New Conservative councillor Lucy Turner was humble in victory as Ashton Hurst turned to the Tories in the Tameside Council elections.

In one of two Conservative gains on the night, she pipped former sitting Labour councillor Dolores Lewis to the post by a tantalisingly 27 votes. 

“I’d like to pay tribute to Dolores for her hard work in the ward,” she stated in her victory speech. 

“To lose by such a small margin - I do understand how you feel,” she added and although there were no tears, it was clearly a defeat tinged with much emotion for the losing councillor as she looked on in dignified defeat. 

The new Cllr Turner continued: “To be a councillor is to be a public servant and I will treat it as that. I will be a responsible person reacting to people who come to me for help and carry out the duties of a councillor with integrity.”  

Result: Ashton Hurst ward

Dolores Lewis (Labour) - 1384
Lucy Turner (Conservative) - 1411

Ballot papers issued: 2821
Turnout: 32.8%

Lucy Turner is elected. pic.twitter.com/Ap3lTreG6V

— Tameside Reporter (@newsintameside) May 6, 2022

She thanked her now fellow councillor Dan Costello, who caused one of the biggest upsets at last year’s elections when he took the ward seat for the Tories from former Labour Mayor and councillor Leigh Drennan. He had been Civic Mayor of Tameside in 2019-2020 and at last year’s elections it was the major shock of the night. 

Labour had gained a seat from the Conservatives in the ward back in 2018, when Dolores Lewis beat the Tory’s Paul Buckley.  

She was - until last Thursday - Assistant Executive Member (Health, Social Care and Population Health). 

However, the last two election results means two out of the three ward councillors are Conservative and the Tories will no doubt be looking to make that a hat-trick at next year’s elections. 

Ironically if that came to pass, they could claim the scalp of another Tameside Mayor, for Ashton Hurst’s only remaining Labour councillor Mike Glover will be serving as the Civic Mayor of Tameside for 2022/2023. 

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