Littlehampton’s River Ward by-election results announced

Littlehampton Town Council announced today that Ian Buckland (Liberal Democrat) will be the new ward councillor for the area.

He took a total of 311 votes (41.8 per cent) compared to Conservative candidate Delma Mayer-Pezhanzki who was beaten back into last place, trailing with just 91 votes (12.2 per cent).

Labour’s representative Alan Butcher fought a closely-contested campaign, taking 226 votes (30.4 per cent), while UK Independence Party (UKIP) candidate, William Watkins won 116 votes (15.6 per cent).

Turnout in yesterday’s election was 18.6 per cent with a total of 744 votes received by returning officer Nigel Lynn.

The by-election had been called following the resignation of Conservative councillor for River Ward, Roy Scrivener in September, a month which also saw the group’s former leader, Alan Gammon, step down from his position.

Mr Scrivener had previously told the Gazette he quit because of new regulations forcing councillors to declare their, and their partner’s, interests.

“In that situation, I find that I’m not able to fulfil the requirements of the Localism Act, so I have had no alternative but to withdraw,” he said.

“I was told that if this form didn’t go through, I would not be able to sit in council meetings and vote.”

The legislation allows councillors to redact – conceal or withhold – “sensitive” information, but if the form setting out their interest was heavily redacted, said Mr Scrivener, it would be scrutinised by a monitoring officer at Arun District Council.

“I’m not prepared to do that,” he said. “It’s exceedingly sensitive information.”

He was elected as a River ward councillor in December last year, after another Conservative, John Charles, had to resign when it was established he was living outside the three-mile limit for town councillors.

Labour and Liberal-Democrat town councillors have criticised Mr Scrivener for causing the expense of another by-election – at a cost of around £6,000 – so soon after he was elected.

For more on the election, see Thursday’s (December 15) Local Politics section.