2008 Colchester Borough Council election

The 2008 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Colchester Borough Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party lost overall control of the council to no overall control.[1]

Map of the results of the 2008 Colchester council election. Liberal Democrats in yellow, Conservatives in blue, Labour in red and independents in light grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2008.

After the election, the composition of the council was

Background

After the last election in 2007 the Conservatives held half of the seats on the council with 30 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats had 21 seats, Labour 6 seats and there were 3 independents.[3] However, in July 2007, 2 Liberal Democrat councilors, Craig and Terry Sutton, defected to the Conservatives after falling out with the local Liberal Democrat Member of parliament Bob Russell over a new community stadium.[4] This gave the Conservatives a majority on the council with 32 of the 60 seats.[5]

20 seats were contested at the election, with the Conservatives defending 12 of the seats.[6] A total of 82 candidates stood at the election, including full slates from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green parties, along with one candidate from the British National Party.[5]

Election result

The Conservatives lost their majority on the council after losing 5 seats, 4 to the Liberal Democrats and 1 to Labour.[7] Among those who lost seats were 2 members of the Conservative council cabinet, while Craig Sutton in Berechurch lost his seat to Labour after having defected to the Conservatives from the Liberal Democrats in 2007.[7] Conservative defeats were attributed to high levels of housebuilding in the area, with the Conservatives dropping to 27 seats, while the Liberal Democrats rose to 23 seats and Labour went up to 7 seats.[7] Meanwhile, the British National Party came fourth in High Woods ward with 131 votes after putting up the party's first candidate for Colchester council.[8] Overall turnout at the election was 34.5%.[9]

Following the election the Liberal Democrat, Labour and independent groups made a deal to take control over the council from the Conservatives, with Liberal Democrat Anne Turrell becoming the new leader of the council.[10]

2008 Colchester Borough Council election[1][11]
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Liberal Democrats 9 4 45.0 14 23 38.3 13,111 37.2 +7.9
  Conservative 7 5 35.0 20 27 45.0 13,142 37.3 –4.5
  Labour 3 1 15.0 4 7 11.7 4,593 13.0 –3.3
  Independent 1 5.0 2 3 5.0 1,247 3.5 +0.4
  Green 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 3,012 8.5 –1.0

Ward results
Berechurch[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Kim Naish 735 37.0 -12.7
Liberal Democrats John Stevens 682 34.3 +8.5
Conservative Craig Sutton 435 21.9 +3.1
Green Philippa Lane 136 6.8 +1.0
Majority 53 2.7 -21.2
Turnout 1,988 33.5 +0.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Castle[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats William Spyvee 1,111 45.2 +4.2
Green Peter Lynn 779 31.7 -0.6
Conservative Darius Laws 434 17.6 -2.9
Labour John Cooke 136 5.5 -0.7
Majority 332 13.5 +4.8
Turnout 2,460 38.1 +0.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Dedham & Langham[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Garnett 895 82.8 +3.8
Liberal Democrats Carolyn Catney 102 9.4 -4.9
Labour Andrew Maxwell 46 4.3 -2.4
Green Sandra Moog 38 3.5 +3.5
Majority 793 73.4 +8.8
Turnout 1,081 45.6 -8.1
Conservative hold Swing
East Donyland[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Michael Lilley 351 42.8 -1.1
Conservative Peter Hare 344 42.0 +11.7
Liberal Democrats Barry Woodward 67 8.2 -1.3
Green Tracy Lee-Newman 58 7.1 +7.1
Majority 7 0.9 -12.6
Turnout 820 41.2 -7.7
Labour hold Swing
Harbour[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Justin Knight 727 59.3 -4.5
Conservative Barry McConnell 271 22.1 +4.0
Labour Michael Gilheany 141 11.5 -0.1
Green Stephen Ford 88 7.2 +0.8
Majority 456 37.2 -8.5
Turnout 1,227 27.7 -2.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Highwoods[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Beverley Oxford 1,247 59.5 +6.9
Conservative Anne Allan 320 15.3 -6.1
Liberal Democrats John Baker 237 11.3 -4.0
BNP Patrick Sullivan 131 6.3 +6.3
Labour Jordan Newell 97 4.6 -1.8
Green Robert Spence 63 3.0 -1.4
Majority 927 44.2 +12.9
Turnout 2,095 31.4 +0.5
Independent hold Swing
Lexden[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Michael Hardy 1,079 62.3 -3.5
Liberal Democrats John Loxley 477 27.6 +7.8
Green Clare Palmer 104 6.0 +0.6
Labour Adam Fox 71 4.1 -1.2
Majority 602 34.8 -11.2
Turnout 1,731 41.2 -5.9
Conservative hold Swing
Marks Tey[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Elizabeth Blundell 450 63.7 +2.2
Labour John Wood 123 17.4 +4.8
Liberal Democrats Josephine Hayes 88 12.5 -3.5
Green Roger Bamforth 45 6.4 +6.4
Majority 327 46.3 +0.7
Turnout 706 34.5 -6.5
Conservative hold Swing
Mile End[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Martin Goss 1,500 61.1 +14.0
Conservative Brian Jarvis 790 32.2 -11.2
Green Mary Bryan 84 3.4 -0.9
Labour Rossanna Trudgian 83 3.4 -1.7
Majority 710 28.9 +25.1
Turnout 2,457 39.0 -0.5
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
New Town[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Peter Higgins 1,046 62.6 +7.0
Conservative Glenn Bath 277 16.6 -0.7
Green Linda Wonnacott 198 11.8 -4.3
Labour Luke Dopson 150 9.0 -2.0
Majority 769 46.0 +7.7
Turnout 1,671 27.5 +0.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Prettygate[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Beverley Davies 1,197 45.5 -8.7
Liberal Democrats Paul Ost 1,167 44.3 +10.5
Labour Michael Dale 142 5.4 -1.6
Green Peter Appleton 127 4.8 -0.2
Majority 30 1.1 -19.3
Turnout 2,633 44.2 +0.5
Conservative hold Swing
St. Andrew's[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Tina Dopson 837 51.2 -10.4
Liberal Democrats Mark Warner 496 30.3 +11.3
Conservative Alexander Wilson 240 14.7 -0.4
Green Andrew Senter 63 3.9 -0.4
Majority 341 20.8 -21.8
Turnout 1,636 24.9 +0.1
Labour hold Swing
St. Anne's[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Gaik Chiuah 1,049 56.5 +7.2
Conservative Stephen Levy 393 21.2 +3.0
Labour Robert Fisher 272 14.7 -12.3
Green Mervyn Carter 141 7.6 +2.1
Majority 656 35.4 +13.1
Turnout 1,855 28.7 -3.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St. John's[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Paul Smith 1,244 71.6 +9.8
Conservative Glenn Granger 389 22.4 -6.8
Labour Scott Harris 59 3.4 -1.2
Green Tobie Glenny 45 2.6 -1.8
Majority 855 49.2 +16.7
Turnout 1,737 42.0 -1.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Shrub End[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats David Offen 822 42.9 +8.4
Conservative Roger Buston 811 42.3 +3.8
Labour Bruce Tuxford 196 10.2 -11.5
Green Walter Schwarz 89 4.6 -0.8
Majority 11 0.6
Turnout 1,918 30.0 -1.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Stanway[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Laura Sykes 1,118 45.6 -6.6
Conservative Andrew Ellis 1,063 43.3 +4.7
Labour Carole Spademan 176 7.2 +1.1
Green Pamela Nelson 96 3.9 +0.7
Majority 55 2.2 -11.4
Turnout 2,453 38.8 +1.1
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Tiptree[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Richard Martin 1,116 60.5 -4.9
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Longman 345 18.7 +10.4
Labour Audrey Spencer 242 13.1 -5.1
Green Katherine Bamforth 142 7.7 -0.4
Majority 771 41.8 -5.4
Turnout 1,845 30.4 +0.2
Conservative hold Swing
West Mersea[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Bouckley 1,583 77.7 +3.6
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Stevens 195 9.6 -0.3
Labour Barbara Nichols 139 6.8 -1.9
Green Beverley Maltby 120 5.9 -1.4
Majority 1,388 68.1 +3.8
Turnout 2,037 34.5 -0.5
Conservative hold Swing
Wivenhoe Cross[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Manning 506 48.4 +5.9
Conservative Eugene Kraft 377 36.1 -3.8
Green Maria Iacovou 83 7.9 -1.0
Labour Janet Smith 79 7.6 -1.0
Majority 129 12.3 +9.7
Turnout 1,045 29.7 +2.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Wivenhoe Quay[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ann Quarrie 678 36.8 +1.1
Labour Josephine Richardson 518 28.1 -7.8
Green Christopher Fox 513 27.9 +7.4
Liberal Democrats Claire Rodgers 132 7.2 -0.9
Majority 160 8.7
Turnout 1,841 43.8 -0.6
Conservative hold Swing

By-elections between 2008 and 2010

A by-election took place in Birch and Winstree ward on 4 December 2008 after the death of the Conservative councillor Peter Crowe.[12] Andrew Ellis retained the seat for the Conservatives by a majority of 322 votes.[12]

Birch and Winstree By-Election 4 December 2008[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Andrew Ellis 745 58.1 -12.1
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Longman 423 33.0 +14.1
Labour James Spencer 83 6.5 +0.4
Green Katherine Bamforth 32 2.5 -2.5
Majority 322 25.1
Turnout 1,283 29.3
Conservative hold Swing
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References
  1. "Colchester". BBC News Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  2. "National: Full election results". The Guardian. NewsBank. 3 May 2008.
  3. "Colchester". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  4. Wilkin, Chris (11 July 2007). "Colchester: Lib Dems furious at pair's defection to the Tories". The Echo. Archived from the original on 30 May 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  5. "Colchester: BNP candidate stands for election". Daily Gazette. 7 April 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  6. Parkes, Tom (1 May 2008). "Colchester : Town goes to the polls". The Gazette. NewsBank.
  7. Parkes, Tom (2 May 2008). "Colchester: Tories lose control of council". Daily Gazette. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  8. "North Essex: BNP pledges more candidates". The Gazette. NewsBank. 6 May 2008.
  9. Hore, James (2 May 2008). "Colchester election results in full". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  10. Orrell, Helen (12 May 2008). "Colchester : names of council cabinet unveiled". The Gazette. NewsBank.
  11. "Declaration of result of poll". Colchester Borough Council. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  12. "Colchester: Andrew Ellis wins Birch and Winstree by-election". Daily Gazette. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  13. "Local Authority Byelection Results". Retrieved 30 May 2014.
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