2018 Southampton City Council election

Last updated

2018 Southampton City Council election
  2016 3 May 2018 2019  

16 of the 48 seats to Southampton City Council
23 seats needed for a majority
Turnout32.1%
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
LeaderSimon LettsJeremy Moulton
Party Labour Conservative Independent
Leader's seatBitterne (defeated)Freemantle (defeated)
Seats won871
Seats after25194
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote23,52420,7333,045
Percentage41.436.55.3
SwingIncrease2.svg7.1%Increase2.svg5.4%Increase2.svg1.8%

Southampton UK local election 2018 map.svg
Map showing the election results. Each ward represents 1 seat

Majority party before election

Labour

Majority party after election

Labour

Elections to Southampton City Council took place on Thursday 3 May 2018, alongside nationwide local elections, alongside other local elections across the country. The elections saw no changes in the overall composition of the council, [1] however saw seats being exchanged. The Labour Party lost Bitterne, Millbrook and Peartree to the Conservative party while the Conservatives lost Freemantle, Portswood and Swaythling to Labour. This led to the Labour leader of the council, Simon Letts, and the leader of the Conservative group in the city, Jeremy Moulton, losing their seats. [2]

Contents

Background and Campaigning

In the lead up to the election, the BBC had summarised that the situation in Southampton for the Labour Party was incredibly precarious and one seat loss could deprive the party of a majority. They cited the Redbridge ward as a target for the main opposition the Conservatives, yet the Conservatives came third to the Southampton Independents candidate. [3] Labour targeted the Conservative seats of Freemantle, Portswood and Swaythling, as well as the independent Coxford ward. [4]

Labour made a commitment to building 1,000 homes in the city over five years, invest further in council services, build a modular home factory and create a Clean Air Zone for the city. [5] The Conservative Party offered a series of policies to tackle air pollution and traffic in the city: suggesting two new railway stations in the city, one at St Mary's Stadium and one in Ocean Village potentially where the old Southampton Terminus Station was, allow free parking for electric vehicles and introducing more electric charge points in the city. [4] [6] The Liberal Democrats focused on the quality of roads within the city and was sceptical of the way resources were used by the Labour administration to tackle homelessness in the city. [4] [7]

The council had come under scrutiny for its decision to close the Kentish Road respite centre, which was due to budget cuts. [4] Activists Lisa Stead and Amanda Guest, who have campaigned on the issue, stood in Bitterne and Shirely, respectively, with the 'Putting People First' group on the council. [8] The Conservatives committed to fully reopening the respite centre. [4]

Election results

Overall election result

As the council is elected in thirds, one councillor for each of the 16 wards are elected each year. All comparisons in seats and swing are to the corresponding Southampton Council election, 2014.

Southampton City Council election result 2018
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 833Steady2.svg56.2541.423,524Increase2.svg7.1
  Conservative 733Steady2.svg37.5036.520,733Increase2.svg5.4
  Independent 100Steady2.svg6.255.33,045Increase2.svg1.8
  Liberal Democrats 000Steady2.svg0.007.24,122Increase2.svg0.2
  Green 000Steady2.svg0.005.22,989Decrease2.svg0.2
  TUSC 000Steady2.svg0.000.5275Decrease2.svg2.3
  UKIP 000Steady2.svg0.000.192Decrease2.svg15.0

Changes in council composition

PartyPrevious councilNew council+/-
Labour 2525Steady2.svg0
Conservatives 1919Steady2.svg0
Putting People First33Steady2.svg0
Southampton Independents 11Steady2.svg0
Total4848
Working majority 2  2 

Ward results

Bargate [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sarah Jane Bogle 1,668 56.6 +10.1
Conservative Edward James Osmond82728.1-3.3
Liberal Democrats Ben Curd2046.9+1.9
Green Joe Cox1846.2-1.8
TUSC Diane Lesley Cook632.1N/A
Majority841
Turnout 2,95724.7
Labour hold Swing
Bassett [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Beryl May Harris 1,682 49.9 +2.5
Labour Sally Victoria Spicer96528.6+5.4
Liberal Democrats Richard Blackman46413.8+2.2
Green Alan Jack French2637.8+1.1
Majority717
Turnout 3,38433.9
Conservative hold Swing
Bevois [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Toqeer Ahmed Kataria 2,260 73.3 +4.1
Conservative Diana June Galton41713.5+1.7
Green Ronald Nicholas Meldrum2337.6-
Liberal Democrats Vijay Chopra1735.6+1.5
Majority1,843
Turnout 3,09628.4
Labour hold Swing
Bitterne [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Terry Michael Streets 1,528 49.5 +21.4
Labour Simon Letts1,23339.9-1.3
Liberal Democrats Olivia Caitlin Reed1183.8-0.9
Green Duncan Robert McMillan1143.7-0.9
Independent Lisa Joanne Stead963.1N/A
Majority295
Turnout 3,09430.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Bitterne Park [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Rob Harwood 1,914 47.8 +5.8
Labour Ashley Mark Minto1,52538.1+1.4
Green Jenny Barnes2977.4-2.9
Liberal Democrats James Arnold Read2666.6-1.2
Majority389
Turnout 4,01538.2
Conservative hold Swing
Coxford [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Keith Morrell 1,595 46.9 +8.3
Labour Matt Renyard95828.2+1.1
Conservative Trevor Glasspool55916.5+4.9
Liberal Democrats Peter Galton1033.0-0.3
Green Lucy Michelle Mundell1013.0+0.9
Independent Ricky Lambert822.4N/A
Majority637
Turnout 3,403
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Freemantle [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Steve Leggett 1,704 45.0 -2.3
Conservative Jeremy Richard Moulton1,48439.2+8.2
Liberal Democrats Alexander Clifton-Melhuish2175.7+0.5
Green Lindsey Cherrie Hood1854.9-2.6
Protest Against BrexitEd Thompson1674.4N/A
TUSC Mike Marx280.7N/A
Majority220
Turnout 3,79234.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Harefield [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Val Laurent 2,015 52.7 +5.0
Labour Alan Lloyd1,40136.6+3.7
Independent Peter Alexander Virgo1483.9N/A
Green Chris Bluemel1363.6-4.1
Liberal Democrats Colin Stuart McDougall1233.2-3.2
Majority614
Turnout 3,83336.7
Conservative hold Swing
Millbrook [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Steven Graham Patrick Galton 1,694 44.3 +7.9
Labour Mike Denness1,63142.6+1.2
Liberal Democrats Andrew Thomas Beal1594.2-0.4
Green Daniel Payne1584.1-0.1
UKIP Pearline Hingston922.4-9.7
Independent Ed Edworthy912.4N/A
Majority63
Turnout 3,82834.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Peartree [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tom Bell 1,725 46.5 +14.5
Labour Catherine Rendle1,57942.6-2.4
Liberal Democrats Eileen Bowers2195.9+1.0
Green Nick Mabey1423.8-0.6
TUSC Declan Peter Clune441.2+0.6
Majority146
Turnout 3,71735.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Portswood [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Lisa Mitchell 1,587 42.4 +9.1
Liberal Democrats Adrian Ford92324.7-0.1
Conservative Paul Nicholas O'Neill85122.8-2.8
Green Katherine Barbour3489.3-0.1
TUSC Nick Chaffey310.8-0.2
Majority664
Turnout 3,74835.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Redbridge [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Cathie McEwing 1,181 38.5 -7.9
Southampton Independents Denise Mary Elizabeth Wyatt98232.0+18.4
Conservative Matthew Robert Cowley58319.0+4.6
UKIP Richard John Lyons1244.0-15.4
Liberal Democrats Simon Stokes993.2-0.1
Green Christopher Richard James963.1+0.6
Majority199
Turnout 3,07528
Labour hold Swing
Shirley [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Hannah Coombs 1,952 48.0 +1.8
Conservative Matt Turpin1,24430.6+3.3
Liberal Democrats Steven Hulbert44010.8+4.8
Green John Spottiswoode2045.0+0.3
Independent Amanda Jane Guest1233.0N/A
UKIP Nick Ray1072.6-7.5
Majority708
Turnout 4,07638.7
Labour hold Swing
Sholing [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Marley George Guthrie 2,093 56.1 +15.8
Labour Andy Frampton1,32335.5-0.4
Liberal Democrats James Cappleman1624.3+1.2
Green Lyn Hazel Brayshaw1534.1+0.8
Majority770
Turnout 3,74134.9
Conservative hold Swing
Swaythling [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Lorna Fielker 1,062 42.8 -4.8
Conservative Bob Painton95638.5+9.7
Liberal Democrats Paul Alexander Clarke27511.1+2.6
Green Angela Cotton1917.7-2.3
Majority106
Turnout 2,49028.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Woolston [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Christopher Hammond 1,495 49.0 -1.3
Conservative Matthew Thomas Jones1,16138.0+13.2
Green Clive George Hillman1484.8-2.8
Liberal Democrats Samuel David Harris1414.6-5.0
TUSC Susan Ann Atkins1093.6-4.0
Majority334
Turnout 3,06328.6
Labour hold Swing

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References

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  5. William Rimell (10 April 2018). "Labour pledges to build 1,000 homes". Southern Daily Echo . Newsquest . Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  6. "St Mary's Stadium could get a new railway station". Southern Daily Echo . Newsquest. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
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