Forest Heath District Council elections

Forest Heath District Council in Suffolk, England was elected every four years. between the last boundary changes in 2003 and the final elections in 2015, 27 councillors were elected from 14 wards.[1] The council was abolished in 2019, with the area becoming part of West Suffolk.

Political control

From the first election to the council in 1973 until its abolition in 2019, political control of the council was held by the following parties:[2]

Party in control Years
Conservative 1973–1976
No overall control 1976–1979
Conservative 1979–1983
No overall control 1983–1987
Conservative 1987–1991
No overall control 1991–1999
Conservative 1999–2019

Leadership

The leaders of the council from 1995 until 2019 were:[3]

Councillor Party From To
Adrian Rogers[4] Liberal Democrats May 1995 May 1997
Paul Dwane[5] Labour 5 Jun 1997 9 May 1999
Geoffrey Jaggard[6] Conservative 1999 25 May 2011
James Waters Conservative 25 May 2011 31 Mar 2019

James Waters served as leader of the West Suffolk shadow authority prior to the new council coming into effect in 2019, but he was unsuccessful in securing a seat at the first election to the new council.

Council elections

Results maps

  • 2003 results map
    2003 results map
  • 2007 results map
    2007 results map
  • 2011 results map
    2011 results map
  • 2015 results map
    2015 results map

By-election results

1995-1999

The Rows By-Election 6 March 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent 273 38.7
Conservative 245 34.7
Labour 188 26.6
Majority 28 4.0
Turnout 706 27.3
Independent hold Swing
St Marys By-Election 24 September 1998
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 444 58.6 +13.6
Labour 272 35.9 −3.5
Liberal Democrats 42 5.5 −10.1
Majority 172 22.7
Turnout 758 25.3
Conservative hold Swing

2003-2007

Manor By-Election 28 October 2004[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Susan Syvret 269 66.9 +41.0
Independent 133 33.1 −10.1
Majority 136 33.8
Turnout 402 32.8
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
South By-Election 5 May 2005[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Dicker 564 59.7
Independent Brian Gray 381 40.3
Majority 183 19.4
Turnout 945 75.9
Conservative hold Swing
Red Lodge By-Election 15 December 2005[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Julie Middleton 173 55.3 +55.3
Conservative Stuart Hastings 111 35.5 −20.3
UKIP David Whitear 29 9.3 +9.3
Majority 62 19.8
Turnout 313 26.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

2007-2011

Manor By-Election 22 November 2007[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Timothy Huggan 281 53.6
Conservative Brian Harvey 211 40.3
UKIP David Chandler 32 6.1
Majority 70 13.3
Turnout 524 41.3
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Red Lodge By-Election 5 June 2008[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Albert McCloud 321 55.9
Conservative Alnoor Hirji 230 40.1
UKIP David Chandler 23 4.0
Majority 91 15.8
Turnout 574 38.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Eriswell & the Rows By-Election 22 October 2009[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Waters 400 45.8 −24.4
Liberal Democrats John Smith 346 39.6 +39.6
UKIP David Chandler 128 14.6 −15.2
Majority 54 6.2
Turnout 874
Conservative hold Swing

2011-2015

Exning By-Election 11 July 2013[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Simon Cole 263 64.1 +64.1
Conservative Marion Fairman-Smith 147 35.9 −8.0
Majority 116 28.2
Turnout 410
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Market By-Election 19 December 2013[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Bloodworth 266 50.3 −19.9
UKIP David Chandler 263 49.7 +49.7
Majority 3 0.6
Turnout 529
Conservative hold Swing

2015-2019

Brandon West By-Election 5 May 2016[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Victor Lukaniuk 220 29.0 −15.4
UKIP Ian Smith 197 26.0 +26.0
Independent Edward Stewart 180 23.7 +23.7
Conservative Anthony Simmons 161 21.2 −34.4
Majority 23 3.0
Turnout 758
WSI gain from Conservative Swing
South By-Election 5 May 2016[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP Roger Dicker 334 51.9 +51.9
Conservative Karen Soons 309 48.1 −17.8
Majority 25 3.8
Turnout 643
UKIP gain from Conservative Swing
St Mary's By-Election 17 August 2017[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Nobbs 338 50.1 +10.7
Labour Michael Jefferys 276 40.9 +8.8
Green Alice Haylock 60 8.9 +8.9
Majority 62 9.2
Turnout 674
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Your Council". Forest Heath District Council. Archived from the original on 9 November 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  2. ^ "Forest Heath". BBC News Online. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  3. ^ "Council minutes". West Suffolk Council. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Disappointed Shirley stopped from being chairman of council". Newmarket Journal. 25 May 1995. p. 6. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Council leader elected after second ballot". Newmarket Journal. 12 June 1997. p. 4. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  6. ^ "District Council elects new leaders". Newmarket Journal. 3 June 1999. p. 5. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  7. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Forest Heath (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
  8. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk (County Boundaries) Order 1990. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  9. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Cambridgeshire and Suffolk (County Boundaries) Order 1992. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Local elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  11. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Forest Heath (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Labour edges ahead in byelections". guardian.co.uk. 29 October 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  13. ^ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Forest Heath District Council. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  14. ^ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Forest Heath District Council. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  15. ^ "Lib Dem by-elections bounce blow for Tories". WalesOnline. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  16. ^ "Lib Dems win Red Lodge seat". Newmarket Journal. 11 June 2008.
  17. ^ "New councillor at Forest Heath". East Anglian Daily Times. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  18. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Exning Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Market Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Brandon West Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — South Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  22. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — St Mary's Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2024.