2007 Wealden District Council election

The 2007 Wealden District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Wealden District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

Map of the results of the 2007 Wealden council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, independents in grey and Greens in green.

Background

At the 2003 election the Conservatives held control of the council with 34 seats, compared to 15 for the Liberal Democrats and 6 independents.[2] However, in September 2006 Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen Shing was expelled from the Liberal Democrats and continued on the council as an independent.[3]

The Conservatives took 4 seats without any opposition and were also guaranteed seats in other wards where there were not enough candidates from other parties for the number of seats being contested.[4] The returning officer for Wealden, Charlie Lant, formed a band called The Council Tax Band with other council officers and performed a song called Vote! in an effort to boost turnout at the election.[5][6]

An important issue at the election was a legal loophole, which was allowing developers to build increased numbers of houses in the area.[4]

Election result

The Conservatives held control of the council staying on 34 seats, but both the Conservative leader of the council Nigel Coltman and the Liberal Democrat group leader Laura Murphy were defeated.[7] The Liberal Democrats lost 2 seats, dropping to 12 councillors, while independents remained on 7 seats and the Green party won its first councillors on the council after gaining 2 seats.[8][9][10] Overall turnout at the election was 38.51%,[11] up from 35% in 2003.[12]

The Conservative leader Nigel Coltman was defeated by Liberal Democrat Brian Cook in Hailsham East by a 55-vote majority, with the Conservatives also losing 2 seats to the Greens in Forest Row.[7] However the Conservatives did not suffer a net loss of seats as they also made gains including defeating the Liberal Democrat group leader Laura Murphy in Hailsham Central and North.[7] The Liberal Democrats did gain a seat in Polegate South from an independent by 1 vote, but Stephen Shing was re-elected as an independent in Willingdon, while Shing's son Daniel also gained a seat in the same ward and Shing's wife Oi Lin gained one in Polegate North.[7]

Wealden local election result 2007[13][14]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 34 3 3 0 61.8 54.6 36,928 +5.2%
  Liberal Democrats 12 3 5 -2 21.8 23.4 15,820 -11.6%
  Independent 7 2 2 0 12.7 15.0 10,153 +5.5%
  Green 2 2 0 +2 3.6 6.0 4,082 +4.1%
  Labour 0 0 0 0 0 0.6 424 -3.3%
  English Democrat 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 190 +0.3%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 57 -0.1%

Ward results
Alfriston[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Keith Whitehead 707 71.8 +4.5
Liberal Democrats Christine Page 277 28.2 -4.5
Majority 430 43.7 +9.1
Turnout 984 48.5 -1.0
Conservative hold Swing
Buxted and Maresfield (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman Buck 1,203
Conservative Ken Ogden 1,115
Liberal Democrats Michael Cooper 394
Turnout 2,712 39.0 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Chiddingly and East Hoathly[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Barby Dashwood-Hall 628 66.2
Liberal Democrats Barbara Holbrook 321 33.8
Majority 307 32.3
Turnout 949 42.3
Conservative hold Swing
Cross-in-Hand/Five Ashes[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Jonica Fox unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
Crowborough East (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sylvia Tidy 581
Liberal Democrats Jane Clark 579
Conservative Pat Kennedy 565
Liberal Democrats Ian Mein 510
Green Sarah Hale 185
Green Scott Mason 133
Turnout 2,553 33.5 +6.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Crowborough Jarvis Brook[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Martin Prestage 222 45.0 +6.2
Conservative John Stevens 215 43.6 +21.5
Green Colin Stocks 56 11.4 +11.4
Majority 7 1.4
Turnout 493 25.3 -3.5
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Crowborough North (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Chantal Wilson 1,108
Conservative David Larkin 739
Liberal Democrats Adrian Morris 530
Turnout 2,377 37.9 +2.1
Independent hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Crowborough St Johns[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Jim Hollins 469 59.4 -15.9
English Democrat Paul Adams 190 24.1 +24.1
Labour Jean McCarthy 47 6.0 -1.7
Liberal Democrats Valerie Banks 43 5.4 -11.5
Green Gabrielle Symonds 40 5.1 +5.1
Majority 279 35.4 -23.0
Turnout 789 40.4 +8.4
Conservative hold Swing
Crowborough West (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Diane Phillips 992
Conservative Antony Quin 954
Liberal Democrats Edward Willis 336
Labour Brendan Clegg 192
Turnout 2,474 34.9 +2.7
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Danehill/Fletching/Nutley (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Roy Galley unopposed
Conservative Sylvia Martin unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
East Dean[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Charles Peck 793 81.6 +13.8
Liberal Democrats Howard Coote 179 18.4 -13.8
Majority 614 63.2 +27.5
Turnout 972 50.8 +3.9
Conservative hold Swing
Forest Row (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Green David Jonas 938
Green Vania Phitidis 877
Conservative Rowena Moore 839
Conservative Peter Davey 826
Turnout 3,480 46.9 +13.4
Green gain from Conservative Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing
Framfield[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ann Newton 704 72.6 +7.7
Liberal Democrats Steve Hey 209 21.5 +2.1
UKIP Keith Riddle 57 5.9 -9.9
Majority 495 51.0 +5.5
Turnout 970 45.3 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing
Frant/Withyham[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Johanna Howell 1,072
Conservative John Padfield 955
Green Keith Obbard 566
Turnout 2,593 39.5 +0.9
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Hailsham Central and North (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Paul Holbrook 687
Conservative Jo Bentley 644
Liberal Democrats Laura Murphy 641
Conservative Angela Geall 577
Independent John Glover 291
Independent Robin Kempe 242
Turnout 3,082 36.1 +4.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Hailsham East[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Brian Cock 323 54.7 +29.4
Conservative Nigel Coltman 268 45.3 +11.6
Majority 55 9.3
Turnout 591 30.2 +3.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Hailsham South and West (3)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Nick Ellwood 742
Independent Ian Haffenden 690
Independent Geoff Rowe 675
Conservative Lynn Bowman 628
Liberal Democrats Anne Blake-Coggins 606
Liberal Democrats Ann Murrey 599
Conservative Arthur Kay 508
Conservative Ginny Heard 497
Turnout 4,945 29.1 +0.4
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Hartfield[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Michael Hoy 661 60.6
Liberal Democrats Mike Burbridge 294 27.0
Green Heidi Ruse 135 12.4
Majority 367 33.7
Turnout 1,090 52.5
Conservative hold Swing
Heathfield East[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Jan Dunk unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
Heathfield North and Central (3)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Dick Angel 1,423
Conservative Margaret Kirkpatrick 1,337
Conservative Niki Oakes 1,303
Liberal Democrats Jim Benson 561
Turnout 4,624 33.2 +5.0
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Hellingly (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats John Blake 943
Liberal Democrats David White 929
Conservative Keith Byatt 727
Conservative James Kennedy 653
Turnout 3,252 39.7 +2.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Herstmonceux[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Andy Long 559 69.0 +5.9
Independent Laurence Keeley 251 31.0 +31.0
Majority 308 38.0 +11.8
Turnout 810 37.6 +1.1
Conservative hold Swing
Horam[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Susan Stedman 570 75.1 +18.2
Liberal Democrats Lois Norton 189 24.9 -18.2
Majority 381 50.2 +36.5
Turnout 759 36.6 +3.4
Conservative hold Swing
Mayfield[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Brian Redman 647 72.3 +18.0
Liberal Democrats Sharon Cottingham 124 13.9 -31.8
Green Derek Forman 124 13.9 +13.9
Majority 523 58.4 +49.9
Turnout 895 43.7 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing
Ninfield and Hooe with Wartling[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Pam Doodes 633 83.1
Liberal Democrats Edward Thompson 129 16.9
Majority 504 66.1
Turnout 762 39.2
Conservative hold Swing
Pevensey and Westham (3)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kevin Balsdon 1,439
Conservative Dianne Dear 1,417
Conservative Lin McKeever 1,312
Liberal Democrats Christine Thomas 893
Turnout 5,061 31.7 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Polegate North (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Oi Shing 764
Liberal Democrats Roy Martin 683
Liberal Democrats Chris Berry 554
Independent John Harmer 394
Independent Gerald Carter 333
Conservative Derrick Wilkins 271
Green Peter Wright 108
Turnout 3,107 42.8 +5.1
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Polegate South[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Don Broadbent 302 36.9 +5.3
Independent Ivy Scarborough 301 36.8 -8.9
Conservative Anne McIlvenny 216 26.4 +3.7
Majority 1 0.1
Turnout 819 41.7 +3.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Rotherfield[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Huw Merriman 620 77.7 +30.3
Liberal Democrats Graham Morgan 178 22.3 -23.4
Majority 442 55.4 +53.6
Turnout 798 42.7 +1.0
Conservative hold Swing
Uckfield Central[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Claire Dowling 542 58.0 +5.3
Liberal Democrats Dorothy Sparks 392 42.0 +3.8
Majority 150 16.1 +1.6
Turnout 934 40.3 +5.2
Conservative hold Swing
Uckfield New Town[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Julia Hey 410 63.4 +9.2
Conservative Terence Clark 237 36.6 +13.8
Majority 173 26.7 -4.5
Turnout 647 31.4 +0.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Uckfield North (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Paul Sparks 693
Liberal Democrats Alan Whittaker 532
Conservative Michael Lunn 453
Conservative Anne Sabine 373
Green Sam Bryant 250
Turnout 2,301 30.0 +2.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Uckfield Ridgewood[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Robert Sweetland 469 51.6 -5.6
Conservative Kim Clark 440 48.4 +11.7
Majority 29 3.2 -17.3
Turnout 909 40.9 +1.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Wadhurst (2)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Bob Standley 1,069
Conservative Graham Wells 1,052
Green Beth Martin 390
Labour Bruce Meredeen 185
Turnout 2,696 38.4 +6.4
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Willingdon (3)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Stephen Shing 2,275
Independent Daniel Shing 2,087
Conservative Ron Cussons 890
Conservative Dick Broady 812
Conservative Douglas Murray 793
Liberal Democrats Andy Watkins 614
Liberal Democrats Kay Dewick 475
Green Izzy Riach 280
Turnout 8,226 57.1 +8.4
Independent hold Swing
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

By-elections between 2007 and 2011

Uckfield New Town

A by-election was held in Uckfield New Town on 17 July 2008 after Liberal Democrat councillor Julia Hey resigned from the council.[15]

Uckfield New Town By-Election 17 July 2008[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Carol Sweetland 311 47.4 -16.0
Conservative John Carvey 289 44.1 +7.5
UKIP Michael Pursglove 56 8.5 +8.5
Majority 22 3.3 -23.4
Turnout 656 31.8 +0.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Alfriston

A by-election was held in Alfriston on 25 September 2008 after Conservative Keith Whitehead stood down from the council.[17] The seat was gained from the Conservatives by Liberal Democrat Andy Watkins with a 30-vote majority, defeating the former Conservative leader of Wealden council, Nigel Coltman who had been trying to return to the council.[17]

Alfriston By-Election 25 September 2008[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Andrew Watkins 495 51.6 +23.4
Conservative Nigel Coltman 465 48.4 -23.4
Majority 30 3.2
Turnout 960 48.0 -0.5
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Heathfield North and Central

A by-election was held in Heathfield North and Central on 23 September 2010 after the death of Conservative councillor Niki Oakes in June 2010.[18]

Heathfield North and Central By-Election 23 September 2010[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Peter Newnham 802 69.2 -2.5
Liberal Democrats Jim Benson 357 30.8 +2.5
Majority 445 38.4
Turnout 1,159 19.4 -13.8
Conservative hold Swing
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References
  1. "Wealden". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  2. "Wealden District Council: Con hold". The Argus. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  3. Harrity, Lisa-Marie (15 September 2006). "Liberal ousted after 30 years". The Argus. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  4. Marzouk, Lawrence (30 April 2007). "Liberal Democrats hope to make gains in Wealden". The Argus. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  5. "'Rock-and-poll' band boosts vote". BBC News Online. 3 May 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  6. Gurner, Richard (24 April 2007). "Officials get in the groove for elections". The Argus. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  7. "Local elections results across Sussex". The Argus. 5 May 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  8. Morris, Nigel (5 May 2007). "BNP fails to break into new areas". The Independent. p. 1.
  9. Woodward, Will; Muir, Hugh (5 May 2007). "Elections 2007: Up close". The Guardian. p. 7.
  10. "Tories retain control of Wealden". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  11. "District election results - May 2007". Wealden District Council. Archived from the original on 5 October 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  12. "Tories keep control". Sussex Express. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  13. "District Council election". Wealden District Council. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  14. "Results". The Times. 5 May 2007. p. 83.
  15. "Three fight in by-election". Sussex Express. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  16. "Election Results". Wealden District Council. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  17. "LibDems win by-election". Sussex Express. 26 September 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  18. "Niki's legacy set to live on through gong". this is Sussex. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
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