Conservatives Back in Favour in Waverley By-election

Published on: 26 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 26 Sep, 2024

Daniel Husseini, new Waverley borough councillor

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter and Martin Giles

Waverley Conservatives are celebrating winning one of the three Godalming Binscombe & Charterhouse ward seats in the latest Waverley by-election after voters overwhelmingly turned their backs on Labour.

National trends often appear in local election results and disaffection with the Labour Party may already be overtaking earlier dissatisfaction with the Tories, so clearly shown in July’s general election results.

The seat was last contested in the May 2023 local elections when it returned Paul Rivers of the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party’s Stephen Williams, and Labour’s Nick Palmer.

The 2023 borough council elections result

The by-election held on Tuesday, September 24, was called to fill the seat formerly held by the Green Party’s Mr Williams but rather than return another Green to the seat, voters instead turned to the Conservative candidate Daniel Husseini, who took the ward with 725 votes narrowly beating the Liberal Democrats into second on 714, with Labour finishing a distant fourth with 151 behind the Greens on 195.

The 19.7 per cent swing to the Conservatives gives them an extra seat on the council but also affects the balance between parties making the Lib Dems and the “Compass Group” (Lib Dems, Labour and one former Green member) slightly more reliant on the Farnham Residents group with whom they are in coalition.

The Conservatives now hold 11 seats on the council while the Liberal Democrat led-coalition holds 37 seats (Lib-Dems – 22; Farnham Residents Party – 13; Labour – 1; “Labour & Aligned Independent Group” – 1). There are also two Independent councillors.

Cllr Jane Austin

Cllr Jane Austin, who leads the Conservative opposition on Waverley Borough Council and represents the ward of Bramley & Wonersh, said: “I have no doubt Daniel will prove to be an excellent advocate for the ward. He is a great campaigner, a superb fundraiser, and a tremendous champion for the local community.

“While Daniel will be a fantastic addition to the Conservative team on the borough council, his election also means we now have eleven seats – and more clout when it comes to holding the Lib-Dem-led coalition to account.

“We need a bigger team if we’re to hold their feet to the flames and stop them squandering our council tax on their various vanity projects.

“I’m fed up with the council spending our money so frivolously – Waverley residents deserve better.”

Cllr Husseini’s 40.6 per cent share of the the vote marks a huge increase from the May 2023 local elections when his party won 20.9 per cent of the vote in the ward.

The Labour vote collapsed from 22.6 per cent to 8.5 per cent.

Godalming and Ash MP Jeremy Hunt said: “Really fantastic to see Daniel elected yesterday as a Waverley Borough Councillor for Godalming Binscombe and Charterhouse Ward.

“Last year Daniel’s petition was instrumental in saving Farncombe Boots and he has been a brilliant campaigner for the Godalming community. Well done to Daniel and the whole team.”

Cllr Husseini thanked those who backed him on election day and throughout the campaign.

He added: “ I am proud to have won the seat and I can’t wait to get going on my election pledges. Locally, my first order of business is to sort out the Broadwater golf course site.”