Darren Smith has won a by-election – and a seat on Woodley Town Council.
Held on Thursday, February 27, the Conservative party won the contest to elect a new town councillor for the Coronation East Ward.
The by-election was held after David Stares passed away in October last year
Voting took place at St John’s Church in Church Road, Woodley, from 7am through to 10pm.
The votes were then taken to Wokingham Borough Council’s Shute End offices, where a team verified and then counted them.
A total of 902 votes were cast and the result was announced shortly after 11.05pm, by returning officer Andrew Moulton.
Mr Smith was delighted with his victory.
He told Wokingham.Today: “I’m thrilled. I’m absolutely thrilled.
“It’s a vindication of all the hard work that the local Conservative group have put in to support me in this particular election here in Woodley.”
He added: “Now I’m elected, I want with to continue the work that David put in originally. I want to make sure that we continue to provide good value for the residents of Woodley and just to make Woodley the great place to live that it is.”
| SCHOOL | Info for Wednesday, March 18 |
|---|---|
| Addington School | Closing for foreseeable future at end of school day Wed 18th |
| All Saints Primary School | The school remains open, with some pupils self-isolating |
| Bearwood Primary School | No information |
| Beechwood Primary School | Some staff self-isolating, but school still open |
| The Bulmershe School, Woodley | Partial closures: Wed Yrs 8 & 9, Thurs 10 & 12, Fri 8 & 9 |
| Bohunt School | Wednesday 18: Closure to Year 9 Students |
| Charvil Piggott Primary | No information |
| The Colleton School | As of Monday, March 16 - 'no plans to close the school' |
| Crazies Hill | No information |
| Crosfields School | Currently open as usual |
| The Coombes | No information |
| Dolphin School | No information |
| Earley St Peter’s CofE School | No information |
| Emmbrook Infant School | No information |
| Emmbrook Junior School | Open as normal |
| The Emmbrook School | Partial closures |
| Evendons School | No information |
| Farley Hill Primary School | No information |
| Finchampstead Primary School | Hopes to remain open as normal |
| The Forest School | School open for all year groups |
| Foundry College | No information |
| Gorse Ride Junior Schools | No information |
| Gorse Ride Infant Schools | No information |
| Grazeley | No information |
| Hatch Ride School | School is open as usual |
| Hawkedon Primary School | No information |
| Hawthorns Primary | The school remains open |
| High Close School | No information |
| Hillside Primary School | Nursery and Reception classes closed until further notice |
| Highwood primary School | The school remains open |
| Holme Grange School | No information |
| The Holt School | Partial closures: Wed Yr 9, Thurs Yr 8, Fri Yr 10 |
| Keep Hatch Primary School | No information |
| Lambs Lane Primary | No information |
| Luckley House | Open as normal; Whitty Theatre Closed |
| Ludgrove School | No information |
| Loddon Primary School | School open as usual |
| Maiden Erlegh School | Partial closures: Wed Yr 9 & 12, Thurs Yr 7 & 8, Fri Yr 9 & 12 |
| Montague Park School | School is open as usual |
| Nine Mile Ride Primary School | No information |
| Northern House School | Partial closure: Wed Yrs 8&9, Thurs Yes 7, 10, 11. Fri: Yrs 8,9,10. Early finish (12.50pm) for Primary and Yrs 7 and 11 |
| Oakbank School | No information |
| Oaklands Infant School | School open as usual |
| Our Lady’s Preparatory School | No information |
| The Piggott School | No information |
| Polehampton Infants | Currently no plans to close school |
| Polehampton Junior | No information |
| Radstock Primary School | Year 5 closed until Friday, nursery/F1 closed until further notice |
| Reading Blue Coat School, Sonning | Open as usual |
| Reddam House | No information |
| Rivermead Primary School | No information |
| Saint Sebastian’s Primary | No information |
| Shinfield Primary Schools | No information |
| Shinfield St Mary’s Junior School | No information |
| Sonning CofE Primary School | No information |
| South Lake Primary School | Activity clubs cancelled |
| St Crispin’s | Wed - closed for years 9 and 10 |
| St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School, Woodley | School open as usual |
| St Nicolas Hurst | No information |
| St Paul’s Wokingham | Open as usual |
| St Teresa’s Wokingham | No information |
| Waingels College | Open as usual |
| Walter Infant School | WBC reports partial closures |
| Waverley School & Nursery | Open as usual |
| Wescott Infant School | No information |
| Westende Junior School | WBC says partial closures |
| Wheatfield Primary School | As of Monday, March 16 - 'no plans to close the school' |
| Whiteknights Primary School | No information |
| Willow Bank Infant School | No information |
| Willow Bank Junior school | No information |
| Windmill Primary School | No information |
| Winnersh Primary School | School open as usual |
| Woodley CofE Primary School | No information |
No ballot papers were rejected and the turnout was 29.54%.
