FARNHAM completed its remarkable takeover of Waverley Borough Council – as the town’s new wave of Farnham Residents councillors teamed up with the Liberal Democrats to seize control of the authority’s leadership.

The balance of power shifted dramatically away from the Conservative Party at the May 2 local elections – as Waverley’s ruling Tory group suffered one of the party’s worst defeats nationwide, losing 30 of its 53 seats on the borough council.

And at Tuesday’s annual council meeting Farnham Residents, which won 15 seats on May 2, made its gains count – forming an alliance with the Lib Dems (14 seats), Green Party (two seats) and Labour (two seats) to usurp the Tories’ 23 members.

Consequently, John Ward, twice former mayor of Farnham and leader of the Farnham Residents group, was elected leader of the borough council, with Lib Dems’ group leader Paul Follows selected as his deputy.

Farnham Residents’ councillor Penny Marriott, another former mayor of Farnham, was elected deputy mayor – while Tory councillor for Cranleigh Mary Forysewski was elected mayor, nominated by Tory member for The Bourne, Carole Cockburn.

For full story, see this week’s Farnham Herald.