Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council election, 2003

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The 2003 Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Windsor and Maidenhead Unitary 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 1. [1] The Liberal Democrats gained overall control of the council from no overall control. [2]

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Place in England

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is a Royal Borough of Berkshire, in South East England. Its nearest border to London, being Maidenhead is approx 30 miles. It is home to Windsor Castle, Eton College, Legoland Windsor and Ascot Racecourse. It is one of four boroughs entitled to be prefixed Royal and is one of six unitary authorities in its county which has Historic and Lieutenancy county status.

A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national government.

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.

Contents

Campaign

Windsor and Maidenhead council was a top target for the Liberal Democrats in the 2003 local elections. [3] The party had come close to taking the Maidenhead parliamentary constituency at the last general election in 2001 and were optimistic of taking control of the council. [4] [5] The Liberal Democrats were expected to benefit from the support of the estimated 3,000 Muslims who lived in the council area due to the party's opposition to the Iraq War. [4] The issue of a proposed extension to a local mosque was also used for the Liberal Democrats, [4] but the Conservatives accused them of pandering to the Muslim community. [6]

Maidenhead (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom

Maidenhead is a constituency in Berkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It has been represented by Theresa May since it was created in 1997. May succeeded David Cameron as UK Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party on 13 July 2016. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, May served as Home Secretary from 2010–2016.

The council had been controlled by the Conservatives since the 2000 election in an alliance with 2 of the independent councillors. [7] However the Liberal Democrats attacked the council for having raised council tax by 9.3% in the last year and by 20% over the 3 years since the last election. [7] They also criticised the council for its plans to demolish the town hall and pointed to a weak rating for the council by the Audit Commission. [7] However the Conservatives said Windsor and Maidenhead's council tax was still one of the lowest in the southeast and that if the Liberal Democrats implemented the policies in their manifesto it would mean a 27% increase in council tax. [7]

A Councillor is a member of a local government council.

Audit Commission (United Kingdom)

The Audit Commission was a statutory corporation in the United Kingdom. The Commission’s primary objective was to appoint auditors to a range of local public bodies in England, set the standards for auditors and oversee their work. The Commission closed on 31 March 2015, with its functions being transferred to the voluntary, not-for-profit or private sector.

Boundary changes which reduced the number of seats by 1, meant both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats needed 1 less seat to take control of the council. [6] With the election important to both parties, the Conservative party chairman and local MP Theresa May and the Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy both campaigned in the area. [6]

Chairman of the Conservative Party position of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom

The Chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is responsible for party administration, overseeing the Conservative Campaign Headquarters. When the Conservatives are in government, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet holding a sinecure position such as Minister without Portfolio. Deputy or vice-chairmen may also be appointed, with responsibility for specific aspects of the Conservative Party. When a woman holds the office, such as Theresa May and Dame Caroline Spelman, the office is titled Chairwoman of the Conservative Party. The Conservative Party is currently chaired by Brandon Lewis, who was appointed January 8th, 2018, with James Cleverly who served as his deputy from 2018 to 2019.

Theresa May Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Theresa Mary May is a British politician serving as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2016. She served as Home Secretary from 2010 to 2016. May was first elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Maidenhead in 1997. Ideologically, she identifies herself as a one-nation conservative.

Charles Kennedy British politician

Charles Peter Kennedy was a British Liberal Democrat politician who was Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2006, and a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1983 to 2015, latterly for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency.

The council again used a mobile polling station to go to railway stations and supermarkets in an attempt to increase turnout. [8]

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.

Election result

The results saw the Liberal Democrats take control of the council, [9] after gaining 13 seats. [10] The election results were seen as giving the Liberal Democrats hope for the next general election in the Maidenhead constituency after the party won 61% of the vote in wards within the constituency against 33.6% for the Conservatives. [10]

Windsor and Maidenhead Local Election Result 2003 [2] [11]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Liberal Democrat 34+1359.649.046,098
  Conservative 15-1426.337.835,585
  Independent 5+58.84.84,540
 Old Windsor Residents' & Ratepayers Association203.51.81,732
  Labour 101.86.05,617
  Green 0000.5464
 Residents0-5000

Ward results

Ascot and Cheapside (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative David Hilton775
Conservative Peter Spooner708
Liberal Democrat Jonathan Pope229
Liberal Democrat Geoffrey Taylor214
Green Stephen Young120
Turnout 2,04630.3
Belmont (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Michael Bruton1,524
Liberal Democrat Clive Baskerville1,406
Liberal Democrat David Mackay1,364
Conservative Philip Love752
Conservative Iain Buchanan712
Conservative Asghar Majeed638
Labour Patricia Shenstone147
Turnout 6,54339.1
Bisham and Cookham (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Mohinder Brar1,196
Liberal Democrat David Ricardo1,090
Liberal Democrat Margaret Cubley1,000
Conservative Alan Jay968
Conservative Michael Lawrence964
Conservative Chester Denniford936
Labour Judith Percival144
Labour Paul Percival105
Turnout 6,40340.9
Boyn Hill (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Michael Holness1,297
Liberal Democrat Margaret Hyde1,235
Liberal Democrat David Howes1,215
Conservative Yames Bragg643
Conservative Howard McBrien641
Conservative Arshad Hussain606
Green Ann Hay113
Labour Robert Barclay81
Labour Jennifer Cooper81
Turnout 5,91236.7
Bray (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Leo Walters1,028
Conservative Barry Thompson986
Conservative David Burbage982
Liberal Democrat Peter Janikoun509
Liberal Democrat Heather Elliot460
Liberal Democrat Nigel Shurben396
Labour Alan Wellstead147
Turnout 4,50828.4
Castle Without (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat David Eglise962
Liberal Democrat Bryan Hedley962
Liberal Democrat Martin Pritchett959
Conservative George Bathurst444
Conservative Catherine Lavender429
Conservative David Coppinger399
Labour Margaret Atwell136
Labour Janet Milward132
Turnout 4,42331.4
Clewer East (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Mary Gliksten655
Liberal Democrat Lee Hibbard640
Conservative Keith Evans553
Conservative Eileen Quick541
Labour Andrew Gittins120
Turnout 2,50938.1
Clewer North (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Cynthia Endacott967
Independent Eileen Penfold914
Independent Geoffrey Fido883
Conservative Peter Smith457
Conservative James Richards452
Conservative Wesley Richards430
Liberal Democrat John Foster274
Labour Ann Matthews265
Labour Andrew Foakes250
Liberal Democrat Nicola Shurben249
Labour Antony Matthews245
Liberal Democrat Gary Wilson227
Turnout 5,61331.6
Clewer South (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Richard Fagence742
Liberal Democrat Antony Wood706
Conservative Jennifer Heaven232
Conservative Victor Chukwuemeka207
Labour Linda Ayres89
Labour Kenneth Coles87
Turnout 2,06327.6
Cox Green (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Victoria Howes1,332
Liberal Democrat Bruce Adams1,320
Liberal Democrat Emrys Richards1,295
Conservative Paul Digby529
Conservative Maureen Mallet493
Conservative Charles Horder490
Labour Ian Harvey132
Labour Robert Horner121
Labour Mohammed Shafiq90
Turnout 5,80234.3
Datchet (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Jesse Grey613
Conservative Elizabeth Hawkes610
Liberal Democrat Timothy O'Flynn438
Independent Ewan Larcombe264
Labour Peter Ward129
Turnout 2,05429.7
Eton and Castle [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Richard Pratt30958.3
Conservative Gwyn Collier18034.0
Labour Jennifer Ward417.7
Majority12924.3
Turnout 53029.7
Eton Wick [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Mark Olney48462.9
Conservative Stephen Smith28637.1
Majority19825.7
Turnout 77042.0
Furze Platt (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Mary Stock1,459
Liberal Democrat Cynthia Pitteway1,411
Liberal Democrat Humaira Javed1,377
Conservative Clifford Baker613
Conservative Penelope Baker590
Conservative Anthony Willis566
Labour Katherine Holder117
Turnout 6,13337.7
Horton and Wraysbury (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Donald Gregory790
Independent Richard Bertram722
Conservative Duncan Parker516
Conservative David Martin474
Labour Paul Rae69
Turnout 2,57134.7
Hurley and Walthams (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat John Iles1,166
Liberal Democrat Jeremy Hyde1,154
Liberal Democrat Anthony Langdown1,118
Conservative David Penfold639
Conservative Philip Watss580
Conservative Justin List563
Labour Patrick McDonald295
Labour Kelly Dale272
Labour Kevin Webb261
Turnout 6,04844.0
Maidenhead Riverside (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Pamela Proctor1,374
Liberal Democrat Peter Herlinger1,341
Liberal Democrat Alison Napier1,294
Conservative Andrew Jenner877
Conservative Catherine Hollingsworth784
Conservative Jennifer Spear723
Labour Pamela Kennedy117
Green Craig McDermott86
Turnout 6,59641.8
Old Windsor (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Old Windsor Residents' and Ratepayers' AssociationMalcolm Beer906
Old Windsor Residents' and Ratepayers' AssociationEric Wiles826
Conservative Christopher Hawkes173
Conservative James Belsey161
Labour Roy Reeves125
Labour Ahamed Mashoor103
Turnout 2,29430.5
Oldfield (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Derek Wilson729
Conservative Dorothy Kemp725
Conservative Gillian Moore713
Liberal Democrat Barbara Dorrington640
Liberal Democrat Michael Bartley622
Liberal Democrat Robert Hill608
Labour Kathleen Cutting293
Labour Anthony Randall217
Labour Nigel Smith193
Turnout 4,74028.3
Park (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Michael Scott854
Liberal Democrat Beverley Green835
Conservative Anthony Cross640
Conservative John Henson634
Labour Brent Curless77
Labour Annemarie Price67
Turnout 3,10737.3
Pinkneys Green (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Democrat Kathryn Newbound1,480
Liberal Democrat Simon Werner1,360
Liberal Democrat Wilson Hendry1,341
Conservative Charles Hollingsworth603
Conservative Brian Webster598
Conservative Jacqueline Porter581
Labour Margaret Horner127
Turnout 6,09038.9
Sunningdale (2) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Christine Bateson858
Conservative John Webb847
Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Herbert-Brown212
Liberal Democrat Peter Cross185
Labour Kevin Cochrane122
Turnout 2,22431.8
Sunninghill and South Ascot (3) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Brian Birkhead914
Conservative Alison Knight904
Conservative Lynda Yong896
Liberal Democrat Enid Cross698
Liberal Democrat Charmian Hopkins686
Liberal Democrat Christopher Bushill678
Green Stephen Shaw145
Labour Elizabeth Yates136
Turnout 5,05734.4

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References

  1. ↑ "Local elections". BBC News Online . Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  2. 1 2 "English councils". The Times. 2003-05-03. p. 47.
  3. ↑ "Parties try to shift focus to Birmingham from Baghdad". Financial Times. 2003-04-15. p. 10.
  4. 1 2 3 "Local Elections: Where a mosque is the big issue; Lib Dem target Maidenhead". The Independent. 2003-04-22. p. 6.
  5. ↑ Hartley-Brewer, Julia (2003-04-20). "Tories face a poll wipe-out". The Express on Sunday.
  6. 1 2 3 Milne, Richard (2003-05-01). "Tension rises in Maidenhead amid claims of dirty tricks". Financial Times. p. 5.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Sherman, Jill (2003-04-24). "Lib Dems plotting to overthrow Tories in Windsor". The Times. p. 10.
  8. ↑ "New voting methods 'increase turnout'". BBC News Online . 2003-04-30. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  9. ↑ Lydall, Ross (2003-05-02). "But in the south Tories fail to make big breakthrough". Evening Standard. p. 7.
  10. 1 2 Waugh, Paul (2003-05-03). "How Britain voted: Kennedy claims parity with 30% share of vote; Liberal Democrats". The Independent. p. 18.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 "Borough Election Results 2003 - By Ward". The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
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