Broadland: Conservatives win in Thorpe St Andrew by-election

Broadland District Council Tories secured a victory over Labour in the Thorpe St Andrew North West Ward by-election, in a result that could ultimately pave the way for their return to leadership. 

Peter Berry was elected with 870 votes, 113 votes more than his nearest rival, Labour’s Carol Ferris. 

Broadland Council offices (Image: George Thompson, LDR)

It is a significant reduction from Labour’s result in May when Drew Moore took the seat with 1,022 votes.

It returns the Conservatives to the three-seat ward in which they had only lost once prior to May's local elections since new boundaries were created in 2004. 

While the Conservatives are the largest individual party on the council, they lack the numbers to form an administration, with the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Green groups joining together. 

This result has dented the rainbow coalition’s lead and with just two more by-election victories the Tories could regain the council. 

Mr Berry, a retired BT engineer who has lived in the area for 45 years, said: “I feel privileged to represent Thorpe St Andrew at a district level. 

“What happened in May was probably a reflection on the national picture, people were going through difficult times.  

“As a councillor, I want to work in collaboration with all councillors, regardless of their party, that’s how I have operated as a town councillor.” 

One issue Mr Berry said he was particularly passionate about was the Pinebank development – a 555-home plan in the area– promising to represent locals and their concerns over the scheme. 

Fran Whymark, the Conservative group leader at Broadland, described the result as “fantastic”, saying it was “one step to regaining the conservative administration”.  

The by-election follows the resignation of Mr Moore in June, just weeks after he was elected.