Belsize (ward)

Belsize (/ˈbɛlsaɪz/) is a ward in the London Borough of Camden, in the United Kingdom. The ward covers most of Belsize Park, between Haverstock Hill, Swiss Cottage, and Primrose Hill.

Belsize
ward
for Camden Council
Outline map
Boundary of Belsize in Camden.
CountyGreater London
Electorate8,999
Current ward
Created1 April 1965 (1 April 1965)
CouncillorTom Simon (Liberal Democrats)
CouncillorJudy Dixey (Liberal Democrats)
CouncillorMatthew Kirk (Liberal Democrats)
Number of councillorsThree
UK Parliament constituencyHampstead and Kilburn

The ward has existed since the creation of the borough on 1 April 1965 and was first used in the 1964 elections.[1] The ward was redrawn in May 1978,[2] May 2002,[3] and May 2022.[4][5] From 2010, the ward was in the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, having previously been in Hampstead and Highgate from 1983 until 2010, and Hampstead prior to 1983. In 2018, the ward had an electorate of 8,999.[6] The Boundary Commission projects the electorate to rise to 9,097 by 2025.[6]

The ward currently returns three councillors to Camden Council, with an election every four years. At the last election in May 2022, all three candidates from the Liberal Democrats were elected to represent the ward.

History
Boundaries of Belsize from 2002 to 2022

The ward underwent boundary changes for the 2022 election. A significant portion of the ward was transferred to the newly created Primrose Hill ward, and significant portions of the existing Hampstead Town and Frognal and Fitzjohns wards were transferred to Belsize.[4][5]

At the 2022 election, leader of the Conservative group on Camden London Borough Council Oliver Cooper stood as a candidate in Belsize, having previously represented Hampstead Town. Hampstead Town had been a safe Conservative ward, while Belsize had been marginal between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.[7][8] Leader of the Liberal Democrat group Luisa Porritt, who represented Belsize, stood down at the 2022 election, citing work commitments, while the Camden New Journal suggested that the new ward boundaries would favour the Conservatives.[9]

Councillors

Notable former councillors include Opposition Leaders Claire-Louise Leyland (2010–18), Piers Wauchope (2002–06), Judith Barnes (1986–98), and Tony Kerpel (1978–86); MEP Luisa Porritt (2018–22); future Council Leader Richard Arthur (1974–78); and former Leader Martin Morton (1976–78).

1978–2022

Three councillors have represented Belsize ward since 1978. Currently, all three councillors from the Liberal Democrats represent the ward.

TermCouncillorParty
2018–presentTom SimonLiberal Democrats
2022–presentJudy DixeyLiberal Democrats
2022–presentMatthew KirkLiberal Democrats

1964–1978

Four councillors represented Belsize ward, from its creation in 1964, until 1978.

Election results

The last election was held in May 2022. Candidates seeking re-election are marked with an asterisk (*). Councillors seeking re-election for a different ward are marked with a cross (†).

2022 election
2022 council election: Belsize[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tom Simon* 1,494
Liberal Democrats Judy Dixey 1,445
Liberal Democrats Matthew Kirk 1,317
Conservative Oliver Cooper† 1,124
Conservative Steve Adams* 1,106
Conservative Aarti Joshi 953
Labour Issy Waite 705
Labour Shaheen Ahmed Chowdhury 692
Labour Peter Ptashko 644
Turnout 38.4
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

2018 election
2018 council election: Belsize[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tom Simon 1,250 11.6 Increase 0.9
Conservative Steve Adams 1,201 11.2 Decrease 2.0
Liberal Democrats Luisa Porritt 1,179 11.0 Increase 2.8
Conservative Leila Roy* 1,170 10.9 Decrease 1.6
Conservative Kirsty Roberts 1,162 10.8 Decrease 0.2
Liberal Democrats Benjamin Samuel Newman 1,127 10.5 Increase 3.2
Labour James Jordan Calmus 1,067 10.0 Decrease 0.2
Labour Sucharita Sethi 996 9.3 Increase 0.8
Labour Momota Khatoon 971 9.1 Increase 1.4
Green Sara Katchi 238 2.2 Decrease 0.8
Green Phyl Eyres 223 2.1 Decrease 0.8
Independent Nigel Rumble 123 1.1 Decrease 1.1
Majority 9 0.08
Turnout 10,707 42.5 Increase 4.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

2014 election
2014 council election: Belsize[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jonny Bucknell* 1,219 13.2
Conservative Claire-Louise Leyland* 1,157 12.5
Conservative Leila Roy 1,016 11.0
Liberal Democrats Tom Simon* 992 10.7
Labour Madeleine Jennings 939 10.2
Labour James McGowan 782 8.5
Liberal Democrats Bradley Hillier-Smith 760 8.2
Labour Harunur Rashid 709 7.7
Liberal Democrats Lawrence Joseph Nicholson 678 7.3
Green Rowan St Clair 275 3.0
Green Darren Robert Murphy 269 2.9
Green Stuart Temple Taylor 243 2.6
Independent Nigel Rumble 199 2.2
Majority 24 0.3
Turnout 9,238 38.3
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

2010 election
2010 council election: Belsize[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jonny Bucknell 1,969 36.1 -1.0
Conservative Claire-Louise Leyland 1,969 36.1 -0.1
Liberal Democrats Tom Simon* 1,949 35.7 -5.1
Conservative Nigel Rumble 1,897 34.8 -0.9
Liberal Democrats Anne Ward 1,746 32.0 -8.5
Liberal Democrats Paul Perkins 1,727 31.7 -6.4
Labour Samantha Gunasekera 1,094 20.1 +6.2
Labour Sada Deshmukh 1,051 19.3 +5.1
Labour Luca Salice 1,027 18.8 +6.5
Green Anya Courts 410 7.5 -0.3
Green Sophie North 372 6.8 -1.6
Green Francesca Richards-Spiller 325 6.0 -0.2
BNP Derek Collins 90 1.7 N/A
Turnout 5,454 62.3 +24.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

2009 by-election
Belsize by-election, 2 April 2009[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tom Simon 1,136 46.0 +5.4
Conservative Gary Bernadout 952 38.6 +1.7
Labour Sean Birch 270 10.9 −3.2
Green Naomi Aptowitzer 109 4.4 −3.9
Majority 184 7.5
Turnout 2,467 29.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr Christopher J. Basson.

2006 election
2006 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alexis Rowell 1,358 40.8 +22.7
Liberal Democrats Christopher Basson 1,349 40.5 +24.0
Liberal Democrats Arthur Graves 1,268 38.1 +21.8
Conservative Jonathan Bucknell* 1,233 37.1 -3.0
Conservative Piers Wauchope* 1,205 36.2 -2.5
Conservative Sheila Gunn* 1,187 35.7 -3.4
Labour Sadashivrao Deshmukh 471 14.2 -13.4
Labour Matthew McGregor 462 13.9 -15.8
Labour Jenny Westaway 410 12.3 -14.3
Green Jane Ennis 278 8.4 -2.2
Green Anya Courts 260 7.8 -1.3
Green Adam Spanier 207 6.2 -2.2
Turnout 9,688 38.3
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

2002 election
2002 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jonny Bucknell 1,041 40.1
Conservative Sheila Gunn 1,016 39.1
Conservative Piers Wauchope 1,005 38.7
Labour Aileen Hammond* 770 29.7
Labour Sadashivrao Deshmukh 716 27.6
Labour Patricia Nightingale 691 26.6
Liberal Democrats Pauline Marriott 469 18.1
Liberal Democrats Ardon Lyon 429 16.5
Liberal Democrats Dudley Miles 423 16.3
Green Phyllis Eyres 274 10.6
Green Jack Price 236 9.1
Green Maeve Tornero 219 8.4
Turnout 7,289

1978–2002

The last election on 7 May 1998 was held under the original ward boundaries.

1998 election
1998 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ewan Cameron 760
Conservative Huntly Spence 731
Labour Aileen Hammond 711
Conservative Jonathan Bucknell 705
Labour David Taggart 650
Labour Jake Sumner 624
Liberal Democrats Pauline Marriott 587
Liberal Democrats Dudley Miles 522
Liberal Democrats Ronald Watts 455
Green Phyllis Eyres 290
Turnout 6,035 35.2
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

1994 election
1994 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Judith Barnes* 920
Labour Judith Pattison 884
Conservative Joy Silver 859
Conservative Huntly Spence* 840
Labour Peter Singer 804
Labour John Saynor 797
Liberal Democrats Pauline Marriott 544
Liberal Democrats Diana Brown 511
Liberal Democrats James Iddon-Bowen 481
Green Kamal Al-Moosa 262
Turnout 43.8%
Conservative hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Conservative hold Swing

1990 election
1990 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Judith Barnes* 1,159
Conservative Cathleen Mainds 1,124
Conservative Huntly Spence* 1,109
Labour Judith Pattison 971
Labour Michael Rice 952
Labour Deborah Sacks 928
Green Conchita Vasey 393
Liberal Democrats Anne Box 329
Liberal Democrats Pauline Marriott 324
Liberal Democrats Ardon Lyon 310
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

1986 election
1986 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin Glover 1,055
Conservative Huntly Spence* 1,039
Conservative Judith Barnes 1,005
Labour Margaret McPhee 888
Labour Malcolm Bull 875
Labour Ramendra Bhattacharyya 841
Alliance David Davies 818
Alliance Pauline Marriott 788
Alliance Dudley Miles 756
Green Philippa Draper 236
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

1982 election
1982 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Kerpel* 1,411
Conservative Huntly Spence 1,381
Conservative Gerald Swyer 1,335
Alliance Margaret Little 761
Alliance Robert Heyland 751
Alliance Clive Agran 730
Labour Alan Griffiths 703
Labour Anthea Muir 678
Labour Roy Mathias 670
Ecology Lesley Sargent 102
Ecology Steven Margolis 85
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

1980 by-election
Belsize by-election, 17 April 1980
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cathleen Mainds 1,235
Labour Allen Mathias 785
Liberal Andrew Bridgwater 288
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr Anthony Beaton.

1978 election
1978 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Beaton 1,712
Conservative Tony Kerpel 1,667
Conservative Michael Brahams 1,641
Labour Roy Mathias 981
Labour Arthur Soutter 979
Labour Verghese Varkki 924
Liberal Anne Box 306
Liberal Hilary Hawkins 275
Turnout
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Pre 1978

Before 1978, under different boundaries, the ward was represented by four councillors.

1976 by-election
Belsize by-election, 25 March 1976
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Morton 2,196
Labour David F. Walker 1,455
Liberal Mary E. De La Mahotiere 251
Turnout 37.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr Richard Arthur.

1974 election
1974 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Richard Arthur 2,010 43.1
Labour David Mills 1,951
Labour Richard Ford 1,915
Labour Bernard Taylor* 1,898
Conservative Julian Harrison 1,847 39.6
Conservative Arthur Roome 1,815
Conservative Timothy Coghlan 1,801
Conservative Peter Grosz 1,773
Liberal Margaret Darvall 539 11.6
Liberal Richard Franklin 465
Communist Hubert Bevan 264 5.7
Turnout
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

1971 election
1971 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jill Gibson 2,225
Labour John Lipetz 2,132
Labour Bernard Taylor 2,130
Labour Irving Kuczynski 2,128
Conservative Norman Oatway* 1,955
Conservative Irene Burnett* 1,943
Conservative Julian Harrison* 1,923
Conservative Peter Hilton 1,885
Liberal Margaret Darvall 352
Liberal Mary De La Mahotiere 313
Communist Hubert Bevan 292
Liberal John Swain 282
Association of Independents John Davies 92
Association of Independents Anthony Cunnew 74
Association of Independents Mary Davies 60
Turnout
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

1968 election
1968 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenneth Evans 2,355 56.9
Conservative Irene Burnett 2,346
Conservative Norman Oatway* 2,345
Conservative Julian Harrison 2,328
Labour Edwin Lichtenstein 1,330 31.8
Labour Joseph Hughes 1,322
Labour William Kellock 1,308
Labour Arthur Soutter 1,279
Liberal Tristram Adams 488 11.3
Liberal Margaret Darvall 472
Liberal Angela Whitelegge 448
Liberal Gerald Dowden 445
Turnout 37.6
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

1964 election
1964 council election: Belsize
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Oatway 2,045
Conservative Stanley Duncan 2,028
Conservative Alexandrina Burnett 2,015
Conservative Leslie Room 2,009
Labour Lyndal Evans 1,651
Labour Sheila Oakes 1,649
Labour Bernard Taylor 1,616
Labour Arthur Soutter 1,585
Liberal Margaret Darvall 585
Liberal Percy Brian Anderson 575
Liberal G. H. Willett 571
Liberal Doris Watson 564
Communist Timothy Webb 146
Turnout 4,311 39.6
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)


References
  1. "London Borough Council Elections (1964)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013.
  2. "London Borough Council Elections (1978)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2012.
  3. "London Borough Council Elections (2002)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013.
  4. "Final recommendations published for Camden". LGBCE. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  5. "The London Borough of Camden (Electoral Changes) Order 2020". gov.uk. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  6. "Camden summary" (PDF). LGBCE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  7. Osley, Richard (14 December 2021). "Conservative leader set to switch wards for Belsize election challenge". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  8. "Confirmed: Tory leader switches wards in bid to oust Liberal Democrats". Camden New Journal. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  9. Osley, Richard (3 February 2022). "Camden Lib Dem leader Luisa Porritt to stand down at elections". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  10. Rowlands, Jenny (5 April 2022). "Statement of Persons Nominated – Belsize". Camden London Borough Council. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  11. "Local Council Elections 5 May 2022 Results". Camden London Borough Council. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  12. "London Borough Council Elections". Camden London Borough Council. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  13. Teale, Andrew. "Local Elections Archive Project - 2014 - Camden". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  14. "Belsize". Camden Council. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  15. "Lib Dems hold on to Belsize seat". Hampstead & Highgate Express. 3 April 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
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