IT has been a long wait for David Wheeler to return to the Forest of Dean District Council but he produced the biggest shock of the election on Friday by ousting Roger James, the deputy leader of the previous administration, in the Newland and Sling ward.

Cllr Wheeler, pictured right, became the first of the Green Party gains on Friday, and said after the announcement: “I’m a bit shaky.”

He started as a district councillor in 1983 and was on the authority for 20 years until he lost in 2003’s vote. He continued to stand without success for 16 years but has now made it.

The Greens went headlong for success in the ward which incorporates Clearwell and its tourist attractions which have been in the spotlight due to the proposed expansion of a turkey farm nearby.

Cllr Wheeler did not just beat Independent candidate Mr James, who was also the cabinet member for finance, but also another past cabinet member in Conservative Terry Hale.

The newly-elected member added: “I campaigned on local issues and things that matter to people in the ward. We put forward a green agenda which was really important.

“I had people coming up to me and saying ‘we don’t want the main two parties, we will vote Green this time’ and that has been really good."

And after the vote, Mr James, who was on the Rainbow Alliance group, said the turkey farm campaign, in which he had been involved during his time on the council since it came up in October’s planning committee, had an effect.

He said: “The changes in the boundary did not help. It is true to say that local issues regarding the turkey farm and planning decision, which came up during the campaign, where the Greens claimed an awful lot of credit for that one.

“There is also concern about the quarrying within the Clearwell, Newlands and Sling areas. That all had some impact."

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK’S FORESTER