Independent Kieron Wilson on Throop and Muscliff by-election win

His victory means Bournemouth Borough Council continues to have two independents and a Green councillor facing a 51-strong Conservative group.

Kieron Wilson stood in the Throop and Muscliff contest with the backing of his independent predecessor Anne Rey (both pictured).

He pipped the Conservatives to the seat, polling 533 against Tory Hazel Allen’s 511.

Anne Rey, who resigned to spend more time in Spain for health reasons, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that there’s still an independent in the ward.

“He’s a bright young lad, very keen, lives locally, born locally. I was very impressed with him when I first met him.”

She believed it was the first time in living memory that a Bournemouth councillor had been elected for the first time as an independent, rather than standing again after leaving a political party.

Cllr Wilson was born in the town and is doing a masters in political communication at Bournemouth University.

He said: “My main issue in Bournemouth is the homelessness problem. I think we should be doing more to solve it.”

He said the main issues coming up on the doorstep had included parking and traffic around schools, and opposition to a new A338 link road at Wessex Fields. “The feeling I got is that the residents of Throop didn’t want it to happen,” he said.

Cllr Wilson stood as an independent at last year’s general election, having been a Labour Party member until 2015.

The by-election result leaves two independents on the council, along with one Green, facing a massive Tory majority.

Cllr Wilson said: “On the face of it, it looks extremely daunting, but you need opposition.

“We’re going to try our best to provide some opposition. It’s what we pay our tax for, it’s part of the democratic process.”

Labour’s Rob Bassinder came third in the by-election with 402 votes. Another independent, Peter Lucas polled 117, Liberal Democrat Muriel Turner 107 and Jane Bull for the Greens 33.

Turnout was 24.45 per cent.