Tories take all seats in South Bucks (From Bucks Free Press)

Tories take all seats in South Bucks

6:06pm Friday 5th June 2009 in News By Simon Farr

NEWLY-ELECTED Bucks County councillor Roger Reed called the Conservatives' clean-sweep of the South Bucks district in the county council elections 'a great day for the party'.

The Liberal Democrats lost Iver, its final seat in the district, when Cllr Alan Oxley fell to Cllr Ruth Vigor-Hedderly by just 68 votes in the most closely contested district of the election.

South Bucks District Council leader Roger Reed took over from the de-selected Cllr Peter Roberts in Gerrards Cross and Denham North.

While South Bucks District Council deputy leader, Adrian Busby, stormed to victory in place of the dropped Cllr Margaret Dewar in Beaconsfield which means the make-up of the council is now all Conservative.

Cllr Reed said: “I am absolutely delighted with the result and this ensures the people of south Bucks will have a hard working group of Conservatives making sure their voice is heard in Ayelsbury.

“It's also an excellent result for the party as a whole and I expect this result to mirror what goes on around the country, sending out the message to Gordon Brown that enough is enough and we need a General Election.

“Speaking for my own election, it is a brilliant result. It was a lot of hard work but it is all worth that effort now and I will be working closely with Adrian to address the issues that matter to local people such as the highways and school catchment areas.”

Mr Reed also said de-elected Cllrs Roberts and Dewar were 'not forced out' and the party's decision to hold an inter-party election 'shows democracy works' as it 'gives people a choice'.

Cllr Vigor-Hedderly said she was 'absolutely over the moon' with her narrow victory in Iver and has promised to put highways at the top of her agenda.

She said: “I know this area very well and I am thrilled to have this opportunity but I must that my team because this has been a very tough race as Cllr Oxley is a very well known and respected man.

“I am looking forward to working with the County Council to improve our roads and road safety.”

Turnout figures were down overall, 36.5 per cent in total, which many councillors believed was down to a combination of 'lack of confidence' following the expenses scandal and the fact this was not a General Election.

For results in full click here.

Turnout in full: Alderbourne division fell from 62.5 per cent to 34.12 per cent, Burnham Beeches dropped from 61.2 per cent to 35.01 per cent, while just 37.94 per cent turned out in Beaconsfield as opposed to 67.7 per cent in 2005.

Bulstrode fell 66.1 per cent to 36.26 per cent, while Iver dropped to 39.29 per cent from 63.7 per cent. Farnham was 36.22 per cent from 66 per cent and Taplow 33.37 per cent from 61.2 per cent. Gerrards Cross and Denham North dropped from 62.8 per cent to 39.9 per cent.