THURSDAY, May 5 saw Tameside go to the polls – or rather Thursday, May 5 saw Tameside not go to the polls.
For pathetically low turnout figures cast a shadow over candidates’ crowning glories.
Eyebrows were expected to be raised as candidates, colleagues, councillors and agents gathered at Plantation on Ashton’s Whitelands Road to hear the results.
In the end, two wards – Ashton Hurst and Hyde Godley – changed hands from Labour to Conservative.
But the shock of those outcomes was nothing compared to when the numbers of people who had cast their vote were revealed.
“It’s a poor turnout,” was one of the more measured responses as those of all parties were left in disbelief by the figures.
Of the 19 wards being contended, only one – Hyde Werneth with 38.7 per cent – saw more than one third of those who could vote actually do so.
Four areas – St Peter’s, Ashton St Michael’s, Hyde Newton and Dukinfield – saw less than one quarter turn out.
The latter recorded the lowest of the lot, a pitiful 23.5 per cent.
19 elections were called before the ‘early’ end of 2.20am on Friday, May 6, and 19 candidates became councillors.
Acceptance speeches were varied, with Droylsden West’s Labour representative Barrie Holland saying: “I’d just like to thank the people of Droylsden West for once again electing a socialist.”
Sam Gosling looked a relieved man after he won Stalybridge North – a ward which may easily have swung – by 152 votes.
“It’s been a long road,” he said. “I’m just really grateful to be re-elected to represent Stalybridge North.
There were also digs from Conservatives Liam Billington, who started his speech with a reference to returning officer Steven Pleasant by saying: “It must’ve really pained you to say that.”
After taking Hyde Godley, Andrea Colbourne said in reference to Cllr Brenda Warrington: “Is Brenda about? I think you need a key to that bulldozer.”
Of the Labour Party candidates that retained their seats, several did so with reduced majorities, although Mossley’s Stephen Homer and Denton West’s Mike Smith were returned with larger.
Local MPs Angela Rayner – complete with a behemoth of a police guard – and Andrew Gwynne watched the counting take place, with the onlooking huddle putting those behind a plastic screen under pressure not to go 1, 7, 3, 9.
But the main feeling was one of relief as up to five seats were targeted by the opposition, with two changing.
The big talking point, though, was the awful turnout, with one unnamed councillor summing up why so few bothered.
They said: “People are generally p***ed off with us politicians.”