1999 Guildford Borough Council election

Last updated

The eighth full elections for Guildford Borough Council took place on 6 May 1999. [1]

The Liberal Democrats had won control of the council in May 1995 with a majority of 1. However the first half of 1997 had seen the Liberal Democrats lose their majority as a result of three councillors (2 Stoughton councillors and 1 from Tongham) resigning from the party and a by election defeat in Merrow & Burpham ward. [2]

Going into the election there were 19 Liberal Democrats, 14 Conservatives, 6 Labour and 6 independents. These 6 independents formed three distinct groups. There were 3 councillors for Ash and Tongham wards (two of whom were former Liberal Democrat councillors, one having resigned from the party in the 1991-95 session and one during the 1995-1999 session) who classed themselves as the "Independent Group". Two former Liberal Democrat councillors representing Stoughton ward classed themselves as Liberals. The councillor for Tillingbourne classed himself as an independent councillor.

The May 1999 election saw 20 Liberal Democrats, 17 Conservatives, 6 Labour and 2 Independents elected. The council remained hung.

The Liberal Democrats gained 1 net seat (3 losses and 4 gains) on the position they held going into the election. The Liberal Democrats lost 3 seats to the west of the borough, 2 in Ash ward and 1 in Normandy. The Liberal Democrats retook the Merrow & Burpham seat which they had lost to the Conservatives in a by election in May 1997, plus they retook the 2 Stoughton seats which they had lost to resignations in February 1997. The Liberal Democrats also gained Effingham ward from the Conservatives.

The Conservatives made 3 net gains (2 losses and 5 gains) on the position which they held going into the election. The Conservatives lost the Merrow & Burpham seat which they had taken in the May 1997 by election. The Conservative also lost Effingham to the Liberal Democrats. The Conservatives gained 2 Ash Vale seats from the Independent Group, plus they gained from the Liberal Democrats 3 of the other seats in the west of the borough, 2 in Ash and 1 in Normandy.

The Independent Group did not contest its 2 seats in Ash Vale. These were gained by the Conservatives. The one member of the Independent Group who did contest his seat held on to it in Tongham. Neither councillor belonging to the Liberal Group sought reelection in Stoughton and the Liberal Democrats regained these two seats.

Relative to 1995, the changes were not as dramatic as they were relative to the position going into the election. Overall there was a shift to the Conservatives in the Ash and Normandy region to the west of the borough, but much less change between the parties elsewhere in the borough. The Liberal Democrats lost all their remaining seats in the Ash, Tongham and Normandy region, having won all 7 of the seats there as recently as 1991. After the election the Ash, Tongham and Normandy area had 1 independent and 6 Conservative councillors. Elsewhere in the borough the only seat to change hands relative to 1995 was Effingham, where a Conservative marginal, was captured by the Liberal Democrats.

Results

Ash (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Ades1325
Conservative John Cassar1100
Conservative Nick Sutcliffe1009
Liberal Democrats Alan Hilliar901
Liberal Democrats Christine Frampton790
Liberal Democrats Peter Morgan725
Labour Kevin Jenkinson267
Labour Kazimierz Jaskinski237
Labour Donald Hirsch212
Majority108
Turnout 30.47
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Ash Vale (top 2 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Lawson752
Conservative Marsha Moseley729
Liberal Democrats Denise Smith665
Liberal Democrats Geraldine Pettitt624
Labour Alex MacDonald124
Labour Brian Stace113
Majority64
Turnout 32
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Christchurch (top 2 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Hodges1102
Liberal Democrats Vivienne Johnson945
Conservative David Hunter912
Liberal Democrats Tom Sharp792
Labour Vijay Luthra126
Labour Carole Barber119
Majority33
Turnout 52.56
Conservative hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Clandon & Horsley (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jennifer Powell1705 [3]
Conservative Andrew French1604
Conservative Jennifer Wicks1568
Liberal Democrats Margaret Burnham404
Liberal Democrats Clive Wicks384
Liberal Democrats Philip Palmer340
Labour Meriel Beynon305
Labour Carolyn Fiddes274
Labour Julie Roxburgh253
Majority1164
Turnout 36.49
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Effingham (only 1 candidate elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Hogger573
Conservative Valerie Chapman459
Labour Carol Hayton25
Majority114
Turnout 53.47
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Friary & St. Nicolas (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Marks1226
Liberal Democrats Robert Blundell1224
Liberal Democrats David Goodwin1152
Conservative Mark Hoban454
Conservative Philip Hooper449
Conservative John Fairley442
Labour Tristan Brown320
Labour Helen Ayscough302
Labour Alexander Ayscough278
Majority698
Turnout 31.60
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Holy Trinity (top 2 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Tamsy Baker842
Liberal Democrats Gordon Bridger792
Conservative Sarah Creedy758
Conservative Peter Le Cheminant710
Labour Racheal Chesterton106
Labour Barry Hall105
Majority34
Turnout 36.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Lovelace (only 1 candidate elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Margaret Fenston558
Labour David Hide146
Liberal Democrats John Telfer104
Majority412
Turnout 44.06
Conservative hold Swing
Merrow & Burpham (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Charles Shepperd2134
Liberal Democrats Andrew Allan2050
Liberal Democrats Anne Lee1960
Conservative Jennifer Jordan1628
Conservative Nicholas Brougham1600
Conservative Sheridan Westlake1576
Labour Malcolm Hill413
Labour William Scott367
Labour Mary Wu359
Majority332
Turnout 41.52
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Normandy (only 1 candidate elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Diana Lockyer-Nibbs498
Liberal Democrats Robert Rendell454
Labour Peter Newmark61
Majority44
Turnout 43.09
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Onslow (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Lynda Strudwick1046
Liberal Democrats Tony Phillips1003
Liberal Democrats Steven Freeman895
Conservative Bernard Parke847
Conservative Adrian Chandler746
Conservative Simon Anglim705
Labour Florence Flynn382
Labour Carmel Rogers358
Labour Raymond Rogers346
Majority48
Turnout 33.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Pilgrims (top 2 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Robert Rolfe700
Conservative Alan Dewhurst671
Liberal Democrats Marliyn Merryweather234
Liberal Democrats Peter Dyer222
Labour Elizabeth Bullock115
Labour Kathleen Parfitt100
Majority437
Turnout 34.93
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Pirbright (only 1 candidate elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Michael Nevins440
Liberal Democrats May Laker285
Labour Caroline Lloyd30
Majority155
Turnout 41.96
Conservative hold Swing
Send (top 2 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Keith Taylor694
Conservative Jason Dobson611
Liberal Democrats Dee Appardurai349
Liberal Democrats Rupert Sheard334
Labour Benedict Marlow142
Labour Shelia Bean141
Majority262
Turnout 38.23
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Shalford (only 1 candidate elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Vasilis Kapsalis634
Liberal Democrats David Thomson501
Labour Michael Jeram169
Majority133
Turnout 43.52
Conservative hold Swing
Stoke (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sallie Thornberry1091
Labour Keith Chesterton1057
Labour Angela Gunning1015
Liberal Democrats Alan Lawrence297
Liberal Democrats Stephen Wright294
Liberal Democrats William Plaskett267
Conservative Michael Dale258
Conservative David Quelch239
Conservative Paul Newman235
Majority718
Turnout 30.56
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Stoughton (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Pauline Searle973
Liberal Democrats Jayne Marks965
Liberal Democrats Fiona White846
Labour Gary Hills540
Labour Stella Payne445
Labour Susan Pickering439
Conservative Roger Majoribanks358
Conservative Paul Johnson355
Conservative Caroline Newman338
Majority306
Turnout 27.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Tillingbourne (top 2 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Keith Childs1144
Liberal Democrats Patricia Gumbrell904
Conservative John Foster848
Labour Edward Williams169
Labour James Farrell86
Majority56
Turnout 45.48
Independent hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Tongham (only 1 candidate elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Tongham IndependentMichael Pooley208
Conservative George Grundy182
Liberal Democrats Patricia Hughes123
Labour Frank Gunning62
Majority26
Turnout 33.21
Independent hold Swing
Westborough (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Woodhatch954
Labour Peter Jennings826
Labour Joan O'Byrne822
Liberal Democrats Kenneth Briggs367
Liberal Democrats Andrew Bevan328
Liberal Democrats Joanna Hazelwood323
Conservative Mary Johns216
Conservative Barbara Dale213
Conservative Pamela Parke208
Majority455
Turnout 25.46
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Worplesdon (top 3 candidates elected)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Terry King1256
Liberal Democrats Auriol Earle1207
Liberal Democrats Nigel Sutcliffe1192
Conservative Ken Johns739
Conservative Jonny Scriven713
Conservative Bev Thomas674
Farmer Bob, Burpham Court Farm ConservationistBob Dearnley379
Labour Alan Ritchie224
Labour Ron Medlow189
Labour Saiful Islam158
Majority453
Turnout 38.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Guildford</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

The Borough of Guildford is a local government district with borough status in Surrey, England. With around half of the borough's population, Guildford is its largest settlement and only town, and is where the council is based.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)</span>

Guildford is a constituency in Surrey represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Angela Richardson, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surrey Heath (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the UK

Surrey Heath is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by Michael Gove, a Conservative who has also been the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities since October 2022. The Home counties suburban constituency is in the London commuter belt, on the outskirts of Greater London. Surrey Heath is in the north west of Surrey and borders the counties of Berkshire and Hampshire.

Guildford Borough Council in Surrey, England is elected every four years.

The 2007 council elections in Guildford saw the Conservatives retain control over Guildford Borough Council. Full results for each ward can be found at Guildford Council election, full results, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Woking Borough Council election</span> 2007 UK local government election

The 2007 Woking Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Woking Borough Council in Surrey, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Woking Borough Council election</span> 2010 UK local government election

The 2010 Woking Council election took place on 6 May 2010, on the same day as the 2010 general election, to elect members of Woking Borough Council in Surrey, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.

The first ever Guildford Borough Council full-council elections were held on 7 June 1973. The Conservatives won control of the council with a majority of 16, winning 29 of the 42 seats.

The second Guildford Borough Council full-council elections were held on 6 May 1976. The Conservatives retained control of the council with an increased majority, winning 35 of the 45 seats.

The third Guildford Borough Council full-council elections were held on 3 May 1979, the same day as the General Election. The Conservatives retained control over the council winning 34 of the 45 seats. This represented a net loss of one seat from the 1976 elections. Labour retained all 6 councillors in its two strongholds Stoke and Westborough. The Liberals won 3 seats, a net gain of one seat from the 1976 elections. The Independents won 2 seats.

The fifth full elections for Guildford Borough Council took place on 1 May 1987. The Conservatives retained control of the council winning 30 of the 45 seats on the council. This represented one net loss for the Conservatives, relative to the 1983 council elections. Labour retained its 6 councillors. The SDP-Liberal Alliance won 9 seats, a net gain of two seats on the 1983 council elections. No independents were elected to the council, one had been elected in 1983.

The seventh full elections for Guildford Borough Council took place on 4 May 1995. The results saw the Liberal Democrats win majority control of the council for the first time winning 23 of the 45 seats. The Conservatives won 13 seats. Labour retained 6 seats and 3 independents were elected.

The sixth full elections for Guildford Borough Council took place on 2 May 1991. The Conservatives lost control of Guildford Borough Council for the first time since the council was created in the early 1970s. Overall the election resulted in a hung council with 19 Conservative councillors, 19 Liberal Democrats, 6 Labour and 1 independent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Guildford Borough Council election</span> 2011 UK local government election

The 2011 council elections in Guildford saw the Conservatives retain control over Guildford Borough Council with an increased majority of 20 seats. Full results for each ward can be found at Guildford Council election, full results, 2011.

The 2003 elections for Guildford Borough Council were the first, and as of 2011 the only, full election for Guildford Borough Council conducted by an all postal ballot. The result saw the Conservatives win a majority of seats on Guildford Borough Council for the first time since losing their majority in the 1991 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Guildford Borough Council election</span> 2015 UK local government election

The 2015 Guildford Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Guildford Borough Council in England as one of the 2015 local elections, held simultaneously with the General Election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Guildford Borough Council election</span> Local election in Surrey, England

The 2019 Guildford Borough Council election were held on 2 May 2019, to elect all 48 seats to the Guildford Borough Council in Surrey, England as part of the 2019 local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Guildford Borough Council election</span> Local election in Surrey, England

The 2023 Guildford Borough Council election was held on 4 May 2023, to elect all 48 seats to the Guildford Borough Council in Surrey, England as part of the 2023 local elections. The results saw the Liberal Democrat take overall control of Guildford Borough Council.

References

  1. Results were published in the Surrey Advertiser 13 May 1999 edition.
  2. For the loss of the Liberal Democrat majority on Guildford Borough Council during 1997 see a) 2 Liberal Democrat councillors for Stoughton quit the party to be Independent Liberals in February 1997 reducing the number of LD councillors from 23 to 21: http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/80053_leading_lib_dem_couple_quit_party b) Liberal Democrats lose Merrow & Burpham by-election to Conservatives in May 1997 reducing number of LD councillors from 21 to 20. Fuller details of this by-election are listed at [Guildford local elections]; and c) 1 Liberal Democrat councillor for Tongham quit the party to join the Put Ash Vale First Group (which was then renamed the Independent Group) in May 1997 reducing the number of LD councillors from 20 to 19. See: http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/80321_borough_chaos_as_councillor_defects . At the time 23 seats were needed for a majority.
  3. The Surrey Advertiser 14 May 1999 lists Jennifer Powell's vote as "705". As Jennifer Powell topped the poll in 1987, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections in Clandon & Horsley, clearly beating her Conservative co candidates in the process, it is highly unlikely that in the 1999 election she polled less than half the votes of her Conservative co candidates. It therefore has been assumed that a "1" was mistakenly omitted from the front of this number when published in the newspaper and the correct figure is actually 1705.