Halton: Tory wins envelope tie-break to pip Labour to seat

Ms Davidson (centre) said it had all been "very tense" and winning was "a bit of a shock"

A returning officer's random drawing of a name from an envelope has seen the Conservatives pip Labour to a council seat after a dead heat.

Labour's Anna Hutchinson and Tory Sian Davidson both got 398 votes in Halton's Daresbury, Moore & Sandymoor ward.

After several recounts, their names were put in an envelope and returning officer Ian Leivesley chose one, giving Ms Davidson the deciding vote.

As the only Tory victory in Halton, she said it was "a bit of a shock".

The 31-year-old teacher from Runcorn told the BBC the tie-breaker had been "quite nerve-racking".

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Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service later, she said it had "seemed very close throughout the night and we knew that something had happened, because there was a lot of attention around the table".

She said it had all been "very tense" and winning was "a bit of a shock".

"I stood in the past and didn't get through, so this time feels very special," she added.

Ms Davidson's win brought the total number of Conservative councillors to three and also meant the Green party, who came a close third in the ward with 372 votes, lost their only seat in Halton.

Labour won 16 seats to hold 48 of the 54 on the Cheshire council, while the Liberal Democrats also had one victory and also now hold three seats.

It was the second time the winner of a Halton seat has had to be decided by such a tie-breaker, having previously happened in 2008.

On that occasion, the drawing of lots went in Labour's favour and they held a seat by one vote over the Liberal Democrats.

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