Elections: Cliffhanger after big turnout
Jeff Watson won his seat on the County Council by one vote
At one of the highest turnouts for a county election, Jeff Watson was elected as Councillor for Warkworth and Amble, receiving nearly half of his votes from Amble.
It became clear that this would be a close election when the Returning Officer said there was only one vote between the candidates. The LibDem group questioned the eligibility of one ballot paper and called for a recount. Again they lost by only one vote. There were a further four recounts, all with the same result.
Coun. Watson said, “I thought that it would be a tough race with the most number of candidates [five] in the whole county, and it was quite tense to say the least.”
If there had been a draw, the Returning Officer would be required to draw lots.
Town Council results
Amble East: No election
Craig Weir (Ind)
Helen Lewis (Ind)
Robert Arckless (Lab)
Amble Central:
Turnout: 24.2 per cent.
Jane Dargue (Lab) 234
Kathleen Morrison (Ind) 199
Velda Nicholson (Ind) 121
Amble West: No election
One vacancy
Ian Hinson (Lib Dem)
Jeff Watson (Con)
County Council results
Amble Turnout: 22.2 per cent.
Robert Arckless (Lab): 575 votes.
Peter Robinson (Con): 162 votes.
Roger Cashmore (Lib Dem): 86 votes.
Amble West with Warkworth Turnout: 45.5 per cent.
Jeff Watson (Con): 432 votes.
Julie Pörksen (Lib Dem): 431 votes.
Leslie Bilboe (UKIP): 260 votes.
Ann Burke (Ind): 222 votes.
Paul Claridge (Lab): 213 votes.
** UPDATE This article has been amended as the Amble County Council results were erroneously posted under the Town Council results. The Town Council ward for Amble East was uncontested. **
