Independent husband and wife councillors Michael and Virginia Bucknor have retained their seats on Fenland District Council – and have appealed for a “wonderful benefactor” to support youth services in Waterlees, Wisbech.

Cllrs Michael and Virginia Bucknor polled 949 and 973 votes respectively to retain the Waterlees Village seats they won in 2011.

They held off competition from Conservative candidates Aigars Balsevics (582) and Brenda Barber (656 votes).

Cllr Michael Bucknor is currently in hospital, but Cllr Virginia Bucknor is at today’s count at the Hudson Leisure Centre in Wisbech, where she called for funding to support two youth groups in the ward, that meet at Community House and the Oasis Centre.

Cllr Virginia Bucknor said: “They have lost both youth workers and so we are looking for a wonderful benefactor to provide £500 to support some youth services.

“The group at Community House has closed completely at the moment, and some young people have to find transport to get to the Oasis and we have no buses serving Waterlees.

“We have more children than anywhere else in Fenland – there are only 500 children in the whole of Chatteris, but there are 1,000 children living in Waterlees.”

Cllr Virginia Bucknor thanked residents who “have continued to support us and we will continue to do street surgeries and carry on working for residents”.

She added: “The vote doesn’t reflect the trend nationally but recognises that we are hard-working councillors and that representatives locally shouldn’t be led by party colour.

“We look forward to continuing to serve everyone.”