ONE of Herefordshire's longest serving local politicians has bounced back from a double defeat at the last round of council elections.

A 40-year link to local government was severed when Basil Baldwin lost the Tupsley ward in both the Herefordshire Council and Hereford City Council contests in May.

Basil, aged 78, has been co-opted on to Hereford City Council to fill a vacancy in the Three Elms ward.