County election brings out more voters

Gill Quinton: Returning Officer

More people turned out to vote in Thursday’s (May 4) Buckinghamshire County Council elections than in the county polls four years ago.

The overall turnout was nearly 5% up at 34.8%.

Voters returned 41 Conservatives, four Liberal Democrat, two East Wycombe Independents, one Labour and one Independent to form the new council, which is being inducted today (Monday May 8).

Seventeen of the 49 Members – that’s nearly a third – have been newly-elected to the County Council his time. Eight former Members did not stand again for election.

Compared with the 2013 result, Conservatives gained five seats, Liberal Democrats lost one seat, and UKIP lost six seats.

Of the 391,313 registered to vote 136,064 went to the polls.

Returning Officer Gill Quinton was delighted the increased turnout. “Everyone uses the County Council’s services in some way every day, and I’m pleased more residents exercised their democratic right tochoose the people they want to represent them and to make important decisions about millions of pounds of public services provided across Buckinghamshire.”

A full list of County Councillors and the Divisons they represent can be found athttps://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=13&V=1&RPID=80480862