Voters back Frank for a second term

BY SIMON HUTCHINSON

The Mayoral election was not as close as pundits had predicted.

But the count was much longer due to the new computer system.

Frank Branston won with Tory Nicky Attenborough second .

Lib Dems came third, more than 5,000 behind on first vote, after proclaiming it was neck and neck.

But the big losers were the council officers and political activists, who had to endure 16 hours of counting.

Bedford Borough Council was trialling a new Government funded system which scanned ballot papers and then electronically counted the votes.

It soon became evident that the system was a little more than temperamental than expected.

When it came to postal votes, almost a third of the 9,000 entered had to be verified.

Returning Officer and borough council chief executive Shaun Field said: "We would have liked to have gone quicker, but accuracy is the main thing."

Runner-up Cllr Nicky Attenborough said: "I am very pleased with the result. It was a bit like an elephant's pregnancy, but it was well worth the wait."

The Mayoral result was finally announced at 1.35am yesterday morning.

Mayoral Results

ROUND 1: Nicky Attenborough (Con)

10,710

Frank Branston (BB)

15,967

Randolph Charles (Lab)

4,757

Christine McHugh (LD)

10,551

Justine McLennan (Grn)

1,538

ROUND 2: Nicky Attenborough 13,313

Frank Branston 19,698

17,000 votes adjudicated =

38 per cent

Other borough election results below.

BRICKHILL (* Denotes sitting candidate) Lib Dem gain

Brian Eric Anderson Lab 232

Nigel Ernest Haughton Con 1163

Steven John Mitchell BB 133

Charles Royden Lib Dem 1758 E

BROMHAM Con hold

Lucy Clare Bywater Grn 113

Mary Susan Fogg BB 109

Nick Luder Lab 280

Stelios Mores Lib Dem 305

*Robert John Rigby*Con 1794 E

CARLTON Ind hold

*Jim Brandon Ind 773 E

Stephen Richard Poole Lab 70

David William Robertson Lib Dem 121

Gordon Williams Con 359

CASTLE BB hold

Patrick Clements Lib Dem 274

*Margaret Davey BB 1162 E

Laurie Evans Lab 479

David Stanton Fletcher Con 381

Saul Asher Keyworth Grn 138

CAULDWELL Lab hold

Farhana Thoufique Ali BB 225

*Chris Black Lab 789 E

Andrew Michael Gerard Lib Dem 364

Justina Kathleen McLennan Grn 97

Kitty Stacey Con 491

CLAPHAM Con gain

Christopher John Davies Grn 60

Frank Garrick Lab 166

Linda Anne Jack Lib Dem 258

Nigel Sparrow Con 762 E

Doug Tomkins BB 551

DE PARYS Lib Dem hold

Catherine Louise Dale Con 543

Linda-Marie Mitchell BB 164

Sudaxshina Murdan Lab 134

*David Alexander Sawyer Lib Dem 735 E

GOLDINGTON Lib Dem hold

June McDonald Lab 377

Angela Parker BB 346

*Paul Smith Lib Dem 1102 E

Pauline Ann Stewart Con 470

GREAT BARFORD Con hold

*Carole Maxwell Ellis Con 1236 E

Franca Grelli Garrick Lab 136

Sarah-Jayne Holland Lib Dem 346

Jane Mary Richardson BB 137

HARPUR Lab hold

Jonathan Lloyd Baker BB 236

Jen Foley Grn 114

Kabir Con 817

Michael Murphy Lib Dem 208

*Ian Nicholls Lab 959 E

KEMPSTON SOUTH Lab hold

Michael Bonito Lib Dem 166

Steven Anthony Collins Con 830

*Carl Rex Meader Lab 962 E

Anthony John Upton Grn 71

KINGSBROOK Lib Dem hold

Maxine Zenona Ali BB 109

*Anita Joan Gerard Lib Dem 995 E

Kieran Thomas Pedley Lab 485

Geeta Sandhu Con 487

Paul Russell Taylor Grn 93

PUTNOE (2 seats) Lib Dem hold X 2

Karan Garcha Lab 237

Victoria Frances Harrison Grn 93

Sue Hayhurst BB 437

Ray Hostler BB 479

Janet Lehain Con 930

Mark Guy Lehain Con 916

David Cassels Maxwell Grn 94

Rosemary Faith Roome Lab 228

Sally Anne Smith Lib Dem 1327 E

*Myrtle Stewardson Lib Dem 1225 E

ROXTON Con hold

Terence Carroll Lab 82

Paul Bernard Stekelis Lib Dem 116

Cecilia Thomas BB 17

Thomas Wootton Con 770 E

SHARNBROOK Con gain

Christina Margaret Holloway Lab 53

Michael John Hurley Con 623 E

*Doug McMurdo BB 553

John Robert Ryan Lib Dem 75

TURVEY Con hold

Roger Colin Barson Lab 90

Michael Brian Blackledge BB 88

Mark William Smith Con 697 E

Jacqueline Smithson Lib Dem 124

WILSTEAD Con gain

Lloyd Allison BB 183

Lynne Faulkner Con 689 E

*Tony Hare Ind 460

Conrad Holden Longmore Lib Dem 137

Jane Owen Lab 144

WOOTTONLib Dem hold

Adrien Gordon Beardmore Lab 92

Robert Thomas Clyde Colman UKIP 177

Ben Foley Grn 44

Tim Hill Lib Dem 667 E

John Edwin Keech Con 376

David John Price BB 357