GREAT BY-ELECTION VICTORY

3.56.00pm GMT Thu 20th Mar 2008

The Liberal Democrats have won back one of the Water Park seats taken from the party last May by the Conservatives.

The result in the Water Park Ward was:

Peter Clarke (Lib Dem) 648

Conservative 519

Turnout was 26.19%

There was a 16 per cent swing from the Conservatives.

The Water Park victory has increased Lib Dem representation from four to five, reducing the Tory dominance over the council's affairs. Peter's predecessor, Anne Clark, had held the seat for eight years.

Peter highlighted particularly the takeover of large parts of the area by rich outsiders, leaving little for people who actually live in the Water Park. There is also resentment over the decision of Cotswold District Council to make a charge the previously free garden waste collection service.

"Trinity Road has been something of a one-party state for far too long," said prospective Parliamentary candidate Roger Brown. Now we have started the fight-back."

EURO MP VISITS SOUTH CERNEY

Graham Watson, Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for the South-West, lent support to Peter Clarke's successful by-election fight. He visited South Cerney with the campaign team to see for himself some of the issues facing local politicians. Graham leads the pan-European Liberal and Democrat group at Brussels.

This was Graham's second visit to the Cotswolds constituency in two months. With Lib Dem former leader Charles Kennedy, he was a guest at the constituency dinner at the Royal Agricultural College recently.