New Conservative councillor for Bedford council's Wyboston ward after by-election

Sharan Sira has been elected as the councillor for Wyboston. Picture - Bedford Borough Council

Councillor Sharan Sira (Conservative) is the new Bedford Borough Council representative for the Wyboston Ward.

This followed the second by-election since the local election in 2023, which was called after Julie Cox (Conservative) resigned.

The first by-election was held after Tom Wootton (Conservative) had already been declared the new Bedford mayor.

In an interview before last year’s local elections, mayor Wootton said he didn’t intend to stand for both, but the unexpected death of another councillor put the Conservative’s election plans in “turmoil”.

“I just couldn’t bear to give it away and [put in a] paper candidate,” he said at the time.

In June, Bedford Borough Council said the estimated cost for the second by-election was £9,701.88.

This by-election was combined with a Parliamentary Election so some of the costs, such as staffing and venue hire, were shared.

The estimated cost (given in June 2023) for the first by-election was £12,366.74.

Results

Richard baker (Green Party) 277 votes

Susan Henchley (Lib Dems) 515 votes

Sharan Sira (Conservative) 1,096 votes

The turn out was 66.9 per cent (1,918). The total number of rejected ballot papers was 30.