Thank you very much indeed to the 1,441 residents of Sutton, Witchford, Little Downham, Mepal, Pymoor, Witcham, Coveney, Wardy Hill, Wayhead and Wentworth who gave me their support in the county council elections on Thursday.

It is an enormous privilege to serve as your county councillor, and I am grateful for the confidence you have shown in me.  I will do my best to be worthy of it, and to represent residents of our villages to the best of my ability, whether you voted for me or not.

The new County Council will have a different dynamic for the next four years, with a majority Conservative group made possible by the complete collapse of UKIP.  While the ruling Conservative group may have 60 per cent of the seats on the County Council, it received only 40 per cent of votes cast.

The Liberal Democrat group is now the main opposition on the County Council.  Our role will be to provide challenge, scrutiny and a positive alternative vision for Cambridgeshire, and to be a constant reminder to the ruling Conservative group that its majority in the council chamber represents a minority of public opinion across our county.