THE CONSERVATIVE Party have capped a memorable 24 hours in the city by retaining control of the Guildhall with an outright majority.
Coun Simon Geraghty’s party now have a one seat majority after Coun Andy Stafford secured Claines with 2,115 votes.
He polled more than double the amount of votes of Liberal Democrat Mel Allcott who finished second on 1,056.
The defeat means the Liberal Democrats have now lost all three seats in their previous stronghold and also means the party will not be represented on Worcester City Council for the first time since 1989.
Conservative councillor Chris Mitchell got the party off and running by retaining his St Clement seat ahead of Labour’s Jordan Powell and Richard Delingpole of UKIP.
Current Deputy Mayor Coun Roger Knight comfortably held his St Peter’s Parish seat ahead of Labour’s Barbara Mitra and Paul Hickling of UKIP.
Labour’s first seat was retained by Coun Simon Cronin who held Nunnery while the Conservatives Coun Lucy Hodgson retained her Warndon Parish South seat.
Coun George Squires held his Arboretum seat for Labour with a comfortable majority over Will Pryce (Conservative) and Susan Avery (Green Party).
Deputy council leader Coun Marc Bayliss retained his Bedwardine seat for the Conservatives ahead of Labour’s Gaynor Pritchard.
Another new face was elected to the council in Warndon Parish North as Alan Feeney held the seat for the Conservatives ahead of Chris Cooper of Labour and UKIPs Jacqueline Burnett.
The self-appointed ‘Voice of St Johns’ Coun Richard Udall fought off a strong challenge from Tory Irene Deamer to retain his St John seat by 549 votes.
A recount was needed in St Stephen as Conservative councillor Gareth Jones fought off the challenge of the Green Party’s Neal Murphy by just 92 votes.
And the Conservative majority was confirmed when Coun Allah Ditta retained his Cathedral seat by 139 votes ahead of Labour’s Adam Scott.
The results mean the Conservatives now have 18 of the 35 seats on offer with Labour remaining on 15 and the Green Party and an Independent with one each.
