I WOULD like to congratulate Tim Gwilliam on being elected to represent Berry Hill Ward on the Forest of Dean District Council.

I would also like to thank the Returning Officer and her staff for their excellent work.

A big debt of gratitude must also go to Forest UKIP for their efforts during my campaign. To achieve nearly 20 per cent of the vote was a tremendous result and bodes well for the party in the county council elections in May.

Finally, I want to thank all those residents of Berry Hill Ward who were kind enough to vote for me.

I promise them that I will continue to work hard for the Forest of Dean locally and nationally to put Britain and her people first.

– John McOwan.