2010 St Albans City and District Council election

The 2010 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of St Albans District Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

Map of the results of the 2010 St Albans City and District Council election. Conservatives in blue and Liberal Democrats in yellow.

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Campaign

Before the election the Liberal Democrats ran the council with exactly half of the seats, relying on the independents and the mayor's casting vote to have control.[3] The election took place at the same time as the 2010 general election with a seat being contested in all 20 wards of the council.[3] The Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour and Green parties stood for all of the seats, while there were 2 candidates from the United Kingdom Independence Party and 1 from the British National Party (BNP),[3] making this the first time the BNP had stood for the council.[4]

Key wards were seen as being Batchwood, London Colney and Sopwell, with the Labour group leader Roma Mills defending Batchwood.[5] The Liberal Democrats defended their record in control of the council, pointing to no increase in council tax for the previous 2 years and work on preserving the green belt, recycling and congestion.[5] However the Conservatives felt the election provided an opportunity for them to deprive the Liberal Democrats of a majority on the back of increased turnout due to the general election.[5]

Election result

The Liberal Democrats retained control of the council with 29 seats after gaining 2 seats, but losing another 2.[6] They took Batchwood from Labour by 1 vote, defeating the Labour group leader Roma Mills, and also Marshalswick South from the Conservatives.[6] However they lost both Harpenden East and Wheathampstead to the Conservatives to remain on the same number of seats.[6][7][8] Meanwhile, the Conservatives made a further 2 gains taking London Colney from Labour and Redbourn from an independent, Susan Carr, who did not contest the election.[6] This put the Conservatives on 24 seats, while Labour held 3 and there was 1 independent.[6]

One seat remained vacant in Ashley ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Ellis.[6]

St Albans local election result 2010[2][9]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 10 4 1 +3 50.0 42.0 32,952 -1.2%
  Liberal Democrats 10 2 2 0 50.0 38.2 29,981 +3.9%
  Labour 0 0 2 -2 0 14.1 11,093 +1.5%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 4.7 3,706 -2.0%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 398 +0.5%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 255 +0.3%
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0 0.03 20 -3.2%

Ward results
Ashley[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Anthony Rowlands 2,006 49.2 -0.8
Conservative Guy Young 1,117 27.4 +1.8
Labour John Paton 712 17.5 +4.1
Green Graham Ward 244 6.0 -5.0
Majority 889 21.8 -2.6
Turnout 4,079 73.4 +35.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Batchwood[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Amanda Archer 1,269 32.5 -6.9
Labour Roma Mills 1,268 32.5 +0.5
Conservative Tim Smith 1,188 30.4 +9.7
Green Naomi Love 179 4.6 -3.3
Majority 1 0.0 -7.4
Turnout 3,904 71.8 +30.9
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Clarence[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Joyce Lusby 1,807 47.9 +0.3
Conservative Dursun Altun 1,115 29.5 -1.1
Labour Helen Ives-Rose 556 14.7 +4.4
Green Pete Eggleston 297 7.9 -3.6
Majority 692 18.3 +1.3
Turnout 3,775 76.4 +33.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Colney Heath[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jamie Day 1,555 50.0 -17.3
Conservative Lynn Myland 1,139 36.7 +12.4
Labour Michael Mulholland 298 9.6 +5.0
Green Robert Barton 115 3.7 0.0
Majority 416 13.4 -29.6
Turnout 3,107 73.6 +33.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Cunningham[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Rob Prowse 1,596 45.7 -3.3
Conservative James Vessey 1,061 30.4 -2.9
Labour John Metcalf 667 19.1 +8.6
Green Greg Riener 167 4.8 -2.4
Majority 535 15.3 -0.4
Turnout 3,491 71.0 +29.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Harpenden East[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dean Russell 1,949 47.6 -4.0
Liberal Democrats Alison Steer 1,740 42.5 +3.8
Labour Richard Lane 282 6.9 +0.4
Green Tim Blackwell 123 3.0 -0.3
Majority 209 5.1 -7.8
Turnout 4,094 75.1 +28.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Harpenden North[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Turner 2,200 55.0 -9.4
Liberal Democrats Gordon Burrow 1,205 30.1 +9.0
Labour Rosemary Ross 430 10.7 +3.1
Green Annett Tate 168 4.2 -2.6
Majority 995 24.9 -18.4
Turnout 4,003 76.3 +40.0
Conservative hold Swing
Harpenden South[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Teresa Heritage 2,747 65.3 -9.9
Liberal Democrats Paul Spinks 927 22.0 +8.2
Labour Linda Spiri 346 8.2 +2.0
Green Tony Grover 189 4.5 -0.3
Majority 1,820 43.2 -18.2
Turnout 4,209 78.3 +29.9
Conservative hold Swing
Harpenden West[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Julian Daly 2,670 59.0 -9.0
Liberal Democrats Jeff Phillips 1,242 27.5 +8.5
Labour Ben Dearman 442 9.8 +2.5
Green Lydia El-Khouri 169 3.7 -2.0
Majority 1,428 31.6 -17.4
Turnout 4,523 77.1 +37.5
Conservative hold Swing
London Colney[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Irene Willcocks 1,774 38.2 -9.3
Labour Dreda Gordon 1,526 32.8 -9.4
Liberal Democrats Vibs Nazeri 991 21.3 +15.6
BNP Danny Seabrook 255 5.5 +5.5
Green Tamara Fogarty 102 2.2 -2.4
Majority 248 5.3 0.0
Turnout 4,648 67.7 +31.1
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Marshalswick North[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tom Clegg 1,827 47.8 -3.6
Conservative John Foster 1,479 38.7 +0.5
Labour Ruairi McCourt 372 9.7 +4.1
Green Rosalind Paul 142 3.7 -1.1
Majority 348 9.1 -4.1
Turnout 3,820 76.7 +29.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Marshalswick South[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Rod Perks 1,706 40.4 -7.3
Conservative Salih Gaygusuz 1,676 39.7 +5.7
Labour Anthony Nicholson 596 14.1 +3.9
Green Jill Mills 247 5.8 -2.3
Majority 30 0.7 -13.0
Turnout 4,225 78.8 +30.7
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Park Street[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Aislinn Lee 1,876 46.4 -4.4
Conservative Stella Nash 1,472 36.4 -2.5
Labour Dominic Benson 372 9.2 +2.3
UKIP Roger Gray 218 5.4 +5.4
Green Lucy Egglestone 85 2.1 -1.2
Independent Mark Ewington 20 0.5 +0.5
Majority 404 10.0 -1.9
Turnout 4,043 73.7 +32.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Redbourn[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Gray 1,789 49.2 +16.5
Liberal Democrats Colin O'Donovan 1,453 39.9 +39.9
Labour Jane Cloke 249 6.8 +2.9
Green Thomas Hardy 148 4.1 +0.4
Majority 336 9.3
Turnout 3,639 75.5 +30.7
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Sandridge[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Beric Read 1,560 52.3 -5.5
Liberal Democrats Helen Bishop 956 32.0 +9.7
Labour Richard Harris 332 11.1 +0.1
Green Ian Troughton 137 4.6 -4.4
Majority 604 20.2 -15.3
Turnout 2,985 76.7 +37.3
Conservative hold Swing
Sopwell[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Poor 1,487 40.4 +5.9
Labour Janet Smith 1,058 28.7 -5.6
Conservative Bruce Snell 917 24.9 +2.5
Green Kate Metcalf 219 5.9 -3.0
Majority 429 11.7 +11.5
Turnout 3,681 69.0 +28.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St Peters[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Green 1,752 42.0 +5.5
Conservative Emma Harding 1,227 29.4 -1.8
Labour John Baker 646 15.5 +0.3
Green Simon Grover 550 13.2 -3.9
Majority 525 12.6 +7.3
Turnout 4,175 71.9 +33.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St Stephen[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sue Featherstone 2,244 55.5 -16.5
Liberal Democrats Jon Humphrey 1,284 31.8 +15.1
Labour Janet Blackwell 394 9.8 +2.7
Green Lesley Baker 119 2.9 -1.3
Majority 960 23.8 -21.5
Turnout 4,041 77.6 +34.9
Conservative hold Swing
Verulam[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nathanael Young 1,794 42.1 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Catherine Barron 1,704 40.0 -7.5
Labour Netta Gibbs 383 9.0 +4.3
Green Margaret Grover 199 4.7 -2.2
UKIP Philip Roe 180 4.2 +4.2
Majority 90 2.1
Turnout 4,260 82.1 +29.6
Conservative hold Swing
Wheathampstead[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Annie Brewster 1,834 49.5 -1.4
Liberal Democrats Judy Shardlow 1,598 43.2 +0.7
Labour David Lawlor 164 4.4 +0.9
Green Kristian Tizzard 107 2.9 -0.2
Majority 236 6.4 -2.0
Turnout 3,703 78.1 +25.6
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

By-elections between 2010 and 2011

A by-election was held in Ashley ward on 3 June 2010 after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Ellis.[10] The seat was held for the Liberal Democrats by Andy Grant with a majority of 420 votes over Labour.[10]

Ashley by-election 3 June 2010[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andy Grant 774 49.5 +0.3
Labour John Paton 354 22.6 +5.1
Conservative Christopher Baker 342 21.9 -5.5
Green Graham Ward 93 6.0 0.0
Majority 420 26.9 +5.1
Turnout 1,563 27.9 -45.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

References
  1. "St Albans". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  2. "Local elections 2010". London: guardian.co.uk. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  3. "Nail biting wait over local elections in St Albans". St Albans & Harpenden Review. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  4. "BNP runs for St Albans District Council". St Albans & Harpenden Review. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  5. "St Albans Council power rests on a knife-edge in election". Herts 24. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  6. "Election 2010: Liberal Democrats retain control over St Albans District Council". Herts 24. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  7. Lewis, Alex (7 May 2010). "Harpenden East: Conservative gain". St Albans & Harpenden Review. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  8. Lewis, Alex (7 May 2010). "Wheathampstead: Conservative gain". St Albans & Harpenden Review. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  9. "District council election results 6th May 2010". St Albans City & District Council. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  10. Barham, Alexandra (4 June 2010). "Liberal Democrats retain both seats in by election". St Albans & Harpenden Review. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  11. "2010-06-03 District Council Ashley Ward By-election results". St Albans City & District Council. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
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