1998 Cheltenham Borough Council election

The 1998 Cheltenham Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Cheltenham Borough Council in Gloucestershire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was

Campaign

Before the election the Liberal Democrats held 32 of the 41 seats on the council and were guaranteed to remain in control of the council with only 13 seats being contested.[2] They were defending most of the seats up for election, while another 3 were held by the People Against Bureaucracy Action Group.[2] These 3 seats included 2 where Liberal Democrats councillors had defected to People Against Bureaucracy.[2] Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat leader of the council, Alistair Cameron, stood down at the election.[2]

The campaign saw the Conservatives attack the Liberal Democrats for the level of council tax in Cheltenham and for wasting money.[3]

Election result
Cheltenham Local Election Result 1998[4][5]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 6 +6 46.2 40.6 10,387
  Liberal Democrats 5 -4 38.5 38.8 9,935
  PAB 2 -1 15.4 10.1 2,578
  Labour 0 -1 0 10.2 2,611
  Green 0 0 0 0.3 82

Ward results
All Saints[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Daphne Pennell 807 40.4
Liberal Democrats Patricia Henry 619 31.0
PAB Sally Stringer 371 18.6
Labour Edward Hemmings 200 10.0
Majority 188 9.4
Turnout 1,997 30.2
Charlton Kings[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jennifer Moreton 1,439 55.5
Liberal Democrats Claire Grainger 1,153 44.5
Majority 286 11.0
Turnout 2,592 41.2
College[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Leslie Freeman 1,278 43.3
Liberal Democrats Gareth Barnes 1,225 41.5
PAB Alan Stone 321 10.9
Labour Thomas Wiffen 128 4.3
Majority 53 1.8
Turnout 2,952 44.1
Hatherley & the Reddings[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Diane Blackburn 1,076 43.2
Conservative Paul Simons 1,036 41.6
Labour Christopher Bailey 298 12.0
Green Geoffrey Foster 82 3.3
Majority 40 1.6
Turnout 2,492 32.7
Hesters Way[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Clive Lloyd 865 59.9
Conservative Eric Baylis 305 21.1
Labour William Fawcett 273 18.9
Majority 560 38.8
Turnout 1,443 20.3
Lansdown[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Susan Starling 882 51.6
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Whalley 644 37.7
Labour Robert Irons 184 10.8
Majority 238 13.9
Turnout 1,710 28.0
Leckhampton with Up Hatherley[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robin Macdonald 1,449 57.9
Liberal Democrats Anne Regan 806 32.2
Labour Martin Burford 249 9.9
Majority 643 25.7
Turnout 2,504 38.1
Park[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Duncan Smith 1,372 62.9
Liberal Democrats Yvonne Nicholls 810 37.1
Majority 562 25.8
Turnout 2,182 38.6
Pittville[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAB David Prince 733 33.4
Liberal Democrats Royston Hyett 590 26.9
Labour David Addison 555 25.3
Conservative Nigel Regnier 315 14.4
Majority 143 6.5
Turnout 2,193 38.1
Prestbury[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAB Leslie Godwin 1,153 59.9
Conservative John Walker 504 26.2
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Jones 202 10.5
Labour Philip Greening 66 3.4
Majority 649 33.7
Turnout 1,925 31.8
St Marks[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Brian Cassin 650 62.2
Labour Andre Curtis 205 19.6
Conservative James Stevenson 190 18.2
Majority 445 42.6
Turnout 1,045 21.2
St Pauls[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Heather McLain 640 47.9
Conservative Susan Godwin 513 38.4
Labour Tristan Wood 183 13.7
Majority 127 9.5
Turnout 1,336 22.3
St Peters[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Pat Thornton 655 53.6
Conservative Rachel Murray 297 24.3
Labour Clive Harriss 270 22.1
Majority 358 29.3
Turnout 1,222 20.4

References
  1. "Policy and politics: Local Elections: Analysis: Council poll results". The Guardian. 9 May 1998. p. 16.
  2. Harrison, Stephen (30 April 1998). "Close contest as Labour battles to stay in control. Voters across the Midlands go to the polls next Thursday May 7. Today, Local Government Correspondent Stephen Harrison looks at the looming ballot battle in Gloucestershire". Birmingham Post. p. 4.
  3. "Tories on warpath over Ashdown party's council tax record". Birmingham Post. 21 April 1998. p. 6.
  4. "Local Elections results". The Times. 9 May 1998. p. 46.
  5. "Borough council election 7th May, 1998" (PDF). Cheltenham Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
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