they 'made history' last night by winning three council seats from Labour in a by-election.
From left to right: Local campaigner, Jeremy Kenyon, Kevin Bone,Coun Pat Bone, Lee Rowley MP, Coun David Drabble and Coun Alex Dale, at the Killamarsh Parish Council by-election count on Thursday.From left to right: Local campaigner, Jeremy Kenyon, Kevin Bone,Coun Pat Bone, Lee Rowley MP, Coun David Drabble and Coun Alex Dale, at the Killamarsh Parish Council by-election count on Thursday.
From left to right: Local campaigner, Jeremy Kenyon, Kevin Bone,Coun Pat Bone, Lee Rowley MP, Coun David Drabble and Coun Alex Dale, at the Killamarsh Parish Council by-election count on Thursday.

Killamarsh residents Patricia Bone, Christopher Curzon and David Drabble were all elected to Killamarsh Parish Council - the first Conservative councillors in Killamarsh for decades.

Lee Rowley, Tory MP for North East Derbyshire, said: "This is a huge moment for Killamarsh.

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"The result sends a clear signal that people are ready for change in the village.

"This was the first contested parish council election in Killamarsh since the 1990s and the village has been taken for granted by the local Labour Party for far too long.

"Residents have responded positively to our three new councillors because they are genuinely standing up for local residents and addressing their concerns, such as by opposing the threat of greenbelt development due to the Labour district council.

"Thank you to all residents who turned out to vote and helped made history."

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Councillor Alex Dale, chair of North Derbyshire Conservatives, added: "Huge congratulations to Pat, Chris and David who have worked so hard and will bring a breath of fresh air and new ideas to Killamarsh Parish Council.

"This victory is symbolic of Labour's failure to address residents' concerns across the whole of North East Derbyshire.

"As we approach the district council elections next year, I hope other communities in the district see the great work that our Conservative campaigners are doing locally and vote for real change, like what we've seen this week in Killamarsh."

The full results

Patricia Bone, Conservative Party - 495 votes

Christopher Curzon, Conservative Party - 490 votes

David Drabble, Conservative Party - 433 votes

Elizabeth Reynolds, Labour Party - 357 votes

Julie Walker, Labour Party - 321 votes

Malcolm Veale, Labour Party - 318 votes

Stephen Clough, independent - 183 votes

Eva Thompson, independent - 157 votes

Mark Hewitt, independent - 138 votes

Turnout was 23.41 per cent.