As It Happened: Tories Lose Four Guildford Seats But Retain County Council Control

Published on: 8 May, 2021
Updated on: 9 May, 2021

We apologise for the technical issues preventing access to our articles yesterday (Friday, May 7). Those could hardly have struck us at a worse time, in the middle of our reports on the election count, but we are pleased to report the site is back up and running now.

Friday, 20.33 Despite losing four of the 10 Guildford divisions, the Conservatives have held Surrey County Council, retaining 47 (this was erroneously reported as 57 in earlier versions of this report) of the total 81 seats.

Surrey County Council results by party:

Source SCC website

20.30 And the Normandy result is announced. The only unsuccessful candidate was Leslie Clarke, the sacked parish council clerk.

20.04 The only results awaited now are the parish council by-elections for Normandy. There are nine candidates for the eight seats so only one need be disappointed and there are major questions about the eligibility of one candidate, Leslie Clarke.

19.53 Now to the parish council by-elections. Carla Morson, with her SCC seat in the bag, has also won a seat as an Independent on her parish council at Ash. She’ll be the only non-Conservative among the 12 councillors.

Her victory was by a narrow margin and Conservative Murray Grubb graciously conceded to Ms Morson, declining the recount he was entitled to.

Source GBC website

19.40 The three GBC by-election results are: Pirbright Conservative gain; Friary & St Nicolas Lib Dem hold; Send GGG hold. This leaves the power balance at GBC unchanged. The Conservative group is now back to nine.

Source GBC website

Source GBC website

Source GBC website

19.20 All Guildford Division results now in. Conservatives have 3 (-4), Lib Dems 5 (+2), R4GV 2 (+2).

19.10 Lib Dems gain Guildford East

19.00 Lib Dems gain Ash

18.55 Ash result is imminent. One Lib Dem says: “If I was Nigel Manning I would not be smiling.”

In Shere, Bob Hughes scrapes home by just 78 votes. The split Green vote has let the Conservatives back in, much to the anger of GGG.

18.16 Conservatives hold Shere

17.52 Angela Richardson (Guildford’s MP) was at the SCC election count where two Conservative seats have been lost so far and others are looking fragile. She said: “This was a campaign fought on social media. The Conservatives need to take this away.

17.51 Shere result about to be called. GGG were rumoured to have done well.

17.50 Conservatives hold Shalford

17.49 Mark Brett-Warburton (Conservative) said after his defeat by R4GV’s Fiona Davidson in Guildford South East: “It’s the grit of politics.

“It’s always disappointing to lose but I couldn’t have done more as a councillor or in the campaign. I would like to thank all the people who have helped me.”

17.20 State of the parties: Lib Dems 3, R4GV 2 (+2), and Conservatives 1 (-2). Four divisions still to declare, as well as the three GBC by-elections and parish by-elections.

17.06 R4GV take The Horsleys.

16.40 Conservatives hold Worplesdon

16.20 Lib Dems Hold Guildford South West

16.15 R4GV take Guildford South East

The first seat to change hands. Newbies R4GV take their first county council seat as Fiona Davidson beats Conservative incumbent Mark Brett-Warburton.

15.48 Lib Dems hold Guildford West and Guildford North.

15.15 First result imminent.

15.01 Lib Dem candidates Fiona White (Guildford West), George Potter (Guildford East) and Carla Morson (Ash) wait patiently for their results.

14.56 First Surrey result: Labour snatch Egham from the Tories by fewer than 100 votes. What does this mean for Guildford?

14.46 Conservatives Angela Richardson MP and Matt Furniss, the candidate for Shalford, talk to counting staff in the hall at Spectrum.

Angela Richardson (red coat) Matt Furniss (back to camera).

14.20 First result, Worplesdon, expected about 3.30. Below is the 2017 result. This time there is no Green candidate but Gina Redpath is standing for R4GV.

This is the 2017 SCC election result

“Press Room” at Spectrum complete with table-tennis table at the SCC Count 2021 On the right Paul Murphy-Kase from the BBC.

14.11 Welcome to the Guildford Division count of the 2021 Surrey County Council election. I am Martin Giles, Dragon editor, here with reporter Hugh Coakley to bring you the results as soon as we can.

We have been told verification (checking each ballot box contains the correct number of ballot papers) has just begun for the first eight divisions. They are being processed in reverse alphabetic order, starting with Worplesdon.

Guildford’s Conservative MP, Angela Richardson, has been spotted in the count hall from which most of us are barred until the results are announced.

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