2003 Bedford Borough Council election

Last updated
Results of the 2003 Bedford Borough Council election Bedford UK ward map 2003.svg
Results of the 2003 Bedford Borough Council election

The 2003 Bedford Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Bedford Borough Council in England. [1] This was on the same day as other local elections.

Contents

Prior to the election, five councillors - four from the Conservatives and one from the Liberal Democrats - left their respective groups and formed the Better Bedford Independent Party.

Summary

Election result

2003 Bedford Borough Council election
PartyThis electionFull councilThis election
SeatsNetSeats %OtherTotalTotal %VotesVotes %+/−
  Conservative 5Decrease2.svg 329.4131833.37,90228.7–9.1
  Labour 3Decrease2.svg 117.6101324.15,17018.8–6.8
  Liberal Democrats 5Increase2.svg 229.471222.26,70624.4–2.5
  Better Bedford Party 2Increase2.svg 111.84611.15,16318.8N/A
  Independent 3Increase2.svg 116.7259.32,1547.8–1.7
  BNP 0Steady2.svg0.0000.02230.8N/A
  Green 0Steady2.svg0.0000.01860.7+0.4

Ward results

[2]

Brickhill

Brickhill
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Lynne Faulkner* 1,191 45.0 −1.8
Liberal Democrats Paul Whitehead1,00337.9−2.0
Better Bedford Party Roberto Bosco2348.8N/A
Labour Karl Sorembik1786.7−3.6
Green Jennifer Foley401.5N/A
Majority1887.1
Turnout 2,64640.3
Registered electors 6,586
Conservative hold Swing

Bromham

Bromham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Robert Rigby* 1,181 70.2 −0.6
Liberal Democrats Stephen Rutherford17610.5−3.0
Better Bedford Party Leslie Hunt17510.4N/A
Labour Arun Muzhi1519.0−3.3
Majority1,00559.7
Turnout 1,68329.1
Registered electors 5,787
Conservative hold Swing

Carlton

Carlton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Jim Brandon* 953 81.2 +5.0
Conservative Anthony Morris1089.2−4.4
Liberal Democrats David Robertson635.4−4.8
Labour Stephen Poole494.2N/A
Majority84572.0
Turnout 1,17350.3
Registered electors 2,342
Independent hold Swing

Castle

Castle
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Better Bedford Party Margaret Davey* 994 46.2 +5.5
Labour Marilyn Leask75134.9−2.0
Conservative Michael Williams23010.7−30.0
Liberal Democrats Pierret Lob-Levyt1778.2−3.0
Majority24311.3
Turnout 2,15235.8
Registered electors 6,052
Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative Swing

Margaret Davey was the incumbent councillor, originally elected for the Conservatives, but defected to the Better Bedford Party. Because this seat is compared to the last time it was up for election it is shown as a Better Bedford Party gain.

Cauldwell

Cauldwell
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Christopher Black* 742 50.6 −7.8
Better Bedford Party Gurminder Dosanjh35224.0N/A
Liberal Democrats Neal Bath20614.1−1.1
Conservative Denise Coates16611.3−0.7
Majority39026.6
Turnout 1,46625.7
Registered electors 5,774
Labour hold Swing

Clapham

Clapham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Tom Foster 633 48.1 N/A
Conservative Judith Arnold*31023.6−26.6
Independent John Creasey19614.9−15.8
Labour Terence Carroll1199.0−8.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Lawson574.3−4.0
Majority32324.6
Turnout 1,31532.0
Registered electors 4,128
Independent gain from Conservative Swing

De Parys

De Parys
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats David Sawyer 559 38.6 −2.6
Conservative Tarsem Paul*47332.6−11.2
Better Bedford Party Susannah Senior24216.7N/A
Labour Jane Caldwell1409.7−0.9
Green Mark Steinhardt352.4N/A
Majority865.9
Turnout 1,44935.1
Registered electors 4,126
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Goldington

Goldington
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Smith* 975 54.6 −2.4
Better Bedford Party Stewart Lister35019.6N/A
Labour David Lewis29316.4−5.6
Conservative Valerie Fulford1699.5−2.5
Majority62535.0
Turnout 1,78729.0
Registered electors 6,201
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Great Barford

Great Barford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Carole Ellis* 787 53.4 +0.5
Better Bedford Party Elizabeth Ferguson45430.8N/A
Liberal Democrats Paul Stekelis1218.2+0.6
Labour Pauline Curl1127.6−8.7
Majority33322.6
Turnout 1,47436.3
Registered electors 4,103
Conservative hold Swing

Harpur

Harpur
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ian Nicholls* 777 46.3 +6.2
Conservative Michael Spavins43926.1−7.9
Better Bedford Party Stuart Channon21412.7N/A
Liberal Democrats Rodney Cottrell1679.9−1.1
Green Colin Grimley824.9−5.6
Majority33820.1
Turnout 1,67927.6
Registered electors 6,128
Labour hold Swing

Kempston South

Kempston South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Carl Meader 749 49.2 +11.7
Better Bedford Party David Merry48131.6−0.8
Conservative Jagdish Singh1328.7−5.4
Liberal Democrats Timothy Hill1328.7−2.8
Green Neil Foley291.9N/A
Majority26817.6
Turnout 1,52327.3
Registered electors 5,590
Labour hold Swing

Kingsbrook

Kingsbrook
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Anita Gerard 784 45.3 +6.3
Labour James Valentine53430.8−9.8
Better Bedford Party Katherine Alder25514.7N/A
Conservative Barbara Purbrick1589.1−1.9
Majority25014.4
Turnout 1,73127.2
Registered electors 6,419
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

Putnoe

Putnoe
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Myrtle Stewardson* 1,250 49.2 +9.5
Better Bedford Party Glenn Farrar47718.8N/A
Conservative Ralph Hall42716.8−9.5
BNP Richard Green2238.8N/A
Labour David Williams1666.5−3.6
Majority77330.4
Turnout 2,54338.5
Registered electors 6,618
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Roxton

Roxton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Clarke* 497 70.6 −0.3
Liberal Democrats Sophia Stow13218.8+7.8
Labour Rosemary Roome7510.7−0.2
Majority36551.8
Turnout 70431.9
Registered electors 2,227
Conservative hold Swing

Sharnbrook

Sharnbrook
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Better Bedford Party Douglas McMurdo 491 54.2 N/A
Conservative Richard Davison-Francis*33837.3−22.7
Liberal Democrats Michael Murphy434.7−0.6
Labour Yanina Jones343.8−3.4
Majority15316.9
Turnout 90645.5
Registered electors 2,001
Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative Swing

Turvey

Turvey
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Celia Hanbury* 560 70.4 −1.6
Better Bedford Party Eric Evans8410.6N/A
Liberal Democrats Gerald Elliott779.7−18.3
Labour Yvonne Anderson749.3N/A
Majority47959.9
Turnout 79536.7
Registered electors 2,171
Conservative hold Swing

Wilshamstead

Wilshamstead
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Anthony Hare* 372 30.3 −26.9
Conservative Victor Wilson-Maccormack28623.3−33.9
Liberal Democrats Martin Parker23118.8−15.1
Better Bedford Party Vivian Suter22118.0N/A
Labour Francer Garrick1179.5N/A
Majority867.0
Turnout 1,22734.0
Registered electors 3,629
Independent gain from Conservative Swing

Anthony Hare was the incumbent councillor, originally elected for the Conservatives, but defected to become an Independent. Because this seat is compared to the last time it was up for election it is shown as an Independent gain.

Wootton

Wootton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Gordon Willey* 553 44.2 +8.5
Conservative Roy Judge45036.0+2.9
Better Bedford Party Leslie Walker13911.1N/A
Labour Adrien Beardmore1098.7−0.7
Majority1038.2
Turnout 1,25130.8
Registered electors 4,078
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

References

  1. "Results 1973 to 2012" (PDF). Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University . Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  2. "Borough Election Results 2003". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 6 January 2024.