2006 Rushmoor Borough Council election

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Map of the results of the 2006 Rushmoor council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and Labour in red. Rushmoor UK local election 2006 map.svg
Map of the results of the 2006 Rushmoor council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and Labour in red.

The 2006 Rushmoor Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Rushmoor Borough Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council. [1]

Contents

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Campaign

Before the election the council had 22 Conservative, 11 Liberal Democrat, 5 Labour and 3 independent councillors. [3] In total 52 candidates were standing in the election with 14 seats being contested. [3] These candidates came from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour, British National Party, Green Party, Official Monster Raving Loony Party and 1 independent. [4]

Issues in the election included anti-social behaviour, regeneration of Aldershot, services for young people, traffic management and the environment. [3] The 3 candidates from the British National Party also caused controversy in the election after they distributed leaflets in Farnborough containing pictures of Mohammad as a suicide bomber. [5]

The election had Rushmoor be one of a few councils trialing early voting in an attempt to increase turnout. [6] Polling stations were open in the week leading up to the election in Aldershot and Farnborough, as well as one in Aldershot Military Town. [7] Turnout in the election as a whole was 36%, up 5% on the 2003 election with over 1,200 peoples using the 2 early polling stations in Aldershot and Farnborough town centres. [8] However the polling station in the military town, open on the day before the election, got only 46 votes cast. [8]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives increase their majority after gaining 3 seats to hold 25 of the 42 seats. [9] The Conservatives gained two seats from the Liberal Democrats and one seat in Knellwood, where the previous independent councillor, Patrick Kirby, stepped down at the election. [10] The gains from the Liberal Democrats came in Cove and Southwood ward where the Conservatives won by 310 votes, and West Heath where the margin was much closer at only 13 votes. [11] These defeats meant the Liberal Democrats were reduced to 10 seats on the council, compared to 5 for Labour and 2 independents. [10]

Labour held both of the seats they had been defending with the result in Heron Wood being closest with Labour holding on by 108 votes. [10] The British National Party saw an increased vote, with the party winning 20% in Mayfield, just 28 votes short of second place. [12] Meanwhile, the candidate from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, whose policies had included a pledge to make people buy £90 worth of Smarties each week, won 59 votes in Rowhill ward. [10]

Rushmoor Local Election Result 2006 [9] [13] [14]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 930+364.345.79,801+2.0%
  Liberal Democrats 302-221.430.46,528-0.8%
  Labour 200014.314.63,124-2.9%
  BNP 000003.6768+0.9%
  Independent 001-103.0638+0.7%
  Green 000002.6550+1.2%
  Monster Raving Loony 000000.359+0.3%

Ward results

Cove & Southwood [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Martin Tennant86253.5+8.5
Liberal Democrats Anoop Verma55234.2−13.3
Labour Edward Shelton1137.0−0.5
Green James Page855.3+5.3
Majority31019.3
Turnout 1,61238.4+1.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Empress [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Clifford1,22263.8+18.9
Liberal Democrats Crispin Allard54428.4+4.6
Labour Christopher Wright1507.8−1.5
Majority67835.4+14.3
Turnout 1,91643.3−0.7
Conservative hold Swing
Fernhill [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alan Farrier81456.1+5.0
Liberal Democrats Leola Card36925.4+1.7
BNP Cheryl Glass26818.5+4.4
Majority44530.7+3.3
Turnout 1,45135.5+0.5
Conservative hold Swing
Grange [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Michael Smith68344.9+4.0
Liberal Democrats Hazel Manning37324.5+0.2
BNP Janette Pedrick25716.9+3.0
Labour June Smith20913.7−7.2
Majority31020.4+3.8
Turnout 1,52239.2+3.2
Conservative hold Swing
Heron Wood [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Michael Roberts51937.0+4.8
Liberal Democrats Ian Colpus41129.3−8.7
Conservative Hedy Brennan38127.2−2.7
Green Samantha Stacey906.4+6.4
Majority1087.7
Turnout 1,40132.5−1.5
Labour hold Swing
Knellwood [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Adam Jackman85246.3−12.7
Independent Guy Eaglestone56430.7+30.7
Liberal Democrats Abu Bakar30716.7−12.5
Labour William Tootill1166.3−5.5
Majority28815.7−14.1
Turnout 1,83945.0+1.0
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Manor Park [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Edmund Poole72348.3+4.7
Liberal Democrats Philip Thompson46731.2−14.9
Green Sarah Fisher17811.9+11.9
Labour Lesley Pestridge1308.7−1.6
Majority25617.1
Turnout 1,49833.4−6.5
Conservative hold Swing
Mayfield [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Craig Card55846.5−4.9
Conservative Stephen Smith27122.6+3.1
BNP Warren Glass24320.2+5.3
Labour Clive Grattan12910.7−3.4
Majority28723.9−8.0
Turnout 1,20130.9−1.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
North Town [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Keith Dibble81057.5+3.9
Conservative Robert Lee41129.2+0.5
Liberal Democrats Michael Kilburn1037.3−3.8
Green Adam Stacey856.0−0.7
Majority39928.3+3.4
Turnout 1,40931.2−2.8
Labour hold Swing
Rowhill [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Roger Kimber97060.9+6.6
Liberal Democrats Peter Pearson26016.3+1.7
Labour Jill Clark19312.1−9.6
Green Julia Fowler1127.0−2.4
Monster Raving Loony Robert Stanton593.7+3.7
Majority71044.5+11.9
Turnout 1,59439.1−0.9
Conservative hold Swing
St John's [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Suzan Gadsby85251.1+27.0
Conservative Jane Shattock69941.9−19.8
Labour Sean Clarke1167.0−7.2
Majority1539.2
Turnout 1,66737.5+2.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St Mark's [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Mackie82948.8+4.1
Conservative Rosemary Possee69640.9−4.5
Labour Barry Jones17510.3+0.3
Majority1337.9
Turnout 1,70038.4+1.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Wellington [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Eric Neal42444.6−0.7
Labour Alexander Crawford33034.7+5.6
Liberal Democrats Josephine Fraser-Fleming12312.9−1.0
Independent Roger Watkins747.8+0.6
Majority949.9−6.3
Turnout 95121.8−1.2
Conservative hold Swing
West Heath [9] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Thomas79346.5+10.8
Liberal Democrats Josephine Murphy78045.7+6.6
Labour Philip Collins1347.9−1.3
Majority130.8
Turnout 1,70742.3+1.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

References

  1. "Local elections: Rushmoor". BBC News. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  2. Rory, Carroll (6 May 2006). "Local elections 2006: Results in full". The Guardian. p. 20.
  3. 1 2 3 "Election: Greens, independents and the BNP join parties at poll". getsurrey. 21 April 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  4. "Election: The candidates ward by ward". getsurrey. 21 April 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  5. "BNP to fight poll in three wards". gethampshire. 23 March 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  6. "Now you can vote while doing your shopping". gethampshire. 20 April 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  7. "New voting system takes off". gethampshire. 27 April 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  8. 1 2 "The Army's early voting plan misfires". gethampshire. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Rushmoor election results". gethampshire. 5 May 2006. Archived from the original on 10 May 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Tories tighten their grip as Lib Dems lose out". gethampshire. 9 May 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  11. "Election 2006: It's lucky 13 for Tory David". gethampshire. 9 May 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  12. "Election 2006: BNP records a 30% vote increase". Reading Post . 9 May 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Rushmoor Borough Council election results - 4th May, 2006 report of the returning office" (PDF). Rushmoor Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  14. "Local elections". The Times. London. 6 May 2006. p. 64.
Preceded by
2004 Rushmoor Council election
Rushmoor local elections Succeeded by
2007 Rushmoor Council election