Bromsgrove District Council election, 1999

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The 1999 Bromsgrove District Council election took place on 6 May 1999 to elect members of Bromsgrove district council in Worcestershire, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party gained overall control of the council from the Labour party. [1]

Bromsgrove town in Worcestershire, Britain

Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England about 16 miles (26 km) north-east of Worcester and 13 miles (21 km) south-west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001. Bromsgrove is the main town in the larger Bromsgrove District. In the middle ages, it was a small market town producing cloth in the early modern period; in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was a major centre of nail making.

Worcestershire County of England

Worcestershire is a county in the West Midlands of England. Between 1974 and 1998, it was merged with the neighbouring county of Herefordshire as Hereford and Worcester.

England Country in north-west Europe, part of the United Kingdom

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north-northwest. The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

Contents

Campaign

The Labour party had won control of the council in the previous election in 1995 for the first time and were hopeful of staying in control of the council. [2] They pledged to maintain bus passes for the elderly and press on with CCTV in the town centre. [2] However the Conservatives attacked Labour for having increased council tax over the last four years, including 9.73% in the last year. [3] A proposed development on the local recreation ground for an arts and leisure centre was a major issue in the campaign, with Labour saying it would be good for Bromsgrove, while the Conservatives pledged to try to save the recreation ground. [3] During the campaign the Conservative party leader William Hague visited Bromsgrove with the local Member of Parliament Julie Kirkbride to rally party activists. [2]

William Hague British politician

William Jefferson Hague, Baron Hague of Richmond, is a British Conservative politician and life peer. He represented Richmond, Yorkshire, as its Member of Parliament (MP) from 1989 to 2015 and was the Leader of the Opposition from 1997 to 2001. He was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2010 to 2014 and was the Leader of the House of Commons from 2014 to 2015.

Julie Kirkbride former British Member of Parliament

Julie Kirkbride is a British Conservative politician. She was the Member of Parliament for the Conservative stronghold of Bromsgrove from the 1997 to the 2010 general elections.

Before the election the Conservatives required a 7% swing to gain control of the council, with Bromsgrove seen as a key council in the local elections across England. [4] [5] A by-election in October 1998 in Catshill ward was seen as a good sign for the Conservatives after they gained the seat with a swing of over 25%. [6] In total 80 candidates stood in the election from the Labour party, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and the Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' Association. [7] Candidates included seven couples and former Conservative councillors such as Joy Buchby and Nick Psirides. Meanwhile, the only Liberal Democrat councillor, Sandra Docker, stood down at the election. [7]

Catshill village in the United Kingdom

Catshill is a village in Worcestershire about 2.5 miles north of Bromsgrove and 10 miles south-west of Birmingham. The parish of Catshill was formed around the Turnpike Road (A38) in 1844.

Liberal Democrats (UK) Political party in the United Kingdom

The Liberal Democrats are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. They presently have 11 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 96 members of the House of Lords, and one member of the European Parliament. They also have five Members of the Scottish Parliament and a member each in the Welsh Assembly and London Assembly. The party reached the height of its influence in the early 2010s, forming a junior partner in a coalition government from 2010 to 2015. It is presently led by Vince Cable.

Just before the election there was controversy over Labour party leaflets that were sent to pensioners claiming that the Conservatives would abolish free bus passes for pensioners. [8] The Conservatives denied they would end the bus passes and reported Labour to the Data Protection Registrar, claiming that confidential council records had been used to send the leaflets to target pensioners, although Labour denied this. [8]

Election result

The results in Bromsgrove were one of the first to come in across the country and saw the Conservatives retake control of the council gaining 17 seats. [9] Conservative gains included the Labour leader on the council, Trevor Porter in Sidemoor ward, [10] and the council chairman, Trevor Crashley in Whitford ward. [11] The Conservatives also made two wins in a ward where they had never won any seats before, with swings reaching up to 40% in some wards. [10]

Sidemoor village in United Kingdom

Sidemoor is a village within the urban area of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Defeated candidates saw a low turnout and the plans to develop the recreation ground as responsible for their defeats, [11] with the neighbouring Labour MP Michael John Foster blaming the results on local, rather than national, issues. [12] Following the election William Hague visited Bromsgrove again to celebrate the results, both in Bromsgrove and nationally. [13] Overall turnout in the election was 37.4%. [14]

Voter turnout percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election

Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Eligibility varies by country, and the voting-eligible population should not be confused with the total adult population. Age and citizenship status are often among the criteria used to determine eligibility, but some countries further restrict eligibility based on sex, race, or religion.

Bromsgrove Local Election Result 1999 [15] [16]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 30+1776.956.629,876
  Labour 7-1617.935.318,637
 Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' Association205.14.52,382
  Liberal Democrat 0-103.61,912

Ward results

Alvechurch (3) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative J Luck1,108
Conservative J Griffiths1,044
Conservative B Taylor1,002
Labour D Waters723
Labour S Oliver677
Labour A Clewlow604
Turnout 5,15837.3
Barnt Green (2) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative A Doyle1,309
Conservative M Taylor1,253
Liberal Democrat T Gray458
Labour J Cochrane412
Turnout 3,43243.1
Beacon (2) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour D McGrath598
Labour P Williamson509
Conservative G Bennett432
Liberal Democrat G Ray298
Turnout 1,83734.5
Catshill (3) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative P Collins1,095
Conservative S Bushby999
Conservative D Gardner941
Labour S Farr551
Labour G Witcomb543
Labour A Deakin534
Turnout 4,66335.0
Charford (2) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour L McNamara829
Labour C Brooks798
Conservative B Graham494
Conservative J Pardoe440
Turnout 2,56130.7
Cofton Hackett [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative R Deeming37072.0
Labour J Peel14428.0
Majority22644.0
Turnout 51435.5
Drakes Cross (3) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative J Dyer811
Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' AssociationG Denaro662
Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' AssociationJ Gardener659
Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' AssociationL Wright620
Conservative D Woodward-Sheath592
Labour C Brooks286
Turnout 3,63024.8
Furlongs (2) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative P Barnsley932
Conservative T Matthews834
Labour M Harford318
Turnout 2,08436.9
Hagley (2) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative M Oliver914
Conservative H Whitehouse869
Labour A Zalin274
Turnout 2,05734.9
Majors Green [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative P Duddy38363.3
Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' AssociationP Harrison14924.6
Labour E Holmes7312.1
Majority23438.7
Turnout 60536.6
Norton (3) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative D North1,542
Conservative C Lanham1,466
Conservative N Psirides1,418
Labour P Baker892
Labour R Clayton876
Labour W Newnes831
Turnout 7,02543.9
Sidemoor (3) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative R Dent844
Labour C Mole736
Conservative J Hancox733
Conservative B Gall707
Labour T Porter624
Labour G Hulett620
Liberal Democrat M Parr341
Turnout 4,60537.6
South Wythall [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative S Peters31847.3
Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' AssociationH Allen29243.5
Labour P O'Connor629.2
Majority263.8
Turnout 67236.7
Stoke Prior [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative C Tidmarsh61366.6
Labour A Wardle30833.4
Majority30533.2
Turnout 92141.5
Stoney Hill (2) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative A Hadley1,130
Conservative E Shaw1,123
Labour C Rudge753
Labour S Shannon739
Liberal Democrat G Selway155
Turnout 3,90046.9
Tardebigge [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative P Whittaker50278.4
Labour R Cooke13821.6
Majority36456.8
Turnout 64046.0
Uffdown and Waseley (3) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour P McDonald788
Conservative D Hancox741
Labour C Wilson636
Labour K McNamara601
Liberal Democrat G Mack438
Turnout 3,20439.3
Whitford (3) [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative E Tibby814
Conservative K Gall776
Conservative G Pardoe762
Labour T Crashley704
Labour M Holmes672
Labour J Marshall631
Liberal Democrat M Mihailovic222
Turnout 4,58136.9
Woodvale [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative M Gill56578.7
Labour B Sutherland15321.3
Majority41257.4
Turnout 71841.2

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References

  1. ↑ "How Britain voted: Council Election Results". The Independent. 1999-05-08. p. 12.
  2. 1 2 3 Summers, Deborah (1999-04-21). "Hague outsmarts Labour with bacon butty detour". Birmingham Post. p. 4.
  3. 1 2 "Candidates in battle of the giants Bromsgrove: Tories promise to save the Rec". Birmingham Mail. 1999-04-09. p. 6.
  4. ↑ Frean, Alexandra (1999-05-05). "Tory gains will give Hague little comfort". The Times. p. 9.
  5. ↑ "The armchair guide". The Times. 1999-05-06. p. 17.
  6. ↑ Game, Chris (1999-05-06). "Getting into the swing of parish pump issues Polling today may produce very different results to a General Election, says Chris Game". Birmingham Post. p. 13.
  7. 1 2 Smith, Sue (1999-05-05). "Local election countdown: Bromsgrove". Birmingham Mail. p. 6.
  8. 1 2 Summers, Deborah (1999-05-05). "Tories cry foul over Labour's bus pass scare election leaflets". Birmingham Post. p. 1.
  9. ↑ Frean, Alexandra (1999-05-07). "Tory gains are shot in the arm for party". The Times. p. 5.
  10. 1 2 "Tories regain Bromsgrove". The Times. 1999-05-07. p. 6.
  11. 1 2 Smith, Sue (1999-05-07). "Tories swept back in big turn-about: Worcestershire". Birmingham Mail. p. 7.
  12. ↑ Woodward, Will (1999-05-07). "Britain's elections:Tories claim gains put them back in business Labour takes comfort from mid-term vote share but lead belies national poll ratings". The Guardian. p. 8.
  13. ↑ Gray, Chris (1999-05-08). "The revival starts here vows Hague". Birmingham Post. p. 1.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "District Council Election" (PDF). Bromsgrove District Council. Retrieved 2009-09-12.[ dead link ]
  15. ↑ "Bromsgrove". BBC News Online . Retrieved 2009-09-12.
  16. ↑ "How the nations voted". The Times. 1999-05-08. p. 48.
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