Conservative hold in North Northants Council by-election for Burton and Broughton Ward

The seat that will cease to exist at the unitary elections in May due to boundary changes, saw a 20.4 per cent turnout with the newly-elected Cllr Evelyn polling 46 per cent of the vote.

Labour’s candidate Nigel Padget was pushed into fourth place behind Adrian Watts (Green) and the Liberal Democrats’ Jenny Davis.

Cllr Evelyn said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be elected. It was a tough campaign. I’ve spoken to hundreds of residents over the past four weeks with a lot of people expressing concerns regarding road safety, bus stop provision, The Harold Mason Centre and Kettering Energy Park. It’s going to be an exciting six months."

"I thought it would be a lot closer than that because there was a lot of apathy on the doorsteps – people have been ‘electioned’ out – but it shows we’re on the road, from the Conservative point of view, to rebuild and renew.”

Nigel Padget, who polled just 13 per cent of the vote thought the result was due to national issues, a split left vote and polling card problems.

He said: “It’s disappointing. Knocking on doors it seemed those people intending to vote were swayed by national issues. But we live to fight another day.

"I think quite a few people didn’t get their polling cards. People with postal votes tend to be older and tend to vote Conservative so they got their cards.

“The Conservatives didn’t have Reform against them. The three parties who came second, third and fourth, all were all to the left and that made the difference.”

The by-elction had been triggered after Conservative member Chris Smith-Haynes stepped down due to ill health.

Her dismissal had been automatically triggered as she did not attend any meetings over the past six months.

Ms Smith-Haynes, had said she was ‘very sad’ to leave NNC but was ‘unable to undertake her duties’.

Full result of the Burton and Broughton Ward by-election:

Alex Evelyn (Conservative) – 939 votes

Adrian Watts (Green) – 489 votes

Jenny Davis (Liberal Democrats) – 337 votes

Nigel Padget (Labour) – 260 votes

The turnout was 20.4 per cent with 16 rejected votes.

NNC has said they are ‘not aware of any issues with delivery of polling cards’.