Lots drawn to decide victor after dead heat

There had to be a recount as incumbent Neville Martin (Lab) and Conservative Mel Hobson both garnered 1,024 votes.

So the nearest independent witness, a female local newspaper photographer, was hauled in by council chief executive, Martin Connor, to draw lots with both candidates’ names put in an empty election box.

Unfortunately for Mr Martin the first name she pulled out was Mr Hobson’s.

Mr Martin, a retired medical, technical officer, said: “These things happen and it made for an interesting end to the day. I have been on the council for eight years and have seen it all before.

“The poor girl who had to pull the name out of the box was a bit embarrassed, but the chief executive jumped on her as the only independent person around and so that was that.

“It was quite dramatic and I think everyone was a bit sickened that it had to go to a recount. But we are a happy bunch on Selby District Council and there it is.”

Selby’s political composition barely altered a jot yesterday. The Conservatives lost one seat overall to go from 30 to 29 while the Labour Party added a solitary seat to their number taking them to 10. The Independents were unchanged on two.

The leader of Selby council, Mark Crane said: “There had to be two recounts for Sherburn In Elmet, the first with all six candidates and then a second one with just the two candidates’ votes counted.

“It was a slightly strange spectacle certainly and it was a very unlucky and harsh way for the Labour man to lose it.

“The atmosphere was very fraught as you might imagine as everyone had been there from 9.30am to 5.30pm and we were very lucky to win it.”

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