ST PETER’S Parish Council has three new UKIP members after its first-ever election.

Dave Carney, Hazel Finch and Linda Murray make up one third of the council after a flood of nominations forced residents to the polls on Thursday alongside the city elections.

Party leader and MEP Gerard Batten also visited Worcester on Friday, hours after the results came in, as part of UKIP’s Tell Them Again bus tour in the run up to the European Elections later this month.

In the hopes of forming a stronghold in St Peter's, UKIP put forward nine candidates – as many seats as were available on the parish council – and with only six other nominees, five being independent, were always guaranteed to win at least three seats.

Long-serving St Peter’s parish and city Conservative councillor Roger Knight, who stepped down from the latter prior to the elections, had expressed concern that UKIP were attempting to politicise the parish council.

However, following the vote, he told the Worcester News “it’s a question of getting together now” and working for the good of residents.

Parish councillors serve four-year terms but if the seats aren’t then contested, they will retain them by default – while any odd vacancies will be filled by co-option.

However, with four councillors stepping aside, an opportunity was opened for UKIP to force an election.

“We did not have a full set of candidates on the parish council,” continued Cllr Knight.

“In all honesty, we could’ve done without the election, we could’ve done without the costs. But it did not work out that way.

“Once we have had the next parish council meeting, we will be able to say what the priorities are going to be,” he added.

Cllr Knight has also represented St Peter’s on the city council for 15 years and said he would miss the role.

Former city mayor Steve Mackay, who was ousted from Battenhall last year, retained the St Peter’s ward on Thursday in Cllr Knight's place.

“I will miss the comradery with other councillors and the officers. It’s nice to think, hopefully I’ve made a difference,” said Cllr Knight.

Worcester UKIP did not provide a comment before we went to print.