Parish win for Tories

David Caddick celebrates with Tory supporters.

THE Conservatives held Greenfield at yesterday’s Saddleworth Parish Council by-election, despite low voter turnout.

Only 14.4 per cent of the electorate bothered to go to the polls, awarding John Caddick, 465 votes, ahead of Labour’s Ian Manners on 296.

Former candidate, John McCann, had also been set to stand for the Lib-Dems, but withdrew shortly before election day after claiming the race was a waste of money.

Councillor Caddick said: “It’s a shame this election had to be held at all. It is a waste of council money when I could have just been handed the seat, following the retirement of the previous winner.”

Saddleworth Parish Council now has four Conservative councillors, three Independent and 13 Liberal.