Conservative candidate Jonathan Pritchard has narrowly retained a Cheam Ward council seat for the Conservatives in yesterday’s by-election. Mr Pritchard polled just 87 votes ahead of Liberal Democrat Wendy Mathys.

The by-election was called following the disqualification of Conservative Eleanor Pinfold for persistent rudeness while carrying out her official duties.

The UK Independence Party beat Labour into fourth place, polling 8% of the vote ahead of Labour’s 3%.

The turnout of 44% was lower than in May 2006′s full council election which saw 51% of voters fulfil their democratic duty.

Cheam Ward has three council seats, all currently occupied by Conservatives. It would take little more than a gentle breeze to unseat them, but famously a week is a long time in politics and the next election (barring any further mishaps) is two years away.

Official results from Sutton Council. I’ve put the full results online here. Please contact me if you’d like a copy of this as an Excel spreadsheet.

Photo: Copyright © Sutton Council.

The Sutton Guardian have run an article about the Stonecot Hill parking petition on page four of today’s edition.

I do not and cannot speak for everyone that lives, works and visits Stonecot Hill. That is why the parking petition simply calls for a full consultation of everyone concerned about the issue. However, TfL’s spokesman entirely misunderstands many shopkeepers’ points of view and so I have written this response:

It is unsurprising that parking on Stonecot Hill’s Red Route (A24) is so difficult as Transport for London (TfL) seem to have no idea what local people’s concerns are nor what they are asking for.

TfL’s spokesman is entirely right in saying that extending parking times might damage local businesses. Some people might park for very long periods and prevent passing motorists from stopping to shop. That is why local shopkeepers are calling for more short-term parking and less long-term parking. Shopkeepers would also like to see some of the 20-minute loading bays turned into 20-minute parking bays to enable more people to stop, shop quickly and leave without risking a fine.

Over 2000 people signed the Stonecot Hill parking petition because their concerns and complaints about the way TfL are managing this area have been ignored. We look forward to TfL announcing a definite date for a public consultation to ensure that all local residents, businesses and shoppers are heard at last. We are still waiting.

The Stonecot Hill parking petition has closed with 2004 signatures. It was run for an extra week to bring the total above the 2000 point.

The petition calls on mayor Ken Livingstone and Transport for London to review parking arrangements on Stonecot Hill due to widespread dissatisfaction with the current regulations and the way they are enforced.

Local politicians are backing the petition. Liberal Democrat councillors Tony Brett Young and Abigail Lock visited Stonecot Hill recently to talk to shopkeepers and local residents about the issue. For the Conservatives, council candidate Ray Hilldrup has been helping to collect signatures locally.

The mayor’s office has not yet responded to a request on 1 August to make arrangements to receive a delegation to deliver the petition to City Hall.

1891 shoppers, traders and residents have backed a petition asking mayor Ken Livingstone and Transport for London to review parking facilities on Stonecot Hill’s Red Route.

The petition states that the lack of well-planned and managed parking on Stonecot Hill causes shoppers travelling by car to go elsewhere and threatens traders’ livelihoods. It also calls attention to the apparent contradiction between environmental and economic policies that aim to support local shopping and small business and the current situation on Stonecot Hill.

Edward Luckhurst, partner of Plumb Crazy, said, “The current parking arrangements have been in place for years and they haven’t worked. This petition is the end of a two-year campaign to have local people listened to. We want to see a fairer system that balances people’s need to stop and park to shop with the need to keep traffic moving through the area. The current situation benefits no-one.”

The petition will be presented to Ken Livingstone at City Hall next week.