The Community Representatives' Party made history when it won its first seats on Tendring Council.

Party leader Steven Henderson was delighted with the four seats gained.

He said: "I'm elated, absolutely elated.

"These are the very first seats that we've ever won on Tendring District Council and it is history in the making."

Altogether 11 Community Representatives stood for Tendring Council.

The Community Representatives had a runaway victory in Tendring Council's Harwich West Central ward, taking both seats.

Mr Henderson, brother of Harwich's Labour MP Ivan Henderson, won 704 votes and David Rutson got 604.

They knocked out sitting Labour councillor Louise Armstrong, who got 386 votes.

The Community Representatives are yet to decide whether they will remain completely independent or join allegiance with another party.

"We will be sitting down over the next couple of days to discuss what we're going to do, look at the results and take into consideration how we do on the town council," said Mr Henderson.

Before the elections, Mr Henderson had been the only Community Representative to sit on Harwich Town Council

Published Friday, May 2, 2003

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