2018 Plymouth City Council election

The 2018 Plymouth City Council election took place on 3 May 2018 to elect members of Plymouth City Council in England. The election was won by the Labour Party, who gained enough seats to achieve an overall majority and took control of the council.

2018 Plymouth City Council election
3 May 2018
19 of the 57 seats to Plymouth City Council
29 seats needed for a majority
Turnout35.1%
  First party Second party
 
Leader Tudor Evans Ian Bowyer
Party Labour Conservative
Last election 27 27
Seats before 27 30
Seats won 11 8
Seats after 31 26
Seat change Increase4 Decrease4
Popular vote 28,554 29,004
Percentage 44.0% 44.7%
Map showing the results of contested wards in the 2018 Plymouth City Council elections.
Council control before election

Conservative

 Council control after election

Labour

A coalition of Conservative and UK Independence Party (UKIP) councillors had taken control of the council after the 2016 election, with thirty members in total and a working majority. The three UKIP councillors defected to the Conservative Party in September 2017, giving the Conservatives overall control of the council. The Conservative Party defended twelve seats and Labour defended seven.

Background

Plymouth City Council held local elections on 3 May 2018 along with councils across England as part of the 2018 local elections.[1] The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year.[2][3] Councillors defending their seats in this election were previously elected in 2014. In that election, nine Conservative candidates, seven Labour candidates and three UKIP candidates were elected.[4]

In September 2017, the three councillors elected as UKIP candidates defected to the Conservative Party.[5] Following the 2016 Plymouth City Council election, the council had been controlled by a coalition of Conservative and UKIP councillors, with thirty members between them.[6] Following the defections of the UKIP councillors, the Conservative Party held an overall majority, with thirty councillors compared to Labour's twenty-seven.

The Local Government Chronicle described Labour as 'well placed to regain control' by winning the seats won by UKIP councillors in 2014.[7] Rob Ford in the Guardian wrote that a Labour victory in Plymouth would help the party 'demonstrate strength in critical English swing areas'.[8] The election was the first in which the Liberal Democrats fielded a candidate in every ward in Plymouth since 2010.[9][4]

Overall results
2018 Plymouth City Council Election
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 11 4 0 Increase4 57.9 44.0 28,554 Increase13.2
  Conservative 8 0 4 Decrease4 42.1 44.7 29,005 Increase13.9
  Liberal Democrats 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 5.3 3,418 Increase4.4
  UKIP 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 2.1 1,359 Decrease29.0
  Green 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 1.8 1,178 Decrease2.1
  Independent 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 1.6 1,016 Increase0.6
  TUSC 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.5 319 Decrease1.3
  Vivamus 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.0 24 Steady0.0
  For Britain Movement 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.0 24 New

Note: All changes in vote share are in comparison to the corresponding 2014 election.

The Labour Party won an overall majority on the council, with 31 of the council's 57 councillors. The party had last had a majority on the council in 2015.[10] Plymouth was the only council Labour gained control of from the Conservatives in the 2018 local elections.[11]

After the previous election, the composition of the council was:[12]

↓
27 27 3
Labour Conservative UKIP

Before this election, the composition of the council was:

↓
27 30
Labour Conservative

After this election, the composition of the council was:

↓
31 26
Labour Conservative

Ward results

Asterisks denote sitting councillors seeking re-election.

Budshead
Location of Budshead ward
Budshead 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dave Downie* 1,731 51.7 Increase16.6
Labour Jill Narin 1,307 39.0 Increase7.6
UKIP John Smith 188 5.6 Decrease26.5
Liberal Democrats Matthew Radmore 122 3.6 N/A
Majority 424 12.7 Increase9.7
Turnout 3,348 34.6 Decrease3.4
Conservative hold Swing Increase4.5

Compton
Location of Compton ward
Compton 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Johnson 1,935 50.4 Increase10.8
Labour Co-op Paul McNamara 1,507 39.3 Increase15.1
Liberal Democrats Guy Steven 202 5.3 N/A
Green Graham Epstein 193 5.0 Decrease7.1
Majority 428 11.2 Decrease4.2
Turnout 3,837 41.3 Decrease1.4
Conservative hold Swing Decrease2.2

Devonport
Location of Devonport ward
Devonport 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bill Stevens* 1,893 57.2 Increase20.9
Conservative Sandy Borthwick 934 28.2 Increase10.7
UKIP Richard Ellison 159 4.8 Decrease28.8
Liberal Democrats Fleur Ball 116 3.5 Decrease1.0
Green Andrew Pratt 99 3.0 Decrease3.5
Independent Scott Wardle 84 2.5 N/A
TUSC Roxy Castell 22 0.7 Decrease0.9
Majority 959 29.0 Increase26.3
Turnout 3,307 30.0 Decrease3.5
Labour hold Swing Increase5.1

Drake
Location of Drake ward
Drake 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Corvid 954 51.8 Increase25.5
Conservative Steve Ricketts* 789 42.8 Decrease1.4
Liberal Democrats Charlotte Radmore 76 4.1 Decrease0.4
For Britain Iuliu Popescu 24 1.3 N/A
Majority 165 9.0 N/A
Turnout 1,843 29.4 Increase4.2
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase13.5

Efford and Lipson
Location of Efford and Lipson ward
Efford and Lipson 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Neil Hendy* 1,940 60.0 Increase20.4
Conservative Jake Donovan 996 30.8 Increase14.0
Green Benjamin Smith 158 4.9 Decrease3.9
Liberal Democrats Alex Primmer 97 3.0 N/A
TUSC Sam Taylor-Wickenden 40 1.2 Decrease1.0
Majority 944 29.2 Increase22.1
Turnout 3,231 32.3 Decrease2.5
Labour hold Swing Increase3.2

Eggbuckland
Location of Eggbuckland ward
Eggbuckland 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Bowyer* 2,313 60.8 Increase18.0
Labour Co-op Andrew Wade 1,094 28.8 Increase2.1
UKIP Wendy Noble 220 5.8 Decrease23.3
Liberal Democrats Richard Simpson 176 4.6 N/A
Majority 1,219 32.1 Increase18.4
Turnout 3,803 37.4 Decrease4.1
Conservative hold Swing Increase8.0

Ham
Location of Ham ward
Ham 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gareth Derrick 1,914 56.6 Increase17.5
Conservative Chris Storer* 1,129 33.4 Increase14.6
UKIP Alan Skuse 198 5.9 Decrease33.2
Liberal Democrats Richard Lawrie 140 4.1 N/A
Majority 785 23.2 N/A
Turnout 3,381 32.9 Decrease0.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase1.5

Honicknowle
Location of Honicknowle ward
Honicknowle 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Pamela Buchan 1,724 52.3 Increase16.0
Conservative John Riley* 1,280 38.9 Increase25.2
UKIP Ivor Lucas 209 6.3 Decrease41.0
Liberal Democrats Mike Gillbard 81 2.5 N/A
Majority 444 13.5 N/A
Turnout 3,294 32.2 Decrease1.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Decrease4.6

Moor View
Location of Moor View ward
Moor View 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Maddi Bridgeman* 1,832 49.5 Increase14.0
Labour Jemima Laing 1,474 39.8 Increase15.4
UKIP John Baddeley 242 6.5 Decrease32.5
Liberal Democrats Jim Spencer 156 4.2 N/A
Majority 358 9.7 Increase6.2
Turnout 3,704 37.4 Decrease2.2
Conservative hold Swing Decrease0.7

Peverell
Location of Peverell ward
Peverell 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jeremy Goslin 2,324 47.6 Increase19.1
Conservative Martin Leaves* 2,081 42.6 Increase3.4
Liberal Democrats George Maunder 284 5.8 Increase1.0
Green Nicholas Casley 173 3.5 Decrease4.7
Vivamus Bernard Toolan 24 0.5 Increase0.0
Majority 243 5.0 N/A
Turnout 4,886 46.9 Increase2.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase7.9

Plympton Chaddlewood
Location of Plympton Chaddlewood ward
Plympton Chaddlewood 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Glenn Jordan* 1,051 61.3 Increase21.9
Labour Janet Wise 532 31.0 Increase10.3
Liberal Democrats Louise Ayres 132 7.7 N/A
Majority 519 30.3 Increase27.3
Turnout 1,715 28.4 Decrease3.2
Conservative hold Swing Increase5.8

Plympton St Mary
Location of Plympton St Mary ward
Plympton St Mary 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David James* 2,649 70.8 Increase22.4
Labour Rob de Jong 850 22.7 Increase4.0
Liberal Democrats Jeffrey Hall 241 6.4 N/A
Majority 1,799 48.1 Increase27.1
Turnout 3,740 37.0 Decrease2.6
Conservative hold Swing Increase9.2

Plymstock Dunstone
Location of Plymstock Dunstone ward
Plymstock Dunstone 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vivien Pengelly* 2,411 64.5 Increase20.6
Labour David Owen 905 24.2 Increase3.2
Liberal Democrats Sima Davarian-Dehsorkhe 424 11.3 N/A
Majority 1,506 40.3 Increase33.2
Turnout 3,740 38.6 Decrease3.3
Conservative hold Swing Increase8.7

Plymstock Radford
Location of Plymstock Radford ward
Plymstock Radford 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rebecca Smith 1,964 48.7 Increase9.6
Labour Co-op Vince Barry 842 20.9 Decrease0.1
Independent John Wheeler 453 11.2 N/A
Independent Gordon Miller 314 7.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Roy Plumley 247 6.1 N/A
Green Matthew Faith 212 5.3 N/A
Majority 1,122 27.8 Increase26.6
Turnout 4,032 37.5 Decrease3.0
Conservative hold Swing Increase4.9

Southway
Location of Southway ward
Southway 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jonny Morris* 1,838 52.6 Increase18.0
Conservative Tim Velkavrh-Blazevic 1,359 38.9 Increase15.5
Liberal Democrats Jacqui Spencer 217 6.2 N/A
TUSC Nik Brookson 79 2.3 Increase1.4
Majority 479 13.7 Increase11.3
Turnout 3,493 30.2 Decrease9.3
Labour hold Swing Increase1.3

St Budeaux
Location of St Budeaux ward
St Budeaux 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sally Bowie* 1,458 49.2 Increase10.3
Conservative Pat Patel 1,189 40.1 Increase20.4
Independent Margaret Bennett Jones 165 5.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Stuart Spicer 93 3.1 N/A
TUSC Andrew White 57 1.9 Decrease1.1
Majority 269 9.1 Increase8.7
Turnout 2,962 30.2 Decrease2.8
Labour hold Swing Decrease5.1

St Peter and the Waterfront
Location of St Peter and the Waterfront ward
St Peter and the Waterfront 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sue McDonald* 1,981 54.5 Increase18.7
Conservative Mark Thompson 1,232 33.9 Increase11.4
Liberal Democrats Hugh Janes 221 6.1 Increase1.0
Green Brian Banks 157 4.3 Decrease3.8
TUSC Ian Groeber 41 1.1 Decrease1.3
Majority 749 20.6 Increase9.6
Turnout 3,632 31.8 Decrease2.6
Labour hold Swing Increase3.7

Stoke
Location of Stoke ward
Stoke 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kevin Neil 1,915 52.5 Increase15.6
Conservative Kathy Watkin 1,219 33.4 Increase10.9
Green Daniel Sheaff 186 5.1 Decrease4.1
Liberal Democrats Helen Guy 184 5.0 N/A
UKIP Michael Arthur 143 3.9 Decrease18.3
Majority 696 19.1 Increase4.7
Turnout 3,647 36.0 Decrease4.0
Labour hold Swing Increase2.4

Sutton and Mount Gould
Location of Sutton and Mount Gould ward
Sutton and Mount Gould 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mary Aspinall* 2,102 63.7 Increase22.4
Conservative Chip Tofan 910 27.6 Increase8.0
Liberal Democrats Peter York 209 6.3 N/A
TUSC Ryan Aldred 80 2.4 Increase0.4
Majority 1,192 36.1 Increase20.5
Turnout 3,301 33.5 Decrease2.6
Labour hold Swing Increase7.2

Aftermath

Following this election, the Labour group had a majority of councillors. This meant that Labour group leader Tudor Evans became the new leader of Plymouth City Council. Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn visited Plymouth to celebrate the result.[10] Outgoing council leader Ian Bowyer remained leader of the Conservative group.[13]

Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View Johnny Mercer said that the result was due to Plymouth voters believing that defence funding was reducing under the Conservatives.[14] Defeated Drake councillor Steve Ricketts wrote that his defeat was due to students voting Labour.[15]

The Herald described the election as voters deserting UKIP, with Plymouth returning to a two-party political system. The newspaper also emphasised Sima Davarian-Dehsorkhe as the best-performing Liberal Democrat candidate, winning more than 10% of the vote in Plymstock Dunstone.[16]

Labour held its seat in a subsequent by-election in Stoke ward, which took place in July 2018.[17]

References
  1. "Election timetable 2018 | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK". www.plymouth.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  2. "Local government structure and elections". GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  3. "Election Timetable in England" (PDF).
  4. "Past election results | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK". www.plymouth.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  5. O'Leary, Miles (10 September 2017). "All three of Plymouth's Ukip councillors have just quit the party".
  6. Sam Blackledge (16 May 2016). "Conservatives and UKIP form coalition to run Plymouth City Council". Plymouth Herald. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  7. "Local elections 2018: The race is on to pick up formerly Ukip seats". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  8. Ford, Robert (28 April 2018). "Local election battles – where Brexit could hurt the Tories". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  9. Rossiter, Keith (10 April 2018). "How the Liberal Democrats are making a comeback in Plymouth".
  10. "Corbyn 'delighted' with Plymouth win". BBC News. 4 May 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  11. "Rallings & Thrasher: Labour gains too low to boost Corbyn PM hopes". 8 May 2018.
  12. "Local Election 2016". Plymouth City Council. Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  13. "Sunday Politics South West - 06/05/2018" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  14. "Tory MP lashes out at own leadership as Labour takes key seat of Plymouth". 4 May 2018. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  15. O'Leary, Miles (9 May 2018). "Toppled Plymouth Tory bigwig blames students for voting him out". plymouthherald. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  16. Abel, Stuart (4 May 2018). "6 things we learnt from the council elections in Plymouth".
  17. "Labour hold Stoke ward seat in Plymouth by-election". 27 July 2018.
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