Wyre Forest District Council election, 2014

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Map of the results of the 2014 Wyre Forest District Council election. Conservatives in blue, UK Independence Party in purple, Labour in red, Health Concern in pink and independent in light grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2014. Wyre Forest UK local election 2014 map.svg
Map of the results of the 2014 Wyre Forest District Council election. Conservatives in blue, UK Independence Party in purple, Labour in red, Health Concern in pink and independent in light grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2014.

The 2014 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 22 May 2014 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control. [1]

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.

Worcestershire County of England

Worcestershire is a county in the West Midlands of England. Between 1974 and 1998, it was merged with the neighbouring county of Herefordshire as Hereford and Worcester.

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

After the election, the composition of the council was

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. 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 Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom which 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. Labour is a full member of the Party of European Socialists and Progressive Alliance, and holds observer status in the Socialist International. As of 2017, the party was considered the "largest party in Western Europe" in terms of party membership, with more than half a million members.

Independent Community and Health Concern, previously Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern is a political party based in Kidderminster, United Kingdom. It grew out of the campaign to restore the casualty unit at Kidderminster Hospital, and the National Health Service is still its primary focus, but the party has since diversified. Since 2015 it has also been known as the Wyre Forest Independent Party and has successfully contested local elections within the Wyre Forest local government area, which includes Kidderminster.

Background

Between the last election in 2012 and the 2014 election there were several changes in the political composition due to defections. Only weeks after the 2012 election, Offmore and Comberton councillor Rose Bishop defected from the Liberals to the Conservatives, taking the Conservatives to exactly half of the seats on the council, with 21 councillors. [3] However, in May 2013 the Conservative councillor for Aggborough and Spennells, John Aston, left the party to sit as an independent after failing to be backed by the Conservatives for the position of vice chairman of the council. [4] Also in May 2013 the Conservative councillor for Mitton, Mike Salter, left the party to become an independent, and then went on to join Health Concern later that year. [5]

In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause, or doctrine to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.

A Councillor is a member of a local government council.

Finally in March 2014, the councillor for Bewdley and Arley Julian Phillips quit the Conservative party to become an independent. [6] These changes meant that before the 2014 election there were 18 Conservative councillors, 9 Health Concern, 8 Labour, 3 Liberals and 3 independents in the Liberal and Independent group, and one other independent councillor. [7]

Bewdley town in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England

Bewdley is a small riverside town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire on the Shropshire border in England, along the Severn Valley a few miles to the west of Kidderminster and 22 miles south west of Birmingham. It lies on the River Severn, at the gateway of the Wyre Forest national nature reserve, and at the time of the 2011 census had a population of 9,470. Bewdley is a popular tourist destination and is known for the Bewdley Bridge designed by Thomas Telford.

Arley, Warwickshire civil parish in Warwickshire

Arley is a civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. The parish includes two settlements, New Arley and Old Arley. Old Arley is to the west of the Bourne Brook and the railway line, and New Arley is to the east.

In April 2014 the council got a new leader after Conservative John Campion resigned and party colleague Marcus Hart was elected to succeed him. [8]

Candidates

14 seats were contested in 2014 with the successful candidates only being elected for one year as the whole council was being elected in 2015 after boundary changes. [7] The Conservatives defended 8 of the 14 seats, with 2 cabinet members standing for re-election, John Campion and Ian Hardiman, while the former Liberal councillor Rose Bishop defended Offmore and Comberton as a Conservative. [7] Of the remaining six seats contested, three were held by Health Concern, with Mike Salter defending Aggborough and Spennells for the party after his move from the Conservatives. [7] However councillor Howard Martin stood in Broadwaters for Labour after originally being elected for Health Concern in 2010. [7]

Cabinet (government) group of high ranking officials, usually representing the executive branch of government

A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the top leaders of the executive branch. Members of a cabinet are usually called Cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a Cabinet varies: in some countries it is a collegiate decision-making body with collective responsibility, while in others it may function either as a purely advisory body or an assisting institution to a decision making head of state or head of government. Cabinets are typically the body responsible for the day-to-day management of the government and response to sudden events, whereas the legislative and judicial branches work in a measured pace, in sessions according to lengthy procedures.

Independent John Aston stood in Aggborough and Spennells after his move from the Conservatives, while the final seat in Greenhill was held by Liberal Tim Ingham before the election. [7] However Ingham stood in Offmore and Comberton at the 2014 election, leaving Rachel Lewis to defend Greenhill for the Liberal Party. [7]

Meanwhile, the UK Independence Party did not have any seats before the election, but stood candidates for all 14 seats that were contested. [9] They were joined by the Conservatives, Health Concern and Labour in contesting every seat, while the Liberal Party, Green Party, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and an independent contested some of the seats. [9]

Election result

The UK Independence Party gained five seats, to get the party's first councillors on Wyre Forest District Council and they came within 100 votes of overtaking the Conservatives in the share of the vote. [10] [11] The gains came from the Conservatives in Franche and Oldington and Foley Park, from Labour in Broadwaters, in Mitton from Health Concern and in Greenhill from the Liberal Party. [10] [12] Despite losing three seats the Conservative party remained the largest party on the council with 15 councillors, but Conservative cabinet member Ian Hardiman was defeated in Habberley and Blakebrook and the vice-chairman of the council Daniel McCann lost in Franche. [10]

Labour became the second largest party on the council with 9 seats after gaining seats in Habberley and Blakebrook and Areley Kings. [10] However they lost Broadwaters to the UK Independence Party and dropped to fourth in vote share with 18% of the vote. [10] Health Concern lost two seats to have seven councillors but won the third most votes, while the Liberals lost a seat in Greenhill to have two councillors. [10] [11] [12] Finally John Aston held Aggborough and Spennells as an independent, meaning there remained four independents on the council. [10] Overall turnout at the election was 36%. [10]

Following the election the unaffiliated independent councillor Julian Phillips joined the Liberal and Independent group, which then formed an alliance with the Conservatives to control the council. [13] Between the 15 Conservatives, 4 independents and 2 Liberals they controlled exactly half of the seats on the council. [13] Conservative Marcus Hart remained leader of the council, with the leader of the Liberal and Independent group Helen Dyke joining the council cabinet. [13]

Wyre Forest local election result 2014 [2] [14]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 503-335.726.26,715-1.6%
  UKIP 550+535.725.86,622+22.5%
  Labour 221+114.318.04,616-8.0%
  Health Concern 102-27.120.85,344-10.4%
  Independent 10007.13.3836-0.6%
  Liberal 001-104.21,083-1.2%
  Green 000001.4352-0.9%
  TUSC 000000.376+0.3%

Ward results

Aggborough and Spennells [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent John Aston83643.4-6.6
Conservative Andrew Tromans33017.1+0.8
UKIP Thomas Wooldridge30916.0+16.0
Health Concern Keith Robertson24812.9-6.6
Labour Conan Norton1558.0-2.5
Green Ronald Lee502.6-1.1
Majority50626.2-4.2
Turnout 1,92836.9+5.5
Independent hold Swing
Areley Kings [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Robert Lloyd55730.6-17.8
UKIP Ian Jones45424.9+24.9
Health Concern Nigel Thomas41222.6-6.6
Conservative Kenneth Henderson40021.9-0.4
Majority1035.7-13.5
Turnout 1,82338.9+5.2
Labour gain from Health Concern Swing
Bewdley and Arley [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Stephen Clee62227.0-14.1
Health Concern Derek Killingworth58325.3-9.7
UKIP John Boden56524.6+24.6
Labour George Court40817.7-6.2
Green Phillip Oliver1225.3+5.3
Majority391.7-4.4
Turnout 2,30043.7+8.8
Conservative hold Swing
Blakedown and Chaddesley [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Pauline Hayward77955.8-22.8
UKIP Adrian Dawes27819.9+19.9
Health Concern Louise Hinett22316.0+16.0
Labour Bernadette Connor1168.3-4.2
Majority50135.9-30.2
Turnout 1,39642.6-6.3
Conservative hold Swing
Broadwaters [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
UKIP Paul Wooldridge63432.9+32.9
Labour Howard Martin47624.7-10.8
Health Concern Peter Young45323.5-14.3
Conservative Sally Chambers30115.6-1.3
Liberal Esther Smart633.3-1.6
Majority1588.2
Turnout 1,92732.1+4.6
UKIP gain from Labour Swing
Franche [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
UKIP Anthony Clent57228.9+17.9
Conservative Daniel McCann55027.8+2.6
Health Concern Caroline Shellie47524.0-1.5
Labour Leroy Wright35317.8-16.4
TUSC Nigel Gilbert291.5+1.5
Majority221.1
Turnout 1,97935.3+4.1
UKIP gain from Conservative Swing
Greenhill [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
UKIP Martin Stooke54029.5+29.5
Health Concern John Rayner37120.3-11.8
Conservative Ruth Gregory33118.1+0.9
Labour Mumshad Ahmed27515.0-11.8
Liberal Rachel Akathiotis1769.6-9.0
Green Victoria Lea1045.7+0.4
TUSC Ingra Kirkland341.9+1.9
Majority1699.2
Turnout 1,83130.4+4.9
UKIP gain from Liberal Swing
Habberley and Blakebrook [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Lynn Hyde66333.3-3.1
Conservative Ian Hardiman50125.2-3.9
UKIP Peter Willoughby47423.8+13.9
Health Concern Anthony Greenfield34117.1-5.3
TUSC Kevin Young130.7+0.7
Majority1628.1+0.8
Turnout 1,99238.1+3.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Lickhill [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Health Concern Dixon Sheppard62233.5-19.4
UKIP Berenice Dawes48226.0+26.0
Conservative David Little46625.1-3.0
Labour David Keogh-Smith28515.4-3.7
Majority1407.5-17.3
Turnout 1,85533.9+4.9
Health Concern hold Swing
Mitton [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
UKIP John Holden66732.7+32.7
Health Concern Michael Salter59529.2-13.5
Conservative Tony Muir46022.6-11.4
Labour Carol Warren31715.5-1.2
Majority723.5
Turnout 2,03934.1+6.1
UKIP gain from Health Concern Swing
Offmore and Comberton [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Rosemary Bishop62329.9+13.9
UKIP William Hopkins55826.7+26.7
Liberal Timothy Ingham35116.8-26.8
Labour Keith Budden30014.4-0.7
Health Concern Christopher Watkins25412.2-13.0
Majority653.1
Turnout 2,08638.5+6.1
Conservative hold Swing
Oldington and Foley Park [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
UKIP Michael Wrench33834.3+19.4
Conservative Nichola Gale24424.8-5.7
Labour Samuel Arnold23624.0-5.9
Health Concern Susan Meekings16717.0-5.2
Majority949.5
Turnout 98526.9+4.3
UKIP gain from Conservative Swing
Sutton Park [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative John-Paul Campion51727.7-14.0
Liberal David Hollyoak45824.5+24.5
UKIP Charlotte Stokes39821.3+8.4
Health Concern James Lawson23012.3-9.5
Labour Paul Connor18710.0-10.1
Green Michael Whitbread764.1+0.6
Majority593.2-16.7
Turnout 1,86632.9+6.2
Conservative hold Swing
Wribbenhall [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Gordon Yarranton59136.1+4.2
Health Concern Linda Candlin36922.6-14.4
UKIP Maurice Alton35321.6+21.6
Labour George Jones28817.6-13.6
Liberal Michael Akathiotis352.1+2.1
Majority22213.6
Turnout 1,63640.4+8.5
Conservative hold Swing

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References

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  2. 1 2 "Results Elections 2014". The Times . NewsBank. 24 May 2014. pp. 88–89.
  3. Tomaney, William (23 May 2012). "Wyre Forest district councillor switches from Liberal to Conservative Party". The Shuttle . Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  4. Brown, Cadisha (30 May 2013). "John Aston quits Tories in bust-up over vice-chairman role at council". The Shuttle . Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  5. Tomaney, William (4 October 2013). "Former Tory joins Health Concern". Redditch & Alcester Advertiser. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  6. Tomany, William (14 March 2014). "Councillor Julian Phillips leaves the Conservative Party". The Shuttle . Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tomaney, William (25 April 2014). "Former leader John Campion one of eight Tories defending Wyre Forest seat next month". The Shuttle . Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  8. Tomaney, William (21 April 2014). "New council leader pledges to give quality for money". The Shuttle . NewsBank.
  9. 1 2 Tomaney, William (12 May 2014). "Parties vie for your votes at election day". The Shuttle . NewsBank.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tomaney, William (23 May 2014). "Wyre Forest political spectrum shifted as UKIP makes gains (From Kidderminster Shuttle)". The Shuttle . Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  11. 1 2 Tomaney, William (28 May 2014). "Tories clung to top spot by fewer than 100 votes in district elections". The Shuttle . NewsBank.
  12. 1 2 "Elections 2014". The Shuttle . Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 Tomaney, William (10 June 2014). "Wyre Forest Tories form ruling political alliance with Liberal and Independent group". The Shuttle . NewsBank.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "2014 Results Breakdown". Wyre Forest District Council. Retrieved 19 April 2015.