TWO Conservative candidates have been elected as Kinson's remaining councillors after a by-election triggered by a ballot box mix-up.

Norman Decent and Roger Marley were voted in as Kinson South ward councillors following the vote on Thursday.

The High Court ruled in October that the Kinson South vote should be re-run after the incorrect ballot papers were sent to its polling station for the May 7 local elections.

Bournemouth council's chief executive, Tony Williams, was among those who took to the streets door-knocking in a bid to contact as many affected voters as possible following the discovery of the mistake.

Despite the gaffe being spotted shortly after polls opened, there were still 115 people unable to vote.

The ward returns three councillors and the re-run affects two of the seats.

The judge ruled that first-placed Cllr Laurence Fear, representing UKIP, had been validly elected because the number of voters impacted was not sufficient to affect his election In May, the results placed Mr Decent and Mr Marley in second and third places.

But as the numbers involved in the mix-up were sufficient to change the outcome, the result was declared invalid.

The electoral turnout for the Kinson South ward was 18.43%.

Campaign manager for the Conservatives, Cllr Philip Broadhead slammed the need for a by-election, saying: "This was a wholly unnecessary election, and following the result serious questions need to be asked of the council with regards to the completely avoidable errors in May’s initial election.

"The Labour Party also needs to needs to ask themselves whether a dash to the High Court after coming fourth, and the tens of thousands of pounds in tax payers’ money that the process has cost, was the sensible thing to do for the residents of Bournemouth.

"They once again failed to be elected by the residents and it is council tax payers that have suffered.

"Norman and Roger have used the by-election to speak to as many residents in Kinson South as possible and the re-election of both of them is a clear sign that the electorate want the best and most powerful voices representing them."

The political composition of Bournemouth Borough Council remains Conservatives with 51 seats, Independent with one seat, Green Party with one seat and UK Independence Party also with one seat.

Beryl Baxter – Labour Party

471

Geoffrey Darnton – Green Party

54

Philip Davenport – Bournemouth Independent Alliance

168

Norman David Decent – Conservative Party

520

Kevin Dixon - Patria

8

Phil Dunn – Liberal Democrats

60

Duane William Farr – UK Independence Party (UKIP)

313

Carla Christina Rachel Gregory-May – Green Party

63

Roger George Marley – Conservative Party

509

Gill Pardy – Liberal Democrats

61

Mel Semple – Labour Party

371

Roger Alexander West – Bournemouth Independent Alliance

116