TWO Labour candidates won in a by-election last night (Thursday).
Frank Radcliffe won the seat for Hitchin Oughton and Judi Billing, wife of late councillor David Billing, won the seat for Hitchin North.
County council division Hitchin North and North Herts district ward Hitchin Oughton were both vacant. They were formerly held by Cllr David Billing, who lost his battle with a long illness in July.
Cllr Billing, who is already a district councillor for Hitchin Bearton, stood for her husband’s county council seat alongside fellow district councillors Lisa Courts (Lib Dem) and Alan Millard (Conservative), Green Party candidate Gavin Nicholson, and UKIP’s John Barry.
Cllr Billing got 1250 votes to take the Hitchin North seat, compared to 673 votes for the Conservative candidate and 246 for the Liberal Democrat candidate. While Frank Radcliffe gathered 361 votes.
The Hitchin Oughton seat was contested by Lib Dem Clare Body, UKIP’s Peter Croft, Jacqueline Greatorex from the Green Party, Conservative candidate Mara Macseoinin.
At district level, voter turnout was 20.8%, while at the county level turnout was 22.42%.
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