2003 Rushmoor Borough Council election

The 2003 Rushmoor Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Rushmoor Borough Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Campaign

One third of the seats were being elected with the third placed councillor in the 2002 election having their seat be contested.[3] While a couple of former councillors were attempting to win seats back, George Paparesti for the Liberal Democrats in Manor Park and Stella Olivier for Labour in Grange,[3] Labour's group leader Andy Straker stood down at the election and did not defend his seat in North Town.[4] Apart from the 3 main political parties there were also 3 Green, 1 English Democrat and 2 independent candidates.[3]

Rushmoor was one of 18 councils which trialed electronic voting in the 2003 local elections.[5]

Election result

The results saw no seats change hands with the Conservatives keeping their majority on the council.[6] The closest results came in St Mark's ward where Conservative Diane Bedford held on by 30 votes over the Liberal Democrats after a recount and in Manor Park where again the Conservatives finished 47 votes ahead of the Liberal Democrats.[6] Labour held their 2 seats in Heron Wood and North Town with reduced majorities but did not make any gains.[6] Overall turnout in the election was 31%.[7]

Following the election John Marsh remained the leader of the council and Conservatives after defeating a challenge from within the Conservative group by 14 votes to 11.[8] Meanwhile, Keith Dibble became the new leader of the Labour group on the council.[9]

Rushmoor Local Election Result 2003[10][11]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 9 0 0 0 64.3 44.8 8,192 -0.8%
  Liberal Democrats 3 0 0 0 21.4 33.2 6,056 +4.7%
  Labour 2 0 0 0 14.3 17.5 3,197 -1.7%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 2.4 441 -2.1%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 1.4 257 -0.8%
  English Democrat 0 0 0 0 0 0.7 123 +0.7%

Ward results
Cove & Southwood[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Brian Jupp 691 49.2
Conservative David Thomas 545 38.8
Labour Edward Shelton 130 9.3
Green James Page 39 2.8
Majority 146 10.4
Turnout 1,405 34.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Empress[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Wall 940 56.2
Liberal Democrats Stephen Chowns 534 31.9
Labour Christopher Wright 199 11.9
Majority 406 24.3
Turnout 1,673 37.9
Conservative hold Swing
Fernhill[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenneth Muschamp 596 50.5
Liberal Democrats Richard Shaw 424 35.9
Labour Martin Coule 160 13.6
Majority 172 14.6
Turnout 1,180 29.1
Conservative hold Swing
Grange[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jon Weston 738 51.9
Labour Stella Olivier 369 25.9
Liberal Democrats Hazel Manning 229 16.1
Independent Arthur Pendragon 86 6.0
Majority 369 26.0
Turnout 1,422 35.3
Conservative hold Swing
Heron Wood[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Donald Cappleman 545 47.0
Conservative Andrew Hankins 408 35.2
Liberal Democrats Ian Colpus 206 17.8
Majority 137 11.8
Turnout 1,159 27.0
Labour hold Swing
Knellwood[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roland Dibbs 742 46.4
Liberal Democrats Martin Kaye 382 23.9
Independent Keith Parkins 355 22.2
Labour William Tootill 119 7.4
Majority 360 22.5
Turnout 1,598 39.4
Conservative hold Swing
Manor Park[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Crerar 654 45.2
Liberal Democrats George Paparesti 607 41.9
Labour June Smith 187 12.9
Majority 47 3.3
Turnout 1,448 33.7
Conservative hold Swing
Mayfield[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Neville Dewey 587 57.7
Labour Clive Grattan 236 23.2
Conservative Roderick Baulk 195 19.2
Majority 351 34.5
Turnout 1,018 25.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
North Town[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carolyne Culver 498 41.3
Conservative Neil Watkin 376 31.2
Liberal Democrats Peter Sandy 251 20.8
Green Adam Stacey 81 6.7
Majority 122 10.1
Turnout 1,206 27.8
Labour hold Swing
Rowhill[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mohammad Choudhary 710 53.8
Liberal Democrats Philip Thompson 287 21.8
Labour Jill Clark 239 18.1
Green Julia Fowler 83 6.3
Majority 423 32.0
Turnout 1,319 32.7
Conservative hold Swing
St John's[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Graham Tucker 676 62.4
Liberal Democrats Martine Howell 408 37.6
Majority 268 24.8
Turnout 1,084 25.1
Conservative hold Swing
St Mark's[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Diane Bedford 648 45.8
Liberal Democrats Alistair Mackie 618 43.7
Labour Barry Jones 149 10.5
Majority 30 2.1
Turnout 1,415 31.4
Conservative hold Swing
Wellington[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Williams 383 47.6
Labour Robert Sullivan 222 27.6
Liberal Democrats Nickolaus Burfield 145 18.0
Green Samantha Stacey 54 6.7
Majority 161 20.0
Turnout 804 18.8
Conservative hold Swing
West Heath[6][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Shaun Murphy 687 44.8
Conservative Stephen Masterson 581 37.9
Labour Philip Collins 144 9.4
English Democrat Gary Cowd 123 8.0
Majority 106 6.9
Turnout 1,535 37.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

References
  1. "Local elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  2. "How Britain voted: English and Scottish councils". The Independent. 3 May 2003. p. 18.
  3. "The Independents' Rushmoor challenge". gethampshire. 10 April 2003. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  4. "Shock as Labour group leader stands down". gethampshire. 8 April 2003. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  5. "Cross culture". The Guardian. 30 April 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  6. "Election round-up". getwokingham. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  7. "Ousted after seven years". gethampshire. 15 June 2004. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  8. "Tory night of long knives". gethampshire. 13 May 2003. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  9. "New labour leader in Rushmoor". gethampshire. 29 May 2003. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  10. "Election results - 1 May 2003". Rushmoor Borough Council. Archived from the original on 27 September 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  11. "English councils". The Times. 3 May 2003. p. 47.
Preceded by
2002 Rushmoor Council election		 Rushmoor local elections Succeeded by
2004 Rushmoor Council election
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