Production specialist and former Neale-Wade student Clinton Elkin is the newest Conservative member of March Town Council.

Cambs Times: Newly elected March town councillor Clinton Elkin. Picture; MARK PURSERNewly elected March town councillor Clinton Elkin. Picture; MARK PURSER (Image: Archant)

He won a by election for the Eastwood ward on January 16 following the resignation of Conservative councillor Carisha Gowndry who was elected last May.

Cllr Elkin topped the poll in a two horse race with 140 votes whilst Green Party candidate Andrew Crawford secured 34 votes. Last May Mr Crawford polled 46 votes in the same ward against Ms Gowndry.

The by election prompted a turnout of 39.37 per cent, much higher than many anticipated.

Tory Party officials had been looking to the vote as the first indication locally as to whether people's support had diminished since the general election last month.

Cambs Times: Newly elected March town councillor Clinton Elkin. Picture; MARK PURSERNewly elected March town councillor Clinton Elkin. Picture; MARK PURSER (Image: Archant)

The new councillor says on his LinkedIn profile that he works for a division of Encocam called Cellbond "where my role is to assemble, test and calibrate crash test dummies and other ATD's".

The Greens had hoped to take a third seat on the town council to put what they described a "strong green presence" at the heart of local decision making. 20mph speed limits were part of their campaign.

Cambs Times: Newly elected March town councillor Clinton Elkin. Picture; MARK PURSERNewly elected March town councillor Clinton Elkin. Picture; MARK PURSER (Image: Archant)