In the newly elected Somerset County Unitary Council it will be the Lib Dems in the driving seat grabbing 61 places and giving them a clear majority. The Tories were turfed out and now languish in opposition with 36 members. Some big scalps were belted in the ‘yellow tidal wave’ including Sedgemoor Leader Duncan McGinty, who was the only one of the cross party ‘Stronger Somerset’ Quadrumvirate not to get elected. Lib Dem District leaders Val Keitsch (South Somerset), Ros Wyke (Mendip) and Federica Smith-Roberts (SwaT) all take their places on the new authority. For the Greens it’s a 5 strong group : 4 of them based in Frome around pioneer councillor Martin Dimery plus one from Upper Tone, Dave Mansell and it’s 5 for Labour, 4 of them based in solid red Bridgwater plus Andy Govier from Wellington. In addition there are 3 independents. At this point in time there’s more questions than answers. Will the Lib Dems drastically change the unitary proposals? Will the squeaky oranges open up the doors of County Hall to a cross party comradarium now they’ve finally ‘won here’ or will it just be the Tory B Team back ‘inaction’ once again. As Chairman Mao once said ‘Tommorrow begins with a single cautious footstep over the precipice.’
The full County Unitary results.
Find them here