A RECOUNT was averted in Macclesfield Borough Council after it was revealed that 100 ballot papers had gone missing.
Because of the nature of the postal vote checking system the 100 votes were identified by electronic counting but did not appear when ballot papers were counted by hand. The votes, for the Handforth ward, are thought to have been printed on the wrong colour paper - white instead of grey for the borough elections. The white ballot papers are for the European Elections and it is thought the missing votes are probably in one of the European election ballot boxes.
When the mix-up was revealed chief executive and returning officer David Parr discussed this with the candidates but only one candidate wanted a recount which would have to take place on Sunday when the European votes were counted. The results as they stood had Handforth Independent Ratepayer Susan Bidwell with 1,250 votes and next was Conservative Keith Chapman with 700 votes.
But Mr Parr said: "A recount in this case would not have served democracy given that the majority was in excess of 500."
There were no real surprises in this year's borough elections with the Conservatives gaining one seat in Poynton East where Christopher Beard took the ward off sitting Lib Dem councillor Sue Warrington. However this gain was wiped out by the seat the Conservatives had already lost before the elections began.
Former council leader Peter Burns dramatically pulled out after the close of nominations after being diagnosed with cancer. He is also due to appear in court later this month charged with threatening behaviour. His shock last minute withdrawal meant there was no chance for the Conservatives to field another candidate.
However Prestbury people decided if they couldn't have a Tory councillor they didn't want a Lib Dems and Labour one and both parties were disappointed when the seat went to Independent candidate, local businessman Christopher Wellavize. Mr Wellavize, 46, runs Prestbury Nurseries, and is married to Linda, with two children Mia and Theo. He did not want to directly thank Peter Burns for clearing the way for him but thanked the people of Prestbury for voting for him.
Mr Wellavize said: "When I decided to stand Peter Burns was the Conservative candidate and I was happy to stand against him. I think party politics are too involved in the town hall. People want competent councillors who can deliver services and not play political games."
He said: "Because I have got a garden centre and people come in I knew a lot of people voted for me so I expected to get a reasonable number. I thought I might get 1,000 but I got 1,202 and I am very pleased with that." The next highest vote was for Liberal Democrat Christine Musgrove who polled 778.
Other results included former Conservative Ralph Burgess in Poynton Central losing his seat. he recently defected to the UK Independence Party but Poynton voters went for the party not the candidate and voted in Conservative Roger West.
To the surprise of some Colin Marsh from the England First party polled 90 votes in Bollington West but Lib Dem Shirley Socket easily kept her seat.
The overall make-up of Macclesfield Borough Council remains relatively unchanged with 35 Conservatives, 14 Liberal Democrats, six Labour, three Handforth Ratepayers, and two Independents (although Brendan Murphy is suspended). The only change is a Lib Dem loss and an Independent gain.
Alderley Edge:
PARKINSON, John Phillips (Conservative) - 1552
STELLING, Neil William Edmund (Labour) - 556
Bollington Central:
EDWARDS, Sandra Frances (Labour) - 170
ROBERTS, Sylvia Elizabeth (Liberal Democrat) - 610
WRIGHT, Jill (Conservative) - 294
ZEIGER, Sandra Elaine (Green) - 55
Bollington East:
DOHERTY, Brian John Anthony (Green) - 50
EVANS, Graham Thomas (Conservative) - 453
LINGARD, Brenda (Liberal Democrat) - 245
PEART, Gary David (UK Independence) - 81
STEDMAN, Harold Mark (Labour) - 252
Bollington West:
DALE, Susan Jennifer (Labour) - 181
MARSH, Colin England (First Party) - 90
SIMMONS, Alan Clarke (Conservative) - 312
SOCKETT, Shirley (Liberal Democrat) - 387
Chelford:
ANDREW, Carolyn Margaret (Conservative) - 992
WALTON, David (Labour) - 173
Gawsworth:
JOHNSON, Howard Robert (Liberal Democrat) - 173
PALMER, Jane Miriam (Conservative) - 830
PEMBERTON, David Russell Vaughan (Labour) - 117
Handforth:
BIDWELL, Susan Ann Elizabeth (Handforth Ratepayer Independent) - 1250
CHAPMAN, Keith Anthony (Conservative) - 700
GRACE, Anne Mary (Labour) - 512
HARE, Dougal Julian (Green) - 229
High Legh:
CURTIS, Theresa Loraine (Green) - 328
TAYLOR, Moira (Conservative) - 769
Mobberley:
BURTON, Laurie Stuart (Labour) - 155
EADIE, Nicholas John (Green) - 194
MACRAE, William Jamie (Conservative) - 691
Plumley:
DAULBY, Brian (Labour) - 109
KIPLING, Susan Jane (Conservative) - 869
Poynton Central:
BURGESS, Ralph (UK Independence) - 464
FLINN, Stephen Paul (Green) - 107
ROBERTSON, Charles Malcolm (Labour) - 327
ROBINSON, Christopher James (Liberal Democrat) - 732
WEST, Roger Edward (Conservative) - 1238
Poynton East:
BEARD, Christopher (Conservative) - 509
CARTER, Eleanor Elizabeth (Labour) - 94
WARRINGTON, Susan Rosalind (Liberal Democrat) - 487
Poynton West:
BARTOS, Gabor (Conservative) - 1282
BOSTON, Gillian (Labour) - 379
MACWHIRTER, Phyllis Marjorie (Liberal Democrat) - 571
Prestbury:
MUSGROVE, Christine (Liberal Democrat) - 778
STEWART, Karen Jane (Labour) - 120
WELLAVIZE, Christopher John (Independent) - 1202
Wilmslow Dean Row:
HATTON, Lynn (Liberal Democrat) - 726
WHITELEY, Paul Percy (Conservative) - 1260
Wilmslow Fulshaw:
BAKER, Helen (Liberal Democrat) - 439
COTTER, Lawrence (Labour) - 226
HANSON, Basil Edward (Conservative) - 1178
NORMAN, Mark Anthony (Green) - 303
Wilmslow Hough:
CONNOLLY, James Michael (Liberal Democrat) - 549
FITZGERALD, Robert Wesley James (Conservative) - 1382
KELLY, Jonathan Michael (Labour) - 175
Wilmslow Lacey Green:
BARTON, Gary Philip (Conservative) - 198
BRADLEY, Adrian Henry (Liberal Democrat) - 764
HOBDAY, Laurence Michael (Labour) - 110
Wilmslow Morley & Styal:
BRADLEY, Margaret (Liberal Democrat) - 1112
LEWIS, David Anthony (Green) - 121
MENLOVE, Roderick William (Conservative) - 930
STANFORD-SMITH, Brian (UK Independence) - 167
PARISH ELECTION RESULTS - elected members in each ward:
Parish Of Bosley: ALSTON, Julian; BULLOCK, Kathleen Mary; DONE, Maureen Anne; HOLLINSHEAD, Albert; JENKINSON, Sylvia Jean; SWINDELLS, Francis Stanley; WHITTAKER, June Margaret
Parish Of Ollerton With Marthall - Marthall Ward: HOLMES, Jennifer Elsa; MASON, Joseph Geoffrey; SAYLE, Kenneth Henry.
Parish Of Ollerton With Marthall - Ollerton Ward: BARNES, Thomas Charles Richard; DAVISON, Elizabeth Mary; HODKINSON, Gordon Henry; LITTLER, George; ROBERTS, John Wilfred; STREET, Alan Thomas; WESTON, Robert Neil
Parish Of Poynton-With-Worth - Central Ward: SEWART, Michael Charles Geoffrey (Conservative); SMITH, Angela (Conservative); WEST, Roger Edward (Conservative); BARBER, John Granville (Conservative); CLARKE, Laurence Alan (Conservative); CROSSAN, James Neil (Conservative); MURRAY, Howard (Conservative); PARKER, Anthony Vincent (Conservative).
Parish Of Poynton-With-Worth - East Ward: BEARD, Christopher John (Conservative); GORST, Charles Arthur (Conservative); WARRINGTON, Susan Rosalind (Liberal Democrat).
Parish Of Poynton-With-Worth - West Ward: BARTOS, Gabor (Conservative); ROBBIE, David Arthur (Conservative); WALL, Alan (Conservative); CLAXTON, Christopher Anthony (Conservative); HALL, Anthony (Conservative); HARRISON, Ruth Margaret (Conservative).
