Liberal Democrat Barbara Jayson is the newly elected Westmorland and Furness Council Member for Penrith South after winning a by-election held in the ward on Thursday 12 March.
Cllr Jayson won the seat recently vacated by the retirement of Cllr Virginia Taylor.
The result means that the Liberal Democrat Party, led by Cllr Jonathan Brook, maintains its majority on the council with 37 out of 65 seats.
The Labour Party with 15 seats, the Conservative Party with 10 seats and Independents with three seats make up the rest of the council’s numbers.
A total of 1,735 valid votes were cast in the Penrith South by-election, representing a turnout of 23.51%. Of the votes cast, Cllr Jayson received 749 votes, the ReformUK candidate, Michael John Houston, received 588 votes, the Green Party candidate, Emilia Louise Hoffman, received 225 votes and the Conservative Party Candidate, Maiki Tolmie, received 173 votes. Four ballots were rejected.
Speaking after the declaration, Cllr Jayson said, “I’m very grateful to all the people who voted for me in the Penrith South Ward today and I can’t wait to get started on repaying the faith they have placed in me.
“I’d also like to thank all the people who campaigned with me throughout the short, cold and often wet days of this election and I’d like to thank all the other candidates for participating in what has been a fairly fought campaign.
“Finally, I’d like to thank the staff at Westmorland and Furness Council for all their hard work during the election. Not only for the efficient count, tonight, but also for their work at the polling stations and throughout the campaign.”
