Test Valley elections: Conservatives win majority, LibDems also gain

Liberal Democrats also improved their seats from last term to 17 to complete the council.

This means Andover and Romsey residents will be represented by just two parties in the new term.

Katie Brooks, Stewart MacDonald, Alex Gillies, Lisa Matthews, Mark Leech, Susanne Hasselmann, Debbie Cattell are the new Conservative members in the council.

Four of the 23 sitting Conservative councillors who contested this time were defeated.

READ MORE: Recap of Test Valley election results updates

Karen Dunleavey, Amanda Ford, Luigi Gregori, Robin Hughes, Rohit Kohli, Sally Yalden are the new LibDem members in the council.

None of the 12 sitting LibDem councillors who contested this time were defeated.

Test Valley Borough Council seats at the end of the previous term

Test Valley Borough Council seats for 2023-27 term

Council leader and winning Conservative candidate Phil North shared his delight after the results.

He said: "I am delighted that the Conservative Administration has been returned in Test Valley with an increased majority.  In the light of results nationally, the fact that our residents have continued to put their trust in us is testament to the hard work and dedication of our councillors over the last four years.

"I’m personally proud of our record running the Council under my leadership over the last six years. Particularly, on how the Council responded to the Covid pandemic; the start we’ve made on town centre regeneration, putting together and beginning to deliver the masterplans; our zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping & illegal traveller incursions and maintaining and enhancing our parks and green spaces. All of which has been made easier by the hardwork and dedication of Test Valley Borough Council staff. 

"Losing colleagues is always hard, and I would like to pay tribute to the outstanding effort made by my team.  Those who worked so hard yet were unsuccessful should be proud of their effort and I am very sorry to have lost some excellent colleagues.  I look forward too to welcoming new councillors who will bring fresh insight to our work.

"Elections are over. It’s back to working tirelessly for the residents of Test Valley, to them I say: “we will not let you down".

LibDem group leader Cllr Neil Gwynne said: “It’s a mix of emotions. Disappointing because we didn’t win the majority. We thought we had a chance and we did have a chance. We lost four seats by less than 50 votes.

“We still took five extra seats, taking our tally to 17. It was extremely close in many seats. We came so close to taking majority. It was due to extremely large amount of work by the resources of this party. Our people worked incredibly hard. So big thank you to all of them.”

Here are the full results for Test Valley Borough Council:

• Ampfield and Braishfield ward

M-J Rawson-Smith (Local Conservatives) - 376 votes

Sally Yalden (Liberal Democrats) - 614 votes

Turnout: 45 per cent

 

• Bourne Valley ward

Phil North (Local Conservatives) - 576 votes

Graham Nicholas Walters (Liberal Democrats) - 318 votes

Turnout: 36.59 per cent

 

• Andover Downlands ward

Colin Stuart Burgess (Liberal Democrats) - 192 votes

Kristian Nicholas Cotter (Labour Party) - 200 votes

Christopher David Donnelly (Local Conservatives) - 526 votes

Kevin Paul Hughes (Liberal Democrats) - 261 votes

Nick Lodge (Local Conservatives) - 451 votes

Turnout: 20.66 per cent

 

• Andover Harroway ward

Carl Stephen Borg-Neal (Local Conservatives) - 652 votes

Tony Burley (Local Conservatives) - 645 votes

Luigi Stefano John Gregori (Liberal Democrats) - 781 votes

Karen Louise Hamilton (Local Conservatives) - 642 votes

Robin Hughes (Liberal Democrats) - 716 votes

Gary Mark Juliff (Independent) - 248 votes

Lance Mitchell (Green Party candidate) - 309 votes

Edward Charles Reynolds (Liberal Democrats) - 581 votes

Philippa Jane Roll (Labour Party) - 295 votes

Turnout: 25.61 per cent

 

• Andover Millway ward

Zilliah Helena Brooks (Local Conservatives) - 936 votes

Dan Emmerson (Independent) - 233 votes

Mark Llewellyn Farren (Independent) - 421 votes

Thomas James Gregory (Liberal Democrats) - 756 votes

Catherine  Hosen (Green Party candidate) - 424 votes

Mark Alan Leech (Local Conservatives) - 770 votes

Michael Robert McGarry (Liberal Democrats) - 698 votes

Jim Neal (Local Conservatives) - 794 votes

Andy Pomphrey (Green Party) - 369 votes

Nicholas Gordon Simmonds (Liberal Democrats) - 529 votes

Turnout: 32.39 per cent

 

• Andover Romans ward

Katie Louise Brooks (Local Conservatives) - 577 votes

Steve Hardstaff (Independent) - 364 votes

Richard Jeremy Kidd (Liberal Democrats) - 549 votes

Scott William John Lindfield (Labour Party) - 290 votes

Josephine Hazel Iris Msonthi (Liberal Democrats) - 554 votes

Kirsty Marie North (Local Conservatives) - 557 votes

Jason Lloyd Sangster (Liberal Democrats) - 659 votes

Tracey Lorraine Tasker (Local Conservatives) - 540 votes

 

• Andover St Mary's ward

Iris Anita Andersen (Local Conservatives) - 676 votes

Katherine Anne Bird (Liberal Democrats) - 457 votes

Andrew John Briggs (Liberal Democrats) - 206 votes

Jan Franciszek Budzynski (Local Conservatives) - 504 votes

Debbie Cattell (Local Conservatives) - 538 votes

Judith Elizabeth Cole (Labour Party) - 426 votes

Andrew David Fitchet (Labour Party) - 479 votes

Peter Alan Hurst (Liberal Democrats) - 200 votes

Stuart George Waue (Independent) - 306 votes

Turnout: 23.32 per cent

 

• Andover Winton ward

Alex Gillies (Local Conservatives) - 645 votes

Adrian Stephen Hall-Cooper (Liberal Democrats) - 330 votes

Andrew Kevin Horsnell (Independent) - 195 votes

Joseph Henry Hughes (Liberal Democrats) - 410 votes

Lisa Jayne Matthews (Local Conservatives) - 552 votes

Rebecca Avis Meyer (Independent) - 283 votes

Richard Rowles (Independent) - 161 votes

Turnout: 29.4 per cent

 

• Anna ward

Carol Marie Bartholomew (Green Party) - 360 votes

Paul Steven Burnage (Liberal Democrats) - 454 votes

Maureen Flood (Local Conservatives) - 1,373 votes

Susanne Hasselmann (Local Conservatives) - 1,102 votes

Christopher Thom (Liberal Democrats) - 387 votes

Turnout: 40.3 per cent

 

• Bellinger ward

George David Johnson (Liberal Democrats) - 268 votes

Phil Lashbrook (Local Conservatives) - 531 - votes

Turnout: 31.39 per cent

 

• Blackwater ward

Nick Adams-King (Local Conservatives) - 1,465 votes

Gordon Leslie Bailey (Local Conservatives) - 969 votes

Andrew Robert Beesley (Liberal Democrats) - 293 votes

Christopher Leonard Craig (Independent) - 643 votes

Thomas Harold George Ezard (Liberal Democrats) - 858 votes

Jason Martin Reeves (Green) - 294 votes

Turnout: 43.82 per cent

 

• Bourne Valley ward

Phil North (Local Conservatives) - 576 votes

Graham Nicholas Walters (Liberal Democrats) - 318 votes

Turnout: 36.59 per cent

 

• Charlton & The Pentons ward

Paul Howland (Green Party) - 163 votes

Linda Lashbrook (Local Conservatives) - 429 votes

Jean Reynolds (Liberal Democrats) - 253 votes

Norman Henry Richard Woods (UK Independence Party) - 49 votes

Turnout: 34.42 per cent

 

• Chilworth, Nursling & Rownhams ward

Lee Berry (Liberal Democrats) - 1060 votes

Phil Bundy (Local Conservatives) - 1144 votes

Karen Dunleavey (Liberal Democrats) - 1190 votes

Julie Gomer (Liberal Democrats) - 1048 votes

Mike Maltby (Local Conservatives) - 1037 votes

Terese Ann Swain (Local Conservatives) - 1091 votes

Turnout: 35.89 per cent

 

• Harewood ward

David Nicholas Alwyne Drew (Local Conservatives) - 652 votes

Duncan James Clark (Liberal Democrats) - 601 votes

Turnout: 48.1 per cent

 

• Mid Test ward

Jonathon Cotterell (Green) - 368 votes

Jane Carole Elliott (Labour) - 256 votes

David Ian Hall (Liberal Democrats) - 1,225 votes

Ian Jeffrey (Local Conservatives) - 1,382 votes

Alison Mary Johnston (Local Conservatives) - 1,402 votes

Stewart MacDonald (Local conservatives) - 1,351 votes

Alan Geoffrey Marshall (Liberal Democrats) - 972 votes

Connor Edward Shaw (Green) - 405 votes

Russell Theron (Liberal Democrats) - 897

Turnout: 40.88 per cent

 

• North Baddlesley ward

Joe Billet (Local Conservatives) - 483 votes

Lynne Colton (Local Conservatives) - 513 votes

Geoff Cooper (Liberal Democrats) - 1,239 votes

Amanda Ford (Liberal Democrats) - 1,373 votes

Richard Jan Frankie (Local Conservatives) - 416 votes

Callum Peter Jackson (Labour) - 227 votes

Alan Warnes (Liberal Democrats) - 1,198 votes

 

• Romsey Abbey ward

Nik Daas (Liberal Democrats) - 1,017 votes

Joe Dwyer (Local Conservatives) - 642 votes

Sandra Julia Gidley (Liberal Democrats) - 1,132 votes

Nick Michell (Local Conservatives) - 704 votes

Andrew Drummond Peterson (Heritage Party) - 71 votes

Bernard Lawrence Van Den Berg (Labour) - 167

Turnout: 41.79 per cent

 

• Romsey Cupernham ward

Janet Louise Burnage (Liberal Democrats) - 1,435 votes

Ann Cameron Chillingworth (Labour Party) - 326 votes

Neil Alan Gwynne (Liberal Democrats) - 1,327 votes

Rohit Kohli (Liberal Democrats) - 1,187 votes

Dave Maslen (Local Conservatives) - 664 votes

Tim Mayer (Local Conservatives) - 869 votes

John Anthony William Ray (Local Conservatives) - 768 votes

Turnout: 36.36 per cent

 

• Romsey Tadburn ward

David Charles Bloomfield (Local Conservatives) - 410 votes

Clive Wellesley Collier (Local Conservatives) - 494 votes

Mark Geoffrey Cooper (Liberal Democrats) - 1,463 votes

Carolyn Ann Nixson (Labour) - 201 votes

John Stephen Parker (Liberal Democrats) - 1,304 votes

Turnout: 43.143 per cent

 

• Valley Park ward

Michael Anthony Ball (Local Conservatives) - 356

Sam George Davies (Local Conservatives) - 330

Alan George Dowden (Liberal Democrats) - 1,458

Celia Mary Dowden (Liberal Democrats) - 1,297

 

*An earlier version of this article said 'One of the 12 sitting LibDem councillors who contested this time was defeated' when it should have said 'None of the 12 sitting LibDem councillors who contested this time were defeated'. We apologise for the error.