Conservatives have maintained their dominance across Andover following the Hampshire County Council elections, holding all three town seats as votes were counted overnight on Friday, May 8.
The party also retained Test Valley Central, continuing its strong presence across the district. Hampshire County Council has been under Conservative control since 1997 and, heading into this year’s election, the party held 50 of the authority’s 78 seats.
In Andover South, Zilliah Brooks secured victory for the Conservatives with 1,858 votes. Reform UK candidate Richard Davis finished second with 1,695 votes, followed by the Liberal Democrats’ Luigi Gregori on 914 votes.
The Green Party’s Rachel Pattinson-West received 812 votes, Labour candidate Andy Fitchet secured 570, Independent William Jackson polled 63 votes and Chris Ecclestone of the Libertarian Party received 26.
Andover West also remained Conservative, with Chris Donnelly re-elected after receiving 2,200 votes. Reform UK’s Harry Sheffield finished second on 1,740 votes, while Liberal Democrat Robin Hughes secured 1,200 votes.
Green Party candidate Alan Wright received 551 votes and Labour’s Philippa Roll polled 254.
In Andover North, Kirsty North held the seat for the Conservatives with 1,828 votes, finishing around 300 votes ahead of Reform UK’s Vincent McGarry, who received 1,507 votes.
The Green Party’s Thomas Waddington secured 772 votes, Liberal Democrat Jason Sangster received 734 and Labour’s Geoffrey McBride polled 298.
Elsewhere in the district, David Drew retained Test Valley Central for the Conservatives with 3,141 votes. Reform UK’s Linda Sheffield received 1,493 votes, Liberal Democrat Bud Pollard secured 1,203 votes, Green Party candidate Connor Shaw received 696 and Labour’s Tessa Valentine polled 238.
Turnout across the Andover divisions was higher than in the previous county council election in 2021. Andover West recorded a turnout of 41.6 per cent, up from 33 per cent, while Andover South rose to 41 per cent from 34 per cent. Andover North saw turnout increase from 26 per cent in 2021 to 34.1 per cent this year.
Across Test Valley, turnout ranged from 46.7 per cent in Test Valley Central to 51.6 per cent in Romsey Town.
While the Conservatives held firm across Andover and Test Valley Central, the Liberal Democrats secured victories in Romsey Town and Baddesley.