Jump to content

2004 Rushmoor Borough Council election

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Results of the 2004 Rushmoor Borough Council election

The2004 Rushmoor Council electiontook place on 10 June 2004 to elect members ofRushmoorBoroughCouncil inHampshire,England.One third of the council was up for election and theConservative Partystayed in overall control of the council.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Campaign

[edit]

14 seats were contested in the election–a third of the council–with the Conservatives defending 9, theLiberal Democrats3 andLabour2.[3]Apart from candidates from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Labour,GreenandEnglish Democratparties[4]which had stood candidates in the2003 election,there were also 3 members of theBritish National Partystanding in Rushmoor for the first time.[5]They stood in 3Farnboroughwards,Fernhill, Grange and Mayfield.[5]

2independentcandidates also contested the election.[4]Rosemary Possee stood as an independent in Empress ward, where she had previously served as acouncillorfor the Conservatives before being de-selected, challenging the official Conservative candidate Patricia Hodge.[4]The other independent candidate,taxidriver Roger Watkins, stood in Wellington ward.[6]Watkins was investigated by the police over claims that some signatures on his nomination form had not been made by the voters themselves; however the police concluded there was no problem and Watkins accused his rivals of dirty tricks.[6]

The contest in Heronwood ward also caused controversy after a leaflet from the Conservative candidate Eddie Poole accused the Liberal Democrat candidate Peter Sandy of "bully boy tactics".[3]Sandy complained to council officials over the leaflet, which he described as a slur, but Poole said he stood by the comment.[3]

Election result

[edit]

The results saw the Conservatives remain in control of the council with 24 of the 42 seats, but the Liberal Democrats did gain 2 to hold 12 seats.[7]One of the gains came in Manor Park where Liberal Democrat George Paparesti returned to the council 2 years after losing his seat in the2002 election.[8]The other gain came in Heron Wood, which had been regarded as the safest Labour seat on the council, but saw Liberal Democrat Peter Sandy win by 88 votes defeating the Labour mayor of the council Frank Rust.[8]This meant Labour was reduced to just 5 seats on the council, with the party's candidates having finished fourth in 4 Farnborough wards.[8]

No other seats changed parties, but there were close results in St Marks where the Conservatives held the seat by 12 votes over the Liberal Democrats and in Cove and Southwood where the Liberal Democrats held on by 38 votes over the Conservatives.[7]Rosemary Possee failed to win re-election in Empress ward as an independent, being beaten into third place with the Conservatives holding the seat.[7]Overallturnoutin the election was 36.5% up from the 31% seen in 2003 and boosted by an 80% increase inpostal votes.[7]

The result in Heron Wood caused controversy with the defeated Labour candidate Frank Rust blamingTony Blair's support for theIraq Warfor his defeat.[7]Meanwhile, the ConservativeMember of ParliamentforAldershotGerald Howarthcriticised the winning Liberal Democrat Peter Sandy for not attending the count[9]and said that "It’s a pretty poor show. I do not feel he will be an asset to Heronwood".[10]Peter Sandy, who is disabled, said that he had been unable to attend the count as the battery on his wheelchair was flat[8]and he was defended by his fellow Liberal Democrats.[9]

Rushmoor Local Election Result 2004[11][12]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
Conservative 8 0 1 -1 57.1 43.7 9,448 -1.1%
Liberal Democrats 5 2 0 +2 35.7 31.2 6,733 -2.0%
Labour 1 0 1 -1 7.1 17.5 3,774 +0.0%
BNP 0 0 0 0 0 2.7 587 +2.7%
Independent 0 0 0 0 0 2.3 506 -0.1%
Green 0 0 0 0 0 1.4 296 +0.0%
English Democrat 0 0 0 0 0 1.2 270 +0.5%

Ward results

[edit]
Cove & Southwood[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Matthews 742 47.5 −1.7
Conservative David Thomas 704 45.0 +6.2
Labour Edward Shelton 117 7.5 −1.8
Majority 38 2.4 −8.0
Turnout 1,563 37 +3
Liberal Democratshold Swing
Empress[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patricia Hodge 886 44.9 −11.3
Liberal Democrats Leola Card 469 23.8 −8.1
Independent Rosemary Possee 434 22.0 +22.0
Labour Christopher Wright 184 9.3 −2.6
Majority 417 21.1 −3.2
Turnout 1,973 44 +6
Conservativehold Swing
Fernhill[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Marsh 734 51.1 +0.6
Liberal Democrats Martin Howell 340 23.7 −12.2
BNP Cheryl Glass 203 14.1 +14.1
Labour Martin Coule 159 11.1 −2.5
Majority 394 27.4 +12.8
Turnout 1,436 35 +6
Conservativehold Swing
Grange[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Masterson 591 40.9 −11.0
Liberal Democrats Hazel Manning 351 24.3 +8.2
Labour Stella Olivier 302 20.9 −5.0
BNP Janette Pedrick 201 13.9 +13.9
Majority 240 16.6 −9.3
Turnout 1,445 36 +1
Conservativehold Swing
Heron Wood[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Sandy 577 38.0 +20.2
Labour Peter Rust 489 32.2 −14.8
Conservative Edmund Poole 454 29.9 −5.3
Majority 88 5.8
Turnout 1,520 34 +7
Liberal DemocratsgainfromLabour Swing
Knellwood[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Taylor 1,043 59.0 +12.6
Liberal Democrats Guy Eaglestone 517 29.2 +5.3
Labour William Tootill 208 11.8 +4.4
Majority 526 29.8 +7.3
Turnout 1,768 44 +5
Conservativehold Swing
Manor Park[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats George Paparesti 793 46.1 +4.2
Conservative Andrew Hankins 749 43.6 −1.6
Labour June Smith 177 10.3 −2.6
Majority 44 2.5
Turnout 1,719 39.9 +6.2
Liberal DemocratsgainfromConservative Swing
Mayfield[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Charles Fraser-Fleming 630 51.4 −6.3
Conservative Deborah Frew 239 19.5 +0.3
BNP Warren Glass 183 14.9 +14.9
Labour Clive Grattan 173 14.1 −9.1
Majority 391 31.9 −2.6
Turnout 1,225 31 +5
Liberal Democratshold Swing
North Town[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Susan Dibble 787 53.6 +12.3
Conservative Eric Neal 421 28.7 −2.5
Liberal Democrats Simon Burfield 163 11.1 −9.7
Green Adam Stacey 98 6.7 0.0
Majority 366 24.9 +14.8
Turnout 1,469 34 +6
Labourhold Swing
Rowhill[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Welch 881 54.3 +0.5
Labour Jill Clark 352 21.7 +3.6
Liberal Democrats Philip Thompson 237 14.6 −7.2
Green Julia Fowler 152 9.4 +3.1
Majority 529 32.6 +0.5
Turnout 1,622 40 +7
Conservativehold Swing
St John's[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Moyle 924 61.7 −0.7
Liberal Democrats Margaret Jupp 361 24.1 −13.5
Labour Sean Clarke 212 14.2 +14.2
Majority 563 37.6 +12.9
Turnout 1,497 35 +10
Conservativehold Swing
St Mark's[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Baines 770 45.4 −0.4
Liberal Democrats Alistair Mackie 758 44.7 +1.0
Labour Barry Jones 169 10.0 −0.5
Majority 12 0.7 −1.4
Turnout 1,697 36.9 +5.5
Conservativehold Swing
Wellington[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Watkin 453 45.3 −2.3
Labour Alexandra Crawford 291 29.1 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Nickolas Burfield 139 13.9 −4.1
Independent Roger Watkins 72 7.2 +7.2
Green Samantha Stacey 46 4.6 −2.1
Majority 162 16.2 −3.8
Turnout 1,001 23 +4
Conservativehold Swing
West Heath[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Linda Neal 656 39.1 −5.7
Conservative Roderick Baulk 599 35.7 −2.2
English Democrat Gary Cowd 270 16.1 +8.1
Labour Philip Collins 154 9.2 −0.2
Majority 57 3.4 −3.5
Turnout 1,679 41 +4
Liberal Democratshold Swing

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Rushmoor council".BBC News Online.Retrieved20 September2010.
  2. ^"Elections 2004: Results at a glance".The Guardian.12 June 2004. p. 10.
  3. ^abc"Candidate's leaflet sparks a 'dirty tricks' row".gethampshire. 8 June 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2012.Retrieved21 September2010.
  4. ^abc"Deselections no bar to political ambition".ggethampshire. 19 May 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 4 October 2011.Retrieved21 September2010.
  5. ^ab"British National Party candidates to stand for three Rushmoor seats".gethampshire. 18 May 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2012.Retrieved21 September2010.
  6. ^ab"Cabbie vows to win poll".gethampshire. 19 May 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2012.Retrieved21 September2010.
  7. ^abcde"Ousted after seven years".gethampshire. 15 June 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2012.Retrieved22 September2010.
  8. ^abcdefghijklmnopqr"Mayor ousted".Reading Post.18 June 2004.Retrieved22 September2010.
  9. ^ab"Row over new councillor".gethampshire. 24 June 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2012.Retrieved22 September2010.
  10. ^"Shock defeat for the mayor".gethampshire. 15 June 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2012.Retrieved22 September2010.
  11. ^abcdefghijklmno"Election results - 10 June 2004".Rushmoor Borough Council. Archived fromthe originalon 19 October 2007.Retrieved20 September2010.
  12. ^"Ballot box".The Times.12 June 2004. p. 26.
Preceded by
2003 Rushmoor Council election 		Rushmoor local elections Succeeded by
2006 Rushmoor Council election
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2004_Rushmoor_Borough_Council_election&oldid=1223166989"