2002 Eastbourne Borough Council election

The 2002 Eastbourne Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2002 to elect members of Eastbourne Borough Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2000 reducing the number of seats by 3.[1] The Liberal Democrats gained overall control of the council from the Conservative Party.[2]

Map of the results of the 2002 Eastbourne Borough Council election. Liberal Democrats in yellow and Conservatives in blue.

Background

Before the election the Conservatives controlled the council with 18 seats, compared to 12 for the Liberal Democrats.[3] The whole council was elected after boundary changes reduced the number of wards from 10 to 9 and the number of councillors from 30 to 27.[3]

Election result

The Liberal Democrats gained a majority of 3 on the council with 15 seats, compared to 12 for the Conservatives.[4] Over a quarter of the Liberal Democrat councillors elected were new to the role,[5] with the Liberal Democrat gains in Old Town and St Anthony's wards being reported as crucial to them taking control.[4][6] Overall turnout at the election was 33.9%,[7] up from 30.9% in 2000.[8]

The Liberal Democrat success was put down to controversy over the Old Town library, issues such as anti-social behaviour and abandoned cars, and boundary changes.[4]

Eastbourne local election result 2002[9][2]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 15 +3 55.6 49.3 32,996 +13.9%
  Conservative 12 -6 44.4 41.4 27,700 -15.7%
  Labour 0 0 0 5.0 3,356 -1.3%
  Green 0 0 0 3.3 2,241 +2.9%
  Independent 0 0 0 0.5 321 +0.5%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0.5 303 +0.5%

Ward results
Devonshire (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Beryl Healy 1,600
Liberal Democrats Beryl Teso 1,480
Liberal Democrats Neil Stanley 1,462
Conservative Martin Charlton 515
Conservative Sandra Elkin 500
Conservative Diane Leagas 453
Green Daniel Richardson 269
Labour Peter Tucker 223
Turnout 6,502 27.9
Hampden Park (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mary Pooley 1,278
Liberal Democrats Michael Thompson 1,149
Liberal Democrats Olive Woodall 1,145
Labour Nora Ring 523
Labour David Brinson 514
Labour Martin Falkner 451
Conservative Jeanie Sowerby 328
Conservative Pamela Cook 321
Conservative Russell Riseley 312
Green Leslie Dalton 114
Green Finbar O'Shea 112
Green Richard Luxford 79
Turnout 6,326 29.2
Langney (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christopher Berry 1,255
Liberal Democrats Irene Sims 1,178
Liberal Democrats Robert Slater 1,118
Conservative Alexander Richards 596
Conservative Iain Andrews 574
Conservative Thomas Walters 554
Labour John Morrison 139
Labour Jonathan Pettigrew 109
Green Christine Quarrington 86
Turnout 5,609 25.8
Meads (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Stevens 2,001
Conservative Barry Taylor 1,967
Conservative David Elkin 1,949
Liberal Democrats Beverley Berry 731
Liberal Democrats Margaret Ticehurst 686
Liberal Democrats Kevin Aylott 662
Green Clive Gross 351
Labour John Pettigrew 280
UKIP Kenneth Alderton 174
UKIP Royston Maryan 129
Turnout 8,930 38.9
Old Town (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Albert Leggett 2,161
Liberal Democrats Maurice Skilton 2,153
Liberal Democrats John Creaven 1,942
Conservative Ian Lucas 1,252
Conservative Simon Herbert 1,166
Conservative John Stanbury 1,156
Green Liam Stevens 408
Labour Robert Rossetter 216
Independent Michael Phipp 146
Turnout 10,600 45.0
Ratton (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin Belsey 1,641
Conservative Barbara Goodall 1,628
Conservative Sandie Howlett 1,564
Liberal Democrats Jacqueline Harris 806
Liberal Democrats Penelope Cunliffe-Lister 793
Liberal Democrats Mary Shmoller 661
Labour David Buck 295
Green Nancy Dalton 242
Turnout 7,630 35.4
St Anthony's (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Tutt 2,005
Liberal Democrats John Harris 1,987
Liberal Democrats Norman Marsh 1,907
Conservative Sheila Charlton 827
Conservative John Davidson 762
Conservative John Wilton 705
Labour Helen Sedgewick 221
Green Robert Sier 164
Turnout 8,578 35.8
Sovereign (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Bowker 1,001
Conservative Christopher Williams 970
Conservative Patrick Warner 925
Liberal Democrats Alan Carroll 648
Liberal Democrats Michael Bloom 638
Liberal Democrats Richard Ellis 632
Independent Linus Gunning 175
Labour Jacqueline Pilkington 172
Green Jocelyn McCarthy 124
Turnout 5,285 31.8
Upperton (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Graham Marsden 1,390
Conservative Robert Lacey 1,332
Conservative Ann Murray 1,311
Liberal Democrats Troy Tester 989
Liberal Democrats Brian Whitby 966
Liberal Democrats Stuart Pritcher 964
Green Susan Montague 292
Labour Michael Tucker 213
Turnout 7,457 34.0

References
  1. "Eastbourne". BBC News Online. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  2. "Local Elections in England: 2 May 2002" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  3. "Tories battle for lead". The Argus. 2 May 2002. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  4. "Elated LibDems back in power". Eastbourne Herald. 3 May 2002. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  5. "A fresh start for Eastbourne". Eastbourne Herald. 8 May 2002. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  6. "Lib Dems seize power". The Argus. 3 May 2002. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  7. "Results of elections held Thursday 1 May 2003". Eastbourne Borough Council. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  8. "Eastbourne Borough Council Election Results - 4 May 2000". Eastbourne Borough Council. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  9. "Results of elections held Thursday 2 May 2002". Eastbourne Borough Council. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
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