Election results in Reading East

Reading  East  Conservative Association would like to thank all our candidates for the commitment, determination and effort they have given to their campaigning this year. We are delighted that Cllrs Tom Stanway, Richard Willis and Jeanette Skeats all held their seats and want to applaud their hard work and the help they gave to candidates in other wards. All our councillors provided great support.

 Very sadly Wazir Hussain was not re-elected to serve in Park. Reading Council has lost a decent hardworking councillor. We want to thank Wazir for his four years of devotion to his ward where he helped hundreds of residents with major issues and minor irritations. He had time for everyone and was willing to help however he could. Wazir fought hard to hold Park ward in a very difficult election. We also want to thank Isobel Ballsdon who tirelessly assisted Wazir and managed his campaign with relentless efficiency. They knocked on every door several times and wore out a few pairs of shoes.

 We also want to thank our other candidates in Reading Borough  - Geoff Poland in Church Ward, Leo Lester in Katesgrove, Ed Hopper in Redlands and Ricky Nante in Abbey for standing but being unrewarded with election. Your efforts were much appreciated and we hope you will stand again with greater success.

In our Wokingham Borough wards we had success in holding Loddon ward - Abdul Loyes was elected with a majority of 313 (sitting Conservative Cllr Kirsten Miller stood down) and Shahid Younis took Bulmershe Whitegates ward from the Lib Dems. There has not been a Conservative Cllr there since the Eighties.

Congratulations to Abdul and Shahid! Our thanks to them both for all their hard work and also to Chris Smith who stood unsuccessfully in Southlake. Chris gave unstinting support to Abdul and Shahid.

The person who made the greatest contribution to the 2011 Campaign is Laurence Taylor. He was an outstanding Campaign Director and we can’t thank him enough. Thanks also to Paul Swaddle for his work as agent in Reading and Roger Bale for his great support. 

All the help given by our members and supporters with delivering, canvassing, telling and knocking up is hugely appreciated. Every vote counts and every minute given to the campaign makes a difference.

Reading Council Summary: Labour gained 3; Conservative gained 1 and lost 2; Lib Dem lost 3; Green gained 1.

Reading Council is therefore now 22 Labour; 16 Conservative; 5 Lib Dem; 2 Green; 1 Independent and it remains to be decided how the council will be controlled.

The Wokingham Borough Council summary: Conservatives gained 2; Lib Dems lost 2.

WBC now stands at 45 Conservative seats and 9 Liberal Democrat seats.