2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election

The 2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Stratford-on-Avon District Council in Warwickshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was

Campaign

Before the election the Conservatives were one seats short of having a majority on the council with 26 seats, as compared to 22 for the Liberal Democrats, 2 Labour and 3 independents.[3] 16 seats were contested in the election with the Liberal Democrats defending the most seats.[4]

Council tax levels were the major issue in the election with the Liberal Democrats attacking plans for a 58% increase,[4] which they said was mostly due to waste and poor decisions by the council.[3] However the Conservatives defended the rise, blaming it on an insufficient grant from the national government[4] and on the previous Liberal Democrat administration for using cash balances to keep levels artificially low.[3] The election also saw four independent candidates standing in Stratford wards in opposition to the council tax rise.[3]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives regain control of the council, after the election saw 5 seats changes hands.[5] They made a net gain of 1 seat at the expense of Labour who were reduced to only 1 seat on the council after losing in Southam ward.[6] The election in Stratford Avenue and New Town saw the closest result with independent Keith Lloyd, standing in protest at council tax levels, defeating Liberal Democrat Bill Lowe by 1 vote.[6] However the Liberal Democrats ended with the same number of seats, with their 2 gains including a surprise win in Stockton and Napton.[6] Turnout in the election varied from a low of 27% to a high of 51%,[7] but overall fell from 45% in 2002 to only 35%.[8] This was despite including 3,000 voters who had used a trial e-voting internet system.[7]

Stratford-on-Avon Local Election Result 2003[2][9]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 9 2 2 0 56.3 45.5 9,856 +3.7%
  Conservative 6 2 1 +1 37.5 39.6 8,577 -3.7%
  Independent 1 1 1 0 6.3 10.5 2,285 +2.8%
  Labour 0 0 1 -1 0 4.1 885 -2.6%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 66 -0.2%

Ward results
Alcester[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Pamela Price 980 59.3
Conservative Sylvia Hyde 673 40.7
Majority 307 18.6
Turnout 1,653 37.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Bidford and Salford[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brian Slaughter 759 54.6
Liberal Democrats John Sandle 632 45.4
Majority 127 9.2
Turnout 1,391 27.5
Conservative hold Swing
Fenny Compton[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Williams 501 67.0 +6.9
Liberal Democrats John Insoll 247 33.0 +33.0
Majority 254 34.0 +11.8
Turnout 748 40.7
Conservative hold Swing
Henley[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ann Haddon 652 57.9
Liberal Democrats Mark Edwards 474 42.1
Majority 178 15.8
Turnout 1,126 32.7
Conservative hold Swing
Kineton[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Louise Giblin 690 52.2
Conservative Richard Hurley 631 47.8
Majority 59 4.4
Turnout 1,321 40.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Shipston[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Bob White 853 57.1
Conservative Stephen Gray 642 42.9
Majority 211 14.2
Turnout 1,495 43.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Southam[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Leslie Hewer 620 42.1
Labour James Taylor 608 41.3
Liberal Democrats Charlie Williams 244 16.6
Majority 12 0.8
Turnout 1,472 31.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Stockton and Napton[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Nigel Rock 419 62.7 +36.4
Conservative Peter Garret 249 37.3 -6.3
Majority 170 25.4
Turnout 668 37.5
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Stratford Alveston[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vincent Seaman 749 43.7
Liberal Democrats Judith Riley 634 37.0
Independent Roy Lodge 187 10.9
Independent Leslie Rouch 145 8.5
Majority 115 6.7
Turnout 1,715 41.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Stratford Avenue and New Town[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Keith Lloyd 612 35.8
Liberal Democrats Bill Lowe 611 35.8
Conservative Robert Bessell 417 24.4
Labour Karen Parnell 69 4.0
Majority 1 0.0
Turnout 1,709 34.1
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Stratford Guild and Hathaway[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Clive Thomas 759 37.6
Conservative Michael Perry 631 31.3
Independent Roger Hatch 478 23.7
Labour Michael Gerrard 150 7.4
Majority 128 6.3
Turnout 2,018 37.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Stratford Mount Pleasant[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Moorse 762 60.6
Independent Ted Lloyd 438 34.8
Labour Matthew Stephens 58 4.6
Majority 324 25.8
Turnout 1,258 37.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Studley[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tony Cronin 820 58.2
Conservative Heather Wersocki 589 41.8
Majority 231 16.4
Turnout 1,409 30.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Tredington[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Saint 556 68.6 -3.3
Liberal Democrats Ben Brabyn 255 31.4 +3.3
Majority 301 37.1 -6.7
Turnout 811 43.2
Conservative hold Swing
Welford[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Barnes 647 76.7 +1.9
Conservative Harry Cottam 196 23.3 -1.9
Majority 451 53.5 +3.9
Turnout 843 51.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Wellesbourne[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Close 829 40.8
Conservative Anita MacAulay 712 35.0
Independent Philip Coton 425 20.9
Green Michael Davies 66 3.2
Majority 117 5.8
Turnout 2,032 39.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing

References
  1. "Election 2003: full results and analysis". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  2. "Election Results". The Times. 2 May 2003. p. 17.
  3. Dale, Paul (23 April 2003). "Election 2003: No holds Bard as Tories defend huge tax increase ; In the run-up to the local council elections on May 1 The Birmingham Post will be looking at some of the key battlegrounds. Today, Paul Dale assesses the mood of politicians preparing for knife-edge elections in Shakespeare country". Birmingham Post. p. 2.
  4. Walker, Jonathan (8 April 2003). "Lib Dems drum up council tax battle". Birmingham Post. p. 7.
  5. Scott, Fiona (2 May 2003). "Troubled times for Labour ; How you voted". Coventry Evening Telegraph. p. 24.
  6. Portlock, Sarah (2 May 2003). "Jubilant Tories take the lead". Coventry Evening Telegraph. p. 24.
  7. Buggins, Arryn (3 May 2003). "A close shave for mayor-elect Doug". Coventry Evening Telegraph. p. 5.
  8. "Mixed results for e-voting". Birmingham Post. 7 May 2003. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  9. "Results" (PDF). Political Science Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
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