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Published: Wednesday, 3rd March, 2010 2:00pm

Tories win in poor turnout

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BATTLE lines are being drawn ahead of the general election as the Conservatives celebrate keeping two seats in a by-election.

But turnout for the Owlsmoor by-election on Thursday last week was just 24%, down from 31% at the previous election in 2007 and some voters say they are disillusioned with politics after the MPs' expenses scandal.

Jane Tidd, 76, from Owlsmoor, said: "I think scandal has a lot to do with the way people vote, I have changed. We are disillusioned really because they raise your hopes up and nothing else happens."

One voter, who did not want to be named, added: "The expenses scandal is going to change the way I vote in the general election. I have got no hope for the future, it needs sorting out."

But Brian Elsbin, 42, said: "I am not disillusioned, it is still important to vote."

The by-election in Owlsmoor was called to find replacements on Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Sandhurst Town Council for Cllr Ray Simonds, who died in December aged 73 following a short illness.

The Tories won both seats, ahead of closest rivals the Lib Dems, then Labour, the UK Independence Party - which only put up a candidate for the town council - and the Greens.

Tory Norman Bowers won more than 50% of the vote to gain the seat on Bracknell Forest Council and fellow Conservative Philip Wallington was elected to Sandhurst Town Council with 48% of the vote.

Cllr Bowers, who has sat on Sandhurst Town Council since 1979 and has lived in Owlsmoor for 36 years, said: "This result gives us a lot more confidence, I think it was a really good result.

"I would like to thank everyone for their support, to get the number of votes that we did is great."

Cllr Wallington, a former lecturer at Sandhurst School and Bracknell and Wokingham College, and Owlsmoor resident for 17 years, said: "I am very pleased and look forward to serving the community."

For more see this week's Bracknell News.