The results from yesterday’s Suffolk County Council elections are in and were as follows:

Mark Ereira-Guyer, Green 1,924 (elected)

Paul Farmer, Con 2,042 (elected)

Kevin Hind, Lab 624

Allan Jones, Lib Dems 625

David Nettleton, Ind 1,846

Richard Rout, Con 1,726

Daniel Warren, Lib Dems 641

Kevin Waterson, Lab 645

Sadly, while the Conservatives held onto the seat that Paul Hopfensperger won in 2005 we were unable to gain both. It was a remarkable result for Mark Ereira-Guyer who increased the Green Party vote massively – my congratulations go to him and to Paul Farmer on their victory.

One can dwell on the reasons for the result endlessly; the expenses saga and many people’s disenchantment with politics were doubtless factors as was the middle school issue but it would be churlish to blame any one of these.

Mark’s election does reveal that environmental issues are now, quite rightly, at the very top of the political agenda and that politicians both locally and nationally need to work to restore the public’s faith in them.

It was a long and hard campaign and I’m grateful to all those people who supported me and helped us along the way. It was much appreciated and I’m sorry that I didn’t deliver the victory that both they and I craved.