Green Party members and supporters across Suffolk were naturally disappointed that their candidate Joanne Brooks was only four votes short of overturning a 600-vote majority for a seat on Suffolk County Council.
In the Hoxne and Eye by-election, which was always expected to be close, Green votes totalled 891 in an area which has been held by Conservatives for most of the 50 years since East and West Suffolk were merged to form Suffolk County Council in 1974.
County group leader Councillor Andrew Stringer said: “This proves once and for all that in rural Suffolk, in election after election, it is a straight choice between Greens and Conservatives. Given the Green Party did not stand a candidate in this seat at the last County Council election in 2021, to come from zero votes last time to be within a handful of votes of landing another electoral shock in Suffolk, is testament to our fresh ideas and approach as well as all the hard work of our volunteers and supporters on the ground.”
“We welcome the upcoming County election next May when this seat will be voting once again, with the division boundaries changed to include more villages that are already served by Green Party District councillors. This clearly shows we are taking the fight to the Conservatives, and more than capable of winning.”
Candidate Joanne Brooks added: “I’m incredibly proud of the campaign The Green Party ran with the support we received from the community and our dedicated volunteers. This result shows that the people of Hoxne & Eye division are ready for change, and while we may have fallen just short this time, we’ve continued to build on our strong foundation for future success. The Green Party will continue to work hard to represent the voices of local residents and make a real difference in Suffolk.”