2002 Harrogate Borough Council election

Map of the results

The 2002 Harrogate Council election took place on 2 May 2002 to elect members of Harrogate Borough Council in North Yorkshire, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2000 reducing the number of seats by 5. ^[1] The Liberal Democrats lost overall control of the council to no overall control. ^[2]

Campaign

Before the election the Liberal Democrats had a majority on the council with 39 councillors, compared to 19 Conservatives and one Labour councillor. ^[3] Boundary changes meant that every seat was being contested for the first time since 1974. ^[3] The changes reduced the number of councillors by five from 59 to 54, while increasing the number of wards from 32 to 35. ^[4]

As well as candidates from the three main political parties, there were also five independents. ^[3] However Wathvale ward saw the Conservative former group leader Chris Brown elected after no other candidates were nominated for the ward. ^[3]

Car parking charges in Ripon were an issue in the run up to the election, with the Conservatives attacking them, but the Liberal Democrat council announced that they would end the charges in the market place in the month before the election. ^[3]

Election result

The results saw the Liberal Democrats lose their majority on the council, ^[5] after winning exactly half the seats on the council. ^[6] The results came down to the final ward to declare in Bilton, with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives winning one seat each in the ward. ^[6] This meant the Liberal Democrats has 27 seats, compared to 26 for the Conservatives and 1 independent, Andrew Williams. ^[6]

Harrogate local election result 2002 ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal Democrats	27			-12	50.0	46.3	32,370	+2.2%
	Conservative	26			+7	48.1	45.0	31,520	-1.7%
	Independent	1			+1	1.9	2.9	2,020	+2.9%
	Labour	0			-1	0	5.8	4,073	-3.3%

Ward results

Bilton (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Heather Adderley	798
	Liberal Democrats	Morris Lightfoot	787
	Conservative	Robin Adderley	776
	Liberal Democrats	David Richold	665
	Labour	Norman Dobell	115
Turnout			3,141	38.5

Bishop Monkton ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ian Galloway	572	54.7
	Liberal Democrats	Phillip Barlow	474	45.3
Majority			98	9.4
Turnout			1,046	49.3

Boroughbridge ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Brian Lumsden	379	56.2
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Phillips	237	35.2
	Labour	Ruth Dicken	58	8.6
Majority			142	21.1
Turnout			674	29.6

Claro ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Matthew Bean	774	69.3
	Liberal Democrats	Keith Rothwell	343	30.7
Majority			431	38.6
Turnout			1,117	46.0

Granby (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	John Fox	818
	Liberal Democrats	Margaret-Ann De Courcey-Bayley	783
	Conservative	David Pearson	222
	Conservative	Pamela Singleton	203
	Labour	David King	114
Turnout			2,140	26.5

Harlow Moor (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Simister	1,080
	Conservative	Simon Theakston	1,051
	Liberal Democrats	Jane Blayney	754
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Turner	655
	Independent	Andrew Bradwell	201
	Labour	Kenneth Jones	75
Turnout			3,816	46.0

High Harrogate (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Macare	658
	Liberal Democrats	Matthew Webber	546
	Conservative	William Hartmann	404
	Conservative	Catherine Peyton	400
	Independent	Peter Armitage	177
	Labour	Eric Cunningham	119
Turnout			2,304	28.1

Hookstone (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Patricia Marsh	1,114
	Liberal Democrats	Reginald Marsh	1,030
	Conservative	Michael Laycock	645
	Conservative	David Rimington	628
	Labour	Mark France	96
Turnout			3,513	41.6

Killinghall ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Bury	723	73.7
	Liberal Democrats	John Stockdale	258	26.3
Majority			465	47.4
Turnout			981	44.3

Kirkby Malzeard ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Margaret Atkinson	703	69.3
	Liberal Democrats	Ernest O'Keefe	312	30.7
Majority			391	38.5
Turnout			1,015	47.2

Knaresborough East (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Bill Hoult	647
	Liberal Democrats	David Tankard	630
	Conservative	Robert Aspin	402
	Conservative	Malcolm Jackson	394
	Labour	Althea Farmer	289
	Labour	Malcolm Hayton	264
Turnout			2,626	34.2

Knaresborough King James (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Smith	760
	Conservative	Diana Smith	756
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Hall	714
	Liberal Democrats	Terence Maude	690
	Labour	David Crosthwaite	170
	Labour	Simon Hutchings	127
Turnout			3,217	42.5

Knaresborough Scriven Park (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Anne Jones	550
	Liberal Democrats	Kevin Hawkins	541
	Labour	Andrew Wright	516
	Conservative	Michael Hill	416
	Labour	Alan Beatham	401
	Conservative	Myra Smith	383
Turnout			2,807	37.6

Low Harrogate (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eric Cooper	885
	Conservative	Jean Butterfield	882
	Liberal Democrats	Ruth Alliston	553
	Liberal Democrats	John Marshall	512
	Labour	Christine Colman	102
Turnout			2,934	36.6

Lower Nidderdale ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Thomas Watson	646	50.4
	Conservative	Elwyn Hinchcliffe	637	49.6
Majority			9	0.7
Turnout			1,283	55.0

Marston Moor ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Julian Sturdy	508	53.5
	Liberal Democrats	Gillean Firth	366	38.6
	Labour	Patrick O'Connor	75	7.9
Majority			142	15.0
Turnout			949	43.5

Mashamshire ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nigel Simms	525	71.8
	Liberal Democrats	John Foster	206	28.2
Majority			319	43.6
Turnout			731	39.8

New Park (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Joan Crowther	755
	Liberal Democrats	Wendy Richards	749
	Conservative	Andrew Dennis	277
	Conservative	Sally Dennis	266
	Labour	Bryan Robinson	103
Turnout			2,150	27.7

Newby ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Clifford Wilson	490	62.7
	Liberal Democrats	Penelope Harriso	292	37.3
Majority			198	25.3
Turnout			782	33.2

Nidd Valley ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Leslie Ellington	603	64.9
	Conservative	David Carter	326	35.1
Majority			277	29.8
Turnout			929	46.7

Ouseburn ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Christine Lewis	724	64.9
	Conservative	William Alton	391	35.1
Majority			333	29.9
Turnout			1,115	50.1

Pannal (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Willis	1,434
	Conservative	Michael Gardner	1,376
	Liberal Democrats	Joan Newby	764
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Morris	706
	Independent	Bryan Dunsby	246
	Labour	Cynthia Coltman	81
Turnout			4,607	54.2

Pateley Bridge ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Stanley Beer	654	88.0
	Labour	Stephen Boyden	89	12.0
Majority			565	76.0
Turnout			743	37.7

Ribston ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Caroline Bayliss	613	71.4
	Liberal Democrats	Pamela Godsell	246	28.6
Majority			367	42.7
Turnout			859	37.1

Ripon Minster (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Stuart Martin	568
	Liberal Democrats	Sidney Hawke	501
	Conservative	Andrew Collyer	489
	Conservative	Stanley Mackintosh	475
Turnout			2,033	27.4

Ripon Moorside (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Andrew Williams	1,101
	Conservative	Anthony Simpson	379
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Jones	375
	Liberal Democrats	David Harrison	356
	Conservative	Francis Woodward	341
Turnout			2,552	38.9

Ripon Spa (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Alan Skidmore	813
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Freeman	755
	Conservative	Rosemarie Curlewis	610
	Conservative	Peter Pearson	587
Turnout			2,765	38.9

Rossett (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Nash	1,259
	Conservative	James Clark	1,209
	Liberal Democrats	Trevor Chapman	746
	Liberal Democrats	Philip Boddy	724
	Labour	George Mountford	114
Turnout			4,052	45.0

Saltergate (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Michael Newby	710
	Liberal Democrats	Geoffrey Webber	704
	Conservative	Brenda Galvin	326
	Conservative	Karen Payne	303
Turnout			2,043	24.8

Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Shirley Fawcett	758	75.3
	Liberal Democrats	Jean Burdett	248	24.7
Majority			510	50.7
Turnout			1,006	42.3

Starbeck (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Philip Broadbank	899
	Liberal Democrats	Granville Ward	785
	Conservative	John Fletcher	279
	Conservative	Phillip Dixon	255
	Labour	Patricia Foxall	134
Turnout			2,352	29.7

Stray (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Clifford Trotter	1,016
	Conservative	Patricia Jones	937
	Liberal Democrats	Claire Kelley	880
	Liberal Democrats	Charles Kilpatrick	733
	Independent	Barbara Coultas	295
	Labour	Roger Newby	92
Turnout			3,953	47.6

Washburn ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Grange	804	81.4
	Liberal Democrats	Roger Wensley	184	18.6
Majority			620	62.8
Turnout			988	42.5

Wathvale ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Christopher Brown	unopposed

Woodfield (2) ^{[7] [4]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Goss	714
	Liberal Democrats	John Wren	693
	Labour	Geoffrey Foxall	487
	Labour	Peter Caunt	452
	Conservative	Adam Pritchard	208
	Conservative	Denis Muldoon	206
Turnout			2,760	35.0

References

1. "Harrogate". BBC News Online . Retrieved 15 January 2011.
2. "Full results". Financial Times . 4 May 2002. p. 7.
3. Parsley, Steve (19 April 2002). "Changes ahead in council chamber". The Northern Echo . p. 6.
4. "Harrogate Election Results". Yorkshire Evening Post . 3 May 2002. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
5. "Still no sign of recovery for the Tories". The Times . 3 May 2002. p. 1.
6. Tapping, Colin (4 May 2002). "Labour suffers disappointment in triplicate at mayoral elections". The Northern Echo . p. 9.
7. "District Council election" (PDF). Harrogate Borough Council. Retrieved 15 January 2011.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
8. "Election results; Local Election". The Times . 4 May 2002. p. 16.