Independents one seat away

Around 4am on Friday morning, while the count for the 2023 South Holland District Council was continuing, all of the Independent candidates went outside to raise a toast to the late Angela Newton.

At that point they didn’t know they’d increase the number of candidates from 12 to 18, just one shy of the 19 needed to take full control.

“I put a bottle of port in the car and a few glasses to toast Angela no matter what was going to happen,” said Rob Gibson, her replacement as leader of the South Holland Independents.

“We all looked to the stars, toasted and swore that we’ve done our best for her.

“I think she’d be smiling and impressed by what we’ve achieved. That means something.”

Two of the South Holland Independents’ biggest successes said they stood because Angela had asked them to before she died last year.

Sam Chauhan had missed out on winning the late shadow leader’s Spalding Monks House seat in the by-election last year, being pipped by a handful of votes by Steve Timewell of the Conservatives.

But he was comfortably voted in this time alongside fellow new South Holland Independent candidate Ingrid Sheard.

“I’m feeling overwhelmed, Sam said. “I made a promise I would get in for Angela and I’m looking forward to working for my community.”

It was a similar story for Mark Le Sage up against the well known names of council leader Lord Gary Porter, William Hayes, son of MP Sir John, and his Independent running mate and previously Conservative councillor Dave Ashby.

“Angela asked me to stand four years ago but it came at a difficult time for me and I felt I was too busy,” he said after topping all three in the polls.

“I’m not going to fill her shoes but I’m going to look to get as close to emulating her as possible.

“It’s time for a change,” he continued. “Though I’m sorry to see Gary Porter go.

It was a special night for the Le Sage family as Mark’s brother James was also voted into the Spalding St John’s seats alongside the returning Manzur Hasan.

“I’m very happy to be elected,” said James. “I’m going to work hard with Manzur for the good of the people of Spalding St John’s ward and South Holland as a whole.”

Paul Barnes secured an impressive win in Fleet, seeing off the Conservative Eddie McNally in a two way fight.

Thomas Sneath beat Rodney Grocock to one of the Moulton, Weston and Cowbit ward seats.

Aaron Spencer picked up the former seat of Roger Gambba-Jones in Spalding Wygate ward.

He held a seat at Boston Borough Council and was up for election in both authorities, but didn’t get in for another term there.

Another not in attendance on the night, but who gained a seat from the Conservatives was Bailey Boulding who ousted Glynis Scalese in the Spalding St Paul’s Ward where Rob Gibson was also voted in by a clear margin.

Sophie Hutchinson has been elected to the town ward for the South Holland Independents in a tightly fought vote with Graham Rudkin as an Independent missing out on a seat.

Several experienced heads will be returning with Michael Booth and Chris Brewis holding Sutton Bridge.

Andrew Tennant was re-elected in Long Sutton and said: “There’s a lot of new faces who are bringing enthusiasm to the council.

“I think over the last four years we’ve been looking too much at partnerships, devolution and political things rather than looking after services.

“It’s an enthusiastic night and future for South Holland.”

Bryan Alcock, meanwhile, will be up to 48 years serving on the district council at the end of this current term, after being voted in again for Crowland and Deeping St Nicholas, getting 757, just one less than he did four years ago.

The results in full:

(Elected candidates in bold.)
Crowland and Deeping St Nicholas Ward
Bryan Alcock (Ind) 757
Jim Astill (Cons) 770
Amy Cook (Green) 489
Angie Harrison (Cons) 577
Turn out 24.55 per cent.

Donington, Quadring and Gosberton Ward
Henry Bingham (Cons) 737
Margaret Geaney (Cons) 631
Colin Johnson (Cons) 542
Jane King (SH Ind) 856
Matthew Swainson (Reform) 212
Simon Walsh (SH Ind) 597
Turn out 26.48 per cent.

Fleet Ward
Paul Barnes (Sh Ind) 373
Edward McNally (Cons) 196
Turn out 29.75 per cent.

Gedney Ward
Jo Reynolds (Cons) 289
Matthew Stancer (SH Ind) 187.
Turn out 26.35 per cent.

Holbeach Hurn Ward
Nick Worth (Cons) 331
Wendy Blackman (SH Ind) 118.
Turn out 25.81 per cent.

Holbeach Town Ward
Francis Biggadike 332
Tracey Carter (Cons) 959
Malcolm Chandler (Cons) 484
Nanette Chapman (Cons) 557
Paul Foyster (SH Ind) 523
Sophie Hutchinson (SH Ind) 734
Graham Rudkin (Ind) 496
Turn out 25.21 per cent.

Long Sutton Ward
Andrew Tennant (Ind) 982
Ivan Thompson (Cons) 624
Jack Tyrrell (Cons) 967
David Wilkinson (Ind) 782.
Turn out 27.88 per cent.

Moulton, Weston and Cowbit Ward
Anthony Casson (Cons) 1006
Rodney Grocock (Cons) 659
Thomas Sneath (SH Ind) 976
Andrew Woolf (Cons) 958.

Pinchbeck and
Surfleet Ward
James Avery (Cons) 886
Simon Jenkins (Green) 431
Terry Moore (Ind) 699
Sally Slade (Cons) 780
Elizabeth Sneath (Cons) 904
Turn out 27.13 per cent

Spalding Castle Ward
Gary Taylor (Con) 335
Martin Blake (Green) 183
Turn out 28.47 per cent

Spalding St Mary’s Ward
Dave Ashby (SH Ind) 472
William Hayes (Cons) 432
Mark Le Sage (SH Ind) 559
Gary Porter (Cons) 368
Turn out 26.82 per cent.

Spalding Monks House Ward
Sam Chauhan (SH Ind) 604
Val Gemmell (Cons) 275
Ingrid Sheard (SH Ind) 524
Stephen Timewell (Cons) 468
Turn out 24.32 per cent.

Spalding St John’s Ward
Manzur Hasan (SH Ind) 732
James Le Sage (SH Ind) 611
Ann Savage (Cons) 224
Edward Sneath (Cons) 242
Turn out 23.75 per cent

Spalding St Paul’s Ward
Bailey Boulding (SH Ind) 385
Rob Gibson (Sh Ind) 458
Glynis Scalese (Cons) 269
Christopher Sutton (Cons) 197
Turn out 19.42 per cent.

Spalding Wygate Ward
Aidan Forman (Lab) 401
Roger Gambba-Jones (Cons) 411
Aaron Spencer (SH Ind) 423
Jan Whitbourn (Cons) 473
Turn out 21.83 per cent.

Sutton Bridge Ward
Michael Booth (SH Ind) 540
Chris Brewis (SH Ind) 493
Peter Coupland (Cons) 381
Laurence Marchant (Cons) 348