By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Several longstanding Gloucestershire civic chiefs have reflected on losing their seats in the County Council elections last week and said “they could see it coming”.
The elections saw the Liberal Democrats become the largest party with 27 councillors while the Conservatives, who previously led the authority, were reduced to just six seats.
Reform UK have won 11, mostly previously Conservative, seats and the Greens secured their best ever result with nine elected councillors Labour also saw four of the five previously held seats taken amid the surge of Reform and Green votes.
Among those to lose their seats is Cinderford’s Graham Morgan. The veteran councillor, a former union rep, was first elected to Shire Hall in 2001.
“I had an idea that would happen,” he said. “They were put off by the main parties.”
He said the Reform candidate who won his seat told him he was a paper candidate who had not long moved to the town.
“They put themselves forward not knowing what they’ve let themselves in for,” he said.
Cllr Morgan, who will continue as chairman of the town council, said he felt sorry for his colleague Steve Robinson “who will be like Billy no mates” as he’s the only Labour councillor left at Shire Hall.
He said his party had “shot itself in the foot” by cutting the winter fuel allowance. “They ain’t the party I first joined,” he said.
“They have got a lot of academics and lawyers now. When I joined it was all working class people who came up through the unions. Charismatic characters, really. Like Bill Price my mate who was MP for Rugby.
“We haven’t got characters like that any more. Common sense people.
“We joined it because it was the only salvation we had. All our fathers were miners, we were in the same boat together.”
Cllr Morgan said he had enjoyed his 24 years on the council and made a lot of good friends across the political spectrum.
“I’m a bit disappointed but I ain’t going to cry about it but I enjoyed the county,” he said.
“I’ll miss good friends like (Liberal Democrat) Bernie Fisher and (Conservatives) Terry Hale and Rob Vines.”
Another Labour councillor to lose his seat was Rodborough’s John Bloxsom.
The Labour group leader and former local authority officer had been on the County Council since 2021
“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to be the county councillor for my community,” he said.
“It’s particularly frustrating to have lost by 12 votes as a result of a local election being used to ‘send a message’ to the national Government.
“It happens, and I’ll get over it and will now take time to reflect and detox.”
Pam Tracey, the current Sheriff of Gloucester, was among the Conservatives to have lost her seat.
She says she wishes her successor all the best and will continue to serve the Hempsted and Westgate community as a City Councillor.
“I’ve been a County Councillor for three terms,” she said. “I really appreciate those who voted for me.
“I always help those who voted for me and those who didn’t. At the end of the day, I’m still there for them as City Councillor.
“I’m there for everyone – and that’s what it’s all about.”
Fellow Tory Tim Harman said his defeat in Lansdown and Park “wasn’t unexpected” due to Reform.
He said it had been an honour to serve the area for 12 years and believes he achieved quite a lot while working with the community. And he may stand again in future.
Former county chairman Alan Preest said he too could “see it coming” during the campaign.
“The previous two weeks you could see that nervousness about people I had not seen for a long time,” the Lydney Councillor said.
“Our team did a lot of work but the votes just went the way they went. I’ve congratulated the winner Mark Howard and pledged to work together with him and Johnathan Lane (the Green Party candidate).
“I was 16 years as County Councillor. I had a great time. My health hasn’t been the best of late and I’m 61 this year and still a district councillor.
“Life brings some more opportunities. No hard feelings. The vote just went elsewhere.
“There’s going to be some interesting debates ahead. I hope that common sense prevails.
“We have built a legacy of a solvent council as Conservatives. We’ve lost some great councillors like Graham Morgan and Carole Allaway-Martin.”
And Terry Hale, who had represented Dyrbook and Lydbrook, said his party needs to regroup and see what went wrong and plan for the next elections.
He had been a County Councillor for a total 12 years.
“My fear now is as the Lib Dems have got in we will be the poor relation in the Forest and lose our identity,” he said.
“We will really struggle to fight for our heritage,” he said. “We haven’t got the numbers.”
The political makeup of Gloucestershire County Council is now 27 Lib Dems, 11 Reform UK, nine Greens, Six Tories, one Labour & Co-operative and one Independent.