West Berkshire Council election, 2003

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Map of the results of the 2003 West Berkshire Borough Council election. Conservative in blue and Liberal Democrats in yellow. West Berkshire UK local election 2003 map.svg
Map of the results of the 2003 West Berkshire Borough Council election. Conservative in blue and Liberal Democrats in yellow.

The 2003 West Berkshire Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of West Berkshire Council in Berkshire, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2000 reducing the number of seats by 2. [1] The Liberal Democrats lost overall control of the council to no overall control. [2]

West Berkshire Council

West Berkshire Council is the local authority of West Berkshire in Berkshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. West Berkshire is divided into 30 wards, electing 52 councillors. The council was created by the Local Government Act 1972 as the Newbury District Council and replaced five local authorities: Bradfield Rural District Council, Hungerford Rural District Council, Newbury Borough Council, Newbury Rural District Council and Wantage Rural District Council. On 1 April 1998 it was renamed West Berkshire Council and since then has been a unitary authority, assuming the powers and functions of Berkshire County Council. In the 2015 election the Conservatives won 48 out of 52 seats. The next election to the authority will be in 2019.

Berkshire County of England

Berkshire is one of the home counties in England. It was recognised by the Queen as the Royal County of Berkshire in 1957 because of the presence of Windsor Castle, and letters patent were issued in 1974. Berkshire is a county of historic origin, a ceremonial county and a non-metropolitan county without a county council. The county town is Reading.

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

Background

At the last election in 2000 the Liberal Democrats held control of the council with 28 councillors, compared to 25 for the Conservatives and there was 1 independent councillor. [3] However boundary changes took place for the 2003 election, which reduced the number of seats from 54 to 52 and affected all but 3 of the wards. [4]

A Councillor is a member of a local government council.

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. The governing party since 2010, it is the largest in the House of Commons, with 313 Members of Parliament, and also has 249 members of the House of Lords, 18 members of the European Parliament, 31 Members of the Scottish Parliament, 12 members of the Welsh Assembly, eight members of the London Assembly and 8,916 local councillors.

Election result

Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats won 26 seats, meaning that the Liberal Democrats lost the majority on the council that they had held for the previous 12 years. [4] The Liberal Democrat leader on the council, Lena Rust was defeated in Basildon ward by the Conservatives, while in Westwood ward the Conservatives gained the seat by 4 votes after 4 recounts. [4] However the Liberal Democrats did pick up a seat in the new Theale ward. [4]

Basildon, Berkshire civil parish in the English county of Berkshire

Basildon is a civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It comprises the small villages of Upper Basildon and Lower Basildon, named for their respective heights above the River Thames. Basildon is 7 miles (11 km) from Reading, 47 miles (76 km) from London and 20 miles (32 km) from Oxford. The parish is bordered to the north by the River Thames and the Oxfordshire parishes of Goring and Whitchurch-on-Thames on the other side of the river. To the south of the river it is bordered by the parishes of Pangbourne, Bradfield, Ashampstead and Streatley. The parish forms part of the unitary authority of West Berkshire. It is within the Newbury parliamentary constituency.

Theale village in United Kingdom

Theale is a large village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Reading and 10 miles east of Thatcham.

Following the election the Liberal Democrats were able to continue running the election due to the chairman's casting vote. [4]

A casting vote is a vote that someone may exercise to resolve a deadlock. A casting vote is typically by the presiding officer of a council, legislative body, committee, etc., and may only be exercised to break a deadlock. Examples of officers who hold casting votes are the Speaker of the British House of Commons and the President of the United States Senate.

West Berkshire local election result 2003 [2] [5]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 26+150.050.333,815
  Liberal Democrat 26-250.045.630,628
  Labour 0003.12,104
  Green 0000.5307
  Independent 0-100.4294
  Socialist Labour 0000.159

Ward results

Aldermaston [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Irene Neill67770.4
Liberal Democrat Douglas Gibbons28429.6
Majority39340.9
Turnout 96148
Basildon [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Christopher Webber68455.9
Liberal Democrat Lena Rust53944.1
Majority14511.9
Turnout 1,22355
Birch Copse (3 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Michael Mooney806
Conservative Anthony Linden733
Conservative Andrew Kilgour716
Labour Clive Taylor443
Liberal Democrat Stephen Bown412
Liberal Democrat Vera Barnett356
Liberal Democrat Nagalingamudaly Sidamparaooillai316
Turnout 3,782
Bucklebury (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Graham Pask1,345
Conservative Quentin Webb1,188
Liberal Democrat Alastair Reed523
Liberal Democrat Astrid Roberts425
Turnout 3,481
Burghfield (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Royce Longton975
Liberal Democrat John Farrin933
Conservative Anthony Orme688
Conservative Deborah Bartley-Brown656
Turnout 3,252
Calcot (3 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Brian Bedwell972
Conservative Peter Argyle876
Conservative Manohar Gopal835
Labour Michael Thompson428
Liberal Democrat Craig Drury285
Liberal Democrat Chris Gee282
Liberal Democrat Paul Walter255
Turnout 3,933
Chieveley [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Nora French46868.3
Liberal Democrat Sarah Hendel-Blackford21731.7
Majority25136.6
Turnout 68538
Clay Hill (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Philip Barnett793
Liberal Democrat Trevor Banning732
Conservative Jeoffrey Beck669
Conservative Alma Beck666
Labour Barry Lambert103
Turnout 2,96335
Cold Ash [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Geoffrey Findlay59855.2
Liberal Democrat Christopher Marriage48644.8
Majority11210.3
Turnout 1,08450
Compton [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Barbara Alexander62260.4
Liberal Democrat Patricia Harris40839.6
Majority21420.8
Turnout 1,03046
Downlands [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative George Chandler60960.0
Independent John Morgan29429.0
Labour Paul Johnston11211.0
Majority31531.0
Turnout 1,01546
Falkland (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Caroline Suggett1,137
Liberal Democrat Valerie Bull1,068
Conservative Adrian Edwards1,026
Conservative Richard Kingsley982
Labour Carol Sambrook158
Turnout 4,37146
Greenham (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat William Drummond728
Liberal Democrat Julian Swift-Hook675
Conservative Brian Jolly585
Conservative Antony Forward555
Turnout 2,54338
Hungerford (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Denise Gaines1,065
Liberal Democrat James Mole1,046
Conservative David Liddiard885
Conservative Victoria Clarke881
Turnout 3,877
Kintbury (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Anthony Stansfeld1,000
Conservative Andrew Rowles997
Liberal Democrat Linda Alton439
Liberal Democrat James Russell403
Turnout 2,83937
Lambourn Valley (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Arthur Jones705
Conservative Amos Lundie502
Liberal Democrat Susan Cocker447
Liberal Democrat John Davies389
Turnout 2,04324
Mortimer (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Keith Lock1,104
Liberal Democrat Sandra Harding1,047
Conservative Antony Barker440
Conservative Francis Shorrock400
Turnout 2,99139
Northcroft (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Susan Farrant460
Liberal Democrat Anthony Vickers407
Conservative Charlotte Farrow330
Conservative Barrington Tristram302
Labour Stephen Billcliffe152
Turnout 1,651
Pangbourne [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Susan Kemp59174.2
Liberal Democrat Christopher Cutler12715.9
Labour Cara Brenda799.9
Majority46458.2
Turnout 79736
Purley on Thames (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Timothy Metcalfe577
Conservative John Chapman550
Liberal Democrat Brian Dowding414
Liberal Democrat Robert Bird376
Green Miriam Kennet194
Green Marlyn Lee113
Labour Senan Hartney108
Turnout 2,33224
Speen (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Paul Bryant1,006
Conservative Marcus Franks910
Liberal Democrat Clive Hillman756
Liberal Democrat Michaela Tod692
Labour Michael Lamden90
Turnout 3,45439
St Johns (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Sally Hannon838
Conservative Emma Webster818
Conservative Michael Johnston815
Liberal Democrat Roger Hunneman803
Labour Derek Brear124
Turnout 3,39840
Sulhamstead [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Keith Chopping46051.2
Liberal Democrat David Shepherd43948.8
Majority212.3
Turnout 89944
Thatcham Central (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Alexander Payton717
Liberal Democrat Paul Pritchard690
Conservative Ellen Crumly529
Conservative Richard Crumly528
Turnout 2,464
Thatcham North (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Robert Judge703
Liberal Democrat Mollie Lock626
Conservative Paul Broome431
Conservative Luke Smith386
Turnout 2,146
Thatcham South and Crookham (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Owen Jeffery757
Liberal Democrat Terence Port657
Conservative Samantha Bennett437
Conservative Piero Pagliaroli380
Turnout 2,231
Thatcham West (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Jeffrey Brooks760
Liberal Democrat Keith Woodhams758
Conservative Rosemary Goodchild443
Conservative Matthew Wilson411
Turnout 2,372
Theale [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Alan Macro28341.4
Conservative Lionel Turner23133.8
Labour Terence Jackson16924.7
Majority527.6
Turnout 68332
Victoria (2 seats) [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat John Craw662
Liberal Democrat Michael Rodger645
Conservative Brian Goodall315
Conservative Rebecca Smith306
Socialist Labour Katrina Howse59
Turnout 1,98730
Westwood [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Laszlo Zverko29340.7
Liberal Democrat Graham Reeves28940.1
Labour Robert Tutton13819.2
Majority40.6
Turnout 72032

By-elections between 2003 and 2007

Victoria

The Liberal Democrats remained in control of the council with the chairman's casting vote after retaining Victoria ward in a by-election on 4 December 2003. [6]

By-elections, also spelled bye-elections, are used to fill elected offices that have become vacant between general elections.

Victoria by-election 4 December 2003 [6] [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Roger Hunneman72758.6-5.3
Conservative Jeffrey Beck46137.2+6.8
Labour Barry Lambert524.2+4.2
Majority26621.5
Turnout 1,24039.9+10
Liberal Democrat hold Swing

Thatcham North

A by-election was held in Thatcham North on 5 May 2005 after Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Judge resigned from the council. [8] The seat was gained for the Conservatives by Sheila Ellison with a majority of 175 votes over the Liberal Democrats, which gave the Conservatives a majority on the council. [9]

Thatcham a town in West Berkshire, United Kindom

Thatcham is a market town in the historic county of Berkshire, England, centred 3 miles (5 km) east of Newbury, 14 miles (24 km) west of Reading and 54 miles west of London. Its population grew rapidly in the second half of the 20th century: from 5,000 in 1951 and 7,500 in 1961 to 22,824 in 2001. During World War II, Thatcham housed one of the biggest Prisoner of War camps in the South, known as camp 1001.

Thatcham North by-election 5 May 2005 [8] [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Sheila Ellison1,43153.3+15.0
Liberal Democrat Graham Reeves1,25646.7-15.0
Majority1756.5
Turnout 2,68768.6
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat Swing

Pangbourne

A by-election was held in Pangbourne ward on 20 April 2006 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Susie Kemp. [10] [11] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Pamela Bale with a majority of 574 votes over the Liberal Democrats. [10] [11]

Pangbourne by-election 20 April 2006 [10] [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Pamela Bale72574.6+0.4
Liberal Democrat Stephen Brown15115.5-0.4
Labour Senan Hartney969.9+0.0
Majority57459.1+0.9
Turnout 97245.1+9
Conservative hold Swing

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References

  1. ↑ "Local elections". BBC News Online . Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 "English councils - Unitary authorities". The Times . NewsBank. 3 May 2003. p. 47.
  3. ↑ "West Berkshire". BBC News Online . Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "West Berks Council hung - Lib Dems' 12-year grip over". Reading Post . NewsBank. 2 May 2003.
  5. 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 "West Berkshire". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Labour loses council seat to Socialist". Press Association . theguardian.com. 5 December 2003. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Voting and Elections". West Berkshire Council. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  8. 1 2 "District Council By-Election: Thatcham North - 5th May 2005" (PDF). West Berkshire Council. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  9. 1 2 "English elect councils and mayors". BBC News Online. 7 May 2005. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 "District Council By-Election: Pangbourne Ward 20th April 2006" (PDF). West Berkshire Council. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 "Local Authority Byelection Results - April 2006". Local Authority Byelection Results. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
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