ELECTIONS on Thursday saw Liberal Democrat Tim Pickstone celebrate a double win.

On last week’s election night, Tim Pickstone was elected to represent Longtown on both Carlisle City Council and the new Cumberland Council.

Councillor Pickstone, who is also tipped to be the new leader of Carlisle Liberal Democrats, won the seat on the city council with 1247, defeating a Conservative candidate, Sam Bowen who received 948.

The by-election follows the untimely passing of Val Tarbitt, one of the city council’s representatives for the Longtown and the Border area.

Cllr Pickstone will join the city council for its final year before it is abolished and replaced by the new Cumberland Council on Vesting Day: April 1, 2023.

On the same night he received 949 votes in a contest for the Longtown seat on the new council.

Cllr Pickstone said: “A huge thank you to residents in Longtown and the surrounding villages for electing me last week, it is such an honour to be elected by my local neighbours and community.”

The new council for Cumberland – Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland – is set to launch as a Shadow Authority after members were elected last week.

It will ‘shadow’ the existing county, city and borough councils for the next 12 months until the transition process is complete.

Cllr Pickstone said: “Residents in Longtown have been very clear that we want a fair deal from the new council which will be my priority over the next five years. The real hard work starts now!”

The Lib Dems had more success in the Cumberland Council election than they have seen in recent years.

Trevor Allison took the Dalston and Burgh seat with 1142 votes, he already holds the seat on Cumbria County Council and the city council.

His rivals in the ward, James White for the Conservatives and Alex Key for Labour took 779 and 472 votes respectively.

Roger Dobson won the Corby and Hayton election battle, a seat he holds on the county council.

He received 1090 votes, independent city councillor Raymond Tinnion was also bidding for the seat, receiving 423 votes and Conservative candidate Tim Cheetham received 306.

It was a positive night for the Liberal Democrats, as well as winning seats in North Cumbria, they have taken control of the new unitary authority in the east and south of the county.

The Lib Dems won 36 seats on the Westmorland & Furness unitary authority, which will cover Eden, South Lakeland and Barrow.

This past weekend the party has selected Jonathan Brook as their new leader.

He is currently the leader of South Lakeland District Council and said that the appointment is “A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a new council from scratch.”

READ MORE: Lib Dems elect Jonathan Brook as group leader for Westmorland and Furness Council