INDEPENDENT candidate Mark Goldsmith has been elected as town councillor for Wilmslow East, claiming a seat from the Conservatives.

Cllr Goldsmith – working as part of the Residents of Wilmslow group – won 537 votes, edging Tory candidate Dr Chetan Katre into second with 304.

The victory sees Cllr Goldsmith join Cllr David Jefferay as the second Residents of Wilmslow member on the town council board.

Cllr Goldsmith said: “We were quietly confident. People really warmed to the idea of an independent voice for Wilmslow.

“I think they feel that they’re not really being listened to and they really like the fact that we have only the best interests of the town at heart.

“We’re not governed by Cheshire East or a political head office or Whitehall in any way, and therefore we can represent the true voice of the local people.

“There’s no other agenda other than making the town as great as we want it to be.”

The election follows much controversy surrounding planning applications on Wilmslow’s green belt land.

Cllr Goldsmith believes that residents share his vision for the town, and promises to make their voice heard.

He said: “Nobody seems to be listening that we don’t really want development on the area.

“People are conscious that we have to build more houses – there is a housing crisis – but we also want to maintain that character and the thing which brought us to Wilmslow in the first place.

“They’re scared about the number of people that could come into the town – where would they go to hospital? What about school places? It’s all those things, traffic in the local area as well.”

The seat had become available following the resignation of Conservative councillor Fiona McNulty, who stepped down after 11 months citing work commitments.

Dr Katre admitted his disappointment that the electorate had voted for an independent candidate based on factors other than town council policy.

He said: “It has been a pleasure speaking with so many residents and I would like to thank them for their time and for coming out to vote at the height of the holiday season.

“This was a hard fought election and I congratulate the winner while expressing disappointment that the factors swaying the decision were Cheshire East matters not Wilmslow Town Council matters.”

Dr Katre finished above third-placed Liberal Democrat candidate Birgitta Hoffmann, while the voter turnout was 28.7 per cent.