2006 Rushmoor Borough Council election

Map of the results of the 2006 Rushmoor council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and Labour in red.

The 2006 Rushmoor Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Rushmoor Borough Council in Hampshire, 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:

Campaign

Before the election the council had 22 Conservative, 11 Liberal Democrat, 5 Labour and 3 independent councillors.[3] In total 52 candidates were standing in the election with 14 seats being contested.[3] These candidates came from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour, British National Party, Green Party, Official Monster Raving Loony Party and 1 independent.[4]

Issues in the election included anti-social behaviour, regeneration of Aldershot, services for young people, traffic management and the environment.[3] The 3 candidates from the British National Party also caused controversy in the election after they distributed leaflets in Farnborough containing pictures of Mohammad as a suicide bomber.[5]

The election had Rushmoor be one of a few councils trialing early voting in an attempt to increase turnout.[6] Polling stations were open in the week leading up to the election in Aldershot and Farnborough, as well as one in Aldershot Military Town.[7] Turnout in the election as a whole was 36%, up 5% on the 2003 election with over 1,200 peoples using the 2 early polling stations in Aldershot and Farnborough town centres.[8] However the polling station in the military town, open on the day before the election, got only 46 votes cast.[8]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives increase their majority after gaining 3 seats to hold 25 of the 42 seats.[9] The Conservatives gained two seats from the Liberal Democrats and one seat in Knellwood, where the previous independent councillor, Patrick Kirby, stepped down at the election.[10] The gains from the Liberal Democrats came in Cove and Southwood ward where the Conservatives won by 310 votes, and West Heath where the margin was much closer at only 13 votes.[11] These defeats meant the Liberal Democrats were reduced to 10 seats on the council, compared to 5 for Labour and 2 independents.[10]

Labour held both of the seats they had been defending with the result in Heron Wood being closest with Labour holding on by 108 votes.[10] The British National Party saw an increased vote, with the party winning 20% in Mayfield, just 28 votes short of second place.[12] Meanwhile, the candidate from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, whose policies had included a pledge to make people buy £90 worth of Smarties each week, won 59 votes in Rowhill ward.[10]

Rushmoor Local Election Result 2006[9][13][14]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 9 3 0 +3 64.3 45.7 9,801 +2.0%
  Liberal Democrats 3 0 2 -2 21.4 30.4 6,528 -0.8%
  Labour 2 0 0 0 14.3 14.6 3,124 -2.9%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 3.6 768 +0.9%
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0 3.0 638 +0.7%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 2.6 550 +1.2%
  Monster Raving Loony 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 59 +0.3%

Ward results

Cove & Southwood[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Tennant 862 53.5 +8.5
Liberal Democrats Anoop Verma 552 34.2 −13.3
Labour Edward Shelton 113 7.0 −0.5
Green James Page 85 5.3 +5.3
Majority 310 19.3
Turnout 1,612 38.4 +1.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Empress[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Clifford 1,222 63.8 +18.9
Liberal Democrats Crispin Allard 544 28.4 +4.6
Labour Christopher Wright 150 7.8 −1.5
Majority 678 35.4 +14.3
Turnout 1,916 43.3 −0.7
Conservative hold Swing
Fernhill[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Farrier 814 56.1 +5.0
Liberal Democrats Leola Card 369 25.4 +1.7
BNP Cheryl Glass 268 18.5 +4.4
Majority 445 30.7 +3.3
Turnout 1,451 35.5 +0.5
Conservative hold Swing
Grange[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Smith 683 44.9 +4.0
Liberal Democrats Hazel Manning 373 24.5 +0.2
BNP Janette Pedrick 257 16.9 +3.0
Labour June Smith 209 13.7 −7.2
Majority 310 20.4 +3.8
Turnout 1,522 39.2 +3.2
Conservative hold Swing
Heron Wood[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Roberts 519 37.0 +4.8
Liberal Democrats Ian Colpus 411 29.3 −8.7
Conservative Hedy Brennan 381 27.2 −2.7
Green Samantha Stacey 90 6.4 +6.4
Majority 108 7.7
Turnout 1,401 32.5 −1.5
Labour hold Swing
Knellwood[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adam Jackman 852 46.3 −12.7
Independent Guy Eaglestone 564 30.7 +30.7
Liberal Democrats Abu Bakar 307 16.7 −12.5
Labour William Tootill 116 6.3 −5.5
Majority 288 15.7 −14.1
Turnout 1,839 45.0 +1.0
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Manor Park[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edmund Poole 723 48.3 +4.7
Liberal Democrats Philip Thompson 467 31.2 −14.9
Green Sarah Fisher 178 11.9 +11.9
Labour Lesley Pestridge 130 8.7 −1.6
Majority 256 17.1
Turnout 1,498 33.4 −6.5
Conservative hold Swing
Mayfield[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Craig Card 558 46.5 −4.9
Conservative Stephen Smith 271 22.6 +3.1
BNP Warren Glass 243 20.2 +5.3
Labour Clive Grattan 129 10.7 −3.4
Majority 287 23.9 −8.0
Turnout 1,201 30.9 −1.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
North Town[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Dibble 810 57.5 +3.9
Conservative Robert Lee 411 29.2 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Michael Kilburn 103 7.3 −3.8
Green Adam Stacey 85 6.0 −0.7
Majority 399 28.3 +3.4
Turnout 1,409 31.2 −2.8
Labour hold Swing
Rowhill[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Kimber 970 60.9 +6.6
Liberal Democrats Peter Pearson 260 16.3 +1.7
Labour Jill Clark 193 12.1 −9.6
Green Julia Fowler 112 7.0 −2.4
Monster Raving Loony Robert Stanton 59 3.7 +3.7
Majority 710 44.5 +11.9
Turnout 1,594 39.1 −0.9
Conservative hold Swing
St John's[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Suzan Gadsby 852 51.1 +27.0
Conservative Jane Shattock 699 41.9 −19.8
Labour Sean Clarke 116 7.0 −7.2
Majority 153 9.2
Turnout 1,667 37.5 +2.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
St Mark's[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alistair Mackie 829 48.8 +4.1
Conservative Rosemary Possee 696 40.9 −4.5
Labour Barry Jones 175 10.3 +0.3
Majority 133 7.9
Turnout 1,700 38.4 +1.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Wellington[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eric Neal 424 44.6 −0.7
Labour Alexander Crawford 330 34.7 +5.6
Liberal Democrats Josephine Fraser-Fleming 123 12.9 −1.0
Independent Roger Watkins 74 7.8 +0.6
Majority 94 9.9 −6.3
Turnout 951 21.8 −1.2
Conservative hold Swing
West Heath[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Thomas 793 46.5 +10.8
Liberal Democrats Josephine Murphy 780 45.7 +6.6
Labour Philip Collins 134 7.9 −1.3
Majority 13 0.8
Turnout 1,707 42.3 +1.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

References

  1. ^ "Local elections: Rushmoor". BBC News Online. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  2. ^ Rory, Carroll (6 May 2006). "Local elections 2006: Results in full". The Guardian. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b c "Election: Greens, independents and the BNP join parties at poll". getsurrey. 21 April 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  4. ^ "Election: The candidates ward by ward". getsurrey. 21 April 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  5. ^ "BNP to fight poll in three wards". gethampshire. 23 March 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  6. ^ "Now you can vote while doing your shopping". gethampshire. 20 April 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  7. ^ "New voting system takes off". gethampshire. 27 April 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  8. ^ a b "The Army's early voting plan misfires". gethampshire. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Rushmoor election results". gethampshire. 5 May 2006. Archived from the original on 10 May 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d "Tories tighten their grip as Lib Dems lose out". gethampshire. 9 May 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  11. ^ "Election 2006: It's lucky 13 for Tory David". gethampshire. 9 May 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  12. ^ "Election 2006: BNP records a 30% vote increase". Reading Post. 9 May 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Rushmoor Borough Council election results - 4th May, 2006 report of the returning office" (PDF). Rushmoor Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  14. ^ "Local elections". The Times. 6 May 2006. p. 64.
Preceded by
2004 Rushmoor Council election 		Rushmoor local elections Succeeded by
2007 Rushmoor Council election