1992 Reading Borough Council election

The 1992 Reading Borough Council election was held on 7 May 1992, at the same time as other local elections across England and Scotland, and a month after the general election. One third of Reading Borough Council's 45 seats were up for election.

1992 Reading Borough Council election
← 1991 7 May 1992 (1992-05-07) 1994 →

15 seats of 45 on council
23 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Lab
Con
LD
Leader Mike Orton Pauline Palmer Jim Day
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Seats before 29 10 4
Seats after 29 11 4
Seat change Steady Increase1 Steady
Popular vote 13,532 14,919 5,605
Percentage 37.1 40.9 15.4
Swing Decrease2.9 Increase2.6 Decrease0.5

  Fourth party
 
Ind
Party Independent
Seats before 2
Seats after 1
Seat change Decrease1
Popular vote 1,168
Percentage 3.2
Swing n/a

The only seat which changed parties was in Thames Ward, where the official Conservative candidate won the seat back from the independent "Thames Conservative" candidate, Pam Fuad, who had been elected in 1988 as a Conservative but had broken away from the group with her husband, councillor Hamza Fuad, to form the Thames Conservatives in 1990.

Turnout was reported to be 36%.

Results

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Reading Borough Council election, 1992
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 9 0 0 0 60.0 37.1 13,532 -2.9
  Conservative 5 1 0 +1 33.3 40.9 14,919 +2.6
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 0 0 6.7 15.4 5,605 -0.5
  Green 0 0.0 3.5 1,263 -2.4
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0.0 3.2 1,168 N/A

Ward results

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The results in each ward were as follows (candidates with an asterisk* were the previous incumbent standing for re-election):[1][2]

Abbey Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jane Griffiths* 1,053 53.9 −2.0
Conservative Mark Boyle 640 32.8 +6.6
Liberal Democrats Barry Richardson 176 9.0 −4.0
Green David Wright 83 4.3 −0.7
Turnout 1,952
Labour hold Swing -4.3
Battle Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Tattersall 864 53.7 −6.1
Conservative Jan De-Volle Harding 523 32.5 +2.4
Liberal Democrats Thomas Cook 149 9.3 n/a
Green Howard Darby 73 4.5 −5.6
Turnout 1,609
Labour hold Swing -4.25
Caversham Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pauline Palmer* 2,044 66.6 +17.3
Labour Ian Howarth 712 23.2 −8.9
Liberal Democrats Ann Stagg 241 7.9 −5.8
Green Robert McCubbin 70 2.3 −2.5
Turnout 3,067
Conservative hold Swing +13.1
Church Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Maureen Lockey* 883 55.7 +0.2
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Everitt 499 31.5 n/a
Green Richard Bradbury 202 12.8 +3.1
Turnout 1,584
Labour hold Swing -15.65

The Conservatives had planned to field a candidate in Church Ward, but the person withdrew just ahead of the deadline for nominations.[3]

Katesgrove Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Sutton* 852 49.7 −4.5
Conservative Shirley Mills 569 33.2 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Mark Gray 229 13.4 n/a
Green Christine Critchfield 65 3.8 −9.7
Turnout 1,715
Labour hold Swing -2.65
Kentwood Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Oliver 1,273 46.1 +6.5
Liberal Democrats Michael Bonney
(Mike Bonney)
877 31.8 −0.2
Labour Mohammad Iqbal 545 19.7 −6.3
Green John Gibson 67 2.4 0.0
Turnout 2,762
Conservative hold Swing +3.35
Minster Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Markham
(Tony Markham)
1,480 52.4 +5.5
Labour Daniel McNamara
(Danny McNamara)
1,055 37.3 −8.5
Liberal Democrats Mark Boyne 266 9.4 n/a
Green Elizabeth Maria Darby
(Maria Darby)
26 0.9 −6.4
Turnout 2,827
Conservative hold Swing +7.0
Norcot Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mandy Winters 1,283 56.9 −1.0
Conservative William Henderson 845 37.5 +16.0
Green David Chaplin 128 5.7 +1.8
Turnout 2,256
Labour hold Swing -8.5
Park Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Martin Salter* 1,420 58.8 +2.4
Conservative Simon Robinson 715 29.6 +6.0
Liberal Democrats Susan Doughty 192 8.0 −4.9
Green Philip Unsworth 86 3.6 −3.5
Turnout 2,413
Labour hold Swing -1.8
Peppard Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mary Irwin* 1,960 63.8 +9.1
Liberal Democrats Ian Fenwick 683 22.2 −6.4
Labour Charles Croal 362 11.8 −1.5
Green Andrew McPhee 66 2.1 −1.2
Turnout 3,071
Conservative hold Swing +7.75
Redlands Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Sulley 1,295 48.2 +3.1
Conservative Derek Ching 973 36.2 +0.1
Liberal Democrats Philippa Donald 323 12.0 −0.9
Green Elisabeth Brelstaff 98 3.6 −2.2
Turnout 2,689
Labour hold Swing +1.5
Southcote Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Roberta Richardson*
(Bobbie Richardson)
1,539 56.0 +4.4
Conservative Simon Beckingham 1,115 40.6 −1.9
Green Tim Astin 95 3.5 −2.5
Turnout 2,749
Labour hold Swing +3.15
Thames Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Wilson 1,462 41.8 −12.8
Independent Pamela Fuad* 1,168 33.4 n/a
Liberal Democrats John Adams 442 12.7 −14.3
Labour Christine Borgars 336 9.6 −3.3
Green Anne McCubbin 86 2.5 −3.0
Turnout 3,494
Conservative gain from Independent Swing n/a
Tilehurst Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ronald James Day*
(Jim Day)
1,528 59.1 +2.5
Conservative David Henderson 706 27.3 +1.4
Labour Kevin Durham 299 11.6 −3.2
Green Judith Green 52 2.0 −0.6
Turnout 2,585
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +0.55
Whitley Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Cook* 1,034 60.3 −1.1
Conservative Barrie Cummings 614 35.8 +4.6
Green Jacqueline Hearn 66 3.9 −3.5
Turnout 1,714
Labour hold Swing -2.85

The Liberal Democrats had planned to field a candidate in Whitley Ward, but an irregularity on his nomination papers meant that he was disqualified.[3]

By-elections 1992–1994

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Park by-election, 6 May 1993
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christine Borgars 1,571 66.9 +8.1
Conservative Amir Kharkowa 570 24.3 −5.4
Green Philip Unsworth 207 8.8 +5.3
Majority 1,001 42.6
Turnout 2,348
Labour hold Swing +6.75

The Park ward by-election in 1993 was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Gillian Parker.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Candidates in Reading". Evening Post. Reading. 6 May 1992. p. 10. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Election hangover hits council polls". Evening Post. Reading. 17 April 2022. p. 54. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Defeat taunt from Labour: Opponents suffer poll misfortunes". Evening Post. Reading. 13 April 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Labour's easy win in town". Evening Post. Reading. 7 May 1993. p. 3. Retrieved 18 April 2022.