By Martin Walker
The Labour Party strengthened its hold on Durham County Council – with all seven of the group’s Aycliffe candidates winning their seats!
A number of Independent candidates suffered embarrassing defeats in the local elections, with Bill Blenkinsopp and Paul Gittens (for the Aycliffe East ward) and Aycliffe West candidates George Gray and Dorothy Bowman all losing their election.
Sarah Iveson held her Aycliffe East seat while Jeremy Hillary won a place on the local authority.
John Clare, Mike Dixon and Joan Gray won their Aycliffe North and Middridge seats, while Eddie Adam and Katie Hopper were victorious in Aycliffe West.
Pictured above (left-to-right): MP Phil Wilson with the victorious team, John Clare, Eddie Adam, Kate Hopper, Mike Dixon, Jed Hillary, Joan Gray and Sarah Iveson.
Full Durham County Council election results for the Aycliffe wards are as follows:
| Aycliffe East | |||
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Elected |
| BLENKINSOPP, William Maurice | Independent | 598 | |
| CUTHBERTSON, Lileen Margaret Griffin | Independent | 233 | |
| GITTINS, Paul Steven | Independent | 456 | |
| GOODSON, Raymond | Conservative Party Candidate | 119 | |
| HILLARY, Jeremy Paul | Labour Party Candidate | 732 | Elected |
| IVESON, Sarah Jane | Labour Party Candidate | 885 | Elected |
|
Electorate: 6599 |
Turnout: 25.75% |
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| Aycliffe North and Middridge | |||
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Elected |
| CLARE, John Duncan | Labour Party Candidate | 985 | Elected |
| DIXON, Edward Michael | Labour Party Candidate | 884 | Elected |
| GRAY, Joan | Labour Party Candidate | 988 | Elected |
| HAIGH, Sandra | Independent | 660 | |
| SWAN, Marney Jane | The Conservative Party Candidate | 461 | |
|
Electorate: 8357 |
Turnout: 21.38% |
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| Aycliffe West | |||
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Elected |
| ADAM, Edward Montgomery | Labour Party Candidate | 697 | Elected |
| BOWMAN, Dorothy | Independent | 274 | |
| CROFT, June | Independent | 104 | |
| GRAY, George Coulson | Independent | 445 | |
| HAIGH, Brian | Independent | 185 | |
| HOPPER, Catherine Mary | Labour Party Candidate | 761 | Elected |
| MURRAY, Fane Robert Conant | Conservative Party Candidate | 94 | |
| SYMONS, Sally Annmarie | Independent | 103 | |
|
Electorate: 6125 |
Turnout: 23.09% |
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