Albrighton Parish Council By-elections

12.00.00am GMT Sat 26th Feb 2005

In what must have been one of the lowest turnouts in a local election of 9.9%, and definitely the closest possible finish, Samantha Horrobin (Independent) scraped in by one vote in Albrighton South from Mandy Medlyn (For Albrighton candidate) by 106 to 105 votes. On the first count Mandy Medlyn was ahead by one vote; a recount put Samantha Horrobin ahead, and a second recount confirmed the result.

In Albrighton North, the local vicar, the Rev. Roger Balkwill grossed 144 votes, to Barry Dorward's 102 and Stephen Davies' (Green Party) 83. The turnout there was nearly three times higher at 26.2%, but the weather on 24 February must have encouraged most people to stay indoors.

Let's hope the weather is better for the elections on 5 May! It is a sad reflection on local democracy that less than 10% of the 2,130 people eligible to vote in Albrighton South did so. The last contest for Albrighton Parish Council was a by-election in 1998, seven years ago! Maybe universal postal votes are the answer, provided opportunities for fraud can be eliminated.