2007 Eastbourne Borough Council election

The 2007 Eastbourne Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Eastbourne Borough Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats gained overall control of the council from the Conservative party.[1]

Map of the results of the 2007 Eastbourne Borough Council election. Liberal Democrats in yellow and Conservatives in blue.

Background

After the 2006 election the Conservatives controlled the council with a majority of 3,[2] with 15 seats, compared to 12 for the Liberal Democrats.[3] For 2007 the council changed from the previous system whereby a third of the council was elected each year, to instead have the whole council elected every 4 years, after a unanimous vote by the council.[2] Earlier in 2007 Norman Marsh left the Liberal Democrats to sit as an independent, while Liberal Democrat Irene Sims resigned from the council.[2]

A record 89 candidates stood at the election,[3] up from the previous high of 81 in 2002 when the entire council was last elected.[2] Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats stood a full 27 candidates, compared to 12 for Labour, 9 Green Party and 5 UK Independence Party.[2] Councillors standing down at the election included Conservatives Patrick Bowker and David Stevens, Liberal Democrat Robert Slater and independent Norman Marsh.[3]

Election result

The Liberal Democrats made 9 gains to take control of the council from the Conservatives[4] for the first time since 2004, with 8 of the gains being from the Conservatives.[5] The Liberal Democrats gained seats in Old Town, Sovereign and Upperton wards to hold 20 seats and have a majority of 13, while the Conservatives were reduced to 7 seats.[6] The Conservatives losses included the leader of the council, Ian Lucas, in Old Town and the cabinet member for finance, Chris Williams, in Sovereign.[7] Overall turnout at the election was 42.26%,[8] compared to 40.70% in 2006.[9]

The Liberal Democrat victory was attributed to the introduction of parking charges in Eastbourne by Conservative controlled East Sussex County Council and to a decision by borough councillors to increase their expenses by 52%.[6] Following the election David Tutt became the new leader of the council, while the national Liberal Democrat Menzies Campbell came to Eastbourne to celebrate the result.[10][11][12]

Eastbourne local election result 2007[8]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 20 9 0 +9 74.1 48.6 40,571 +8.1%
  Conservative 7 0 8 -8 25.9 41.9 34,975 -4.6%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 5.8 4,846 -2.1%
  Labour 0 0 0 0 0 2.6 2,211 -2.5%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 1.1 909 +1.1%
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0 0 0 N/A

Ward results
Devonshire (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Margaret Bannister 1,598
Liberal Democrats Neil Stanley 1,442
Liberal Democrats Steven Wallis 1,395
Conservative Camilla Lau 632
Conservative Sandra Elkin 619
Conservative Marco Giorgi 569
Green Simon Payne 229
Green Zoe Vonderdell 224
Labour Keith Gell 160
UKIP Len Richardson 157
Labour Richard Goude 154
Turnout 7,179 34.5 -0.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Hampden Park (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mary Pooley 1,338
Liberal Democrats Olive Woodall 1,277
Liberal Democrats Mike Thompson 1,138
Conservative Christopher Brenchley 555
Conservative Bill Bailey 499
Conservative Milly Skriczka 417
Labour Ann Ring 274
Labour David Brinson 230
Green Leslie Dalton 208
Labour David Salmon 197
Green Finn O'Shea 181
Green Ivor Hueting 164
Turnout 6,478 31.9 -1.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Langney (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Harun Miah 1,453
Liberal Democrats Troy Tester 1,333
Liberal Democrats Daniel Purchese 1,310
Conservative Tony Freebody 912
Conservative Marcus Maddison-White 826
Conservative John Stanbury 806
Green Chris Quarrington 192
Labour Colin Akers 174
Green Amy Erridge 163
Turnout 7,169 34.0 +1.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Meads (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Barry Taylor 2,407
Conservative David Elkin 2,387
Conservative Nigel Goodyear 2,329
Liberal Democrats Margaret Ticehurst 729
Liberal Democrats Jean Fisher 692
Liberal Democrats Brendan Creaven 681
Green Kate Arnold 457
Green Harry Boys 375
Green Dorothy Forsyth 299
Labour Dennis Scard 220
Turnout 10,576 47.9 -1.8
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Old Town (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Carolyn Heaps 2,202
Liberal Democrats Andrew Goodwin 2,007
Liberal Democrats Gregory Szanto 1,939
Conservative Anne Angel 1,890
Conservative Ian Lucas 1,772
Conservative Simon Herbert 1,667
Green Clive Gross 681
UKIP Anne Chambers 191
Labour Ann Cottrell 190
Turnout 12,539 54.8 +4.3
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Ratton (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin Belsey 2,076
Conservative Barbara Goodall 1,970
Conservative Sandie Howlett 1,920
Liberal Democrats Patricia Hearn 1,184
Liberal Democrats John Moore 1,128
Liberal Democrats Brian Staker 1,023
Green Nancy Dalton 332
UKIP Ken Alderton 270
Green Kev Moore 240
Labour Jim Nolan 172
Turnout 10,315 48.3 +1.7
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
St Anthony's (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Tutt 2,344
Liberal Democrats Jon Harris 2,242
Liberal Democrats Gill Mattock 2,193
Conservative Jane Challen 766
Conservative Tom Stoddart 735
Conservative Susan Steinberg 710
Green Hugh Norris 199
Labour Ian Culshaw 170
Green Rob Sier 156
Turnout 9,515 41.3 +1.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Sovereign (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Susan Morris 1,762
Liberal Democrats Michael Bloom 1,756
Liberal Democrats Margaret Salsbury 1,692
Conservative Patrick Warner 1,379
Conservative Tracy Moles 1,298
Conservative Christopher Williams 1,294
Green Jocelyn McCarthy 269
Labour David Mieres 121
Turnout 9,571 39.0 +2.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Upperton (3 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alex Hough 1,610
Liberal Democrats Rebecca Madell 1,573
Conservative Graham Marsden 1,557
Conservative Bob Lacey 1,534
Liberal Democrats Pat Rodohan 1,530
Conservative Ann Murray 1,449
Green Stephanie Lewis 253
Green Liam Stephens 224
Labour Elizabeth Goude 149
UKIP Geraldine Mackillop 146
UKIP Paul Murden 145
Turnout 10,170 46.3 +5.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Conservative hold Swing

References
  1. "Eastbourne". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  2. "90 candidates stand for election". Eastbourne Herald. 5 April 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  3. Marzouk, Lawrence (20 April 2007). "Eastbourne's make-up may change". The Argus. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  4. "The new political map of Britain". The Independent. 5 May 2007. p. 1.
  5. "Lib Dems gain power in Eastbourne". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  6. Whelan, Andy (4 May 2007). "Lib Dem landslide in Eastbourne". The Argus. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  7. "Lib Dems 20, Tories 7". Eastbourne Herald. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  8. "Election Results 2007". Eastbourne Borough Council. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  9. "Results of elections held Thursday 4 May 2006". Eastbourne Borough Council. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  10. "Lib Dems celebrate victory in Eastbourne". The Argus. 5 May 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  11. "In pictures: English elections 2007". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  12. "Ming joins the celebration". Eastbourne Herald. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
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