Weymouth and Portland Borough Council elections

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council in Dorset, England existed from 1974 to 2019. One-third of the council was elected each year, followed by one year where there was an election to Dorset County Council instead. The council was abolished and subsumed into Dorset Council in 2019.

Political control

The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority prior to the district coming into effect the following year. From 1973 until its abolition in 2019 political control of the council was held by the following parties:[1]

Party in controlYears
Labour1973–1976
Conservative1976–1980
No overall control1980–2019

Leadership

The role of mayor was largely ceremonial at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council. Political leadership was instead provided by the chair of the management committee, sometimes referred to as the leader of the council. The leaders from 2002 until the council's abolition in 2019 were:[2]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Anne Thomas Labour20022004
Brian Ellis Liberal Democrats20042007
Nigel Reed Conservative20072008
Mike Goodman Conservative20082010
Geoff Petherick Conservative20102011
Mike Goodman Conservative20112014
Mike Byatt Labour2014May 2015
Ian Bruce ConservativeMay 2015May 2016
Jeff Cant ConservativeMay 201631 Mar 2019

Party representation
DateElectionFull council
ConLabLDIndUKIPGr ConLabLDIndUKIPGr
Jun 200489145––89145––
May 20065232––117135––
Jun 2006By-Election: LD to Con127125––
May 20077131––146115––
Feb 2008Death of councillor146105––
May 20084171––164124––
2008Defection: Ind to Con174123––
2008Defection: LD to Con184113––
Oct 2008Defection: LD to Con194103––
Dec 2009By-Election: Con to Lab185103––
May 20107221––185112––
May 20116321––177102––
May 2011Defection: Con to Ind167103––
May 2012264–––141183––
May 2013By-Election: Con to Lab131283––
May 201445111–1115721–
Mar 2015Defection: Lab to Ind1114731–
May 20159111––1413621–
May 2016174––114126211
Dec 2016Defection: Con to Gr13126212
May 2017 By-election: LD to Con 14 12 5 2 1 2
Dec 2017

- May 2018

 By-election: Ind to Con

Defection: UKIP to Con

By-election: Gr to Con

 16 12 5 2 0 1

Council elections

Borough result maps
  • 2012 results map
    2012 results map
  • 2014 results map
    2014 results map
  • 2015 results map
    2015 results map
  • 2016 results map
    2016 results map

Changes between elections
Westham North By-Election 4 October 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 517 49.9 +19.4
Liberal Democrats 342 33.0 −14.1
Conservative 178 17.2 −5.2
Majority 175 16.9
Turnout 1,037 27.7
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Wey Valley By-Election 14 October 2004[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kevin Brookes 497 41.3 −1.9
Labour 408 33.9 +1.1
Liberal Democrats 299 24.8 +0.8
Majority 89 7.4
Turnout 1,204 44.1
Conservative hold Swing
Westham North By-Election 22 June 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Bruce 436 35.0 +11.3
Labour 412 33.1 −5.2
Liberal Democrats Ray Banham 340 27.3 −10.7
Independent 58 4.7 +4.7
Majority 24 1.9
Turnout 45.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

Wyke Regis by-election held after the death of Cllr Doug Hollings

Wyke Regis By-Election 10 December 2009[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kate Wheller 579 40.1 +3.9
Conservative Helen Glavin 486 33.7 −30.1
Liberal Democrats Trefor Morgan 268 18.6 +18.6
Citizen's Action Party Richard Denton-White 111 7.7 +7.7
Majority 93 6.4
Turnout 1,444 33.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

A by-election was held in Melbombe Regis ward on 16 May 2013 following the death of councillor Peter Farrell (Conservative) in April 2013.[10] Farrell had been elected in May 2012 and so the election was for the period May 2013 to May 2016.

Melbombe Regis By-Election 16 May 2013
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Stewart Pearson 279
Conservative Andrew Manvell 258
Independent James Williamson 204
Liberal Democrats Stephanie Taylor 170
Green Jonathan Orrell 143
Majority 21
Turnout 1,058 21.24
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

A by-election was held in Wey Valley ward on 20 October 2016 following the resignation of Cory Russell (Conservative) who won the seat in May 2014.

Wey Valley By-Election 20 October 2016
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Ferrari 475 62.3 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Robin Vaughan 118 15.5 N/A
Labour Grafton Straker 96 12.6 −9.8
Green James Askew 74 9.7 −6.1
Majority 357 46.8
Turnout 764 27.25
Conservative hold Swing

Conservative councillor Claudia Moore (Weymouth West) joined the Green Party in December 2016.[11]

A by-election was held in Westham East ward on 4 May 2017 following the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Sally Maslin in March 2017.[12] Maslin had won the seat in May 2016.

Byatt had represented Westham on W&PBC and DCC before as well as being the labour leader on W&PBC but switched the Conservatives in 2016

Westham East By-Election 4 May 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Byatt 294
Liberal Democrats Andreas Scheffler 270
Green Caz Dennett 260
Labour David Joseph Greenhalf 236
Majority 24
Turnout
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

Green councillor Claudia Moore (Weymouth West) resigned from the council on 20 December 2017.[13] She was elected in 2014 and the vacancy was originally going to be left to be filled in the scheduled on-third election on 3 May 2018. However, following the government's approval of the Dorset mergers with first elections 2 May 2019,[14] the election was cancelled and the by-election for Weymouth West was called for 3 May.[7]

Independent councillor David Hawkins (Tophill East) resigned from office in December 2017. Kathy Garcia gained the seat for the Conservatives in a by-election on 8 February 2018. The term ends on 2 May 2019.[15]

Conservative councillor Jason Webb (Tophill West) resigned from office in December 2017. Kerry Baker held the seat for the Conservatives in the by-election on 8 February. The term ends on 2 May 2019.[15]

UKIP councillor Francis Drake (Melcolme Regis) defected to the Conservatives in February 2018.[16]

References
  1. "Weymouth & Portland". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  2. "Council minutes". Dorset Council. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  3. legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Weymouth and Portland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
  4. "Weymouth and Portland council". BBC Online. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
  5. legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Weymouth and Portland (Electoral Changes) Order 2002. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  6. legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Weymouth and Portland (Electoral Changes) (Amendment) Order 2003. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.
  7. "Weymouth & Portland area elections and referendums". www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  8. "Twin council win for Tories". The Guardian. London. 15 October 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  9. "Red Kate has taken the Wyke Regis seat". Dorset Echo. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  10. Rachael Burnett (3 April 2013). "Tributes paid to councillor Peter Farrell". Dorset Echo.
  11. "Green Party | Conservative Councillor moves to the Greens". www.greenparty.org.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  12. "Weymouth & Portland Borough Council - previous elections". www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  13. "Councillor details - Councillor Claudia Moore". moderngovdcp.dorsetforyou.gov.uk. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  14. "Local Government Policy: Written statement - HCWS486". UK Parliament. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  15. "Tophill topples to Tories". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  16. "Conservatives all out for five". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
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