2006 Colchester Borough Council election

The 2006 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Colchester Borough Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]

2006 Colchester Borough Council election
4 May 2006 (2006-05-04)
20 seats (out of 60 seats)
31 seats seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election 28 23
Seats before 28 22
Seats won 30 21
Seat change 2 1
Popular vote 13,951 12,119
Percentage 38.9 33.8
Swing 2.0 0.3
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Labour Independent
Last election 6 3
Seats before 7 3
Seats won 7 2
Seat change 1
Popular vote 4,754 1,986
Percentage 13.3 5.5
Swing 5.0 1.2
Map of the results of the 2006 Colchester council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Labour in red and independents in light grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2006.

After the election, the composition of the council was

Background

Before the election the Conservatives had run the council since the 2004 election and had 28 of the 60 seats on the council.[3] The Liberal Democrats had 22 seats, Labour had 7 seats and there were 3 independents.[3]

20 seats were contested at the election, with the councillors who were defending seats including the Conservative leader of the council, John Jowers, the mayor Terry Sutton and the Liberal Democrat group leader, Colin Sykes.[3] However the Conservatives did not have a candidate in New Town ward due to an error on their candidate's nomination papers.[4] As well as the parties who were defending seats on the council, the Green Party contested every seat for the first time and particularly targeted Castle ward.[3] Independents who stood included Gerard Oxford in Highwoods ward, who was defending a seat he had won as a Liberal Democrat before leaving the party.[3]

Issues

A major issue at the election was the relocation of the bus station to a temporary site, while a new bus station was being built at a new shopping centre.[3] Meanwhile, a Visual Arts Facility (VAF) was being built on the old bus station site.[3] 6 independents stood at the election as part of a Save Our Bus Station Campaign opposing the move, with the Labour party also opposing the building of the VAF on the old bus station site.[3] However the Conservatives said the temporary bus station site would be better than the old site.[3]

Both the Liberal Democrats and Greens called for more recycling, while the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties called for action on street cleaning.[3] The Conservatives meanwhile defending their record in power, pointing to a number of new projects being started including a planned new community stadium.[3]

Election result

The Conservatives made a net gain of 2 seats to have half of the seats on the council with 30 councillors, just falling short of winning a majority.[5] Conservative gains included defeating the Liberal Democrat group leader Colin Sykes, with the Liberal Democrats falling to 21 seats.[5] Labour remained on 7 seats after holding the only seat they had been defending, but polled less than the Greens in a number of wards.[5] Overall turnout at the election was 36.4%.[6]

2006 Colchester Borough Council election[1][6]
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 10 2 50.0 20 30 50.0 13,951 38.9 –2.0
  Liberal Democrats 8 1 40.0 13 21 36.7 12,119 33.8 –0.4
  Labour 1 5.0 6 7 10.0 4,754 13.3 –4.9
  Independent 1 1 5.0 1 2 3.3 1,986 5.5 –1.2
  Green 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 3,061 8.5 New

Ward results
Berechurch[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Terence Sutton 767 42.2 -3.5
Labour John Cooke 587 32.3 +1.8
Conservative Pauline Hazell 328 18.1 -5.7
Green Charles Bather 134 7.4 +7.4
Majority 180 9.9 -5.4
Turnout 1,816 34.0 +5.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Birch & Winstree[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kevin Bentley 1,224 66.6 -5.2
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Longman 325 17.7 +3.6
Labour Abigail Tootal 128 7.0 -6.6
Green Samuel Elliott 108 5.9 +5.9
Independent Jeannine McAndrew 53 2.9 +2.9
Majority 899 48.9 -8.8
Turnout 1,838 42.1 +11.1
Conservative hold Swing
Castle[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christopher Hall 1,122 48.7 -9.2
Green Peter Lynn 522 22.6 +22.6
Conservative Benjamin Twitchen 418 18.1 -9.6
Labour Mark Warner 187 8.1 -6.4
Independent Stephen Miller 57 2.5 +2.5
Majority 600 26.0 -4.2
Turnout 2,306 41.5 +6.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Christ Church[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Nicholas Cope 615 43.7 -4.3
Conservative Andrew Bright 468 33.3 -9.3
Green Alexander Cave 245 17.4 +17.4
Labour David Hough 79 5.6 -3.4
Majority 147 10.4 +10.0
Turnout 1,407 48.3 +4.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Fordham & Stour[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Arnold 942 66.6 -5.3
Liberal Democrats Barry Woodward 176 12.4 -2.1
Labour Christopher Aldous 119 8.4 -4.6
Green Clarice Mort 114 8.1 +8.1
Independent Jack Pooley 63 4.5 +4.5
Majority 766 54.2 -3.2
Turnout 1,414 36.7 +9.1
Conservative hold Swing
Harbour[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Patricia Blandon 762 63.8 +12.6
Conservative Anne Allan 216 18.1 -7.1
Labour Rossanna Trudgian 139 11.6 -12.1
Green Timothy Glover 77 6.4 +6.4
Majority 546 45.7 +19.7
Turnout 1,194 29.7 +2.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Highwoods[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Gerard Oxford 1,147 58.2 +15.7
Liberal Democrats David Offen 299 15.2 -11.5
Conservative Susan Harper 293 14.9 -7.4
Labour Julia Thomas 148 7.5 -1.1
Green Keith Brooke 84 4.3 +4.3
Majority 848 43.0 +27.2
Turnout 1,971 32.6 +2.3
Independent hold Swing
Lexden[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sonia Lewis 1,282 65.8 +3.5
Liberal Democrats Gwendoline Ilott 385 19.8 -9.9
Green Peter Appleton 105 5.4 +5.4
Labour Luke Dopson 103 5.3 -2.7
Independent Susan Francis 73 3.7 +3.7
Majority 897 46.0 +13.4
Turnout 1,948 47.1 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing
Mile End[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Taylor 939 46.2 +0.1
Liberal Democrats Michael Turrell 791 38.9 -3.8
Green Mary Bryan 130 6.4 +6.4
Labour Janet Smith 125 6.2 -5.0
Independent Edmund Chinnery 46 2.3 +2.3
Majority 148 7.3 +3.9
Turnout 2,031 38.5 +10.2
Conservative hold Swing
New Town[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Theresa Higgins 1,029 65.4 +10.1
Green Maria Iacovou 339 21.5 +21.5
Labour Scott Harris 206 13.1 -4.1
Majority 690 43.8 +16.0
Turnout 1,574 28.8 +0.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Prettygate[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Susan Lissimore 1,368 53.6 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Paul Sheppard 885 34.7 -8.5
Labour Michael Dale 186 7.3 -0.5
Green Beverley Maltby 115 4.5 +4.5
Majority 483 18.9 +13.2
Turnout 2,554 43.7 -1.1
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Pyefleet[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Davidson 532 61.4 -5.5
Liberal Democrats Carolyn Catney 108 12.5 -20.6
Independent Timothy Oxton 100 11.5 +11.5
Green Tobie Glenny 67 7.7 +7.7
Labour Barbara Nichols 60 6.9 +6.9
Majority 424 48.9 +15.0
Turnout 867 42.4 -0.6
Conservative hold Swing
St Andrew's[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julie Young 922 53.4 +0.6
Liberal Democrats Peter Simpson 504 29.2 +4.9
Conservative Alexander Wilson 215 12.4 -10.5
Green Sophie Lovejoy 87 5.0 +5.0
Majority 418 24.2 -4.4
Turnout 1,728 28.2 +5.9
Labour hold Swing
St. Anne's[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Hogg 1,071 51.8 -2.9
Labour Kim Naish 546 26.4 +6.6
Conservative Shahid Husain 284 13.7 -11.8
Green Lucy Glover 166 8.0 +8.0
Majority 525 25.4 -3.9
Turnout 2,067 32.7 +4.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St. John's[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Raymond Gamble 1,105 61.8 +6.4
Conservative Simon Lucas 523 29.2 -5.8
Labour Hugh Thomas 82 4.6 -4.9
Green Annick Collins-Leyssen 79 4.4 +4.4
Majority 582 32.5 +12.1
Turnout 1,789 43.4 +3.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Shrub End[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Linda Barton 793 42.0 +5.6
Conservative Winifred Foster 637 33.7 -4.7
Labour David Canning 370 19.6 -5.7
Green Walter Schwarz 90 4.8 +4.8
Majority 156 8.3
Turnout 1,890 32.8 -1.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Stanway[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gaye Pyman 1,000 44.0 -3.7
Liberal Democrats Colin Sykes 956 42.0 +3.0
Labour John Spademan 193 8.5 -4.7
Green Pamela Nelson 125 5.5 +5.5
Majority 44 1.9 -6.8
Turnout 2,274 38.2 +2.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Tiptree[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Elliott 974 54.4 +13.4
Independent Helen Bunney 271 15.1 -17.7
Labour Audrey Spencer 261 14.6 -11.6
Liberal Democrats John Stevens 173 9.7 +9.7
Green Katherine Bamforth 110 6.1 +6.1
Majority 703 39.3 +31.1
Turnout 1,789 30.4 -7.5
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Willetts 919 63.6 -2.8
Liberal Democrats John Stevens 253 17.5 -2.9
Green Roger Bamforth 158 10.9 +10.9
Labour Ian Yates 114 7.9 -4.9
Majority 666 46.1 +0.1
Turnout 1,444 38.2 +7.9
Conservative hold Swing
West Mersea[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Jowers 1,389 70.5 -0.5
Green Christopher Fox 206 10.5 +10.5
Labour James Spencer 199 10.1 -4.7
Independent John Coombes 176 8.9 +8.9
Majority 1,183 60.1 +3.9
Turnout 1,970 34.8 -3.8
Conservative hold Swing

References
  1. "BBC News Vote 2006 Colchester Council". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  2. "UK local election results". Financial Times. NewsBank. 5 May 2006.
  3. Ashworth, Roddy (2 May 2006). "Greens eye up Colchester". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  4. Davidson, Annie (2 May 2006). "Mix-up leaves party without candidate". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  5. Weatherill, Tom (5 May 2006). "Colchester: Tories edge towards majority". Daily Gazette. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  6. "Summary of Results". Colchester Borough Council. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  7. Weatherill, Tom (4 May 2006). "Colchester: Council election results, May 4, 2006". Daily Gazette. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
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