UPDATE: Full Worthing local election results as Tories claim full house
The Tories took all eleven wards in the Worthing Borough elections, gaining three seats and holding eight in the process.
But Tarring was the big shock of the day, with former councillor Tom Wye returning to break the Lib Dem Tarring stronghold.
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Hide AdHazel Thorpe, a councillor of 15 years, said: “I’m not surprised at all. I’ve worked really hard but it really doesn’t count for the public these days. Because there’s so much choice they don’t know what to choose, I suppose.
“Tom’s a public figure. People know him. He was put in there deliberately to stop UKIP and that worked.”
The Conservative success was described as a ‘momentous’ day by leader Daniel Humphreys, who won Offington convincingly.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted and really, really flattered. It’s brilliant that so many people have put their faith in me personally and also Worthing Conservatives.
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Hide Ad“We work hard for these folks. We work for the community in the community all year round, not just in election time. We focus on the things that matter - council tax and collecting bins.”
The general trend in most wards was Conservatives winning, followed by UKIP, Labour, Lib Dems and Green.
Central was a close contest, with the Greens polling second to Conservative candidate and cabinet member Clive Roberts.
UKIP West Sussex leader Mike Glennon said: “I think what we have seen today is quite a seismic change in British politics in our lifetime. It reminds me of 1997 but in the opposite direction.
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Hide Ad“Voting behaviour has been greatly complicated by the emergence of the SNP who pose a threat to England in the views of English voters. It’s quite sinister given they would likely join up with Labour . This has pushed huge numbers of people into the arms of the Conservatives.”
The Lib Dems remain the main opposition party but their six councillors were reduced to four. UKIP remain with two and the Greens one.
Lib Dem leader Keith Sunderland said: “I think we have been punished for going into coalition. I do think if there are coalitions needed in the future the way we have suffered by it means it’s unlikely if there’s another national emergency people won’t want to go into another coalition. It’s worrying.”
Full results of Worthing Borough Council wards:
BROADWATER
Tony Anderson (UKIP) - 915
John Apsey (Lib) - 481
Richard Battson (Green) - 427
Nigel Morgan (Con) - 1809
John Turley (Lab) - 778
CASTLE
Lionel Harman (Con) - 1490
Pauline James (UKIP) - 1029
Trudi Starling (Lib) - 592
Ian Walker (Lab) - 633
Julian Warrick (Green) - 222
CENTRAL
Christine Allen (Lib) - 395
Trevor England (UKIP) - 729
Michelle Harfield (Lab) - 782
Daniel Parsonage (Green) - 926
Clive Roberts (Con) - 1331
GAISFORD
John Harwood (UKIP) - 703
Dimitri Seirlis (Lib) - 443
Joseph Thornton (Lab) - 817
Bryan Turner (Con) - 1922
Rosemarie Turner (Green) - 502
GORING
Roy Barraclough* (Con) - 2946
David Elford (Lib) - 437
Peggy Harris (Lab) - 568
Samuel Lovely (Green) - 314
David Smith (UKIP) - 853
HEENE
Geoff Brown (UKIP) - 599
Michael Cranefield (Lib) - 289
Joshua High (Con) - 1449
Richard Mulholland (Lab) - 604
Stefan Sykes (Green) - 802
MARINE
Kirk Dickenson (UKIP) - 741
Michael Finch (Lib) - 472
Katy Parsonage (Green) - 455
Alex Wagstaff (Lab) 663
Paul Yallop (Con) - 2296
OFFINGTON
Daniel Humphreys (Con) - 2749
Pat Izod (Lib) - 410
Jed Smith (Lab) -437
John Strange (UKIP) 836
Anne Weinhold (Green) - 283
SALVINGTON
Noel Atkins (Con) - 2397
Jacqueline Cranefield (Lib) - 638
Jill Guest (Lab) - 627
Mike Jelliss (UKIP) - 1139
SELDEN
Graham Adams (UKIP) - 706
Mike Barrett (Lab) - 851
Valerie Ellis (Green) - 429
Alex Harman (Con) - 1415
Yvonne Leonard (Lib) - 439
TARRING
Jim Deen (Lab) - 587
Ross Johnson (Green) -321
Adrian Price (UKIP) - 754
Hazel Thorpe* (Lib) - 1110
Tom Wye (Con) - 1464