2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election

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Results of the 2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election Stratford-on-Avon UK ward map 2003.svg
Results of the 2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election

The 2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Stratford-on-Avon District Council in Warwickshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control. [1]

Contents

After the election, the composition of the council was

Campaign

Before the election the Conservatives were one seats short of having a majority on the council with 26 seats, as compared to 22 for the Liberal Democrats, 2 Labour and 3 independents. [3] 16 seats were contested in the election with the Liberal Democrats defending the most seats. [4]

Council tax levels were the major issue in the election with the Liberal Democrats attacking plans for a 58% increase, [4] which they said was mostly due to waste and poor decisions by the council. [3] However the Conservatives defended the rise, blaming it on an insufficient grant from the national government [4] and on the previous Liberal Democrat administration for using cash balances to keep levels artificially low. [3] The election also saw four independent candidates standing in Stratford wards in opposition to the council tax rise. [3]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives regain control of the council, after the election saw 5 seats changes hands. [5] They made a net gain of 1 seat at the expense of Labour who were reduced to only 1 seat on the council after losing in Southam ward. [6] The election in Stratford Avenue and New Town saw the closest result with independent Keith Lloyd, standing in protest at council tax levels, defeating Liberal Democrat Bill Lowe by 1 vote. [6] However the Liberal Democrats ended with the same number of seats, with their 2 gains including a surprise win in Stockton and Napton. [6] Turnout in the election varied from a low of 27% to a high of 51%, [7] but overall fell from 45% in 2002 to only 35%. [8] This was despite including 3,000 voters who had used a trial e-voting internet system. [7]

Stratford-on-Avon Local Election Result 2003 [2] [9]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Liberal Democrats 922056.345.59,856+3.7%
  Conservative 621+137.539.68,577-3.7%
  Independent 11106.310.52,285+2.8%
  Labour 001-104.1885-2.6%
  Green 000000.366-0.2%

Ward results

Alcester [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Pamela Price98059.3
Conservative Sylvia Hyde67340.7
Majority30718.6
Turnout 1,65337.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Bidford and Salford [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Brian Slaughter75954.6
Liberal Democrats John Sandle63245.4
Majority1279.2
Turnout 1,39127.5
Conservative hold Swing
Fenny Compton [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Williams50167.0+6.9
Liberal Democrats John Insoll24733.0+33.0
Majority25434.0+11.8
Turnout 74840.7
Conservative hold Swing
Henley [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ann Haddon65257.9
Liberal Democrats Mark Edwards47442.1
Majority17815.8
Turnout 1,12632.7
Conservative hold Swing
Kineton [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Louise Giblin69052.2
Conservative Richard Hurley63147.8
Majority594.4
Turnout 1,32140.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Shipston [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Bob White85357.1
Conservative Stephen Gray64242.9
Majority21114.2
Turnout 1,49543.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Southam [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Leslie Hewer62042.1
Labour James Taylor60841.3
Liberal Democrats Charlie Williams24416.6
Majority120.8
Turnout 1,47231.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Stockton and Napton [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Nigel Rock41962.7+36.4
Conservative Peter Garret24937.3−6.3
Majority17025.4
Turnout 66837.5
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Stratford Alveston [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Vincent Seaman74943.7
Liberal Democrats Judith Riley63437.0
Independent Roy Lodge18710.9
Independent Leslie Rouch1458.5
Majority1156.7
Turnout 1,71541.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Stratford Avenue and New Town [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Keith Lloyd61235.8
Liberal Democrats Bill Lowe61135.8
Conservative Robert Bessell41724.4
Labour Karen Parnell694.0
Majority10.0
Turnout 1,70934.1
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Stratford Guild and Hathaway [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Clive Thomas75937.6
Conservative Michael Perry63131.3
Independent Roger Hatch47823.7
Labour Michael Gerrard1507.4
Majority1286.3
Turnout 2,01837.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Stratford Mount Pleasant [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Moorse76260.6
Independent Ted Lloyd43834.8
Labour Matthew Stephens584.6
Majority32425.8
Turnout 1,25837.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Studley [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Tony Cronin82058.2
Conservative Heather Wersocki58941.8
Majority23116.4
Turnout 1,40930.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Tredington [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Saint55668.6−3.3
Liberal Democrats Ben Brabyn25531.4+3.3
Majority30137.1−6.7
Turnout 81143.2
Conservative hold Swing
Welford [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Barnes64776.7+1.9
Conservative Harry Cottam19623.3−1.9
Majority45153.5+3.9
Turnout 84351.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Wellesbourne [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats David Close82940.8
Conservative Anita MacAulay71235.0
Independent Philip Coton42520.9
Green Michael Davies663.2
Majority1175.8
Turnout 2,03239.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing

References

  1. ↑ "Election 2003: full results and analysis". The Guardian . London. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Election Results". The Times . 2 May 2003. p. 17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dale, Paul (23 April 2003). "Election 2003: No holds Bard as Tories defend huge tax increase; In the run-up to the local council elections on May 1 The Birmingham Post will be looking at some of the key battlegrounds. Today, Paul Dale assesses the mood of politicians preparing for knife-edge elections in Shakespeare country". Birmingham Post . p. 2.
  4. 1 2 3 Walker, Jonathan (8 April 2003). "Lib Dems drum up council tax battle". Birmingham Post . p. 7.
  5. ↑ Scott, Fiona (2 May 2003). "Troubled times for Labour; How you voted". Coventry Evening Telegraph . p. 24.
  6. 1 2 3 Portlock, Sarah (2 May 2003). "Jubilant Tories take the lead". Coventry Evening Telegraph . p. 24.
  7. 1 2 Buggins, Arryn (3 May 2003). "A close shave for mayor-elect Doug". Coventry Evening Telegraph . p. 5.
  8. ↑ "Mixed results for e-voting". Birmingham Post . 7 May 2003. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Results" (PDF). Political Science Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
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