TWO new Tory members for Hindhead join Haslemere Town Council, following yesterday’s by-election (Thursday).

Peter Isherwood, who is also borough councillor for Hindhead, and Marie Hill were both voted in by a substantial majority, preserving the town council’s political status quo of 17 Conservatives and one Independent member - councillor Nikki Barton.

Five would-be Hindhead ward members from different political affiliations went head to head for the two vacant seats on the town council, following the recent death of long-serving Conservative Michael Dover - Marie Hill’s father - and fellow Tory Alex Ford, who resigned in August.

But the two Lib Dem candidates Geoff Whitby and Jerome Davidson and Green Party’s Sasha Brooks were pipped to the post by some way.

Total votes cast were 1,373 and the results are:

Peter Isherwood: 377 votes (27.5 per cent of the turnout)

Marie Hill: 343 (25 per cent)

Geoff Whitby: 284 (20.7 per cent)

Jerome Davidson: 261 (19 per cent)

Sasha Brooks: 108 (7.9 per cent)