Colchester Borough Council election, 2008

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Colchester Borough Council election, 2008
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←  2007 1 May 2008 (2008-05-01) 2010  →
20 seats (out of 60 seats)
31 seats needed for a majority

 First partySecond partyThird party
  David Cameron portrait (cropped).jpg Nick Clegg by the 2009 budget cropped.jpg GordonBrown1234 cropped.jpg
Leader David Cameron Nick Clegg Gordon Brown
Party Conservative Liberal Democrat Labour
Seats before30
seats up: 12		21
seats up: 5		6
seats up: 2
Seats won893
Seats after27237
Seat changeDecrease2.svg3Increase2.svg2Increase2.svg1
Popular vote13,14213,1114,593
Percentage37.337.213.0
SwingDecrease2.svg3.6Increase2.svg3.0Decrease2.svg5.2
Map of the results of the 2008 Colchester council election. Liberal Democrats in yellow, Conservatives in blue, Labour in red and independents in light grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2008. Colchester UK local election 2008 map.svg
Map of the results of the 2008 Colchester council election. Liberal Democrats in yellow, Conservatives in blue, Labour in red and independents in light grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2008.

The 2008 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Colchester Borough Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party lost overall control of the council to no overall control. [1]

Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district. In Scotland, similarly chartered communities were known as royal burghs, although the status is no longer granted.

Essex County of England

Essex is a county in the south-east of England, north-east of London. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and London to the south-west. The county town is Chelmsford, the only city in the county. For government statistical purposes Essex is placed in the East of England region.

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

After the election, the composition of the council was

Conservative Party (UK) Political party in the United Kingdom

The Conservative Party, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom. Presently led by Theresa May, it has been the governing party since 2010. It presently has 314 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 249 members of the House of Lords, and 18 members of the European Parliament. It also has 31 Members of the Scottish Parliament, 12 members of the Welsh Assembly, eight members of the London Assembly and 9,008 local councillors. One of the major parties of UK politics, it has formed the government on 45 occasions, more than any other party.

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.

The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom which has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists. The party's platform emphasises greater state intervention, social justice and strengthening workers' rights.

Background

After the last election in 2007 the Conservatives held half of the seats on the council with 30 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats had 21 seats, Labour 6 seats and there were 3 independents. [3] However, in July 2007, 2 Liberal Democrat councilors, Craig and Terry Sutton, defected to the Conservatives after falling out with the local Liberal Democrat Member of parliament Bob Russell over a new community stadium. [4] This gave the Conservatives a majority on the council with 32 of the 60 seats. [5]

A Councillor is a member of a local government council.

A member of parliament (MP) is the representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this category includes specifically members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title. Member of Congress is an equivalent term in other jurisdictions.

20 seats were contested at the election, with the Conservatives defending 12 of the seats. [6] A total of 82 candidates stood at the election, including full slates from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green parties, along with one candidate from the British National Party. [5]

The British National Party (BNP) is a far-right, fascist political party in the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Wigton, Cumbria, and its current leader is Adam Walker. A minor party, it has no elected representatives at any level of UK government. Founded in 1982, the party reached its greatest level of success in the 2000s, when it had over fifty seats in local government, one seat on the London Assembly, and two Members of the European Parliament.

Election result

The Conservatives lost their majority on the council after losing 5 seats, 4 to the Liberal Democrats and 1 to Labour. [7] Among those who lost seats were 2 members of the Conservative council cabinet, while Craig Sutton in Berechurch lost his seat to Labour after having defected to the Conservatives from the Liberal Democrats in 2007. [7] Conservative defeats were attributed to high levels of housebuilding in the area, with the Conservatives dropping to 27 seats, while the Liberal Democrats rose to 23 seats and Labour went up to 7 seats. [7] Meanwhile, the British National Party came fourth in High Woods ward with 131 votes after putting up the party's first candidate for Colchester council. [8] Overall turnout at the election was 34.5%. [9]

Cabinet (government) group of high ranking officials, usually representing the executive branch of government

A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the top leaders of the executive branch. Members of a cabinet are usually called Cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a Cabinet varies: in some countries it is a collegiate decision-making body with collective responsibility, while in others it may function either as a purely advisory body or an assisting institution to a decision making head of state or head of government. Cabinets are typically the body responsible for the day-to-day management of the government and response to sudden events, whereas the legislative and judicial branches work in a measured pace, in sessions according to lengthy procedures.

Berechurch village in England

Berechurch is a village in Colchester, Essex, England.

The wards and electoral divisions in the United Kingdom are electoral districts at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. The ward is the primary unit of English electoral geography for civil parishes and borough and district councils, electoral ward is the unit used by Welsh principal councils, while the electoral division is the unit used by English county councils and some unitary authorities. Each ward/division has an average electorate of about 5,500 people, but ward-population counts can vary substantially. As at the end of 2014 there were 9,456 electoral wards/divisions in the UK.

Following the election the Liberal Democrat, Labour and independent groups made a deal to take control over the council from the Conservatives, with Liberal Democrat Anne Turrell becoming the new leader of the council. [10]

Colchester Borough Council Election, 2008 [1] [11]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Liberal Democrat 940+445.037.213,111+3.0
  Conservative 705-535.037.313,142-3.6
  Labour 310+115.013.04,593-5.2
  Independent 10005.03.51,247-3.2
  Green 000008.53,012N/A
  BNP 000000.4131N/A

Ward results

Berechurch [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Kim Naish73537.0-12.7
Liberal Democrat John Stevens68234.3+8.5
Conservative Craig Sutton43521.9+3.1
Green Philippa Lane1366.8+1.0
Majority532.7-21.2
Turnout 1,98833.5+0.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Castle [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat William Spyvee1,11145.2+4.2
Green Peter Lynn77931.7-0.6
Conservative Darius Laws43417.6-2.9
Labour John Cooke1365.5-0.7
Majority33213.5+4.8
Turnout 2,46038.1+0.7
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Dedham & Langham [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative John Garnett89582.8+3.8
Liberal Democrat Carolyn Catney1029.4-4.9
Labour Andrew Maxwell464.3-2.4
Green Sandra Moog383.5+3.5
Majority79373.4+8.8
Turnout 1,08145.6-8.1
Conservative hold Swing
East Donyland [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Michael Lilley35142.8-1.1
Conservative Peter Hare34442.0+11.7
Liberal Democrat Barry Woodward678.2-1.3
Green Tracy Lee-Newman587.1+7.1
Majority70.9-12.6
Turnout 82041.2-7.7
Labour hold Swing
Harbour [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Justin Knight72759.3-4.5
Conservative Barry McConnell27122.1+4.0
Labour Michael Gilheany14111.5-0.1
Green Stephen Ford887.2+0.8
Majority45637.2-8.5
Turnout 1,22727.7-2.0
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Highwoods [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Beverley Oxford1,24759.5+6.9
Conservative Anne Allan32015.3-6.1
Liberal Democrat John Baker23711.3-4.0
BNP Patrick Sullivan1316.3+6.3
Labour Jordan Newell974.6-1.8
Green Robert Spence633.0-1.4
Majority92744.2+12.9
Turnout 2,09531.4+0.5
Independent hold Swing
Lexden [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Michael Hardy1,07962.3-3.5
Liberal Democrat John Loxley47727.6+7.8
Green Clare Palmer1046.0+0.6
Labour Adam Fox714.1-1.2
Majority60234.8-11.2
Turnout 1,73141.2-5.9
Conservative hold Swing
Marks Tey [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Elizabeth Blundell45063.7+2.2
Labour John Wood12317.4+4.8
Liberal Democrat Josephine Hayes8812.5-3.5
Green Roger Bamforth456.4+6.4
Majority32746.3+0.7
Turnout 70634.5-6.5
Conservative hold Swing
Mile End [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Martin Goss1,50061.1+14.0
Conservative Brian Jarvis79032.2-11.2
Green Mary Bryan843.4-0.9
Labour Rossanna Trudgian833.4-1.7
Majority71028.9+25.1
Turnout 2,45739.0-0.5
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing
New Town [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Peter Higgins1,04662.6+7.0
Conservative Glenn Bath27716.6-0.7
Green Linda Wonnacott19811.8-4.3
Labour Luke Dopson1509.0-2.0
Majority76946.0+7.7
Turnout 1,67127.5+0.5
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Prettygate [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Beverley Davies1,19745.5-8.7
Liberal Democrat Paul Ost1,16744.3+10.5
Labour Michael Dale1425.4-1.6
Green Peter Appleton1274.8-0.2
Majority301.1-19.3
Turnout 2,63344.2+0.5
Conservative hold Swing
St. Andrew's [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Tina Dopson83751.2-10.4
Liberal Democrat Mark Warner49630.3+11.3
Conservative Alexander Wilson24014.7-0.4
Green Andrew Senter633.9-0.4
Majority34120.8-21.8
Turnout 1,63624.9+0.1
Labour hold Swing
St. Anne's [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Gaik Chiuah1,04956.5+7.2
Conservative Stephen Levy39321.2+3.0
Labour Robert Fisher27214.7-12.3
Green Mervyn Carter1417.6+2.1
Majority65635.4+13.1
Turnout 1,85528.7-3.5
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
St. John's [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Paul Smith1,24471.6+9.8
Conservative Glenn Granger38922.4-6.8
Labour Scott Harris593.4-1.2
Green Tobie Glenny452.6-1.8
Majority85549.2+16.7
Turnout 1,73742.0-1.4
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Shrub End [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat David Offen82242.9+8.4
Conservative Roger Buston81142.3+3.8
Labour Bruce Tuxford19610.2-11.5
Green Walter Schwarz894.6-0.8
Majority110.6
Turnout 1,91830.0-1.2
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing
Stanway [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Laura Sykes1,11845.6-6.6
Conservative Andrew Ellis1,06343.3+4.7
Labour Carole Spademan1767.2+1.1
Green Pamela Nelson963.9+0.7
Majority552.2-11.4
Turnout 2,45338.8+1.1
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing
Tiptree [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Richard Martin1,11660.5-4.9
Liberal Democrat Jonathan Longman34518.7+10.4
Labour Audrey Spencer24213.1-5.1
Green Katherine Bamforth1427.7-0.4
Majority77141.8-5.4
Turnout 1,84530.4+0.2
Conservative hold Swing
West Mersea [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative John Bouckley1,58377.7+3.6
Liberal Democrat Jennifer Stevens1959.6-0.3
Labour Barbara Nichols1396.8-1.9
Green Beverley Maltby1205.9-1.4
Majority1,38868.1+3.8
Turnout 2,03734.5-0.5
Conservative hold Swing
Wivenhoe Cross [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Jonathan Manning50648.4+5.9
Conservative Eugene Kraft37736.1-3.8
Green Maria Iacovou837.9-1.0
Labour Janet Smith797.6-1.0
Majority12912.3+9.7
Turnout 1,04529.7+2.4
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing
Wivenhoe Quay [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Ann Quarrie67836.8+1.1
Labour Josephine Richardson51828.1-7.8
Green Christopher Fox51327.9+7.4
Liberal Democrat Claire Rodgers1327.2-0.9
Majority1608.7
Turnout 1,84143.8-0.6
Conservative hold Swing

By-elections between 2008 and 2010

A by-election took place in Birch and Winstree ward on the 4 December 2008 after the death of the Conservative councillor Peter Crowe. [12] Andrew Ellis retained the seat for the Conservatives by a majority of 322 votes. [12]

Birch and Winstree By-Election 4 December 2008 [12] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Andrew Ellis74558.1-12.1
Liberal Democrat Jonathan Longman42333.0+14.1
Labour James Spencer836.5+0.4
Green Katherine Bamforth322.5-2.5
Majority32225.1
Turnout 1,28329.3
Conservative hold Swing

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References

  1. 1 2 "Colchester". BBC News Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "National: Full election results". The Guardian . NewsBank. 3 May 2008.
  3. ↑ "Colchester". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  4. ↑ Wilkin, Chris (11 July 2007). "Colchester: Lib Dems furious at pair's defection to the Tories". The Echo . Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Colchester: BNP candidate stands for election". Daily Gazette. 7 April 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Parkes, Tom (1 May 2008). "Colchester : Town goes to the polls". The Gazette. NewsBank.
  7. 1 2 3 Parkes, Tom (2 May 2008). "Colchester: Tories lose control of council". Daily Gazette. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  8. ↑ "North Essex: BNP pledges more candidates". The Gazette. NewsBank. 6 May 2008.
  9. ↑ Hore, James (2 May 2008). "Colchester election results in full". East Anglian Daily Times . Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  10. ↑ Orrell, Helen (12 May 2008). "Colchester : names of council cabinet unveiled". The Gazette. NewsBank.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Declaration of result of poll". Colchester Borough Council. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 "Colchester: Andrew Ellis wins Birch and Winstree by-election". Daily Gazette. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  13. ↑ "Local Authority Byelection Results" . Retrieved 30 May 2014.
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