Wealden District Council election, 2003

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Map of the results of the 2003 Wealden council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and independents in grey. Wealden UK local election 2003 map.svg
Map of the results of the 2003 Wealden council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and independents in grey.

The 2003 Wealden District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Wealden District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 1999 reducing the number of seats by 3. [1] The Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council. [2]

Wealden District Non-metropolitan district in England

Wealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the remnant forest which was once unbroken and occupies much of the centre and north of this area. The term is cognate with Wald, forest or wood in German.

Non-metropolitan district Type of local government district in England

Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially "shire districts", are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a two-tier arrangement.

East Sussex County of England

East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent to the north and east, Surrey to the north west and West Sussex to the west, and to the south by the English Channel.

Contents

Background

At the last election in 1999 the Conservatives won 34 seats, compared to 22 for the Liberal Democrats and 2 independents. [3] In November 2003 the Conservatives gained 2 seats from the Liberal Democrats in a by-election in Uckfield, [4] but the Liberal Democrats took one seat back in the same ward in a June 2002 by-election. [5]

Liberal Democrats (UK) Political party in the United Kingdom

The Liberal Democrats are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. It is currently led by Vince Cable. They have 11 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 96 members of the House of Lords, one member of the European Parliament, five Members of the Scottish Parliament and one member in the Welsh Assembly and London Assembly. At the height of its influence, the party formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2015 with its leader Nick Clegg serving as Deputy Prime Minister.

The Liberal Democrats also lost seats after 2 Hailsham councillors, Nick and Madeline Ellwood, were expelled from the party, and a further 2, John Glover and Ian Haffenden, resigned from the party in protest. [6] The 4 councillors who resigned formed a Wealden Independents party, while the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, Allan Thurley, stepped down over the expulsions and was succeeded by Eddie Rice. [7]

Hailsham town

Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book, where it is called Hamelesham. The town of Hailsham has a history of industry and agriculture.

A Councillor is a member of a local government council.

A total of 133 candidates stood for the 55 seats in 35 wards being contested, after boundary changes reduced the number of seats from 58. [3] [8] The changes increased the number of seats in Crowborough and Uckfield, while combining some of the rural seats. [3]

Crowborough town in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England

Crowborough is a town and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. It is situated in the Weald, at the edge of Ashdown Forest, in the High Weald Area of Outstanding National Beauty. It is 7 miles (11 km) south-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells and 35 miles (56 km) south of London. It has road and rail links and is served by a town council. It is the most populous inland town in East Sussex, with over 20,000 people.

Rural area geographic area that is located outside towns and cities

In general, a rural area or countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. The Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines the word rural as encompassing "...all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area. Whatever is not urban is considered rural."

Campaign

A major issue at the election was council tax after it increased by 18%, 5.1% of which was due to Wealden Council. [3] The Conservatives blamed the increase on the government providing a poor grant to the council, while the Liberal Democrats called for the council tax to be replaced by a local income tax. [3] Another issue was housing with the Conservatives called for more land to be released for low cost housing, but the Liberal Democrats attacked the number of houses to be built, saying the infrastructure needed to be improved first. [3] Both the Labour party and local independents also campaigned against the 1,300 houses to be built in Hailsham, with the independents saying more houses should be built in the north of the council area. [3]

An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) that varies with respective income or profits. Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times taxable income. Taxation rates may vary by type or characteristics of the taxpayer.

Affordable housing housing affordable to those with a median household income

Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a median household income or below as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on affordable housing refers to mortgages and number of forms that exist along a continuum – from emergency shelters, to transitional housing, to non-market rental, to formal and informal rental, indigenous housing, and ending with affordable home ownership.

The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom that 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.

The Conservatives said they would tackle littering and continue the household recycling scheme, while the Liberal Democrats called for policing to be improved and for the council to be modernised. [3] Meanwhile, Labour aimed to win their first seat on the council in Uckfield and called for the council to abolish the reduction in council tax for second homes. [3] [9]

Recycling process using materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling can prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, thereby reducing: energy usage, air pollution, and water pollution.

Election result

The Conservatives stayed in control of the council with 34 seats, while the Liberal Democrats took 15 seats and independents won 6. [10] Few seats changed parties, with the Conservatives keeping a 13-seat majority. [8] The changes that did happen included the Liberal Democrat group leader Eddie Rice losing his seat in Rotherfield and the Liberal Democrats were also defeated in Polegate South, where Ivy Scarborough, a Residents Association candidate was successful. [10] [11] Independents were also successful in Crowborough and Hailsham, while Labour failed to take any seats. [10] Overall turnout at the election was 35%, up from 33.5% in 1999. [12]

Wealden local election result 2003 [2] [13]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 34-161.849.431,769
  Liberal Democrat 15-227.335.022,515
  Independent 6010.99.56,142
  Labour 0003.92,534
  Green 0001.91,246
  UKIP 0000.2137

3 Conservative candidates were unopposed at the election. [13]

Ward results

Alfriston [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Keith Whitehead67367.3
Liberal Democrat Caroline Adcock32732.7
Majority34634.6
Turnout 1,00049.5
Buxted and Maresfield (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Patricia Kennedy904
Conservative Norman Buck862
Green Peter Selby357
Independent Ken Ogden314
Liberal Democrat Graham Morgan293
Turnout 2,73036.2
Chiddingly and East Hoathly [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Sylvia Tidyunopposed
Cross-in-Hand/Five Ashes [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Jonica Fox51169.0
Liberal Democrat Michael Bryant17723.9
Green Jennifer Evans537.2
Majority33445.1
Turnout 74138.2
Crowborough East (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Carolyn Clark555
Liberal Democrat Ian Mein540
Conservative Anthony Edwards422
Conservative Neil Waller408
Labour Derek Sivers118
Turnout 2,04327.5
Crowborough Jarvis Brook [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Ian McKirgan22239.0
Liberal Democrat Peter Bucklitsch22138.8
Conservative Brian Hewitt12622.1
Majority10.2
Turnout 56928.8
Crowborough North (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Chantal Wilson1,038
Conservative Hector Munro671
Liberal Democrat Nigel Mahony328
Labour Sonja Le Vay201
Independent Michael Wallman131
Turnout 2,36935.8
Crowborough St Johns [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Richard Broughton-Tompkins45875.3
Liberal Democrat Hilary Lyon10316.9
Labour Jean McCarthy477.7
Majority35558.4
Turnout 60832.0
Crowborough West (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Diane Phillips814
Conservative Antony Quin812
Liberal Democrat Edward Willis394
Labour Brendan Clegg238
Turnout 2,25832.2
Danehill/Fletching/Nutley (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Sylvia Martin1,052
Conservative Bernard Brown1,024
Liberal Democrat John Stevens571
Turnout 2,64739.6
East Dean [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Brian West61267.8
Liberal Democrat Robert Hillman29032.2
Majority32235.7
Turnout 90246.9
Forest Row (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Rowena Moore708
Conservative Raymond Parsons668
Liberal Democrat Linda Graham526
Labour Norma McNamara270
Turnout 2,17233.5
Framfield [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative John Gore56364.9
Liberal Democrat Susanna Mockridge16819.4
UKIP Keith Riddle13715.8
Majority39545.5
Turnout 86842.2
Frant/Withyham (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Christopher Abergavenny827
Conservative Lynda Myers822
Liberal Democrat Briony Taylor431
Green Keith Obbard404
Labour Michael Clare179
Turnout 2,66338.6
Hailsham Central & North (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Paul Holbrook494
Liberal Democrat Laura Murphy434
Conservative Richard West425
Conservative John Ball419
Independent John Glover348
Independent Madeleine Ellwood344
Labour Steven Jordan146
Turnout 2,61032.1
Hailsham East [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Nigel Coltman17033.7
Liberal Democrat Brian Cock12825.3
Labour Dudley Rose11322.4
Independent William Crittenden9418.6
Majority428.3
Turnout 50526.6
Hailsham South and West (3) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Geoffrey Rowe713
Independent Jonathan Ellwood702
Independent Ian Haffenden685
Liberal Democrat Sharon Cottingham572
Conservative Sybil Bentley567
Liberal Democrat Edward Powell554
Liberal Democrat Gavin Blake-Coggins551
Conservative Jeffery Bentley-Astor524
Conservative John Kent511
Turnout 5,37928.7
Hartfield [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Jeremy Hollinsunopposed
Heathfield East [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Janice Dunk44369.9
Liberal Democrat John Evans19130.1
Majority25239.7
Turnout 63434.8
Heathfield North and Central (3) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Richard Angel1,082
Conservative Margaret Kirkpatrick1,063
Conservative Veronica Oakes996
Liberal Democrat David Hall447
Green Timothy Rayner432
Turnout 4,02028.2
Hellingly (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat John Blake817
Liberal Democrat David White732
Conservative Barby Dashwood-Hall583
Conservative Brian Smith528
Turnout 2,66036.9
Herstmonceux [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Andrew Long47763.1
Liberal Democrat Graham Love27936.9
Majority19826.2
Turnout 75636.5
Horam [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Susan Stedman38156.9
Liberal Democrat Richard Benson28943.1
Majority9213.7
Turnout 67033.2
Mayfield [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Brian Redman45954.3
Liberal Democrat Allan Thurley38745.7
Majority728.5
Turnout 84641.7
Ninfield and Hooe with Wartling [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Pamela Doodesunopposed
Pevensey and Westham (3) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Dianne Dear1,245
Conservative John Vincent1,233
Conservative Linda McKeever1,135
Liberal Democrat Laura Parker793
Liberal Democrat Christine Thomas781
Turnout 5,18729.7
Polegate North (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Roy Martin888
Liberal Democrat Christina Berry802
Independent Gerald Carter478
Independent John Harmer453
Conservative Anne Hampson160
Conservative Michael Hampson152
Turnout 2,93337.7
Polegate South [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Ivy Scarborough34945.7
Liberal Democrat Patrick Trowell24131.6
Conservative Michael Richards17322.7
Majority10814.2
Turnout 76338.7
Rotherfield [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative David Logan37947.4
Liberal Democrat Edwin Rice36545.7
Independent David Heritage556.9
Majority141.8
Turnout 79941.7
Uckfield Central [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Claire Dowling42552.7
Liberal Democrat Michael Cooper30838.2
Labour Eileen Wolley739.1
Majority11714.5
Turnout 80635.1
Uckfield New Town [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Ian Nottage33954.2
Labour Ian Smith14423.0
Conservative Daphne Mainprice14322.8
Majority19531.2
Turnout 62631.0
Uckfield North (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Paul Sparks632
Liberal Democrat Alan Whittaker520
Conservative Michael Heap356
Labour Duncan Bennett250
Labour Leonard Ashby246
Turnout 2,00427.8
Uckfield Ridgewood [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Anthony Parker48357.2
Conservative Silvia Buck31036.7
Labour Jane 'Espinasse516.0
Majority17320.5
Turnout 84439.1
Wadhurst (2) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Anna Monaghan767
Conservative Robert Hodgson734
Liberal Democrat Emma Sanderson-Nash395
Liberal Democrat Rosalyn Bucklitsch324
Labour Jane Zacharzewski144
Turnout 2,36432.0
Willingdon (3) [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Stephen Shing1,770
Liberal Democrat Anthony Seabrook1,559
Liberal Democrat Andrew Watkins1,516
Conservative David Burtenshaw1,043
Conservative Guy Woodford1,000
Conservative Raymond Ingram949
Independent Margaret Piper216
Labour Patricia Brinson123
Labour Helen Sedgewick114
Labour Gillian Roles77
Turnout 8,36748.7

By-elections between 2003 and 2007

Uckfield Ridgewood

A by-election was held in Uckfield Ridgewood on 16 September 2004 and was held for the Liberal Democrats by Robert Sweetland with a 185-vote majority. [14] [15]

Uckfield Ridgewood By-Election 16 September 2004 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Robert Sweetland38060.4+3.2
Conservative Jacob Vince19531.0-5.7
Labour Leonard Ashby548.6+2.6
Majority18529.4+8.9
Turnout 62928.6+8.1
Liberal Democrat hold Swing

Pevensey and Westham

A by-election was held in Pevensey and Westham on 29 September 2005 after the death of the previous councillor John Vincent. [14] [16] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Kevin Balsdon with a 760-vote majority. [13] [17]

Pevensey and Westham By-Election 29 September 2005 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Kevin Balsdon1,22966.7+5.6
Liberal Democrat Christine Thomas46925.5-13.4
Labour Robert Walker1437.8+7.8
Majority76041.2
Turnout 1,84125.7-4.0
Conservative hold Swing

Crowborough North

A by-election was held in Crowoborough North on 6 April 2006 and was held for the Conservatives by Timothy Tyler with a 279-vote majority. [14] [18]

Crowborough North By-Election 6 April 2006 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Timothy Tyler41752.5+22.5
Liberal Democrat Peter Bucklitsch13817.4+2.7
Independent Paul Scott10313.0-33.4
Labour Jean McCarthy9411.8+2.8
Independent Colin Stocks435.4+5.4
Majority27935.1
Turnout 79520.1-15.7
Conservative hold Swing

Uckfield New Town

A by-election was held in Uckfield New Town on 29 June 2006 after the death of the Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Nottage. [14] [19] The seat was held for the Liberal Democrats by Julia Hey with a 170-vote majority. [20]

Uckfield New Town By-Election 29 June 2006 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Julia Hey38157.6+3.4
Conservative Marion Rowland21131.9+9.1
Green Samantha Bryant6910.4+10.4
Majority17025.7-5.5
Turnout 66132.5+1.5
Liberal Democrat hold Swing

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References

  1. ↑ "Local elections". BBC News Online . Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Local council election results". The Daily Telegraph . 3 May 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Wealden Council". The Argus . 16 April 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  4. ↑ "Labour regains Burnley". guardian.co.uk . 30 November 2001. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  5. ↑ "East Enders desert BNP". guardian.co.uk . 28 June 2002. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  6. ↑ "Rift in LibDems". Sussex Express. 7 November 2002. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  7. ↑ "Ousted councillors start own party". The Argus . 7 November 2002. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Power balance stays the same". Sussex Express. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  9. ↑ "Labour looks for a gain". Sussex Express. 24 April 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 "Wealden District Council: Con hold". The Argus . 2 May 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  11. ↑ "New faces on council". Sussex Express. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "Tories keep control". Sussex Express. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 "District Council election". Wealden District Council. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Election Results". Wealden District Council. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  15. ↑ "BNP wins first London seat since 1993". guardian.co.uk. 17 September 2004. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  16. ↑ "Councillor dies of a heart attack". The Argus . 13 July 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  17. ↑ "SNP triumphs in Fife". guardian.co.uk. 30 September 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  18. ↑ "Lib Dems and Labour make byelection gains". guardian.co.uk. 7 April 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  19. ↑ "Friends and family pay tribute to 'Pat the Hat'". The Argus . 27 April 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  20. ↑ "Lib Dems hold council seats". Sussex Express. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
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