2010 West Lancashire Borough Council election

The 2010 West Lancashire Borough Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of West Lancashire Borough Council in Lancashire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

Main article: West Lancashire Borough Council elections

After the election, the composition of the council was

Background

Since the council was created in 1973 West Lancashire has alternated between the Conservative and Labour parties.[3] The Conservatives gained control of the council in the 2002 election and since then had increased their majority.[3] This meant that before the 2010 election the Conservatives held 33 of the 54 seats on the council as compared to 16 for Labour, 2 independents and a number of vacancies.[3] The third party nationally, the Liberal Democrats, had no councillors in West Lancashire and did not stand any candidates in the election.[3]

Campaign

19 seats were being contested in the 2010 election, including the normal 18 seats and one by-election.[3] The by-election in Scott ward came after the resignation of Conservative Geoff Hammond in March,[4] meaning that 2 councillors would be elected from the ward in 2010.[3] As well as the Conservative and Labour parties, there were also several Green party candidates and one English Democrat who was standing in Ashurst ward.[3]

The Conservatives' strong majority before the election meant it was seen as being almost certain that they would remain in control of the council.[3] They were defending 14 of the 19 seats being contested, but were still hoping to make some gains.[3] The Conservatives pointed to their record in freezing Council Tax, while making improvements in services and local parks.[3]

Meanwhile, Labour pointed to their candidates and the increased turnout due to the election taking place at the same time as the general election, as factors leading them to hope they would make gains.[3] They targeted the wards of Burscough East, Burscough West and Scott, while also hoping to make progress elsewhere in the north of the council.[3]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives stay in control of the council despite losing 3 council seats to reduce their majority to 8 seats.[5] Labour gained the 3 seats from the Conservatives in Burscough West and both seats in Scott ward, with Labour's 41 vote majority in Burscough West being the most marginal of the election.[4] Labour also regained a seat in Up Holland, where the former councillor, David Phythian, had served as an independent after having been suspended from Labour in 2007 due to racist comments.[4] However the Conservative group leader, Ian Grant, was among those who held their seats with the Conservatives remaining safely in control of the council.[4]

West Lancashire Local Election Result 2010[6]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 11 0 3 -3 57.9 47.5 22,328 -6.7%
  Labour 8 4 0 +4 42.1 48.8 22,930 +12.0%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 3.0 1,402 -0.1%
  English Democrat 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 353 +0.8%
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0 0 0 -

Ward results
Ashurst[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Yvonne Gagen 2,109 69.5 +18.3
Conservative David Gallagher 574 18.9 -10.1
English Democrat Stephen Bennett 353 11.6 +11.6
Majority 1,535 50.6 +28.4
Turnout 3,036 63.1 +41.6
Labour hold Swing
Aughton & Downholland[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David O'Toole 1,871 57.7 -7.3
Labour Paul Hennessy 1,372 42.3 +24.0
Majority 499 15.4 -31.3
Turnout 3,243 72.5 +35.8
Conservative hold Swing
Aughton Park[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Grant 1,511 68.7 -12.1
Labour Kate Ainscough 688 31.3 +12.1
Majority 823 37.4 -24.2
Turnout 2,199 70.6 +35.2
Conservative hold Swing
Burscough East[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ruth Melling 1,192 53.1 -12.5
Labour Roger Bell 1,054 46.9 +12.5
Majority 138 6.1 -25.2
Turnout 2,246 68.5 +33.9
Conservative hold Swing
Burscough West[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Davis 1,307 50.8 +9.4
Conservative David Griffiths 1,266 49.2 -9.4
Majority 41 1.6
Turnout 2,573 66.3 +29.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Derby[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Greenall 1,396 46.0 -15.8
Labour John Fillis 1,195 39.4 +16.4
Green Anne Doyle 445 14.7 -0.5
Majority 201 6.6 -32.2
Turnout 3,036 58.2 +29.1
Conservative hold Swing
Hesketh-with-Becconsall[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Ashcroft 1,339 68.6
Labour Lucy Hodson 612 31.4
Majority 727 37.3
Turnout 1,951 62.7
Conservative hold Swing
Knowsley[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Val Hopley 1,535 48.6 -15.2
Labour Judith Hanlon 1,331 42.1 +19.4
Green John Watt 292 9.2 -4.2
Majority 204 6.5 -34.6
Turnout 3,158 72.1 +36.7
Conservative hold Swing
Moorside[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julie Gibson 1,298 83.4 +8.9
Conservative Graham Jones 259 16.6 -8.9
Majority 1,039 66.7 +17.8
Turnout 1,557 56.9 +34.2
Labour hold Swing
Newburgh[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Pope 832 66.9 -5.8
Labour Jacqueline Citarella 411 33.1 +16.1
Majority 421 33.9 -21.7
Turnout 1,243 78.0 +33.5
Conservative hold Swing
North Meols[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Baldock 1,192 65.1 +5.9
Labour John Hodson 638 34.9 +20.6
Majority 554 30.3 -2.4
Turnout 1,830 57.7 +28.5
Conservative hold Swing
Parbold[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Barbara Kean 1,477 63.1 -15.1
Labour Clare Gillard 864 36.9 +15.1
Majority 613 26.2 -30.1
Turnout 2,341 76.9 +36.1
Conservative hold Swing
Scarisbrick[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Cropper 1,480 69.3 +16.0
Labour Susan Jones 657 30.7 +17.0
Majority 823 38.5 +10.6
Turnout 2,137 70.9 +34.4
Conservative hold Swing
Scott (2)[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Noel Delaney 1,500
Labour Steve Hanlon 1,379
Conservative David Meadows 1,127
Conservative Sarah Ainscough 898
Green Maurice George 408
Turnout 5,312 67.3 +32.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Skelmersdale South[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian McKay 2,228 73.3 +6.6
Conservative Amanda Shaw 554 18.2 -15.1
Green Martin Lowe 257 8.5 +8.5
Majority 1,674 55.1 +21.8
Turnout 3,039 61.8 +38.5
Labour hold Swing
Tanhouse[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Pendleton 1,416 76.6 +24.4
Conservative Cindy Miller 433 23.4 -24.4
Majority 983 53.2 +48.8
Turnout 1,849 55.2 +32.5
Labour hold Swing
Tarleton[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Kay 2,000 67.9 -19.8
Labour Gail Hodson 944 32.1 +19.8
Majority 1,056 35.9 -39.4
Turnout 2,944 66.0 +27.1
Conservative hold Swing
Up Holland[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian Moran 1,927 58.1 +15.2
Conservative Jonathan Kirkby 1,392 41.9 -1.2
Majority 535 16.1
Turnout 3,319 68.0 +33.6
Labour gain from Independent Swing

References
  1. "West Lancashire". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  2. "Conservatives keep West Lancashire control after Labour gains". Ormskirk & Skelmersdale Advertiser. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  3. "Tories favourites in two-party race for control; Local election profile: West Lancashire: Local election". Liverpool Daily Post. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  4. "Tories hold on in West Lancs". Liverpool Echo. 8 May 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  5. "Lib-Dem losses reflect party's national nosedive". Liverpool Daily Post. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  6. "Elected Members - Borough Council Election 2010". West Lancashire Borough Council. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  7. "Election 2010: Your comprehensive guide to all the local council results". Liverpool Echo. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
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