Alexandra Ward resident, Adam Rae was tonight declared elected to Ipswich Borough Council for Alexandra Ward.

The full result was:

ADAM RAE, LABOUR 734 votes

LEE REYNOLDS, TORY 278 votes

HENRY WILLIAMS, LIB DEM 287 votes

TOM WILMOT, GREEN 164 votes

Turnout 21%

The election was caused by the resignation of Adam Leeder who had represented Alexandra Ward for seven years.

Having been made redundant in the Spring, Adam applied for and was offered a London-based post in the Cabinet Office, which is politically restricted, forcing him to step down from the Council.  

Adam Rae was selected by local Labour Party members to contest the byelection.

Adam was consort to his wife, Jane Riley, during her year as Mayor of Ipswich last year.  They have lived in Alexandra Ward, in Weymouth Road, for the past thirty years, and their three children all attended Clifford Road Primary School within the ward.

Adam runs a local IT software company, employing five people. He is proud that his company is accredited by the Living Wage Foundation and Suffolk Carbon Charter.

Adam says: "Thank you to Alexandra Ward residents for putting your faith in me - I won't let you down. I've very much enjoyed meeting many of you during the course of the byelection campaign, and am now looking forward to working for you as one of your local Labour councillors."

Sandy Martin, MP for Ipswich, joined Confor, the forestry industry body, and the Woodland Trust, the environmental charity, to discuss how trees can help deal with the Climate Emergency. 

Forestry in the UK already has a £2 billion turnover, and provides 70,000 jobs, but there is huge scope for expansion.  Speakers called for a balance between improving the habitat for wildlife and growing trees for commercial use, but all were agreed that we need more of both.  Native broadleaf trees provide space for a rich variety of species to flourish.

Tree planting can make a huge contribution to reducing flash flooding in sensitive areas too.  Trees remove carbon from the atmosphere by using sunlight to turn CO2 and water into wood. Confor and the Woodland Trust are both urging everyone to Think Global, Plant Local to tackle the Climate Emergency.  The industry also aims to reduce our reliance on timber imports which are the second highest in the world (second only to China).  Yet tree planting rates in England & Wales are dismally low - more than 80 per cent of all UK planting last year happened in Scotland. All agreed that we need to plant productive forestry at scale in areas like Northumberland.

Sandy Martin said:

“Increasing the use of timber in construction would be good for the green economy, help provide new homes, and make a massive contribution to reducing our net carbon emissions by locking up Co2 in the wood in our buildings. Using timber in buildings also helps reduce high-energy-use materials such as concrete.  There is absolutely no need for conflict between growing trees for habitat and leisure, and growing trees for commercial timber – we need to do both. 

"I am immensely heartened by Labour’s commitment to grow significantly more trees across the country, including the pledge to plant 1 million more trees on the NHS estate – we can and must grow more trees everywhere.”

Sandy Martin MP received the strongest of endorsements from local Labour Party members and affiliates, as he was reselected to contest Ipswich at the next General Election, whenever it comes.

Sandy said “I would not want to stand as the Labour Candidate at the next general Election unless I knew that I had the support of my local Party and Trade Unions.  That is why I welcomed the process we agreed at last years Conference, which has given my colleagues the opportunity to say whether or not they would support me.  I am grateful and delighted by the comprehensiveness of that support.  I feel confident that together, Labour Councillors, trade unionists, activists and myself can continue to work for the benefit of the residents of Ipswich.”

Members from each of the thirteen wards in Ipswich Constituency, were invited to attend local meetings to determine whether Sandy Martin should be reselected immediately, or whether a full selection process should be undertaken with nominations opened to all comers.  Ipswich Labour Party's eighteen affiliated organisations (mainly local trade union branches) also had an opportunity to cast a vote as to whether they supported Sandy's reselection.

All Labour MPs have to go through a reselection process ahead of every General Election, with a "trigger ballot" being held. If one third of Party Branches (based on Borough Council wards in Ipswich) or affiliated organisations request a full selection process, than this takes place. Otherwise the sitting MP is selected as the Labour candidate.

Sandy received support from every affilated organisation and every ward meeting - a ringing endorsement of Sandy's performance of his duties as our Member of Parliament.