2008 Cheltenham Borough Council election

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Results of the 2008 Cheltenham Borough Council election Cheltenham wards 2008.svg
Results of the 2008 Cheltenham Borough Council election

The 2008 Cheltenham Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Cheltenham Borough Council in Gloucestershire, England. Half of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control. [1]

Contents

After the election, the composition of the council was

Campaign

Before the election the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had 17 seats each, People Against Bureaucracy 5 and Labour 1 seat, with the Conservatives forming the administration. [3] 20 seats were being contested with both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats contesting all of the seats, while Labour contested 9, Greens 4 and People Against Bureaucracy 3 seats. [3] The only Labour councillor Diana Hale stood down at the election, along with 2 Conservative and 1 People Against Bureaucracy councillors, while Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Coleman contested Leckhampton instead of his existing seat in St Paul's ward. [3]

During the campaign the national Conservative leader David Cameron briefly visited Cheltenham to campaign, raising the issues of post offices being closed, garden grabbing, preserving local shops and house building on flood plains. [4] [5]

Election result

The results saw the Liberal Democrats become the largest party on the council with 20 of the 40 seats after making 3 gains. [6] [7] The Liberal Democrats held vulnerable seats in All Saints and St Peters wards, while making gains from each of the other 3 groups which had been defending seats. [8] They also almost defeated the Conservative leader of the council Duncan Smith who held on by 33 votes in Charlton Kings ward. [8]

The Conservatives stayed on 17 seats, [7] while the People Against Bureaucracy group lost 2 seats to have 3 councillors. [8] Labour was wiped out after losing their last seat [7] in Oakley, with the party only coming in third place in the ward. [9] Overall turnout in the election was 35.1%. [8]

As a result of the election the Liberal Democrats took over control of the administration of the council from the Conservatives. [10] The change in control came in a vote with the Liberal Democrat leader Steve Jordan receiving 18 votes, compared to 19 abstentions and the remaining 3 councillors being absent. [11]

Cheltenham Local Election Result 2008 [12] [13]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Liberal Democrats 1030+350.044.914,059+4.1%
  Conservative 911045.045.814,342-0.1%
  PAB 102-25.05.71,783-2.6%
  Labour 001-102.9923-1.5%
  Green 000000.7209+0.7%

Ward results

All Saints [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Jordan* 811 59.1 +8.0
Conservative Peter Christensen46133.6−3.9
Green Adrian Becker614.4N/A
Labour Kevin Boyle402.9−2.9
Majority 35025.5+11.9
Turnout 1,37331.9+1.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Battledown [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Wall* 1,013 66.7 −1.6
Liberal Democrats Paul McCloskey44229.1+3.5
Labour Catherine Mozley644.2−1.9
Majority 57137.6−5.1
Turnout 1,51941.4−1.4
Conservative hold Swing
Benhall and The Reddings [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jacqueline Fletcher* 945 50.7 +6.7
Liberal Democrats Christoper Pallet91849.3−3.5
Majority 271.4−7.2
Turnout 1,86346.1+0.3
Conservative hold Swing
Charlton Kings [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Duncan Smith* 973 49.0 −9.8
Liberal Democrats Helena McCloskey94047.4+11.4
Labour Neville Mozley713.6−1.6
Majority 331.7−21.1
Turnout 1,98446.0+0.7
Conservative hold Swing
Charlton Park [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Klara Sudbury 1,285 67.9 +3.8
Liberal Democrats Margaret Woodward60732.1−3.8
Majority 67835.8+7.7
Turnout 1,89247.0−1.6
Conservative hold Swing
College [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Lloyd Surgenor* 997 59.0 +3.2
Conservative Timothy Mahon69241.0−3.2
Majority 30518.1+6.4
Turnout 1,68939.5+2.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Hesters Way [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Wendy Flynn* 779 65.1 −1.3
Conservative Philip Woolley35129.3+3.3
Labour Clive Harriss675.6−2.0
Majority 42835.8−4.6
Turnout 1,19724.3−4.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Lansdown [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Diggory Seacome* 759 59.3 −8.9
Liberal Democrats Leone Meyer42833.5+1.7
Labour Janet Thomas927.2N/A
Majority 33125.9−10.5
Turnout 1,27928.2−1.5
Conservative hold Swing
Leckhampton [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Robin MacDonald* 1,210 56.0 −4.5
Liberal Democrats Christopher Coleman**95044.0+4.5
Majority 26012.0−8.9
Turnout 2,16052.9+1.5
Conservative hold Swing

Christopher Coleman was a sitting councillor in St Paul's.

Oakley [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Martin Dunn 661 51.3 +5.8
Conservative Susie Godwin40331.3+13.2
Labour Brian Hughes22417.4−19.0
Majority 25820.0+10.9
Turnout 1,28830.1−2.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Park [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Heather McLain 1,273 67.7 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Phillippa Stewart60732.3−1.5
Majority 66635.4+3.0
Turnout 1,88036.8−3.7
Conservative hold Swing
Pittville [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tim Cooper 625 38.7 +13.7
Liberal Democrats Rowena Hay54133.5+8.0
PAB Mary Nelson31819.7−26.1
Green Cathy Green654.0N/A
Labour Sandra Easton-Lawrence644.0+0.2
Majority 845.2−15.1
Turnout 1,61337.7−1.2
Conservative gain from PAB Swing
Prestbury [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
PAB Malcolm Stennett* 1,098 55.1 +0.3
Conservative Haydn Pearl53927.0−6.5
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Jones25312.7+1.0
Labour Jonquil Naish1045.2N/A
Majority 55928.0+6.7
Turnout 1,99441.7−0.5
PAB hold Swing
Springbank [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Simon Wheeler* 752 67.3 +5.4
Conservative Simon Probert36632.7−5.4
Majority 38634.5+10.6
Turnout 1,11823.1−1.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St Marks [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats John Webster* 622 50.3 −3.9
Conservative Patsy Shilling42334.2−1.4
Labour Rod Gay1088.7−1.6
Green John Heyward836.7N/A
Majority 19916.1−2.5
Turnout 1,23626.4−1.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St Pauls [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Wheeldon 493 65.7 +14.5
Conservative Paul Ryder25734.3+15.6
Majority 23631.5−1.0
Turnout 75016.0−3.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St Peters [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats John Rawson* 738 57.9 +11.7
Conservative John Hopwood44735.1−10.0
Labour Robert Irons897.0−1.8
Majority 29122.8+21.7
Turnout 1,27426.0+0.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Swindon Village [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Bernard Fisher 875 57.4 +9.7
PAB Peter Allen*36724.1−11.0
Conservative Leon Mekitarian28218.5+1.3
Majority 50833.3+20.7
Turnout 1,52433.4+1.3
Liberal Democrats gain from PAB Swing
Up Hatherley [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Roger Whyborn 1,115 58.4 +19.7
Conservative Alan Nicholson*79341.6−3.1
Majority 32216.9+10.9
Turnout 1,90845.0−1.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Warden Hill [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Anne Regan* 1,245 70.1 +6.8
Liberal Democrats Frances McVeigh53029.9−6.8
Majority 71540.3+12.6
Turnout 1,77539.7−3.0
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. "Cheltenham". BBC News. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  2. "Local elections: Results: Voters in the cities and the shires have their say in the ballot box". The Guardian. 2 May 2008. p. 7.
  3. 1 2 3 "Race is on for poll position". Gloucestershire Echo . 12 April 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  4. "Two party leaders turn up at once – a bit like buses; David Cameron met with council candidates in the West yesterday ahead of next week's local elections after a brief encounter with his bitter rival". Western Daily Press. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  5. "Tory leader in a great hurry". The Citizen Gloucestershire. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  6. "Ups and downs but few surprises in poll results; Across the South West election results held few surprises and little change for local authorities". Western Daily Press. 3 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  7. 1 2 3 "Election results in for councils". BBC News. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Lib Dems swing it by the skin of their teeth". Gloucestershire Echo . 2 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  9. "Labour's upbeat despite defeat". Gloucestershire Echo . 7 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  10. "Shift of power; The Liberal Democrats are to take charge of Cheltenham Borough Council, which remained hung after the May 1 local elections". Western Daily Press. 10 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  11. "Leader sets sights on Lib Dem future". Gloucestershire Echo . 10 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2010.[ dead link ]
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Borough Council elections 1st May 2008" (PDF). Cheltenham Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  13. "Local elections 08 nationwide results". The Times. London. 3 May 2008. p. 14.