The 2012 Worthing Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of Worthing Borough Council in West Sussex, England. One third of the council was elected, including a double vacancy in Offington ward. The Conservative party remained in overall control of the council. [1]
Worthing is a large seaside town in England, and district with borough status in West Sussex. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, 10 miles (16 km) west of Brighton, and 18 miles (29 km) east of the county town of Chichester. With an estimated population of 104,600 and an area of 12.5 square miles (32.37 km2) the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation, which makes it part of the 15th most populous urban area in the United Kingdom. Since 2010 northern parts of the borough, including the Worthing Downland Estate, have formed part of the South Downs National Park.
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.
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering East Sussex to the east, Hampshire to the west and Surrey to the north, and to the south the English Channel.
Contents
The composition of the council after the election was:
- Conservative: 24 (+1)
- Liberal Democrat: 12 (+1)
- Independent: 1 (-2)
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.
The Liberal Democrats are a liberal, centrist 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.
| Ward | Party | Incumbent Elected | Incumbent | Standing again | Gain/Hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadwater | Conservative | 2008 | Don Allen | No | Conservative hold |
| Castle | Liberal Democrats | 2008 | David Potter | Yes | Liberal Democrat hold |
| Central | Conservative | 2008 | Martin Coppard | No | Conservative hold |
| Durrington | Liberal Democrats | 2008 | Michael Donnin | Yes | Liberal Democrat hold |
| Gaisford | Conservative | 2008 | Ann Barlow | No | Conservative hold |
| Goring | Conservative | 2008 | Mary Lermite | Yes | Conservative hold |
| Heene | Conservative | 2008 | Paul High | Yes | Conservative hold |
| Marine | Conservative | 2008 | Joan Bradley | Yes | Conservative hold |
| Northbrook | Conservative | 2008 | Mary Harding | Yes | Liberal Democrat gain |
| Offington | Conservative | 2008 | Elizabeth Sparkes | Yes | Conservative hold |
| Offington | Conservative | 2010 | Vacant | N/A | Conservative hold |
| Salvington | Independent | 2008 | Jacqui Marsh | No | Conservative gain |
| Selden | Independent | 2008 | James Doyle | No | Conservative gain |
| Tarring | Liberal Democrats | 2008 | Norah Fisher | Yes | Liberal Democrat hold |
