LABOUR gained three councillors in Woodley, for the first time in Loddon ward.
It is the culmination of hard work from a team of campaigners who last year came within a whisker of snatching a seat from the Conservatives.
This time round, they scooped all three.
It means that long-serving councillors Bill Soane and Abdul Loyes will not be seen in the council chamber when it reconvenes later this month.
The newly elected Cllr Majid Nagra said the team were delighted with the victory.
“I think it’s due to the hard work of the previous three years. Residents are quite upset due to ineffective performances of previous Tory councillors, and it was time for change, not just locally but nationally as well.”
Cllr Greg Bello has been a Woodley town councillor for many years, and is looking forward to meetings at Shute End.
“I’m thrilled to be able to serve,” he said. “It’s been many years of activism and teamwork, but now we can show people how Labour can serve them professionally.
“It’s a culmination of many years of working for Woodley.”
And the youngest of the three is Cllr Alex Freeney.
“It’s amazing,” he said of the result. “I am so grateful to everybody who helped us out.
“I am looking forward to representing young people on the council.”
