Latest news with #RayBarron
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tories win Staffordshire by-election triggered by Reform UK scandal
Conservative councillor Jeremy Pert is back on Staffordshire County Council - after regaining his seat from Reform UK in a by-election. Mr Pert was narrowly defeated in May's all-out elections by Reform UK's Wayne Titley by just 27 votes. But Mr Titley resigned less than a fortnight later, with personal reasons cited for his departure. In the days between his election and resignation, controversy had swirled on social media as comments attributed to his Facebook account about illegal boat crossings came to light. Former Stafford Borough councillor Ray Barron, who stood as a Reform UK candidate at the May elections, had hoped to retain the Eccleshall & Gnosall seat for the party that swept to power two months ago. He lost out then in the Stafford South East seat, which was held by veteran Conservative councillor Ann Edgeller. READ MORE: Japanese knotweed heat map shows the hotspots in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire READ MORE: 'I visited Alton Towers this summer and was staggered by the queue times' Now in the early hours of Friday (July 18) he has had to settle for third place however, with 938 votes, after Councillor Pert won the Eccleshall & Gnosall by-election by a sizeable margin. He took the top spot with 1,689 votes. Green Party candidate and fellow borough councillor Scott Spencer was in second place with 1,037 votes. Labour's Leah Elston-Thompson was in fourth place with 140 votes. Overall turnout at Thursday's by-election was 34.8% - higher than some areas of Stafford Borough saw in the May poll. Before his May unseating, Councillor Pert had served as a cabinet member on the Conservative administration. He is also the current opposition group leader at Stafford Borough Council. Following his victory at Gnosall Memorial Village Hall, he said: "None of us expected to see a by-election so early on and none of us wanted that. Thank you to everyone for coming out and voting. The work starts now. I have been elected by the residents of Eccleshall and Gnosall and I am here to support them. There is a significant amount of casework that we need to sort out and there is a whole range of issues. Some residents are suffering from the speed of traffic, while other residents are suffering with the threat of rampant housing development. I have eight years' experience running a cabinet department. I am sure that experience can be very useful to the wider council." The by-election result means that the Conservatives now hold 11 county council seats. Reform UK have 48 out of 62, while Labour, Green and Stafford Borough Independents each have one seat. Staffordshire County Council Eccleshall & Gnosall Division by-election result Ray Barron (Reform UK) 938 Leah Elston-Thompson (Labour) 140 Jeremy Pert (Conservative) 1,689 ELECTED Scott Spencer (Green Party) 1,037 Number of rejected papers: 1 Turnout: 34.8% Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you - it's FREE
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
New Stafford mayor Jenny Barron is second in family to hold role
Jenny Barron has been sworn in as the Mayor of the Stafford borough. The local councillor becomes the second member of her family to hold the role, after her husband Ray Barron served in the same position from 2018 to 2019. Barron said she felt "honoured" to be taking over the mayoral chains from councillor Frank will spend her civic year helping to raise funds for Staffordshire Women's Aid and Stafford Community Link, which helps people who struggle to use public transport. At a ceremony at the Gatehouse Theatre in Stafford on Saturday, Barron said it was a very humbling experience. She said: "How many times have we proudly heard that our borough is seen as the volunteering capital of the country? "We have huge numbers of selfless people, dedicated to helping others less fortunate than themselves. "They give such a lot and ask for very little in return." Both Barron and her husband represent the Weeping Cross and Wildwood Ward on the council. In 2022, they both left the Conservative group to become independents. Councillor Andy Cooper, another former mayor, will be the new deputy mayor. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
