A NEW face will be seen on Wellington Town Council after a by-election resulted in a Conservative win.

Lynda Russell-Cairns won the election on Thursday, February 23, beating out her opponents by just six votes.

The by-election was trigged by the resignation of Bill Sparrow, the Labour councillor for Rockwell Green, in December.

The vote was won with 118 votes. In joint second was Labour Candidate Kieran Canhan with 112 votes and Independent candidate Nick Smith also with 112 votes. Fourth place went to Mark Lithgow of the Liberal Democrats with 74 votes.

Mrs Russell-Cairns is now looking ahead to the future of Rockwell Green as she gears up to sit on the council at her first meeting as an official on March 6.

She said: "I am elated, absolutely elated.

"I can't believe it. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone that came out in Storm Doris to vote.

"I am honoured and proud to be representing Rockwell Green.

"I hope to bring the community together."

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Mrs Russell-Cairns is especially proud of Rockwell Green Primary School, which has recently been named as being in the top three per cent of primary schools in England in terms of progress.

One of the new councillor's most passionate issues is regarding housing, including those planned on Exeter Road.

She added: "I don't want to see houses there. The infrastructures wont take it. Doctors' surgeries are packed already, the extra houses will put pressure on the schools, and the town centre is already clogged.

"They need to leave Rockwell Green alone.

"Another issue is bringing more council housing to the area, they have to be for the local people of Rockwell Green so they don't have to leave the area."

Other projects Mrs Russell-Cairns cares about include the Basins Volunteer Group, Wellington Museum, and Wellington Transition Town.