1998 Hertsmere Borough Council election

1998 Hertsmere Borough Council election

←  1996 7 May 1998 (1998-05-07) 1999  →
13 out of 39 seats to Hertsmere Borough Council 20 seats needed for a majority
Registered	45,018
Turnout	30.6% (6.4%)
First party Second party   Party Labour Conservative Seats won 4 7 Seats after 22 11 Seat change 3 Popular vote 4,420 6,192 Percentage 32.1% 45.0% Swing 9.5% 4.7%   Third party Fourth party   Party Liberal Democrats Independent Seats won 2 0 Seats after 6 0 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 2,949 208 Percentage 21.4% 1.5% Swing 4.9% 0.1%
Winner of each seat at the 1998 Hertsmere Borough Council election. Wards in white were not contested.
Control before election Labour Control after election Labour

The 1998 Hertsmere Borough Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Hertsmere Borough Council in Hertfordshire, England. ^[1] This was on the same day as other local elections.

One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party stayed in overall control of the council. ^[2]

Summary

Election result

1998 Hertsmere Borough Council election [3] [4]
Party		This election			Full council			This election
		Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Labour	4		30.8	18	22	56.4	4,420	32.1	–9.5
	Conservative	7	3	53.8	4	11	28.2	6,192	45.0	+4.7
	Liberal Democrats	2	2	15.4	4	6	15.4	2,949	21.4	+4.9
	Independent	0	1	0.0	0	0	0.0	208	1.5	–0.1

Ward results

Incumbent councillors standing for re-election are marked with an asterisk (*). Changes in seats do not take into account by-elections or defections.

Aldenham East

Aldenham East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Graham	1,140	79.6	+5.8
	Labour	S. Huff	292	20.4	–5.8
Majority			848	59.2	+11.6
Turnout			1,432	39.9	–2.8
Registered electors			3,603
	Conservative hold		Swing	5.8

Brookmeadow

Brookmeadow

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	B. Moir*	478	78.1	–6.8
	Conservative	P. Brew	134	21.9	+6.8
Majority			344	56.2	–13.6
Turnout			612	22.2	–14.6
Registered electors			2,768
	Labour hold		Swing	6.8

Elstree

Elstree

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D. Wernick*	1,024	64.4	+19.9
	Labour	S. Parkins	566	35.6	–19.9
Majority			458	28.8	N/A
Turnout			1,590	30.5	–5.2
Registered electors			5,219
	Conservative hold		Swing	19.9

Heath North

Heath North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Slade	638	45.6	+12.5
	Liberal Democrats	M. Silverman*	603	43.1	–10.7
	Labour	D. Bearfield	158	11.3	–1.8
Majority			35	2.5	N/A
Turnout			1,399	35.1	–4.4
Registered electors			3,996
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	11.6

Heath South

Heath South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R. Gealy*	820	67.4	+7.5
	Labour	H. Bearfield	214	17.6	–4.8
	Liberal Democrats	R. Kutchinsky	183	15.0	–2.8
Majority			606	49.8	+12.2
Turnout			1,217	30.2	–3.7
Registered electors			4,027
	Conservative hold		Swing	6.1

Kenilworth

Kenilworth

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	B. Stanley*	599	74.2	–9.3
	Independent	P. Strack	208	25.8	N/A
Majority			391	48.4	–18.6
Turnout			807	28.9	–4.6
Registered electors			2,818
	Labour hold

Mill

Mill

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	M. Colne*	784	66.7	–6.7
	Conservative	M. Tomlinson	262	22.3	+11.2
	Labour	S. Mercado	129	11.0	–4.5
Majority			522	44.4	–13.5
Turnout			1,175	35.1	–12.5
Registered electors			3,436
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	9.0

Potters Bar Central

Potters Bar Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R. Morris*	569	49.1	+1.2
	Labour	A. King	460	39.7	–12.4
	Liberal Democrats	C. Dean	130	11.2	N/A
Majority			109	9.4	N/A
Turnout			1,159	34.4	–1.9
Registered electors			3,362
	Conservative hold		Swing	6.8

Potters Bar East

Potters Bar East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D. Banks*	820	50.8	–2.6
	Conservative	S. Fear	795	49.2	+2.6
Majority			25	1.6	–5.2
Turnout			1,615	36.7	–2.3
Registered electors			4,432
	Labour hold		Swing	2.6

Potters Bar North

Potters Bar North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Roach*	931	70.6	+3.6
	Labour	H. Ward	250	19.0	–14.0
	Liberal Democrats	S. Bishop	137	10.4	N/A
Majority			681	51.6	+17.6
Turnout			1,318	37.0	+1.2
Registered electors			3,485
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing	8.8

Potters Bar South

Potters Bar South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	P. Hill	476	52.0	+9.4
	Conservative	C. Calcutt	440	48.0	+13.7
Majority			36	3.9	–4.3
Turnout			916	35.0	–11.1
Registered electors			2,617
	Labour hold		Swing	2.2

St. James East

St. James East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	E. Gadsden*	620	61.3	+3.5
	Conservative	D. Kieran	228	22.6	–3.8
	Labour	J. Sowerbutts	163	16.1	+0.3
Majority			392	38.7	+7.3
Turnout			1,011	33.5	–8.3
Registered electors			3,018
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	3.7

St. James West

St. James West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C. Keates	520	42.4	+2.0
	Liberal Democrats	R. Bates*	492	40.1	–2.7
	Labour	G. De Groot	214	17.5	+0.7
Majority			28	2.3	N/A
Turnout			1,226	33.8	–9.1
Registered electors			3,639
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	2.4

References

1. "Hertsmere Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher . The Elections Centre, Plymouth University . Retrieved 12 January 2026.
2. "Policy and politics: Local Elections: Analysis: Council poll results". The Guardian . 9 May 1998. p. 16.
3. "Composition calculator". Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher . The Elections Centre, Plymouth University . Retrieved 12 January 2026.
4. "Local Elections results". The Times . 9 May 1998. p. 46.