NEW Tendring councillors have vowed to represent their constituents and deliver on their promises after being voted in.

Residents living in the Eastcliff ward and the West Clacton and Jaywick Sands ward went to the polls on Super Thursday.

They were voting for who they wanted to represent them in the district wards’ two vacant seats.

The Eastcliff seat was previously occupied by Joy Broderick who died last year after a long battle with cancer.

The West Clacton and Jaywick Sands seat, however, has been vacant since previous councillor Nicola Overton was disqualified.

She was removed from her post by the authority after missing several council meetings, which she has since put down to months of health problems.

Gazette:

Following the count on Friday, which took place at the Clacton Leisure Centre, Independent Andy Baker was confirmed as the new councillor for Eastcliff.

He won with 414 votes, fending off competition from Danny Mayzes (Ind), Mary Pitkin (Lib), Mick Skeels (Con), Rick Speller (Holland Matters) and Simon Wigley (Lab).

Speaking after his victory he said: “It’s great to have won and I’m thankful to those who voted for me.

“I was quietly confident, but you never do know until the figures and the votes are in and have been counted.

“I guess you could say I am back, but I’m not going to follow any party line - I represent the residents and that is what I will be doing.”

Conservative Jane Nash, who is part of the The Jaywick Sands Revival CIC and the Never Say Die Pub, claimed West Clacton and Jaywick Sands with 500 votes.

She beat Brad Thompson (Ind) by just over 100 votes, in addition to Andy Wood (Ind), Andy White (Tendring First), James Machin (Lab) and Stuart Morgan (Lib).

Gazette:

Jane said: “It’s absolutely fantastic and a big privilege to be able to serve this community.

“My work takes me around Jaywick so I have a really big following in Jaywick, so I was confident I could win.

“I’ve struck up a rapport with the people of Jaywick and you know, some of them are deprived and some are not.

"But now if something goes wrong they come up and tell me.

"So that is how I intend to go on and to treat them as people.

“No councillors have done anything for years in Jaywick, but now people know I will sort things out because if I say I am going to deliver, then I deliver.”

The results means the Conservative-led council is now comprised of 21 Conservative councillors, seven Independents, six Labour, five Tendring Independent, four Tendring First, two Holland on Sea and Eastcliff Matters, two Liberal Democrats, and one UKIP.