December 9, 2022 11.00 am This story is over 25 months old

Spalding by-election results announced after popular councillor’s death

One race was decided by just 12 votes

New councillors have been elected to fill the seats left by the late Angela Newton amid a poor turnout.

Independents retained the county council seat, while Conservatives gained the seat on South Holland District Council by just a dozen votes.

Councillor Manzur Hasan (South Holland Independents) comfortably won the county seat for Spalding West.

He defeated Paul Redgate (Conservatives) by 676 votes to 393.

Councillor Stephen Timewell (Conservative), the organiser of the revived Spalding Flower Parade, squeaked out a narrow victory in Spalding Monks House race.

He received 375 votes to the 363 which went to Suresh Chauhan (South Holland Independents).

It represented a surprising win for Conservatives at a time when they are lagging in polls nationally.

Turnout was 13% for the county race and 18% for the district.

Polls closed at 10pm, and the results were announced around an hour later.

Councillor Angela Newton was a well-known figure in Spalding | Photo: Daniel Jaines

The late Councillor Angela Newton MBE passed away in August after 50 years of public service.

She had sat on South Holland District Council when it was first formed, and was the leader of the Independent group at the time of her death.

Council leader Gary Porter paid tribute to her “tireless contribution to South Holland.”

Her work was recognised as she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours in 2021.


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