Conservative Henry Lloyd secures Hoxne and Eye division seat on Suffolk County Council

The Conservatives enjoyed a rare moment of respite after retaining a county council seat by the narrowest of margins.

Having been battered in this year’s general election as Labour swept to power, the troubled party, which finds itself on the national backbenches for the first time in 14 years, finally had something to celebrate.

October 1o’s by-election saw Henry Lloyd secure the Hoxne and Eye division, making him one of the country’s youngest councillors in the process, at the age of just 21.

And the result could barely have been closer, with Mr Lloyd gaining 895 votes, just four ahead of the Green Party’s Joanne Brooks-Nevin, who posted 891 votes.

The seat was made vacant after Tory Peter Gould, who had represented the division on Suffolk County Council for the last three years, died on July 19, aged 71.

Mr Henry, who lives near Laxfield, was delighted with his victory, and vowed to deliver for the constituency.

He said: “I would like to thank everyone in the Hoxne and Eye division who put their faith in me.

“I am committed to working hard on their behalf and on behalf of everyone in our area, regardless of their politics or how they voted.

“Ours is an incredibly special area and, together, we can make it even better. I am determined not to shy away from challenging issues and to look at things like HGV routes in a fresh way that does not pit communities against each other.

“There is much hard work ahead but I aim to hit the ground running and ensure none of our communities go without the attention they truly deserve”

Other issues the new county councillor is passionate about include the environment, access to banking services, public transport, road improvements and giving more opportunities to young people.

Matthew Hicks, leader of the council’s Conservative Group, said: “I am delighted to welcome Henry to the Conservative administration on Suffolk County Council.

“He worked tirelessly to get elected and, to increase our share of the vote on 2021, which were our best results since the 1970s, is truly impressive.

“From being out on the doorstep with Henry multiple times during the campaign, it is clear he has a wise head on young shoulders and I am excited to see him bring that voice to our group. His optimistic message clearly resonated with local residents.”

The Hoxne and Eye division has been held by the Conservatives for most of the 50 years since East and West Suffolk were merged to form Suffolk County Council in 1974.

Though Green Party members and supporters across Suffolk were disappointed, county group leader Councillor Andrew Stringer said it showed how far the party has come.

He said: “This proves, once and for all, that, in rural Suffolk, in election after election, it is a straight choice between Greens and Conservatives.

“Given the Green Party did not stand a candidate in this seat at the last county council election in 2021, to come from zero votes to be within a handful of votes of landing another electoral shock in Suffolk is testament to our fresh ideas and approach, as well as all the hard work of our volunteers and supporters on the ground.”

Their candidate, Ms Brooks, said she was proud of the campaign she and her party had run.

“This result shows that the people of Hoxne and Eye are ready for change and, while we may have fallen just short this time, we have continued to build on our strong foundation for future success.

“The Green Party will continue to work hard to represent the voices of local residents and make a real difference in Suffolk.”

The by-election, which saw a turnout of 24.58 per cent, saw Liberal Democrat candidate Timothy Glenton receive 102 votes and Labour’s Paul Theaker 89.

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