Conservatives take control of council

THE Conservatives took control of Melton Council on Thursday night with a landslide victory, winning 19 seats out of a possible 28.

Already a Conservative-run council before the elections, the Tories added to their power and fought back from 1999 when Labour narrowly missed clinching control of the borough for the first time.

This year Labour held on to just four seats while the Independents secured five.

But the biggest shock of the night came when Labour group leader Matthew O'Callaghan lost his seat in Newport Ward, which he has held since 1996.

The high profile councillor was disappointed with the result but vowed to fight on in his role as a county councillor and non-executive director of Melton, Rutland and Harborough Primary Care Trust.

He said: "I think in politics you have your ups and downs and you take the downs with the ups.

"I still believe Melton is a Labour town."

Allan Jackson, whose Melton Borough Progressive Alliance split from Labour after a failed bid to remove Dr O'Callaghan, was also unsuccessful in being re-elected for Warwick Ward.

And on hearing the result he thanked Dr O'Callaghan for "single-handedly destroying the Labour part".

Once again turnout at the polling booths was disappointing with just 31.4 per cent bothering to vote, an eight per cent fall from 1999.

But that did not unduly worry Conservative leader Malise Graham, who remained uncontested as Wymondham Ward councillor.

He thanked candidates for their hard work and said: "We have got a lot to do in the next few coming years.

"If we can work together, as I believe we can, we can achieve a lot."

Conservative Alan Brown, who was re-elected in Melton's Sysonby Ward, said: "Some scandalous allegations have been made by certain parties. But this is a seismic shift."

l On Rushcliffe Borough Council Kenneth Keyworth (Conservative) was elected to serve Nevile Ward, while fellow Tory Clare Hayes and Independent David Barlow will represent Wiverton.