2003 Rother District Council election

Map of the results of the 2003 Rother District Council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Labour in red and independents in light grey.

The 2003 Rother District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Rother District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election after boundary changes reduced the number of seats by 7.[1] The Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[2]

Background

Originally a total of 81 candidates stood for the 37 seats that were to be elected after the boundary changes, comprising 37 Conservatives, 32 Liberal Democrats, 12 Labour and 3 independents.[3] However the death of a Liberal Democrat candidate for Rother Levels meant the election in that ward was delayed until 12 June and so 75 candidates stood for the 35 seats that were contested on 1 May.[3]

Both the Conservative leader of East Sussex County Council, Peter Jones, and the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Rother District Council, Stephen Hardy, stood down from the council at the election.[3]

Election result

The Conservatives continued to hold a strong majority on the council winning 13 of the 18 seats in Bexhill, compared to 2 each for the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties, and 1 independent.[4] In the remaining rural areas of the council that were elected on 1 May, 9 Conservatives, 6 Liberal Democrats, 1 Labour and 1 independent councillors were elected.[4]

The delayed election in Rother Levels on 12 June had the Conservatives win both seats.[5]

Rother local election result 2003[5][6][7]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 25 -4 65.8 57.5 25,184
  Liberal Democrats 8 0 21.1 30.2 13,205
  Labour 3 -1 7.9 8.0 3,497
  Independent 2 -2 5.3 4.3 1,883

The above totals include the delayed election in Rother Levels on 12 June 2003.

Ward results

Battle Town (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Suzanne Williams 668
Liberal Democrats Robert White 664
Conservative Margaret Leicester 599
Conservative Anthony Mitchell 560
Labour John Gately 182
Turnout 2,673 37.3
Bexhill Central (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eveline Armstrong 634
Conservative Joyce Hughes 608
Liberal Democrats Neil Francis 484
Liberal Democrats Michael Doncaster 451
Turnout 2,177 32.0
Bexhill Collington (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald Dyason 1,071
Conservative Christopher Starnes 974
Liberal Democrats Heather Morrey 575
Turnout 2,620 43.2
Bexhill Kewhurst (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brian Kentfield 1,199
Conservative Martin Horscroft 1,180
Liberal Democrats John Zipperlen 162
Turnout 2,541 41.7
Bexhill Old Town (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats James Wood 499
Liberal Democrats Eric Armstrong 469
Conservative Paul Lendon 373
Labour Nicholas Hollington 195
Turnout 1,536 32.3
Bexhill Sackville (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jean Hopkinson 876
Conservative Deidre Williams 775
Liberal Democrats Christopher Storer 411
Turnout 2,062 33.6
Bexhill Sidley (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Helen Bridger 446
Labour Keith Bridger 418
Conservative Robert Wheeler 399
Conservative Irena Massarella 395
Liberal Democrats Matthew Kemp 205
Turnout 1,863 28.7
Bexhill St. Marks (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stuart Earl 1,236
Conservative Joanne Gadd 1,106
Liberal Democrats Stephen Callandine-Evans 359
Turnout 2,701 41.6
Bexhill St. Michaels (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Charles Clark 631
Conservative Peter Fairhurst 393
Conservative Martin Kenward 373
Liberal Democrats Martyn Forster 346
Turnout 1,743 30.6
Bexhill St. Stephens (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Graham Gubby 648
Conservative William Clements 631
Liberal Democrats Hilary McCorry 432
Liberal Democrats Trevor Smith 339
Labour Dominic Coughlan 235
Turnout 2,285 38.8
Brede Valley (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Carroll 775
Conservative Carl Maynard 750
Liberal Democrats Rowan Fookes 647
Turnout 2,172 38.0
Crowhurst[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Kemp 486 55.5
Conservative Ian Tomisson 315 36.0
Labour Timothy MacPherson 74 8.5
Majority 171 19.5
Turnout 875 43.4
Darwell (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Vereker 858
Independent Wendy Miers 756
Liberal Democrats Trevor Seeman 476
Turnout 2,090 39.7
Eastern Rother (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Glazier 733
Conservative Charles Ramus 707
Liberal Democrats Sonia Holmes 427
Liberal Democrats Nicholas Cleveland-Stevens 349
Labour Paul Carey 311
Labour Keith Pike 223
Turnout 2,750 40.1
Ewhurst and Sedlescombe[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Matthew Wilson 602 67.5
Liberal Democrats Jeremy Field 290 32.5
Majority 312 35.0
Turnout 892 46.6
Marsham (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robin Patten 935
Conservative Roger Bird 894
Independent Hugh Gallagher 496
Liberal Democrats Joloyn Holden 285
Labour Paola Dorigato 138
Labour Shirley Wheeldon 132
Turnout 2,880 48.4
Rye (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samuel Souster 542
Liberal Democrats Granville Bantick 537
Conservative David Russell 474
Conservative Anthony Arfwedson 448
Labour Geoffrey Lyus 443
Turnout 2,444 44.3
Salehurst (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Susan Prochak 894
Liberal Democrats George Hearn 828
Conservative Mary Barnes 495
Conservative Geoffrey Goodsell 485
Turnout 2,702 42.7
Ticehurst and Etchingham (2 seats)[7][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Jenkins 663
Conservative John Potter 633
Liberal Democrats Albert Barrass 542
Liberal Democrats Mary Varrall 542
Turnout 2,380 38.6

Rother Levels delayed election

The election in Rother Levels was delayed until 12 June 2003 after the death of a Liberal Democrat candidate Julian Emery.[3][5]

Rother Levels (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Mooney 702
Conservative Ronald Parren 685
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Als 466
Liberal Democrats Alan Coote 372
Labour Linda Whymark 93
Labour Jean Parks 65
Turnout 2,383 34.5

By-elections between 2003 and 2007

Bexhill Sackville September 2004

A by-election took place in Bexhill Sackville on 9 September 2004 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Jean Hopkinson when she moved to New Zealand.[8] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Graham Oliver with a majority of 184 votes over the Liberal Democrats.[9]

Bexhill Sackville by-election 9 September 2004[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Graham Oliver 468 51.7 −16.4
Liberal Democrats Neil Francis 284 31.3 −0.6
UKIP Dorothy Thomson 154 17.0 +17.0
Majority 184 20.3
Turnout 906 25.1 −8.5
Conservative hold Swing

Bexhill St Stephens

A by-election was held in Bexhill St Stephens on 29 September 2005 after the death of Conservative councillor William Clements.[11] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Paul Lendon by a majority of 111 votes over the Liberal Democrats.[11]

Bexhill St Stephens by-election 29 September 2005[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Lendon 470 46.6 −2.7
Liberal Democrats Molly Webb 359 35.6 +2.7
Labour Dominic Coughlan 180 17.8 −0.1
Majority 111 11.0
Turnout 1,009 30.2 −8.6
Conservative hold Swing

Ticehurst and Etchingham

A by-election was held in Ticehurst and Etchingham on 17 November 2005 after Conservative councillor John Potter moved away.[12] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Robert Elliston with a majority of 367 votes over the Liberal Democrats.[12]

Ticehurst and Etchingham by-election 17 November 2005[10][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Elliston 696 67.9 +12.9
Liberal Democrats Mary Varrall 329 32.1 −12.9
Majority 367 35.8
Turnout 1,025 30.8 −7.8
Conservative hold Swing

Bexhill Kewhurst

A by-election was held in Bexhill Kewhurst on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Martin Horscroft resigned from the council.[13] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Martin Kenward with a majority of 616 votes over the Liberal Democrats.[13]

Bexhill Kewhurst by-election 4 May 2006[10][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Kenward 1,141 64.6 −23.5
Liberal Democrats John Zipperlen 525 29.7 +17.8
Labour Abdulla Khan 99 5.6 +5.6
Majority 616 34.9
Turnout 1,765 44 +2
Conservative hold Swing

Bexhill Sackville May 2006

A by-election was held in Bexhill Sackville on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Graham Oliver resigned from the council.[13] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Keith Standring with a majority of 89 votes over the Liberal Democrats.[13]

Bexhill Sackville by-election 4 May 2006[10][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Standring 655 48.3 −3.4
Liberal Democrats Martyn Forster 566 41.8 +10.5
Labour Philipa Coughlan 134 9.9 +9.9
Majority 89 6.6 −13.7
Turnout 1,355 38 +13
Conservative hold Swing

Bexhill St Marks

A by-election was held in Bexhill St Marks on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Stuart Earl resigned from the council.[13] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Patrick Douart with a majority of 325 votes over the Liberal Democrats.[13]

Bexhill St Marks by-election 4 May 2006[10][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Douart 863 51.4 −26.1
Liberal Democrats Rachel Hills 538 32.1 +6.8
UKIP Tony Smith 185 11.0 +11.0
Labour Stephanie Webb 92 5.5 +5.5
Majority 325 19.3
Turnout 1,678 45 +3
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Local elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Rother". The Guardian. NewsBank. 3 May 2003.
  3. ^ a b c d Dore, Rowan (16 April 2003). "Rother Council". East Sussex County Publications. NewsBank.
  4. ^ a b Dore, Rowan (2 May 2003). "Rother District Council: Con hold". East Sussex County Publications. NewsBank.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Election results". Rother District Council. Archived from the original on 8 June 2003. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  6. ^ "English councils - Non-metropolitan districts". The Times. NewsBank. 3 May 2003. p. 47.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Rother". Rother District Council. Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Voting confusion follows ward changes - Bexhill Observer". Bexhill-on-Sea Observer. 19 August 2004. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Bexhill By-Elections 2004 - Result of Poll". Rother District Council. 9 September 2004. Archived from the original on 25 September 2004. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Local Authority Byelection Results". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  11. ^ a b c "Council Meeting". Rother District Council. 31 October 2005. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  12. ^ a b c "Tories celebrate by-election victory". Rye & Battle Observer. 24 November 2005. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Tories sweep up in Rother by-elections". Bexhill-on-Sea Observer. 12 May 2006. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.