Council Election: The people of Connah’s Quay have spoken loud clear, says Bernie Attridge
The people of Connah’s Quay have spoken “loud and clear, they want change in County Hall,” Cllr Bernie Attridge said as the final ward in the Flintshire County Council election was declared.
Independent candidates Bill Crease and Anthony Wren – who won by just three votes – took Connah’s Quay South from Labour following a recount of ballot papers at Coleg Cambria on Saturday morning.
It topped off a bruising set of results for Labour in Connah’s Quay, a historic stronghold for the party.
Independent candidates Andy Hughes and Franko Richardson took the Golftyn ward from Labour’s Paul Shotton who has represented the ward since 2012.
Labour failed to hold the other seat in Golftyn which was vacated by Andy Dunbobbin who stepped away from Flintshire Council due to his role as Police and Crime Commissioner.
Independent candidate Roz Mansell took the Wepre ward from Labour’s Martin White with a winning margin of just 17 votes.
Bernie Attridge, who spearheaded the Independent campaign in Connah’s Quay held his Central ward seat and was joined by fellow Independent Debbie Owen.
Speaking to Deeside.com on Saturday, Cllr Attridge said he was “absolutely ecstatic with the results.”
“Seven Independent county councillors have taken out the Labour Party in Connah’s Quay in great style and that was my plan.”
Cllr Attridge said he wanted Martin White to hold onto his seat because “when I was sacked (as deputy council leader in 2019) he always stayed in touch and we’ve worked together for the good of the community.”
Red-letter day
He said it was a “red-letter day” for him personally, “the Connah’s Quay people have spoken loud and clear that they want change in County Hall.”
Cllr Attridge said, “personally, I feel I’ve delivered that, the campaign I successfully led has changed why people went out on polling day and voted Independent.”
Labour councillor Ian Roberts, the leader of Flintshire council said, “losing the seats in Connah’s Quay is extremely disappointing.”
“But we accept the results of the election the electorate have spoken.”
Speaking to Deeside.com, Cllr Roberts said that to lose an election is “absolutely devastating, not in terms of what goes on in the rest of our lives but in terms of you personally.”
He said: “You put yourself forward and maybe after many, many years people have said, we don’t want you anymore we want someone else.”
“I think we all need to recognise the contribution that these (outgoing) councillors have made.”
The overall turnout for the Flintshire council election was 36 per cent, 3 per cent lower than the previous election in 2017.
Across the four Connah’s Quay wards, 51 per cent of the electorate turned out to vote, up from 44 per cent in 2017.
Kingmakers..
No party or group has won the magic 34 seats in Flintshire needed to take control of the council.
Cllr Attridge said he was “disappointed” he couldn’t get 34 Independent councillors “over the line” in Flintshire.
“I personally gave it the best go, where we were losing seats I had no control.”
Flintshire’s Liberal Democrats will once again be pivotal in helping form an administration.
Cllr Roberts said Labour would look to work with the Lib Dems, “as we did in the last council, and we worked with a group of Independents in last council to ensure that we could deliver for the people.”
He said: “As a council, we now need to look forward to the future and the challenges ahead, we’ve got the after-effects of COVID which is still with us, people are still frightened, it’s affected people’s lives immensely.
“And we’ve got the financial crisis going on, so people are feeling very angry.”
Cllr Roberts said: “I’m hoping whoever takes charge of the council and I’m not presuming it will be Labour, I personally believe their first job will be to bring the council together so that it works effectively for the whole of Flintshire.”
“I honestly hope now that with the results we’ve had, people can look forward to their vision of Flintshire whosoever that is, if it the Independent’s vision, let’s see it. I can assure you our vision is in the Flintshire Labour party manifesto.” He said.
Cllr Attridge feels he is in a strong position to take control of the council, he said the Lib Dems will be the “kingmakers” in all this.
“I’m well aware that the council leader is ringing Independent councillors trying to get them to peel off so they can form an administration.”
“Let it be clear, I’m certainly speaking to Labour Councillors, I’ve had three or four tell me they will consider over the weekend if they will be defecting from the Labour Party.” Cllr Attridge said.
Full Results:
Wards | Elected candidates | Elected party or parties |
---|---|---|
Argoed and New Brighton / Argoed a New Brighton | Mared Eastwood | Welsh Liberal Democrats |
Hilary McGuill | Welsh Liberal Democrats | |
Bagillt / Bagillt | Rob Davies | Independent / Annibynnol |
Kevin Rush | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Broughton North East / Gogledd-ddwyrain Brychdyn | Billy Mullin | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Broughton South / De Brchdyn | Chrissy Gee | Independent |
Ryan James McKeown | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Brynford and Halkyn / Brynffordd a Helgain | Jean Davies | Welsh Conservative Party Candidate / Ymgeisydd Plaid Geidwadol Cymru |
Simon Jones | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Buckley: Bistre East / Bwcle: Dwyrain Bistre | Richard Brent Jones | Independent / Annibynnol |
Arnold Woolley | Independent / Annibynnol | |
Buckley: Bistre West / Bwcle: Gorllewin Bistre | Carolyn Mary Preece | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Dan Rose | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Buckley: Mountain / Bwcle: Mynydd | Carol Ann Ellis | Independent / Annibynnol |
Buckley: Pentrobin / Bwcle: Pentrobin | Dennis Hutchinson | Independent / Annibynnol |
Mike Peers | Independent | |
Caergwrle / Caergwrle | Dave Healey | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Caerwys / Caerwys | Steve Copple | Independent / Annibynnol |
Cilcain / Cilcain | Andrew John Parkhurst | Welsh Liberal Democrats – Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru |
Connah’s Quay Central / Canol Cei Connah | Bernie Attridge | Independent |
Debbie Owen | Independent | |
Connah’s Quay South / De Cei Connah | Bill Crease | Independent |
Antony Stephen Wren | Independent | |
Connah’s Quay: Golftyn / Cei Connah: Golftyn | Andy Hughes | Independent |
Franko Richardson | Independent | |
Connah’s Quay: Wepre / Cei Connah: Gwepra | Roz Mansell | Independent / Annibynnol |
Flint: Castle / Y Fflint: Y Castell | Ian Roberts | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Flint: Coleshill and Trelawny / Y Fflint: Cynswllt a Threlawny | Paul Cunningham | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Michelle Perfect | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Vicky Perfect | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Flint: Oakenholt / Y Fflint: Oakenholt | Mel Buckley | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Greenfield / Maes Glas | Rosetta Dolphin | Independent / Annibynnol |
Gwernaffield and Gwernymynydd / Y Waun a Gwernymynydd | David Coggins Cogan | Welsh Liberal Democrats – Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru |
Adele Davies-Cooke | Welsh Conservative Party Candidate / Ymgeisydd Plaid Geidwadol Cymru | |
Hawarden: Aston / Penarlag: Aston | Gillian Louise Brockley | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Helen Brown | Independent / Annibynnol | |
Hawarden: Ewloe / Penarlag: Ewloe | Dave Mackie | Independent |
Linda Thomas | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Hawarden: Mancot / Penarlag: Mancot | Sam Swash | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Ant Turton | Independent / Annibynnol | |
Higher Kinnerton / Kinnerton Uchaf | Mike Allport | Independent |
Holywell Central / Canol Treffynnon | Ted Palmer | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Holywell East / Dwyrain Treffynnon | Ian Hodge | Independent / Annibynnol |
Holywell West / Gorllewin Treffynnon | Paul Johnson | Welsh Labour and Co-operative Party / Llafur a’r Blaid Gydweithredol Cymru |
Hope / Yr Hob | Gladys Healey | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Leeswood / Coed-llai | Ray Hughes | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Llanasa and Trelawnyd / Llanasa a Threlawnyd | Glyn Banks | Independent / Annibynnol |
Gina Maddison | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Llanfynydd / Llanfynydd | Dave Hughes | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Mold East / Dwyrain yr Wyddgrug | Chris Bithell | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Mold South / De’r Wyddgrug | Geoff Collett | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Mold West / Gorllewin yr Wyddgrug | Tina Susan Claydon | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Mold: Broncoed / Yr Wyddgrug: Broncoed | Teresa Carberry | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Mostyn / Mostyn | Pam Banks | Independent / Annibynnol |
Northop / Llaneurgain | Marion Bateman | Independent |
Linda Thew | Independent / Annibynnol | |
Penyffordd / Pen-y-ffordd | Alasdair Ibbotson | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Roy Alan Wakelam | Independent / Annibynnol | |
Queensferry and Sealand / Queensferry a Sealand | Christine Jones | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Dale Selvester | Independent | |
Saltney Ferry / Saltney Ferry | Richard Lloyd | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Jason Shallcross | Independent | |
Shotton East and Shotton Higher / Dwyrain Shotton a Shotton Uchaf | Ron Davies | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
David Evans | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru | |
Shotton West / Gorllewin Shotton | Sean Bibby | Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru |
Treuddyn / Treuddyn | Allan Marshall | Annibynnol / Independent |
Whitford / Chwitffordd | Chris Dolphin | Independent / Annibynnol |
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