2003 Rother District Council election

Map of the results of the 2003 Rother District Council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Labour in red and independents in light grey.

The 2003 Rother District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Rother District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election after boundary changes reduced the number of seats by 7. ^[1] The Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council. ^[2]

Background

Originally a total of 81 candidates stood for the 37 seats that were to be elected after the boundary changes, comprising 37 Conservatives, 32 Liberal Democrats, 12 Labour and 3 independents. ^[3] However the death of a Liberal Democrat candidate for Rother Levels meant the election in that ward was delayed until 12 June and so 75 candidates stood for the 35 seats that were contested on 1 May. ^[3]

Both the Conservative leader of East Sussex County Council, Peter Jones, and the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Rother District Council, Stephen Hardy, stood down from the council at the election. ^[3]

Election result

The Conservatives continued to hold a strong majority on the council winning 13 of the 18 seats in Bexhill, compared to 2 each for the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties, and 1 independent. ^[4] In the remaining rural areas of the council that were elected on 1 May, 9 Conservatives, 6 Liberal Democrats, 1 Labour and 1 independent councillors were elected. ^[4]

The delayed election in Rother Levels on 12 June had the Conservatives win both seats. ^[5]

Rother local election result 2003 ^{[5] [6] [7]}

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Conservative	25			-4	65.8	57.5	25,184
	Liberal Democrats	8			0	21.1	30.2	13,205
	Labour	3			-1	7.9	8.0	3,497
	Independent	2			-2	5.3	4.3	1,883

The above totals include the delayed election in Rother Levels on 12 June 2003.

Ward results

Battle Town (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Suzanne Williams	668
	Liberal Democrats	Robert White	664
	Conservative	Margaret Leicester	599
	Conservative	Anthony Mitchell	560
	Labour	John Gately	182
Turnout			2,673	37.3

Bexhill Central (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eveline Armstrong	634
	Conservative	Joyce Hughes	608
	Liberal Democrats	Neil Francis	484
	Liberal Democrats	Michael Doncaster	451
Turnout			2,177	32.0

Bexhill Collington (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ronald Dyason	1,071
	Conservative	Christopher Starnes	974
	Liberal Democrats	Heather Morrey	575
Turnout			2,620	43.2

Bexhill Kewhurst (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Brian Kentfield	1,199
	Conservative	Martin Horscroft	1,180
	Liberal Democrats	John Zipperlen	162
Turnout			2,541	41.7

Bexhill Old Town (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	James Wood	499
	Liberal Democrats	Eric Armstrong	469
	Conservative	Paul Lendon	373
	Labour	Nicholas Hollington	195
Turnout			1,536	32.3

Bexhill Sackville (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jean Hopkinson	876
	Conservative	Deidre Williams	775
	Liberal Democrats	Christopher Storer	411
Turnout			2,062	33.6

Bexhill Sidley (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Helen Bridger	446
	Labour	Keith Bridger	418
	Conservative	Robert Wheeler	399
	Conservative	Irena Massarella	395
	Liberal Democrats	Matthew Kemp	205
Turnout			1,863	28.7

Bexhill St. Marks (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stuart Earl	1,236
	Conservative	Joanne Gadd	1,106
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Callandine-Evans	359
Turnout			2,701	41.6

Bexhill St. Michaels (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Charles Clark	631
	Conservative	Peter Fairhurst	393
	Conservative	Martin Kenward	373
	Liberal Democrats	Martyn Forster	346
Turnout			1,743	30.6

Bexhill St. Stephens (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Graham Gubby	648
	Conservative	William Clements	631
	Liberal Democrats	Hilary McCorry	432
	Liberal Democrats	Trevor Smith	339
	Labour	Dominic Coughlan	235
Turnout			2,285	38.8

Brede Valley (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Carroll	775
	Conservative	Carl Maynard	750
	Liberal Democrats	Rowan Fookes	647
Turnout			2,172	38.0

Crowhurst ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	John Kemp	486	55.5
	Conservative	Ian Tomisson	315	36.0
	Labour	Timothy MacPherson	74	8.5
Majority			171	19.5
Turnout			875	43.4

Darwell (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Vereker	858
	Independent	Wendy Miers	756
	Liberal Democrats	Trevor Seeman	476
Turnout			2,090	39.7

Eastern Rother (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Keith Glazier	733
	Conservative	Charles Ramus	707
	Liberal Democrats	Sonia Holmes	427
	Liberal Democrats	Nicholas Cleveland-Stevens	349
	Labour	Paul Carey	311
	Labour	Keith Pike	223
Turnout			2,750	40.1

Ewhurst and Sedlescombe ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Matthew Wilson	602	67.5
	Liberal Democrats	Jeremy Field	290	32.5
Majority			312	35.0
Turnout			892	46.6

Marsham (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robin Patten	935
	Conservative	Roger Bird	894
	Independent	Hugh Gallagher	496
	Liberal Democrats	Joloyn Holden	285
	Labour	Paola Dorigato	138
	Labour	Shirley Wheeldon	132
Turnout			2,880	48.4

Rye (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Samuel Souster	542
	Liberal Democrats	Granville Bantick	537
	Conservative	David Russell	474
	Conservative	Anthony Arfwedson	448
	Labour	Geoffrey Lyus	443
Turnout			2,444	44.3

Salehurst (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Susan Prochak	894
	Liberal Democrats	George Hearn	828
	Conservative	Mary Barnes	495
	Conservative	Geoffrey Goodsell	485
Turnout			2,702	42.7

Ticehurst and Etchingham (2 seats) ^{[7] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ian Jenkins	663
	Conservative	John Potter	633
	Liberal Democrats	Albert Barrass	542
	Liberal Democrats	Mary Varrall	542
Turnout			2,380	38.6

Rother Levels delayed election

The election in Rother Levels was delayed until 12 June 2003 after the death of a Liberal Democrat candidate Julian Emery. ^{[3] [5]}

Rother Levels (2 seats) ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin Mooney	702
	Conservative	Ronald Parren	685
	Liberal Democrats	Jennifer Als	466
	Liberal Democrats	Alan Coote	372
	Labour	Linda Whymark	93
	Labour	Jean Parks	65
Turnout			2,383	34.5

By-elections between 2003 and 2007

Bexhill Sackville September 2004

A by-election took place in Bexhill Sackville on 9 September 2004 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Jean Hopkinson when she moved to New Zealand. ^[8] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Graham Oliver with a majority of 184 votes over the Liberal Democrats. ^[9]

Bexhill Sackville by-election 9 September 2004 ^{[9] [10]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Graham Oliver	468	51.7	-16.4
	Liberal Democrats	Neil Francis	284	31.3	-0.6
	UKIP	Dorothy Thomson	154	17.0	+17.0
Majority			184	20.3
Turnout			906	25.1	-8.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bexhill St Stephens

A by-election was held in Bexhill St Stephens on 29 September 2005 after the death of Conservative councillor William Clements. ^[11] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Paul Lendon by a majority of 111 votes over the Liberal Democrats. ^[11]

Bexhill St Stephens by-election 29 September 2005 ^{[10] [11]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Paul Lendon	470	46.6	-2.7
	Liberal Democrats	Molly Webb	359	35.6	+2.7
	Labour	Dominic Coughlan	180	17.8	-0.1
Majority			111	11.0
Turnout			1,009	30.2	-8.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Ticehurst and Etchingham

A by-election was held in Ticehurst and Etchingham on 17 November 2005 after Conservative councillor John Potter moved away. ^[12] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Robert Elliston with a majority of 367 votes over the Liberal Democrats. ^[12]

Ticehurst and Etchingham by-election 17 November 2005 ^{[10] [12]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Elliston	696	67.9	+12.9
	Liberal Democrats	Mary Varrall	329	32.1	-12.9
Majority			367	35.8
Turnout			1,025	30.8	-7.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bexhill Kewhurst

A by-election was held in Bexhill Kewhurst on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Martin Horscroft resigned from the council. ^[13] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Martin Kenward with a majority of 616 votes over the Liberal Democrats. ^[13]

Bexhill Kewhurst by-election 4 May 2006 ^{[10] [13]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin Kenward	1,141	64.6	-23.5
	Liberal Democrats	John Zipperlen	525	29.7	+17.8
	Labour	Abdulla Khan	99	5.6	+5.6
Majority			616	34.9
Turnout			1,765	44	+2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bexhill Sackville May 2006

A by-election was held in Bexhill Sackville on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Graham Oliver resigned from the council. ^[13] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Keith Standring with a majority of 89 votes over the Liberal Democrats. ^[13]

Bexhill Sackville by-election 4 May 2006 ^{[10] [13]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Keith Standring	655	48.3	-3.4
	Liberal Democrats	Martyn Forster	566	41.8	+10.5
	Labour	Philipa Coughlan	134	9.9	+9.9
Majority			89	6.6	-13.7
Turnout			1,355	38	+13
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bexhill St Marks

A by-election was held in Bexhill St Marks on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Stuart Earl resigned from the council. ^[13] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Patrick Douart with a majority of 325 votes over the Liberal Democrats. ^[13]

Bexhill St Marks by-election 4 May 2006 ^{[10] [13]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Patrick Douart	863	51.4	-26.1
	Liberal Democrats	Rachel Hills	538	32.1	+6.8
	UKIP	Tony Smith	185	11.0	+11.0
	Labour	Stephanie Webb	92	5.5	+5.5
Majority			325	19.3
Turnout			1,678	45	+3
	Conservative hold		Swing

References

1. "Local elections". BBC News Online . Retrieved 14 July 2014.
2. "Rother". The Guardian . NewsBank. 3 May 2003.
3. Dore, Rowan (16 April 2003). "Rother Council". East Sussex County Publications. NewsBank.
4. Dore, Rowan (2 May 2003). "Rother District Council: Con hold". East Sussex County Publications. NewsBank.
5. "Election results". Rother District Council. Archived from the original on 8 June 2003. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
6. "English councils - Non-metropolitan districts". The Times . NewsBank. 3 May 2003. p. 47.
7. "Rother". Rother District Council. Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
8. "Voting confusion follows ward changes - Bexhill Observer". Bexhill-on-Sea Observer. 19 August 2004. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
9. "Bexhill By-Elections 2004 - Result of Poll". Rother District Council. 9 September 2004. Archived from the original on 25 September 2004. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
10. "Local Authority Byelection Results". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
11. "Council Meeting". Rother District Council. 31 October 2005. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
12. "Tories celebrate by-election victory". Rye & Battle Observer. 24 November 2005. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
13. "Tories sweep up in Rother by-elections". Bexhill-on-Sea Observer. 12 May 2006. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.