THE results of the contested parish council elections in Bewdley and Upper Arley have been announced.

The Conservatives still have the most seats on Bewdley Town Council but there is no overall control.

The party has six representatives - the same as before - out of a total of 13 councillors.There are four Independent Community and Health Concern, two Labour and one Independent.

The highest profile casualty of yesterday's elections was Gordon Yarranton, Conservative chairman of Wyre Forest District Council.

Mr Yarranton, who represents Wribbenhall on the district council, missed out by 16 votes in Bewdley West.

Conservative Wyre Forest district councillors Stephen Clee and Julian Phillips kept their seats.

Conservative Marcus Hart, former Mayor of Kidderminster and current deputy leader of the district council, finished outside the top five candidates in Wribbenhall, so did not gain a seat.

Mayor of Bewdley for 2009/10, ICHC’s Derek Killingworth, was elected again in Bewdley West.

The town’s Deputy Mayor, Paul Gittins, of Labour, retained his seat in Bewdley East and will now be joined by his wife Carol.

Labour candidate Mrs Gittins, town Mayor in 2001/02, had lost her seat in the 2006 elections agter eight years as a parish councillor.

The elections were delayed from May 6 because the district council and general election votes were already going ahead on that day.

Polling for Upper Arley (Shatterford and Pound Green) also took place yesterday.

Parish council elections that were scheduled for this year in Chaddesley Corbett, Kidderminster Foreign, Rushock, Stone and Upper Arley (Arley Village) were not contested.

Bewdley East. Elected: Paul Gittins (Labour) 239 votes, Carol Gittins (Labour) 225, Janette Adams (Conservative) 224, Julian Phillips (Conservative) 214.

Turnout: 26.61 per cent.

Bewdley West. Elected: Jennifer Greener (Conservative) 263, Derek Killingworth (Independent Community and Health Concern) 256, Stephen Clee (Conservative) 244, Louise Edginton (Independent) 244.

Turnout: 24.36 per cent.

Bewdley Wribbenhall. Elected: Anne Cox (Conservative) 341, John Foulkes (Conservative) 329, Elizabeth Davies (ICHC) 323, Linda Candlin (ICHC) 299, John Latham (ICHC) 270.

Turnout: 21.62 per cent.

Upper Arley Pound Green. Elected: Lesley Jackson (Independent) 104, Arthur Cheadle 87, Edwin Gatehouse 77.

Turnout 74.76 per cent.

Upper Arley Shatterford. Elected: Graham Rickhuss 63, Susan Rickhuss 51, Ellen Dale 36.

Turnout 61.97 per cent.

For the full list of all candidates and the votes they received, see next Thursday’s Shuttle.