N a twist to the local council elections, Wellington last week saw two sets of fathers and daughters elected to seats on the town council, one set representing the Conservatives and the other Labour.

Long-time councillor Andrew Govier was elected for Labour, alongside his 27-year-old daughter Catherine.

And Conservative councilman Marcus Barr was elected again, alongside his daughter Zoe.

And in a further twist, the older Govier and the younger Barr are the pair elected to serve Rockwell Green, while Wellington South has Marcus Barr and Catherine Govier, alongside Lib Dem Chris Booth.

Marcus Barr told the Wellington Weekly News: “I just want to say how proud I am of my daughter Zoe. I know that she will put her heart and soul into looking out for Rockwell Green.

“She has a great mentor looking out for her in Andrew. All the candidates elected to Wellington town council will work hard over the next five years to deliver the services that Wellington will need.”

Catherine Govier told us: “I am honoured to have been elected to represent Wellington South as well as the rest of the town and I am very grateful to all those who voted for me. I really want to ensure that residents feel heard and listened to when it comes to their experiences and that the council always acts in the best interests of Wellington.

“I hope to hit the ground running by looking into what can be done to make it safer for people who are walking and cycling around the town. I also want to ensure that we follow up with the relevant authorities around better access to NHS GP and dental services as I know this is a key issue for residents.”

Town clerk David Farrow told the Wellington Weekly News that “not many councils will have two pairs of fathers and daughters on them – I’m sure they’ll all have their own views on things and will represent their wards and the town well.”

He also highlighted the influx of younger blood onto the council: “Having Samuel [Booker], Kieran [Mathew], Zoe and Catherine on board changes the demographic of the council considerably and that can only be positive.

“That’s not to say that previous councillors did not try to represent the views of younger people but it will be a real strength for the council to have them attending meetings and helping to shape policy and practice.”