A BY-ELECTION for the vacant Hangers and Forest Ward on East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) has been won by Conservative candidate Keith Budden.
Cllr Budden polled 236 votes, narrowly squeezing out Liberal Democrat counterpart Roger Mullenger, who received 227 votes.
Don Jerrard, of The Justice and Anti-Corruption Party, received 41 votes and Labour Party candidate Neil Owsnett received 17 votes.
The election was on July 26, and the turnout was 27 per cent.
The ward, which includes the villages of Greatham, Liss Forest and Hawkley, was formerly held by Cllr Judy Onslow, who died at the end of April.
Cllr Budden said: “I am delighted and proud to have been elected to serve the people of Hangers and Forest Ward on EHDC.
“Judy will be a hard act to follow but I promise I will work hard for all of the residents here and I am looking forward to getting stuck in to council business.”
Cllr Budden is in his fourth and final year as chairman of Liss Parish Council, and already has a productive working relationship with the EHDC councillors for Liss, Cllr Mike Kendall and Cllr Laetitia Pienaar.
“I think this is a great opportunity for the three of us to work together for the benefit of Liss and the surrounding areas,” said Cllr Budden.
Cllr Budden already has some aims he hopes to bring to fruition.
“I would like to make sure there is adequate children’s playing equipment across the ward,” he said.
“I would also like to see a mobile post office in Empshott and Hawkley, and it is essential that we get superfast broadband. I would also like to extend the eco bus service, which goes from Bordon to Greatham, to Liss Forest and Hawkley.