2008 Swale Borough Council election

Map of the results of the 2008 Swale Borough Council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Labour in red and Sheppey First in grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2008.

The 2008 Swale Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Swale Borough Council in Kent, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Background

16 of the 47 seats on the council were contested in 2008,[3] with the Conservatives defending 9 seats, the Liberal Democrats 4 seats and Labour 3 seats.[4] A total of 53 people contested the election and as well as candidates from the main political parties, there were also 2 candidates from Sheppey First standing on the Isle of Sheppey and 2 candidates from Faversham First contesting wards in Faversham.[4]

Election result

The Conservative majority on the council was increased by one seat after gaining three seats, but also losing two seats.[5] Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats had a net loss of one seat, while Sheppey First gained a seat.[5]

The Conservatives picked up two seats from the Liberal Democrats in Minster Cliffs and St Michaels and one seat from Labour in Queenborough and Halfway.[6] However the Liberal Democrats took one seat from the Conservatives in Davington Priory, while Sheppey First also gained a seat from the Conservatives in Sheppey Central.[6]

Swale local election result 2008[7][8]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 10 3 2 +1 62.5 45.5 9,681 +4.5%
  Liberal Democrats 3 1 2 -1 18.8 18.0 3,827 +5.1%
  Labour 2 0 1 -1 12.5 23.7 5,044 +0.9%
  Sheppey First 1 1 0 +1 6.3 6.3 1,341 -11.9%
  Faversham First 0 0 0 0 0 4.5 959 +4.5%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 1.1 226 +0.0%
  Monster Raving Loony 0 0 0 0 0 0.7 156 +0.2%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 57 -2.5%

Ward results

Abbey[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anita Walker 512 37.3 −7.1
Labour Trevor Payne 367 26.7 −4.3
Faversham First Jenny Gurney 311 22.7 +22.7
Liberal Democrats Martin Bellis 182 13.3 −3.6
Majority 145 10.6 −2.8
Turnout 1,372 35.4 −1.0
Conservative hold Swing
Boughton and Courtenay[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Bowles 1,112 70.7 +4.0
Labour Fran Rehal 234 14.9 −1.2
Green Timothy Valentine 226 14.4 −0.3
Majority 878 55.9 +5.3
Turnout 1,572 37.4 +1.3
Conservative hold Swing
Chalkwell[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ghlin Whelan 577 44.9 −3.0
Conservative Derek Carnell 538 41.9 +12.6
Liberal Democrats David Spurling 170 13.2 −1.1
Majority 39 3.0 −15.6
Turnout 1,285 33.9 −2.0
Labour hold Swing
Davington Priory[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Henderson 495 58.2 +58.2
Conservative John Winlow 235 27.6 −38.1
Labour Brenda Chester 121 14.2 −20.1
Majority 260 30.6
Turnout 851 44.3 +7.3
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
East Downs[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin Prescott 683 77.6 +0.7
Labour Catherine Read 197 22.4 −0.7
Majority 486 55.2 +1.4
Turnout 880 41.4 −4.9
Conservative hold Swing
Iwade and Lower Halstow[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ben Stokes 613 58.5 +17.1
Liberal Democrats Dave Manning 266 25.4 −11.8
Labour Ruth Walker-Grice 168 16.0 −5.4
Majority 347 33.1 +28.9
Turnout 1,047 34.7 −9.8
Conservative hold Swing
Kemsley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Susan Gent 855 65.6 +3.9
Labour Martin McCusker 296 22.7 −0.2
Liberal Democrats June Hammond 153 11.7 −3.7
Majority 559 42.9 +4.1
Turnout 1,304 26.4 −1.9
Conservative hold Swing
Milton Regis[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Elvie Lowe 428 37.5 +6.3
Labour Tony Winckless 370 32.4 −9.3
Conservative Michael Dendor 240 21.0 +3.1
Independent Andrew Crayford 57 5.0 −0.4
Monster Raving Loony Sheikh Mihand 46 4.0 +0.1
Majority 58 5.1
Turnout 1,141 32.8 −1.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Minster Cliffs[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adrian Crowther 827 46.4 +24.4
Liberal Democrats Mike Brown 559 31.4 +27.4
Labour Libby Tucker 286 16.0 +7.2
Monster Raving Loony 'Mad' Mike Young 110 6.2 +4.0
Majority 268 15.0
Turnout 1,782 31.5 −6.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Murston[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Dave Banks 552 58.0 +10.7
Conservative Patricia Martin 230 24.2 +2.3
Labour Ken Rowles 169 17.8 −13.0
Majority 322 33.9 +17.4
Turnout 951 24.9 −2.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Queenborough and Halfway[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Hayes 737 40.0 +7.0
Labour Jackie Constable 618 33.5 −7.1
Sheppey First Amanda Elliott 489 26.5 +0.1
Majority 119 6.5
Turnout 1,844 33.5 −1.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Roman[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mike Haywood 633 58.2 +10.3
Conservative Mike Whiting 324 29.8 −4.3
Liberal Democrats Anne Jenkins 131 12.0 −6.0
Majority 309 28.4 +14.6
Turnout 1,088 29.7 −5.1
Labour hold Swing
Sheppey Central[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Sheppey First Paul Sturdgess 852 50.9 +5.6
Conservative Andy Booth 568 33.9 +2.1
Labour David Sargent 254 15.2 +0.2
Majority 284 17.0 +3.5
Turnout 1,674 27.5 −0.3
Sheppey First gain from Conservative Swing
St Ann's[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Baldock 582 41.0 −9.3
Faversham First Findlay MacDonald 378 26.6 +26.6
Labour Paul Durkin 306 21.5 +2.6
Liberal Democrats David Evans 154 10.8 −12.2
Majority 204 14.4 −12.9
Turnout 1,420 35.6 0.0
Conservative hold Swing
St Michael's[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Conway 665 45.5 +7.2
Liberal Democrats Brenda Hammond 566 38.8 −8.0
Labour Christine Truelove 229 15.7 +0.9
Majority 99 6.7
Turnout 1,460 36.7 −0.6
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Watling[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Simmons 960 59.3 −7.4
Faversham First Tracey Smith 270 16.7 +16.7
Labour Philip Dangerfield 219 13.5 −1.4
Liberal Democrats Paul Hurd 171 10.6 −7.8
Majority 690 42.6 −5.7
Turnout 1,620 40.3 −2.7
Conservative hold Swing

By-elections between 2008 and 2010

Minster Cliffs

A by-election was held in Minster Cliffs on 25 September 2008 after the resignation of Sheppey First councillor Chris Boden.[9] The seat was gained for the Conservatives by Andy Booth with a majority of 221 votes over Sheppey First candidate Ray Adams.[9]

Minster Cliffs by-election 25 September 2008[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andy Booth 549 48.0 +1.6
Sheppey First Ray Adams 328 28.7 +28.7
Labour Libby Tucker 204 17.8 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Dave Manning 63 5.5 −25.9
Majority 221 19.3 +4.3
Turnout 1,144 19.8 −11.7
Conservative gain from Sheppey First Swing

Sheerness East

A by-election was held in Sheerness East on 25 September 2008 after the resignation of Sheppey First councillor Gemma Wray.[9] The seat was gained by Labour candidate David Sargent with a majority of 149 votes over Liberal Democrat Colin Howe.[9]

Sheerness East by-election 25 September 2008[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Sargent 326 38.5 +6.7
Liberal Democrats Colin Howe 177 20.9 +10.0
Conservative Martin Goodhew 173 20.4 −1.8
Sheppey First Mark Rogers 171 20.2 −14.9
Majority 149 17.6
Turnout 847 23.1 −3.8
Labour gain from Sheppey First Swing

Teynham and Lynsted

A by-election was held in Teynham and Lynsted on 2 October 2008 after the death of Conservative councillor John Disney.[10] The seat was held by Conservative Trevor Fentiman with a majority of 274 votes over Labour candidate Ken Rowles.[10]

Teynham and Lynsted by-election 2 October 2008[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Trevor Fentiman 463 63.4 +3.3
Labour Ken Rowles 189 25.9 −1.7
Liberal Democrats Brenda Hammond 78 10.7 −1.6
Majority 274 37.5 +5.0
Turnout 730 17.6 −16.1
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Swale". BBC News Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. ^ "National: Full election results". The Guardian. NewsBank. 3 May 2008.
  3. ^ "Candidates fight for council seats". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank. 9 April 2008. p. 9.
  4. ^ a b Waite, Stephen (16 April 2008). "Race nears its end for council control". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank.
  5. ^ a b c "Tories gain in local elections in Swale". kentnews.co.uk. 2 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  6. ^ a b Chandler, Danny (7 May 2008). "Tories ride high on a blue wave". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank.
  7. ^ "Local elections 08 nationwide results". The Times. NewsBank. 3 May 2008. p. 14.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Swale Borough Council: Election results". Kent Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "By-election results for two wards". Kent Online. 26 September 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  10. ^ a b c "Tories strengthen their control of Swale council". kentnews.co.uk. 3 October 2008. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.