1997 Essex County Council election

The 1997 Essex County Council election took place on 1 May 1997 to elect members of Essex County Council in Essex, England. This was held on the same day as other local elections and the 1997 general election.

1997 Essex County Council election

← 1993 1 May 1997 2001 →

79 out of 98 seats to Essex County Council
50 seats needed for a majority
Registered994,948
Turnout72.6% (Increase 36.6%)
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Paul White Christopher Pearson
(defeated)
Party Conservative Labour
Last election 32 seats, 35.3% 33 seats, 30.7%
Seats before 26 25
Seats won 40 23
Seats after 45 32
Seat change Increase 13 Decrease 1
Popular vote 281,074 229,181
Percentage 38.9% 31.7%
Swing Increase 3.1% Increase 1.3%

  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Richard Boyd
Party Liberal Democrats Loughton Residents
Last election 32 seats, 31.9% did not stand
Seats before 27 0
Seats won 15 1
Seats after 20 1
Seat change Decrease 12 Increase 1
Popular vote 192,520 5,040
Percentage 26.6% 0.7%
Swing Decrease 5.3% Increase 0.7%

Results of the 1997 Essex County Council election.

Leader before election

Christopher Pearson
Labour
No overall control

Leader after election

Mervyn Juliff
Labour
No overall control

79 councillors were elected from various electoral divisions, which returned either one or two county councillors each by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office.

Due to the impending creation of the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Thurrock Council unitary authorities, the divisions covering these areas were not contested at this election and would ultimately be abolished in 1998. This would reduce the number of seats on Essex County Council by 19 to 79 seats. In 1993, the breakdown of the abolished seats were 9 Labour, 5 Conservative and 5 Liberal Democrats.

Previous composition

edit

1993 election

edit
Party Seats
Labour 33
Conservative 32
Liberal Democrats 32
Independent 1
Total 79

Composition of council seats before election

edit
Party Seats
Labour 34
Liberal Democrats 32
Conservative 31
Independent 1
Total 79

Summary

edit

Election result

edit

Results below exclude the 19 councillors from Southend and Thurrock whose divisions were not contested at this election and were ultimately abolished in 1998.

1997 Essex County Council election[1][2]
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 79 40 14 1   13 50.6 38.9 281,074 +3.6
  Labour 79 23 2 3   1 29.1 31.7 229,181 +1.0
  Liberal Democrats 78 15 1 13   12 19.0 26.6 192,520 –5.3
  Loughton Residents 2 1 1 0   1 1.3 0.7 5,040 N/A
  Green 23 0 0 0   0.0 1.1 7,907 +0.1
  Independent 6 0 0 1   1 0.0 1.0 7,378 +0.2
  Socialist Alliance (England) 2 0 0 0   0.0 <0.1 220 N/A

Election of Group Leaders

edit

Paul White (Stock) was elected leader of the Conservative Group, Mervyn Juliff (Great Parndon) was elected leader of the Labour Group and Kenneth Jones (Park) was elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Group.

Government Formation

edit

Despite winning less than half the seats contested, the incumbent Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition continued in government because the members from Southend and Thurrock (whose seats had not been contested at the election) gave them a 52 to 45 majority over the Conservatives until April 1998 when those seats would be abolished.[3]

After council leader Chris Pearson (Tendring Rural West), wasn't reelected in Maypole, Mervyn Juliff (Great Parndon) became council leader until the departure of the 19 Southend and Thurrock councilors, at which point Conservative group leader Paul White became leader.[4]

However in May 1999 Alison Enkel (Brentwood Rural) resigned from the Conservatives.[5] This following a by election loss to Labour a year before gave control of the council back to the Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition.[6]

This proved unworkable as with further resignations leading to a power struggle before defeat in budget vote which caused the coalition to resign and the Conservatives to return.[7][8]

Division results by local authority

edit

Basildon

edit
Basildon District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Labour 5   35,336 39.9 –1.3
Conservative 5   1 33,144 37.4 +0.2
Liberal Democrats 0   1 20,021 22.6 +1.5
Socialist Alliance 0   120 0.1 N/A
Total 10   88,621 70.7 +32.9

Division results

Basildon Crouch
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Morris 3,586 44.0 +4.5
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Williams* 2,520 30.9 −13.2
Labour Liv Roe 2,052 25.2 +8.7
Majority 1,066 13.1
Turnout 8,158 73.3 +32.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  8.9
Basildon Fryerns
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Archibald* 4,427 66.4 −1.6
Conservative Sandra Elliott 1,610 24.1 +1.6
Liberal Democrats Terry Marsh 631 9.5 ±0.0
Majority 2,817 42.2 +3.3
Turnout 6,668 68.6 +29.5
Labour hold Swing  1.6
Basildon Gloucester Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anthony Wright 4,935 61.0 −4.3
Conservative Andrew Elliott 2,105 26.0 +0.3
Liberal Democrats Michael Dickinson 1,056 13.0 +4.0
Majority 2,830 35.0 −4.6
Turnout 8,096 71.9 +30.0
Labour hold Swing  2.3
Basildon Laindon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rachel Liebeschuetz* 3,679 56.1 −1.5
Conservative David Walsh 1,930 29.4 −2.0
Liberal Democrats Vivien Howard 950 14.5 +3.5
Majority 1,749 26.7 +0.5
Turnout 6,559 65.5 +29.4
Labour hold Swing  0.3
Basildon Pitsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Bobbin 5,791 54.3 −3.2
Conservative Jacqueline Blake 3,381 31.7 −1.4
Liberal Democrats David Birch 1,369 12.8 +3.4
Socialist Alliance David Murray 120 1.1 N/A
Majority 2,410 22.6 −1.8
Turnout 10,661 63.5 +29.1
Labour hold Swing  0.9
Basildon Vange
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Swatantra Nandanwar 4,668 57.2 −4.6
Conservative Stephen Hillier 2,213 27.1 −0.9
Liberal Democrats Mark Hersom 1,285 15.7 +5.5
Majority 2,455 30.1 −3.7
Turnout 8,166 64.6 +27.6
Labour hold Swing  1.9
Basildon Westley Heights
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brinley Jones* 3,958 40.8 +0.1
Labour Susanna Caira-Neeson 3,458 35.7 −2.1
Liberal Democrats Joseph White 2,275 23.5 +2.0
Majority 500 5.2 +2.3
Turnout 9,691 76.4 +32.7
Conservative hold Swing  1.1
Billericay North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Angela Watkinson 5,338 51.3 −10.5
Liberal Democrats Ronald Dowden 3,598 34.6 +7.4
Labour Margaret Viney 1,473 14.2 +3.2
Majority 1,740 16.7 −17.8
Turnout 10,409 75.5 +42.1
Conservative hold Swing  9.0
Billericay South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kay Twitchen* 4,287 43.3 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Taylor 3,694 37.3 −0.7
Labour Geoffrey Viney 1,930 19.5 +3.4
Majority 593 6.0 +3.5
Turnout 9,911 75.7 +37.2
Conservative hold Swing  1.8
Wickford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Iris Pummell* 4,736 46.0 −2.6
Labour Ian Hancock 2,923 28.4 +10.0
Liberal Democrats Lesley Pattison 2,643 25.7 −7.3
Majority 1,813 17.6 +2.0
Turnout 10,302 72.3 +25.0
Conservative hold Swing  6.3

Braintree

edit
District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Labour 4   26,705 37.2 –3.0
Conservative 2   26,812 37.3 +2.1
Liberal Democrats 1   15,388 21.4 –0.7
Green 0   2,909 4.1 +1.5
Total 7   71,814 74.6 +35.6

Division results

Bocking
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frederick Card* 3,925 42.4 −1.9
Conservative Simon Walsh 3,412 36.8 +2.0
Liberal Democrats Anthony Meadows 1,584 17.1 −1.3
Green Wendy Partridge 340 3.7 +1.2
Majority 513 5.5 −4.0
Turnout 9,261 70.1 +26.1
Labour hold Swing  2.0
Braintree East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Elwyn Bishop* 4,682 40.6 −6.0
Conservative Nigel Edey 4,553 39.5 +3.1
Liberal Democrats Lesley Beckett 1,967 17.1 +3.1
Green Susan Ransome 332 2.9 −0.1
Majority 129 1.1 −9.0
Turnout 11,534 79.3 +36.4
Labour hold Swing  4.6
Braintree West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Douglas Rice* 3,837 33.4 −11.8
Conservative Roger Wacey 3,714 32.3 +4.6
Labour Robert Miller 3,630 31.6 +7.2
Green Nelson Brunton 318 2.8 ±0.0
Majority 123 1.1 −16.4
Turnout 11,499 75.0 +34.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  8.2
Halstead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joseph Pike* 4,153 40.2 +1.5
Labour John Kotz 3,355 32.4 −5.9
Liberal Democrats Oliver Forder 2,393 23.1 +0.1
Green Lyn Peacock 442 4.3 N/A
Majority 798 7.7 +7.3
Turnout 10,343 73.6 +36.0
Conservative hold Swing  3.7
Hedingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Waterer* 4,311 44.8 −1.4
Liberal Democrats Trevor Ellis 2,529 26.3 +0.7
Labour Edward Snarey 2,458 25.6 −2.6
Green Kevin Peterson 319 3.3 N/A
Majority 1,782 18.5 +0.5
Turnout 9,617 77.1 +38.5
Conservative hold Swing  1.1
Witham Northern
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Lyon* 4,845 47.3 −10.2
Conservative Dennis Willetts 3,090 30.2 +5.3
Liberal Democrats Roy Cavinder 1,503 14.7 +2.9
Green James Abbott 802 7.8 +1.9
Majority 1,755 17.1 −15.5
Turnout 10,240 73.2 +38.7
Labour hold Swing  7.8
Witham Southern
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Gyford* 3,810 40.9 −1.8
Conservative Michael Lager 3,579 38.4 −0.6
Liberal Democrats Christine May 1,575 16.9 +5.1
Green Philip Hughes 356 3.8 −0.2
Majority 231 2.5 −1.3
Turnout 9,320 73.3 +38.3
Labour hold Swing  0.6

Brentwood

edit
Brentwood District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 4   4 18,258 43.8 +7.9
Liberal Democrats 1   4 15,046 36.1 –15.5
Labour 0   7,965 19.1 +9.4
Green 0   400 1.0 –1.9
Total 5   41,669 74.9 +34.5

Division results

Brentwood Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Edgar Davis* 2,941 42.8 −16.1
Conservative Francis Kenny 2,532 36.9 +6.7
Labour Martin Coule 1,393 20.3 +12.8
Majority 409 14.8 −13.9
Turnout 6,866 75.4 +33.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  11.4
Brentwood Hutton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Roberts 4,511 48.7 +5.1
Liberal Democrats Richard Davies 3,139 33.9 −10.0
Labour Charles Bisson 1,611 17.4 +7.4
Majority 1,372 14.8
Turnout 9,261 75.4 +40.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  7.6
Brentwood North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Judith Gray 3,186 45.5 +7.3
Liberal Democrats Norman Spencer 2,615 37.3 −15.4
Labour Rosalind Brown 1,201 17.2 +10.1
Majority 571 8.2
Turnout 7,002 74.7 +36.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  11.4
Brentwood Rural
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alison Enkel 4,230 43.1 +10.5
Liberal Democrats Derek Hardy* 3,879 39.5 −18.6
Labour Paul Bartley 1,303 13.3 +7.0
Green Carolyn Bartley 400 4.1 +1.1
Majority 351 3.6
Turnout 9,812 76.8 +32.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  14.6
Brentwood South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lionel Lee* 3,799 43.5 +7.8
Liberal Democrats Cyril Robins 2,472 28.3 −15.9
Labour Deborah Richardson 2,457 28.2 +11.2
Majority 1,327 15.2
Turnout 8,728 75.5 +33.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  11.9

Castle Point

edit
Castle Point District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 4   2 21,761 45.1 +11.8
Labour 2   1 19,413 40.3 +6.1
Liberal Democrats 0   1 6,957 14.4 –18.0
Socialist Alliance 0   100 0.2 N/A
Total 6   48,231 70.9 +33.2

Division results

Benfleet
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jillian Reeves* 3,483 48.0 +12.1
Labour Brian Wilson 2,760 38.0 +8.7
Liberal Democrats Stephen Howe 1,014 14.0 −20.8
Majority 723 10.0 +8.9
Turnout 7,257 73.8 +38.1
Conservative hold Swing  1.7
Canvey Island East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Williams 4,682 48.1 +7.4
Conservative Christopher Freeman 3,833 39.4 +5.8
Liberal Democrats Barry Newman 1,218 12.5 −13.1
Majority 849 8.7 +1.6
Turnout 9,733 66.1 +30.6
Labour hold Swing  0.8
Canvey Island West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Howard* 4,778 51.5 +7.5
Labour James David 3,725 40.2 +1.4
Liberal Democrats Roger Terry 670 7.2 −10.0
Socialist Alliance Robert Chapman 100 1.1 N/A
Majority 1,053 11.4 +6.2
Turnout 9,273 67.6 +31.4
Conservative hold Swing  3.1
Great Tarpots
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alfred Goldsworthy 3,468 43.5 −2.6
Conservative John Greenwood 3,301 41.4 +13.4
Liberal Democrats Barry King 1,201 15.1 −10.9
Majority 167 2.1 −16.0
Turnout 7,970 73.0 +36.3
Labour hold Swing  8.0
Hadleigh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald Williams 3,043 45.0 +16.5
Labour Roy English 2,070 30.6 +19.6
Liberal Democrats Michael Baker* 1,648 24.4 −36.2
Majority 973 14.4
Turnout 6,761 74.6 +28.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  1.6
Thundersley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Dick* 3,323 45.9 +18.2
Labour Guy Shearwood 2,708 37.4 +0.1
Liberal Democrats Thomas Pile 1,206 16.7 −18.3
Majority 615 8.5
Turnout 7,237 73.8 +35.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing  9.1

Chelmsford

edit
Chelmsford District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 4   1 35,355 39.0 +1.8
Liberal Democrats 4   1 31,366 34.6 –8.6
Labour 1   20,208 22.3 +3.5
Green 0   2,320 2.6 +1.8
Independent 0   1,383 1.5 N/A
Total 9   90,632 74.6 +34.4

Division results

Broomfield & Writtle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Wendy Cole 2,574 33.0 −5.3
Liberal Democrats Phillip Evans* 2,417 31.0 −9.1
Labour Barry Grainger 1,387 17.8 −1.1
Independent Delmas Ashford 1,261 16.2 N/A
Green Paulene Gaywood 168 2.2 −0.5
Majority 157 2.0
Turnout 7,807 75.0 +33.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  1.9
Chelmsford East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ian Gale 3,727 39.6 −9.9
Conservative John Candler 3,401 36.1 −2.2
Labour Michael Bloomsbury 2,016 21.4 +9.2
Green Nicholas Scales 156 1.7 N/A
Independent Stephen Stratton 122 1.3 N/A
Majority 326 3.5 −7.8
Turnout 9,422 76.6 +31.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  3.9
Chelmsford North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Thomas Smith-Hughes* 3,429 38.2 −1.3
Conservative Kathleen Pauley 2,716 30.3 +2.5
Labour William Horslen 2,680 29.9 −2.9
Green Angela Thomson 145 1.6 N/A
Majority 713 7.9 +1.2
Turnout 8,970 76.6 +25.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  1.9
Chelmsford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats George Allen* 4,000 45.4 −11.4
Conservative Vernon Makin 2,926 33.2 +2.5
Labour David Howell 1,674 19.0 +6.4
Green Beryl Lankester 202 2.3 N/A
Majority 1,074 12.2 −13.9
Turnout 8,802 76.9 +32.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  7.0
Chelmsford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Neil Spurgeon* 2,573 35.5 −1.0
Liberal Democrats John Hunnable 2,561 35.3 +5.2
Conservative Duncan Lumley 2,120 29.2 −4.2
Majority 12 0.2 −2.9
Turnout 7,254 71.5 +21.4
Labour hold Swing  3.1
Great Baddow
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Joan Beard* 3,761 47.6 −15.5
Conservative Norman Hume 2,451 31.0 +6.2
Labour Fredrick Burden 1,549 19.6 +7.5
Green Joyce Shiner 146 1.8 N/A
Majority 1,310 16.6 −21.7
Turnout 7,907 75.3 +32.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  10.9
Springfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Martin* 6,646 43.4 +2.1
Liberal Democrats Graham Pooley 5,256 34.3 −6.7
Labour Roderick Essery 2,819 18.4 +4.8
Green Eleanor Burgess 591 3.9 −0.2
Majority 1,390 9.1 +8.8
Turnout 15,312 74.6 +41.0
Conservative hold Swing  4.4
Stock
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul White* 5,258 49.3 +0.5
Labour Derek Rice 2,631 24.7 +5.2
Liberal Democrats James Hutchon 2,404 22.5 −9.2
Green Robert Kenney 368 3.5 N/A
Majority 2,627 24.6 +7.5
Turnout 10,661 74.9 +41.3
Conservative hold Swing  2.4
Woodham Ferrers & Danbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eileen Mickleborough* 7,263 50.1 +1.4
Liberal Democrats Richard Phillips 3,811 26.3 −12.6
Labour Carole Sampson 2,879 19.9 +7.5
Green Colin Budgey 544 3.8 N/A
Majority 3,452 23.8 +14.0
Turnout 14,497 71.9 +39.8
Conservative hold Swing  7.0

Colchester

edit
Colchester District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Liberal Democrats 5   27,697 33.7 –10.6
Conservative 3   28,144 34.2 +2.2
Labour 1   23,875 29.0 +6.7
Independent 0   2,147 2.6 N/A
Green 0   367 0.4 –1.0
Total 9   82,230 70.1 +35.2

Division results

Constable
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Clover* 3,916 45.8 −2.3
Liberal Democrats Andrew Phillips 2,844 33.3 −6.5
Labour Julie Young 1,783 20.9 +8.8
Majority 1,072 12.5 +4.1
Turnout 8,543 76.8 +37.1
Conservative hold Swing +2.1
Drury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Robert Yates* 3,945 39.8 −14.7
Conservative Jeremy Lucas 3,865 38.9 +2.8
Labour Roy Moules 2,115 21.3 +11.8
Majority 80 0.8 −17.5
Turnout 9,925 74.4 +29.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −8.7
Maypole
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Patricia Pascoe* 3,149 41.5 −14.8
Labour Christopher Pearson* 2,654 35.0 +7.7
Conservative Richard Lamberth 1,783 23.5 +7.1
Majority 495 6.5 −22.5
Turnout 7,586 63.9 +36.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −11.3
Mersea and Stanway
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Manning-Press* 5,193 44.3 +0.1
Liberal Democrats Terence Brady 3,973 33.9 −6.5
Labour Ian Yates 2,556 21.8 +9.2
Majority 1,220 10.4 +6.6
Turnout 11,722 74.7 +39.9
Conservative hold Swing +3.3

No Green candidate as previous (−2.8).

Old Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Margaret Fisher* 3,806 43.4 −7.8
Labour Sally Pygott 3,092 35.2 +1.0
Conservative Ian McCord 1,879 21.4 +9.4
Majority 714 8.1 −8.8
Turnout 8,777 67.5 +29.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −4.4

No Green candidate as previous (−2.6).

Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Kenneth Jones* 3,141 36.4 −10.4
Conservative Nigel Chapman 2,876 33.3 −1.0
Labour Kim Naish 2,611 30.3 +11.4
Majority 265 3.1 −13.8
Turnout 8,628 66.6 +28.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −4.7
Parsons Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Edward Crunden* 4,413 42.1 −11.1
Conservative Derek Smith 3,062 29.2 +6.9
Labour Anthony Constable 3,005 28.7 +4.2
Majority 1,351 12.9 −15.8
Turnout 10,480 69.3 +32.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing −9.0
Tiptree
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edmund Peel* 3,526 40.0 −4.0
Labour Tania Rogers 2,783 31.5 +5.6
Independent Stuart Beckwith 2,147 24.3 New
Green Cheryl Gerrard 367 4.2 −0.5
Majority 743 8.5 −9.5
Turnout 8,823 73.1 +43.6
Conservative hold Swing −4.8

No Liberal Democrat candidate as previous (−25.2).

Wivenhoe St Andrew
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brian Stapleton* 3,276 42.3 −7.8
Liberal Democrats John Gray 2,426 31.3 +14.0
Conservative Jane Girdlestone 2,044 26.4 −2.5
Majority 850 11.0 −10.2
Turnout 7,746 63.4 +37.2
Labour hold Swing −10.9

No Green candidate as previous (−3.7).

Epping Forest

edit
Epping Forest District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 5   1 29,056 43.3 +2.2
Labour 1   1 19,769 29.4 –1.4
Liberal Democrats 1   13,296 19.8 –7.5
Loughton Residents 1   1 5,040 7.5 N/A
Total 8   67,161 72.1 +39.3

Division results

Buckhurst Hill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Robinson* 3,342 43.1 −16.7
Conservative Richard Watts 2,850 36.7 +11.1
Labour Alan Larner 1,571 20.2 +11.1
Majority 492 6.3
Turnout 7,763 72.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  13.9
Chigwell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Tomkins 3,851 57.3 −1.3
Liberal Democrats Jack Fuller 1,556 23.2 −5.6
Labour Paul Bostock 1,309 19.5 +6.9
Majority 2,295 34.2
Turnout 6,716 70.6
Conservative hold Swing  2.2
Epping
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dennis Ramshaw* 4,042 45.8 +2.5
Liberal Democrats Nicholas Macy 2,446 27.7 −7.0
Labour Sidney Miller 2,340 26.5 +4.5
Majority 1,596 18.1
Turnout 8,828 72.1
Conservative hold Swing  4.8
Loughton St. Johns
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gillian Huckle 2,570 37.0 −18.4
Loughton Residents Dorothy Paddon 2,146 30.9 +30.9
Conservative Stephen Metcalfe 1,772 25.5 −4.5
Liberal Democrats Christopher Spence 452 6.5 −8.1
Majority 424 6.1 −19.2
Turnout 6,940 69.7 +41.6
Labour hold Swing  24.7
Loughton St. Marys
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Loughton Residents Christopher Harper 2,894 36.9 +36.9
Labour Stanley Goodwin* 2,552 32.5 −12.6
Conservative James Brokenshire 1,952 24.9 −10.7
Liberal Democrats Lucille Thompson 446 5.7 −13.6
Majority 342 4.4
Turnout 7,844 73.6 +39.5
Loughton Residents gain from Labour Swing  24.8
North Weald & Nazeing
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Abbey* 4,645 56.6 −3.9
Labour Graham Smith 2,292 27.9 +7.8
Liberal Democrats Colin Bagnall 1,265 15.4 −4.0
Majority 2,443 28.7
Turnout 8,202 74.9
Conservative hold Swing  5.9
Ongar
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard McEwan* 4,941 47.7 +6.5
Labour Ronald Barnes 2,887 27.9 +5.7
Liberal Democrats Douglas Kelly 2,520 24.4 −12.1
Majority 2,054 19.8
Turnout 10,348 75.5
Conservative hold Swing  0.4
Waltham Abbey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Elizabeth Webster 5,003 47.6 +4.3
Labour George Farren 4,248 40.4 −16.3
Liberal Democrats Patricia Brooks 1,269 12.1 N/A
Majority 755 7.2
Turnout 10,520 67.7
Conservative gain from Labour Swing  10.3

Harlow

edit
Harlow District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Labour 5   22,591 53.9 +2.0
Conservative 0   12,189 29.1 –2.0
Liberal Democrats 0   6,696 16.0 –1.0
Green 0   420 1.0 N/A
Total 5   41,896 73.9 +34.4

Division results

Great Parndon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mervyn Juliff* 4,631 51.5 +6.7
Conservative Ronald Cross 3,133 34.8 −5.2
Liberal Democrats Irene Lee 1,227 13.6 −1.6
Majority 1,498 16.7
Turnout 8,991 72.8
Labour hold Swing  6.0
Harlow & Mark Hall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Stzumpf* 3,969 51.3 +1.4
Conservative Trevor McArdle 2,367 30.6 −6.3
Liberal Democrats Gareth Higgins 1,196 15.5 +1.9
Green Arthur Powell 203 2.3 N/A
Majority 1,602 20.7
Turnout 7,749 74.7
Labour hold Swing  3.9
Harlow Common
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anthony Duncan 4,577 48.8 −3.1
Conservative Simon Carter 2,706 28.8 +7.0
Liberal Democrats Lorna Spenceley 1,886 20.1 −6.2
Green Malcolm Powell 217 2.3 N/A
Majority 1,871 19.9
Turnout 9,336 73.0
Labour hold Swing  5.1
Little Parndon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edith Morris* 4,249 59.0 +5.2
Conservative David Roberts 1,833 25.5 −3.7
Liberal Democrats Stanley Ward 1,119 15.5 −1.5
Majority 2,416 33.6
Turnout 7,201 73.6
Labour hold Swing  4.5
Netteswellbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Belfairs 5,165 60.2 −0.3
Conservative Michael Garnett 2,150 25.0 −0.6
Liberal Democrats Sheila Herbert 1,268 14.8 +0.5
Majority 3,015 35.1
Turnout 8,583 75.3
Labour hold Swing  0.2

Maldon

edit
Maldon District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 3   13,532 42.5 –5.1
Labour 0   7,856 24.7 –1.4
Liberal Democrats 0   7,531 23.6 +12.9
Independent 0   1,597 5.0 +1.0
Green 0   1,351 4.2 –7.4
Total 3   31,867 74.0 +41.5

Division results

Maldon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Elizabeth Dines 3,847 36.8 −11.5
Labour Alison Lamb 2,716 26.0 −4.6
Liberal Democrats Graham Jones 1,992 19.0 N/A
Independent Brian Mead 1,597 15.3 N/A
Green Juliet Harpur 309 3.0 −6.0
Majority 1,131 10.8
Turnout 10,461 75.0
Conservative hold Swing  3.5
Southminster
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Boyce 5,100 46.6 −0.6
Labour Terence Quinlan 3,307 30.2 −1.1
Liberal Democrats Alan Weeks 2,004 18.3 N/A
Green Michael Cole 523 4.8 −16.7
Majority 983 16.4
Turnout 10,124 71.7
Conservative hold Swing  0.3
Tollesbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rodney Bass 4,585 43.8 −3.4
Liberal Democrats Patricia Mead 3,535 33.8 +3.4
Labour Paul Rew 1,833 17.5 +0.4
Green Jonathan King 519 5.0 −0.3
Majority 1,050 10.0
Turnout 10,472 75.5
Conservative hold Swing  3.4

Rochford

edit
Rochford District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 2   1 18,023 40.8 +8.2
Liberal Democrats 2   1 13,756 31.1 –15.2
Labour 1   12,425 28.1 +7.1
Total 5   44,204 73.1 +37.3

Division results

Rayleigh North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Boyd* 3,728 43.7 −27.2
Conservative Terry Fawell 3,176 37.2 +15.2
Labour David Sutton 1,625 19.1 +12.0
Majority 552 6.5
Turnout 8,529 75.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  21.2
Rayleigh South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats James Gordon* 3,469 39.1 −22.8
Conservative Peter Webster 3,364 37.9 +9.3
Labour David Rossi 2,046 23.0 +13.5
Majority 105 1.2
Turnout 8,879 73.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  16.1
Rochford North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tracey Chapman 3,794 39.9 +6.4
Liberal Democrats Paula Smith* 3,265 34.3 −20.7
Labour David Weir 2,447 25.7 +14.2
Majority 529 5.6
Turnout 9,506 72.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  13.6
Rochford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Graham Fox* 3,315 42.1 −5.9
Conservative Roy Pearson 3,248 41.2 +4.1
Liberal Democrats Peter Stanton 1,311 16.6 +1.7
Majority 67 0.9
Turnout 7,874 71.1
Labour hold Swing  5.0
Rochford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Elizabeth Hart* 4,441 47.2 +4.0
Labour Christopher Morgan 2,992 31.8 −0.8
Liberal Democrats Mary Nudd 1,983 21.1 −3.1
Majority 1,449 15.4
Turnout 9,416 73.4
Conservative hold Swing  2.4

Tendring

edit
Tendring District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 4   26,250 35.7 +1.9
Labour 3   2 27,694 37.6 +5.2
Liberal Democrats 1   1 18,048 24.5 –2.1
Independent 0   1 1,598 2.2 –5.0
Total 8   73,590 70.5 +34.4

Division results

Brightlingsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Robinson 3,115 34.6 +13.3
Labour Cornelius Olivier 2,954 32.8 −2.0
Liberal Democrats Thomas Dale* 2,941 32.6 −11.3
Majority 161 1.8
Turnout 9,010 73.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  7.7
Clacton East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Catherine Jessop* 3,960 44.1 −2.3
Labour David Bolton 3,137 34.9 +6.4
Liberal Democrats Derek Harper 1,886 21.9 −4.1
Majority 823 9.2
Turnout 8,983 69.5
Conservative hold Swing  4.4
Clacton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clive Baker 3,606 36.8 +11.0
Liberal Democrats Michael Bargent* 3,223 32.9 −16.3
Conservative Audrey Owens 2,961 30.2 +5.3
Majority 383 3.9
Turnout 9,790 67.2
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  13.7
Clacton West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Roy Smith* 5,008 54.8 −10.2
Conservative Martyn Hughes 2,756 30.2 +5.5
Liberal Democrats Peter Miller 1,375 15.0 +4.7
Majority 2,252 24.6
Turnout 9,139 64.2
Labour hold Swing  7.9
Frinton & Walton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Rex* 6,042 54.5 −1.0
Labour Brian Theadom 3,116 28.1 +3.2
Liberal Democrats Jeffrey Bray 1,922 17.3 −2.3
Majority 2,926 26.4
Turnout 11,080 72.4
Conservative hold Swing  2.1
Harwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Leslie Double 4,645 53.7 +35.9
Conservative Eric Yallop 2,338 27.0 +9.2
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Smith 1,669 19.3 +11.5
Majority 2,307 26.7
Turnout 8,652 71.1
Labour gain from Independent Swing  13.4
Tendring Rural East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Lumber* 3,232 40.3 −2.1
Labour William Mixter 2,626 32.8 −0.9
Liberal Democrats Mark De Roy 2,160 26.9 +3.0
Majority 606 7.6
Turnout 8,018 73.0
Conservative hold Swing  0.6
Tendring Rural West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Kevin Hawkins 2,872 32.2 −1.5
Labour Gregory Morgan 2,602 29.2 −0.7
Conservative Rosalind Tovell 1,846 20.7 −15.7
Independent Douglas Pallett 1,598 17.9 N/A
Majority 270 3.0
Turnout 8,918 74.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing  0.4

Uttlesford

edit
Uttlesford District Summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative 4   3 17,507 43.8 +3.0
Liberal Democrats 0   3 13,380 33.5 –10.2
Labour 0   8,211 20.5 +4.9
Independent 0   653 1.6 N/A
Green 0   212 0.5 N/A
Total 4   39,963 75.5 +35.1

Division results

Dunmow
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Westcott* 4,604 50.2 +0.9
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Powers 2,805 30.6 −6.0
Labour William McCarthy 1,766 19.2 +5.2
Majority 1,799 19.6
Turnout 9,175 75.4
Conservative hold Swing  3.5
Saffron Walden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Chambers 4,290 35.9 +2.4
Labour Russell Green 3,450 28.9 +1.6
Liberal Democrats John Lefever* 3,334 27.9 −11.3
Independent Raymond Tyler 653 5.5 N/A
Green Gerald Lucy 212 1.8 N/A
Majority 840 7.0
Turnout 11,939 76.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  0.4
Stansted
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Wallace 4,298 43.4 +3.9
Liberal Democrats Melvin Caton* 4,020 40.6 −13.0
Labour Adam Pounds 1,579 16.0 +9.1
Majority 278 2.8
Turnout 9,897 75.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  8.5
Thaxted
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Whitehead 4,315 48.2 +4.1
Liberal Democrats David Morgan 3,221 36.0 −8.8
Labour Gordon Murray 1,416 15.8 +4.6
Majority 1,095 12.2
Turnout 8,952 75.1
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing  6.5

By-elections

edit

Southend

edit
Thorpe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Daphne White 4,125 56.6 −4.6
Labour Heather Searle 1,915 26.3 +6.5
Liberal Democrats Derek Holliday 1,251 17.2 −2.0
Majority 2,210 30.3 −11.1
Turnout 7,291 63.8 +36.7
Conservative hold Swing  5.5

References

edit
  1. ^ "Elections". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Results from the County Election on 1 May 1997". whatdotheyknow.com. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Southend Unitary Authority (Hansard, 28 November 1997)". api.parliament.uk.
  4. ^ "Essex County Council - Councillors, Chelmsford Borough". essexcc.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 April 2003.
  5. ^ "Essex Tories lose control". Gazette.
  6. ^ "Essex: Council tax may rise by 9 per cent". Gazette.
  7. ^ "Breakaways cause county council power struggle". Gazette.
  8. ^ "Essex: Chaos over county's 'envelope' budget". Gazette.