READING EAST MP Matt Rodda was thrilled with the results for Labour in the Wokingham borough local elections.
The MP was at the count, held at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre on Friday, May 3, the day after the vote was held.
In it, Labour increased the number of councillors in the chamber from five to eight, its highest ever representation. It includes seats in Woodley it has never held before, and seeing it gain an additional councillor in Shinfield.
“I’m absolutely delighted, and I want to pay tribute to our local team, they work incredibly hard,” Mr Rodda told Wokingham Today.
“They are really dedicated public servants, and they have delivered a high quality of services as local councillors.
“I’m absolutely delighted with our result.”
He felt the results reflected national feeling and longed for a national poll to allow people to deliver their verdict on the past five years of Conservative government.
“I think people want a change of government. They see that Labour is a government in waiting, and we are there to serve the public if we are given the chance,” Mr Rodda said.
“This result is an indication of that desire from the public.
“I hope we can soon see a general election – the sooner it happens, the better.”
Among those who were re-elected to the chamber was Shinfield councillor Andrew Gray. He won the old Shinfield North seat for the party for the first time last year, and saw his colleague, Sarah Bell, win in the same ward meaning there are now two Shinfield Labour councillors.
“It’s a real honour to be serving the wider ward of Shinfield,” he said. “It’s brilliant to be joined by Sarah who lives in a different part of the ward, so we’ll be able to work as a really good team.
“Sarah knows the ward really well.”
He was looking forward to getting on with the role, and said of future results for Labour: “There’s more to come from us working in the borough.”
