Labour survives greenbelt battle in Hyde

Joe Kitchen admitted it had been a 'nerve-racking time' as he held onto his Hyde Godley seat - but by a very narrow margin.

The controversial Godley Green Village proposal - to build more than 2,300 homes on greenbelt near Hyde - had dominated the political agenda.

With the idea backed by the Labour-run Tameside Council, Joe Kitchen had gambled on stepping away from the issue, neither supporting or condemning the proposal, stating he would work hard as the local councillor whatever was decided for the future.

While Andrea Colbourne for the Conservatives went all out to attack the plans, stating the Labour-backed green village plan should be shelved.

A former UKIP candidate in 2016, she saw her number of votes almost double from when she stood for the Tories in the ward last year - as she received 1,301 votes this time.

But she remained a tantalising 52 votes behind long-serving Labour councillor Joe Kitchen, who retained the seat with 1,353 votes.

Speaking after the result a clearly relieved Cllr Kitchen said it had been good to get out and actually campaign - and he also praised the nature of the contest.

“I’ve done 27 years now so it is always good to go and meet all the voters and speak to them about their concerns, so I am absolutely delighted with the result.

“I haven’t for one minute underestimated the strength of feeling against Godley Green,” he stated.

“It’s going to be with us for several years - but it is unfortunately something we are going to have to face, whether it happens or not, I think it will be in the hands of the secretary of state rather than in the hands of Tameside Council. I think that’s where the application has to go, because it is a departure from the greenbelt.”

He congratulated Andrea on her campaign.

“She did superbly well and she didn’t personalise it and neither did I - we both campaigned on policies and luckily I came through at the end,” he said.

Afterwards Andrea said: “I would like to thank everyone who voted for me on Thursday for this election. Thanks also to my association, agent and to everybody who helped deliver leaflets and who knocked on doors, you were a great support.

“As you know the result didn’t go my way.  That does not mean I will give up my fight to try and protect our greenbelt. I hope to stand again next year.  I will be back - the battle to save our greenbelt continues.”

Tameside Conservative leader Cllr Doreen Dickinson said the Godley Green issue had also been brought up by concerned residents in her own Stalybridge South ward.

“I just think when you have  4,000 people signing a petition and raising over £4,000 to get specialist planners to fight it that the Labour council should really listen,” she advised.

With the big battle between Labour and Conservative in Hyde Godley, the other three parties standing became also- rans, with Alex Cooper for the Greens recording 214 votes, Sally Ashe for the Liberal Democrats receiving just 65 votes and Liberal Party candidate John Edge finishing fifth with 45 votes.

In Hyde Newton it was an altogether more comfortable re-election for long standing Labour councillor Peter Robinson.

That said, the Conservatives still made great strides almost doubling the number of votes they received last year alone.

Peter Robinson remained well out in front with 1,567 votes, but Melissa Molloy took 1,022 votes this time, compared to just 547 votes for the Tories last year.

The party had not even fielded a candidate back in 2016 amid rumours they had struck a deal with UKIP at the time.

Michael Baker for the Greens received 263 votes, a disappointing slip on his showing last year, while the Liberal Democrat’s Peter Ball-Foster also lost ground on last year’s result, polling 183 votes.

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