Conservatives hold Epping Forest - but lose seats to For Britain, Lib Dems and Greens

Overall, the Conservatives won 15 seats, with one each going to others amid turnouts seldom much higher than 25 per cent.

For Britain candidate Julian Leppert took the Waltham Abbey Paternoster seat from Conservative Liz Webster with 321 votes to her 227 with a turnout of 23 per cent of the ward's 3,512 voters.

Reaction on social media was mixed.

Congratulations to Councillor Julian Leppert, elected to Epping Forest council to represent #ForBritain. We’ve beaten the Tories in Essex! We’re on our way, join us https://t.co/rc78lVNwKx

— For Britain 🔱 (@ForBritainParty) May 2, 2019

Well fone For Brittain in Epping forest

— Tony Pressland #StandUp4Brexit (@t_pressland) May 3, 2019

#LocalElection2019 Shame on the electorate of Epping Forest Paternoster ward who have elected a far right anti-Islam For Britain movement Councillor to represent them

— Robert Fox (doesn't look like a typical Robert) (@robertfox278) May 2, 2019

Labour's Gareth Rawlings came third with 140 votes, the Greens' Vernon Gurtner polled 69 votes and Lib Dem Nick Read 31.

Councils will suffer because people have voted due to their Brexit stance not on local issues.

There's now a For Britain Councillor in Epping Forest.

Worth noting also, UKIP are technically down but, many independents cllrs elected were UKIP in 2015.#LocalElection2019

— Alex Tiffin (@RespectIsVital) May 3, 2019

Earlier, Green candidate Dave Plummer took the Waltham Abbey South West seat from the Conservatives with 62 per cent of the vote.

Read more:

Greens take Tory scalp in Epping Forest District Council elections

In Epping Hemnall, Liberal Democrat Cherry McCredie polled a historically memorable 1066 votes, beating Conservative Michael Ellis, who received 547 while Labour's Inez Collier managed 85. Turnout was about ten per cent higher than most seats, with 35 per cent.

And in Epping Lindsey and Thornwood Common, Conservative Christ Whitbread held off a strong Lib Dem challenge with a 35 per cent turnout.

He received 862 votes to Liberal Democrat Ingrid Black's 783, while Simon Bullough (Labour) polled 116 and Barry Johns (no party) took 109.

Elsewhere, it was a blue clean sweep.

In Waltham Abbey Honey Lane, Conservative Sam Kane held on comfortably with 437 votes, with the nearest challenger Patricia Richardson of the For Britain Movement on 250.

Next was Labour's Robert Greyson with 175, then the Greens' Carina Powney with 145 and finally Liberal Democrat Philip Chadburn with 79.

There was a much higher turnout than most wards in Buckhurst Hill West, with 38 per cent of voters turning out.

A clue to this might have been a strong Lib Dem challenge, with candidate Joseph Barkham polling 891 votes but still not beating incumbent Aniket Patel, who received 977.

Labour's Jill Bostock received 126 votes and Thomas Hall of the Young People's Party 51.

In Grange Hill, Sheree Rackham held Kewal Chana's old Conservative seat with 699 votes to Labour's Kay Morrison's 392, on a 21 per cent turnout.

Mary Sartin also held her Roydon seat, chalking up 341 votes to the Conservatives, with Labour's Stuart Shipton and Lib Dem Clive Amos receiving 76 and 61 respectively.

And Tory Paul Keska held Chipping Ongar, Greensted and Marden Ash with 573 votes.

Lib Dem Allan Edmunds received 224 and the English Democrats' Robin Tilbrook 166.

In Lower Nazeing, Conservative Richard Bassett received 532 votes to UKIP candidate Martin Harvey's 208. Lib Dem Elaine Thatcher received 156 votes. Turnout was 27 per cent.

Waltham Abbey North East was held by Lilian (Ann) Mitchell for the Conservatives on 457 votes to 182 votes for the Green Party's Rebecca Fricker and Lib Dem Timothy Vaughan's 116. Turnout was 24 per cent.

Conservative Paul Stalker also held Lower Sheering with 264 votes to Liberal Democrat Pesh Kapasiawala's 123. Turnout was 23 per cent.