BASINGSTOKE and Deane Borough Council will see several new faces following the latest elections.
As previously reported no party has control over Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council following the latest elections.
Both the Basingstoke Labour group and the Liberal Democrat group gained seats from the Conservatives on Friday, May 5, when a third of the seats were up for grabs in this year's elections.
With one seat available in each of the 18 wards, Conservatives remain the biggest party but lost one seat to Labour and two to the Liberal Democrats.
SEE ALSO: Basingstoke elections 2023: No majority party as Tories lose seats
This leaves the Conservative party with 23 of the 54 seats. Labour holds 10 seats, the Independent Forum holds 12 and the Liberal Democrats hold 9.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Androulla Johnstone took the seat for Tadley and Pamper from the former Conservatives councillor Kerri Carruthers. She said she hopes to focus on Conservation, the NHS and the environment. Cllr Johnstone moved to Tadley two years ago and has worked for 40 years in and around the NHS.
Speaking to the Gazette following her win, she said: "I am very pleased to have been elected and I am pleased for the people of Tadley who have this time have voted and demanded better and that is what I hope I am going to give them.
"With my other Lib Dem councillors we plan to work all year round to make a difference."
The second new Liberal Democrat face to join the council is Cllr Mike Bound who took Conservative Stuart Frost’s seat in the Tadley North, Kingsclere and Baughurst ward.
He said his “main aim is to listen to residents” Cllr Bound worked as a teacher for a school in Tadley for 33 years before he retired.
Cllr Abdel Ibrahim took another seat off the Conservatives which was previously held by Sam Jeans in the Brookvale and Kings Furlong ward.
SEE ALSO: Basingstoke local elections 2023: A list of all the results
Cllr Ibrahim has lived in Basingstoke for more than two years after being born and raised in Egypt. He told the Gazette he works in the charity sector to improve healthcare access.
He said: "I am delighted and honoured to be elected as a Brookvale and Kings Furlong as Labour councillor. I am really excited about it. I believe everything has to be driven by the residents."
He hopes to address concerns such as anti-social behaviour and recycling.
Cllr Karen Watts will be a new face in the council for Basingstoke and Deane Independents, she will take over from Stephen Williams who did not stand for election in the Whitchurch, Overton and Laverstoke ward.
She hopes to be able to present all the views of residents and has lived in Overton for 37 years. Before becoming a councillor she was a part of several community committees.
READ ALSO: Basingstoke elections 2023 as it happened
She said: "I feel very happy and very privileged to serve my community it is a real privilege. I am really pleased."
Cllr Sean Dillow has been re-elected as a Conservative councillor and will this time join the Kempshott and Buckskin ward. Cllr Dillow lives in the ward and said "residents' concerns are my concerns".
The seat was previously held by Conservatives Aji Peter who did not stand.
Cllr Dillow was a former Winklebury and Manydown councillor before he lost his seat in the 2022 elections.
He said: "There is lots to be done and lots to think about. Locally in the ward, we have to fix the roads. I will be onto Hampshire County Council to attempt to get those sorted.
"I would like to say a big thank you."
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