ILMINSTER’S Rose Neave has been elected to the town council.

Last Thursday, July 31, people took to the polls to make their vote for the next councillor at a by-election.

The vacancy arose after Cllr Linda Vijeh, who represents the town on Somerset’s County Council, stepped down.

Rose, 28, of Townsend, won the election with 412 votes.

Paul Sainsbury, of Heron Way, came second with 302 votes, Kim Turner, of Orchard Vale, came third with 84 votes and Caroline Page, of Orchard Way, came last with 61 votes.

Rose said: “Obviously I’m very pleased that I won, and I’m so grateful to everyone who supported me with my campaign and everyone who voted.

“I did try to get round to everyone with a leaflet just explaining a bit about who I am, but I am sorry to those who I missed out.”

Rose said one of her main reasons for entering the election was because she wanted to give her voice a generation.

She said: “I’m here to shake things up and give my generation a voice.

“I think sometimes the council can forget that they are representing the whole town.

“People my age don’t really get involved with what’s going on and I want to change that because ultmately we’re the people who the decisions are going to affect for a lot longer.

“I also really want more provision for the disabled and less fortunate.

“Ilminster’s a big enough town to be doing a lot more for people with disabilities, and I don’t think we do enough or have enough, especially for young people.

“If we don’t give them chances early on in life they’re going to end up limited to what they can do, and I don’t think that is right.”

Rose said she was looking forward to her first town council meeting.

The turn-out in the election was 23%.