Seat lost after 17 years

ELECTION night brought bitter disappointment for Soham North councillor, 78-year-old John Palmer, who lost his seat after 17 years, polling just 175 votes. He said: I was very disappointed but we all take knocks in life. I have always worked hard for the

ELECTION night brought bitter disappointment for Soham North councillor, 78-year-old John Palmer, who lost his seat after 17 years, polling just 175 votes.

He said: "I was very disappointed but we all take knocks in life. I have always worked hard for the people and will continue to do so whenever I can.

"I canvassed really hard."

Cllr Palmer was beaten by the Tory candidate James Palmer and believes that, as their two names were next to each other on the ballot sheet, some voters may have been confused.

But the Independents faired badly overall with only two of the 10 candidates getting elected.

Long-standing Cllr. Andy Wright held onto his seat in Littleport East and Derrick Beckett was re-elected in Isleham.

But leading Soham district councillor Colin Fordham, town councillor John Kirkham and prominent resident Liz Jugg, who had all been leading lights in the campaign to save St. Andrew's Parish Hall from the developers, failed to poll winning votes.

Former Conservative councillor, Mike Bunting, lost his seat in Ely North when he stood as an independent.

They were hoping that standing as Independents without the restrictions of party politics would win voters' confidence.

But voters who turned out in Soham North and Soham South elected Conservative candidates instead.

Soham South voters also went to the polls to elect representatives on Soham Town Council.

Independent John Kirkham lost his seat along with Liberal Democrat Peter Beer and Labour's Fiona Ross, who was town council chairman.