Vote shock for mayor (From Gazette Series)

Vote shock for mayor

VOTERS in Wotton-under-Edge delivered a shock on election day as the Town Mayor lost his seat on Stroud District Council.

Cllr Chris Galbraith (Lib Dem), who has represented the town since 2001, lost out to Conservative Cllr John Gowers last Thursday.

The victory for Cllr Gowers breaks the one-party stranglehold on the town that has existed since he lost his seat to Cllr Paul Smith (Lib Dem) last year.

Since then Wotton has been represented by the Liberal Democrat quartet of Cllr June Cordwell, Cllr Galbraith, Cllr Smith and Gloucestershire county councillor Dr John Cordwell.

Cllr Gowers had been on the district council for 12 years until his defeat last year and he is looking forward to serving again.

He added: "As ever I will be listening to everyone and I will do my best for all my constituents. To all my constituents who gave me their support, particularly those who voiced their specific concerns, may I give a very big thank you."

It was third time unlucky for Cllr Galbraith as he had been up for election more often than most in recent years.

After joining the district council in a 2001 by-election, Cllr Galbraith had to stand the following year when the Wotton ward was altered and last week he contested for a third time.

He said: "I am disappointed to lose my seat, just when I was getting a grip of the system and the policies, and I am also going to have to leave lots of projects that I was involved in."

The fact that as many as four parties had candidates may have had an impact on the overall result.

Added Cllr Galbraith: "There was a Labour candidate and, for the first time, a Green candidate and I think this has split the vote. But one can't complain that the electorate had a choice."

Cllr Gowers received 958 votes compared with 884 for Cllr Galbraith, 265 for Labour's Helen Roberts and 245 for Chris Dunn, of the Green Party. Last year it was only a two-horse-race between Cllr Gowers and Cllr Smith.

Because county council elections will take place next year and the other two Wotton seats on the district council are held by Liberal Democrats, Cllr Galbraith is unlikely to have an opportunity to seek to represent the town for the next four years.

He said: "I don't know if I will stand again but for now I will concentrate on being chairman and mayor of Wotton Town Council and see if I can help give the community what it needs."