IN the wake of last week’s local elections for the new district council I would like say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who worked hard to try to help me become elected and also to all those who voted for me.

To those who did not vote for me, I completely understand why, and if the Euro elections take place later this month, I will be doing exactly the same thing as you have.

For, this local election was all about one national issue, Brexit, and it will be the same on May 23.

The fact that there has been stagnation locally in the Deane for too many years under an administration run by my own Party simply added a little more fuel to a fire which was already raging.

I have always been among the first to admit the local performance of the Conservatives has not been good enough for some time, and it was something I had hoped to be able to start putting right.

The planning department at the old Deane council, for example, was in my opinion not fit for purpose and I had already privately urged the portfolio holder to tackle the issue as a matter of urgency.

So, am I disappointed with the election results: Yes. Am I surprised: No.

There was more chance of winning the Lottery than of Conservatives’ winning the elections.

Voters are so completely fed up and angry over the non-delivery of Brexit that they either stayed at home or were voting for ‘anybody but the Tory’.

Had the Monster Raving Loony Party put up candidates on Thursday then even they would have won seats, it really was that bad a kicking.

I knew this was coming for weeks in advance because I have actually been listening to what people say in the street, rather than trying to fit what they say into an unshakeable anti-Brexit view as per the BBC and others.

The message was simple: “You have not given us the Brexit we voted for, we are not giving you our vote.”

A record low turnout with almost 75 per cent of people not voting at all – a majority of whom being Conservatives – and record numbers of spoiled ballot papers plastered with Brexit slogans, confirms this.

I can take some consolation from Thursday’s poll, however, which is that at least the two councillors who were elected in Wellington North, Cllrs Govier and Lithgow, both have the best interests of the town at heart and I am sure they will do their best for us. They will have my full support in doing so over the next four years.

It would have been upsetting to see people vote just for a Party candidate more interested in the politics than the community, which I note has happened elsewhere.

In the meantime, I will continue to work just as hard as ever for Wellington in my roles as a town councillor and a county councillor.

John Thorne

Wellington Town Council, North ward councillor Somerset County Council, Blackdown & Neroche division councillor