The defeated Conservative Party candidate in Thursday's Oakham South by-election has hit back at the Liberal-Democrat's campaign, which focussed on housing issues and planning policy.

As Nub News reported yesterday, Paul Browne was elected in a landslide by 886 votes to 420, taking the ward from the Conservatives, saying the result was "a clarion call to the council as to the discontent within the county."

Andy Burton, who is already an Oakham Town Council said he was 'disappointed' not to win, "but it was always going to be a very hard fought contest in view of previous results in the ward, the national issues with Health, Afghanistan and so on, but we fought a very positive campaign and yes there are lessons to be learned from the result."

He said: "Local Health provision and local housing developments were mentioned mostly on the doorstep. Our health provision in Oakham has significant room for improvement, and the planning issues are very complicated.

"Given that the reason for the by-election was over the resignation by the previous Conservative incumbent who, along with his Conservative ward colleague, voted against the planning application in the ward, it is something of a surprise that the Lib Dem campaign was centred around this planning issue when their own member sitting on the planning committee voted for approval of the application."

He continued: "Their criticism of the Council's stance on the Housing Infrastructure Fund monies, some £29 Million, was also somewhat surprising in that the Lib Dems voted against acceptance of the funding, presumably in the belief that by voting with the Independents on the council to reject the fund, it would stop the controversial development at St Georges Barracks from going ahead.

"Far from stopping the development, the LibDem position has likely strengthened the hand of any future developer in how any application proceeds, and deprived the County of Rutland of a much needed £29 million.

"My worry for the residents of Rutland is that now another Lib Dem Councillor has been elected, this will reduce the Conservative majority and will now make it more difficult to attract future funding into Rutland if they continue to make the same shortsighted and ill informed voting decisions."

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Mr Burton accused his opponent of running a 'negative campaign' saying it clearly worked, as he won.

"In all election campaigns I have run over more than 20 years as a Councillor, I have always believed that highlighting what I and my Conservative colleagues will do for residents is more important than trying to find negatives in others policies, but it is obviously easier to campaign against and criticise what is being delivered by the ruling party when you are in opposition. That's politics."

He also told Nub News: "You asked if I would try again. I have served as a successful Councillor in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and previously as a Town Councillor in Market Weighton, and I am now proud to serve Oakham residents as a Town Councillor on Oakham Town Council.

"Yes I will put myself forward for selection and if my party selects me I will be proud to stand again for election to Rutland County Council."

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