Voters took to the polls for the Little Downham by-election as Richard Alan Maxey and Dale Roger Parson were confirmed as new parish councillors.

Ely Standard: East Cambridgeshire District Council was tweeting throughout the evening at the Little Downham by-election.East Cambridgeshire District Council was tweeting throughout the evening at the Little Downham by-election. (Image: Archant)

The count took place yesterday at the Little Downham Village Centre.

There was a turnout of 27.32 per cent with the total number of ballot papers counted at 979.

At 11.07pm returning officer, John Hill, declared the count totals.

The number of votes cast in favour of Andrew Lloyd Butcher was 236, Richard Alan Maxey 316, Dale Roger Parson 243 and Ross John Taylor 184.

The total number of rejected ballot papers was four.

East Cambridgeshire District Council was tweeting throughout the evening, as the ballot boxes came in from Little Downham and Pymoor.

They posted: “As there are two people who will be elected parish councillors tonight, we are using the ‘grass skirt’ method to count votes.”