Lib Dem Sally shakes up Conservative Complacency in Berkhamsted Borough By-Election

Sally Symington, Chair of West Herts Liberal Democrats, has well and truly shaken up Conservative complacency in Berkhamsted where she nearly took a Dacorum Borough Council seat in the recent by-election.

In her first serious foray into borough politics Sally swooped down from Potten End to come within 47 votes of winning the vacant seat in the DBC Ward of Berkhamsted West.

This result, coming as it does at the same time as another near-defeat for the Tories - in the county council election on the same day - shows that things are changing in Berkhamsted.

For far too long the Conservatives have dominated Berkhamsted and taken the electors for granted and for far too long Conservative attitudes, policies and decisions have run roughshod over what is actually a very diverse and lively town.

Six of the Berkhamsted Conservative Town Councillors also hold all six of Berkhamsted's DBC seats and a seventh is the town's county councillor.

From town to borough, from borough to county and from county to Westminister, Tory views prevail thanks to the UK's First-Past-the-Post voting system, which in no way represents the spread of views and opinions within the town.

The Liberal Democrats are determined to redress the balance and to give people back control over the way their communities are governed.