Axed councillor vows to return

A long-standing councillor has vowed to return to the county council after being dumped from her seat by the Conservatives in a shock 78-vote win.

Liberal Democrat Fran Oborski lost Kidderminster’s St Chad’s seat on Worcestershire County Council to the Conservatives’ Bill Hopkins in one of the shocks of last Thursday’s (May 6) local elections bringing an end to a 20-year stint as county councillor.

But whilst disappointed by the result the Liberal Democrat has vowed to return to County Hall in four years’ time claiming that “she will be going nowhere.”

“That’s life isn’t it?” Cllr Oborski said.

“The Tory candidate was ex-UKIP and he picked up those UKIP votes from last time. I think that’s what it was really.

“What was really interesting is that we had the town council elections on the same day and I came top of the poll.

“I’ll be back. I’m not going anywhere.

“Obviously I’ll be keeping a very close eye on what he is doing over the next four years and God and health willing I will be back.”

Mrs Oborksi, who was a strong opposition voice and chair of the council’s children and families scrutiny panel, was first elected to represent the division in 2009 having been elected to the neighbouring St Georges and St Oswald division in 2005 and the former Hurcott division in 2001.

On the same day, Cllr Oborski was elected to Kidderminster Town Council in the Offmore and Comberton ward finishing first in the poll with 956 votes.

She also remains a Wyre Forest district councillor for Offmore and Comberton.

Elsewhere in the Wyre district, the Conservatives kept hold of Bewdley with Daniel Morehead elected and replacing Rebecca Vale.

Nathan Desmond and Tracey Onslow were re-elected in Kidderminster’s St Marys and St Johns divisions for the Conservatives.

Tory Marcus Hart was re-elected in Chaddesley and Ian Hardiman was re-elected for the Conservatives in Cookley, Wolverley and Wribbenhall.

David Ross was elected in St Barnabas taking over from Anne Hingley and Tony Muir won for the Conservatives in St Georges and St Oswalds defeating sitting independent councillor Mary Rayner.

Paul Harrison and Chris Rogers were both re-elected for the Conservatives in Stourport-on-Severn.

Overall, the Conservatives gained five seats on Worcestershire County Council increasing its majority and pushing the party’s total to 45 seats.

Labour lost six seats, including the group’s leader Robin Lunn, with the party dropping to just three councillors.

The Liberal Democrats finished with four seats, the Greens three and two independents were also elected.