The 2003 West Somerset District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council. [1]
West Somerset was a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The council covered a largely rural area, with a population of 34,900 in an area of 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi); it is the least populous non-unitary district in England. According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in 2009, the population of West Somerset has the oldest average age in the United Kingdom at 52. The largest centres of population are the coastal towns of Minehead and Watchet (4,400).
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.
Somerset is a county in South West England which borders Gloucestershire and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east and Devon to the south-west. It is bounded to the north and west by the Severn Estuary and the Bristol Channel, its coastline facing southeastern Wales. Its traditional border with Gloucestershire is the River Avon. Somerset's county town is Taunton.
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 58.1 | 42.1 | 7,157 | -1.9% | |
Independent | 9 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 29.0 | 29.2 | 4,959 | +15.9% | |
Labour | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 16.7 | 2,837 | -8.9% | |
Liberal Democrat | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 6.5 | 10.7 | 1,823 | -5.6% | |
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 217 | +1.3% | |
5 Conservatives, 2 independents and 1 Liberal Democrat were unopposed at the election. [2] One of the independent councillors, Michael Gammon, took the Conservative whip. [3]
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.
A Councillor is a member of a local government council.
A whip is an official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. This usually means ensuring that members of the party vote according to the party platform, rather than according to their own individual ideology or the will of their constituents.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Jamie Anderson | 265 | |||
Conservative | Nicolas Messarra | 262 | |||
Labour | Valerie Welch | 138 | |||
Labour | Marcus Kravis | 108 | |||
Turnout | 773 | 20.9 | -3.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Simon Stokes | 379 | |||
Labour | Ivor Gibbon | 368 | |||
Conservative | John Hickman | 285 | |||
Conservative | Pamela Hawkins | 248 | |||
Turnout | 1,280 | 34.8 | -4.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Roger Webber | 361 | 78.5 | ||
Independent | Andrew Kelsey | 98 | 21.4 | ||
Majority | 263 | 57.3 | |||
Turnout | 459 | 49.2 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | David Gliddon | 203 | 60.2 | -23.6 | |
Conservative | Geoffrey Day | 134 | 39.8 | +39.8 | |
Majority | 69 | 20.5 | -47.0 | ||
Turnout | 337 | 44.9 | +6.3 | ||
Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Peter Humber | unopposed | |||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Vivian Brewer | unopposed | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Keith Ross | 718 | |||
Independent | Michael Gammon | 650 | |||
Labour | Susan Gibb | 172 | |||
Turnout | 1,540 | 52.5 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Bryan Leaker | 207 | 60.2 | +10.8 | |
Independent | John Walker | 72 | 20.9 | -29.7 | |
Labour | John Dore | 65 | 18.9 | +18.9 | |
Majority | 135 | 39.2 | |||
Turnout | 344 | 50.4 | +3.5 | ||
Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Steven Pugsley | unopposed | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Christine Lawrence | 551 | |||
Conservative | Ann Foxhuntley | 428 | |||
Conservative | Keith Parkes | 428 | |||
Labour | David Ross | 356 | |||
Labour | John McGee | 324 | |||
Liberal Democrat | Susan Jenkins | 207 | |||
Labour | Thomas Welch | 207 | |||
UKIP | Marilyn Berrey | 150 | |||
Turnout | 2,651 | 37.5 | -1.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Martyn Snell | 621 | |||
Conservative | Terry Venner | 608 | |||
Conservative | Colin Hill | 590 | |||
Conservative | Ernest Taylor | 514 | |||
Liberal Democrat | Ian Galloway | 480 | |||
Labour | Ian Grady | 306 | |||
Turnout | 3,119 | 41.2 | -12.0 | ||
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Pamela Driver | unopposed | |||
Independent | John Nethercott | unopposed | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Michael Padgett | unopposed | |||
Conservative | Angela Palmer | unopposed | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Terence Ayre | 449 | |||
Conservative | Mary Crowley | 364 | |||
Independent | Keith Turpin | 353 | |||
Turnout | 1,166 | 41.8 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Frederick Rawle | unopposed | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Anthony Knight | 555 | |||
Independent | Jennifer Hill | 464 | |||
Independent | David Banks | 438 | |||
Labour | Adrian Rowe | 414 | |||
Independent | Sally De Renzy-Martin | 389 | |||
Liberal Democrat | Anthony Bowden | 348 | |||
Conservative | Loretta Whetlor | 288 | |||
Liberal Democrat | Emily Booker | 167 | |||
Turnout | 3,063 | 41.6 | +5.7 | ||
Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Barbara Child | 302 | 56.2 | ||
Independent | Jim Laflin | 235 | 43.8 | ||
Majority | 67 | 12.5 | |||
Turnout | 537 | 53.0 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Hugh Davies | 707 | |||
Independent | Edwin May | 361 | |||
Independent | John Holden | 271 | |||
Conservative | David Wilson | 164 | |||
Conservative | Rosemary Woods | 154 | |||
UKIP | Kenneth Matthews | 67 | |||
Turnout | 1,724 | 45.9 | +4.4 | ||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Jessica Griffith | 468 | 72.7 | ||
Conservative | Roy Harbour | 136 | 21.1 | ||
Labour | John Garland | 40 | 6.2 | ||
Majority | 332 | 51.6 | |||
Turnout | 644 | 35.0 | |||
Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Sedgemoor is a low-lying area of land in Somerset, England. It lies close to sea level south of the Polden Hills, historically largely marsh. The eastern part is known as King's Sedgemoor, and the western part West Sedgemoor. Sedgemoor is part of the area now known as the Somerset Levels and Moors. Historically the area was known as the site of the Battle of Sedgemoor.
Broxtowe Borough Council in Nottinghamshire, England is elected every four years. The Conservative party held overall control of the council from its foundation in 1973 until 1995 when the Labour party took control. Boundary changes took place for the 2003 election reducing the number of seats by five. The election saw Labour lose overall control of the council. Since 2003 the council has been under no overall control with Labour and the Liberal Democrats sharing power.
Bath and North East Somerset Council is the local council for the district of Bath and North East Somerset in Somerset, England.
The 2003 West Lancashire District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of West Lancashire District Council in Lancashire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.
The 2003 South Lakeland District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of South Lakeland District Council in Cumbria, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.
The 2003 Arun District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Arun District Council in West Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 1999. The Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.
The 2003 Craven District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Craven District Council in North Yorkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.
West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2011, 28 councillors have been elected from 16 wards.
The 2003 Hart Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Hart District Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.
The 2004 Hart Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Hart District Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.
The 2003 Basildon District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Basildon District Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.
The 2011 North Somerset Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of North Somerset Unitary Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.
The 2007 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Redcar and Cleveland Unitary Council in England. The whole council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.
The 1999 West Somerset District Council election took place on 6 May 1999 to elect members of West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 1995. The council stayed under no overall control.
The 2007 West Somerset District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election and independents gained overall control of the council from the Conservative party.
The 2011 West Somerset District Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2007 reducing the number of seats by 3. The Conservative party gained overall control of the council from independents.
The 2007 Wealden District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Wealden District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.
The 2003 Torridge District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Torridge District Council in Devon, England. The whole council was up for election after boundary changes and the council stayed under no overall control.
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. The Liberal Democrats lost overall control of the council to no overall control.
The 2003 West Oxfordshire District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of West Oxfordshire District Council in Oxfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.