2011 Swale Borough Council election

The 2011 Swale Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Swale Borough Council in Kent, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

Map of the results of the 2011 Swale Borough Council election. Conservatives in blue, Labour in red, Liberal Democrats in yellow and independent in light grey.

Background

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For the 2011 election Swale switched to having the whole council elected every four years, from the previous system where a third of the seats were elected each year, followed by one year without an election.[2] The decision was taken by the council in March 2010, after a consultation produced 162 responses in favour of the change and 136 responses against changing.[2] As a result, all 47 seats on the council were contested with over 120 candidates standing at election.[3]

Election result

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The Conservatives remained in control of the council with 32 of the 47 seats, after a net loss of 1 seat.[1] Labour increased to 13 councillors, the Liberal Democrats were reduced to 1 seat and the only independent councillor retained her seat.[1][4]

Labour's Mark Ellen regained a seat in Sheerness East that he had lost at the 2010 election,[5] while in Milton Regis Labour defeated the leader of the Liberal Democrat group Elvie Lowe who had represented the ward for 24 years.[6] However the Conservatives took a seat from Labour in St Michaels ward, where the Conservative deputy mayoress Sylvia Bennett gained a seat on the council.[5]

In West Downs the only independent councillor, Monique Bonney, held her seat defeating Conservative county councillor Mike Whiting by 41 votes.[4] Meanwhile, the closest result came in Murston where both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors, Ed Gent and Dave Banks, took 420 votes after six recounts.[5] Conservative Ed Gent took the seat after his name was pulled out of a hat and he was therefore given one extra vote.[6] This meant Mike Henderson was the only Liberal Democrat to be elected after he held his seat in Davington Priory.[7]

Following the election Roger Truelove became the new leader of the Labour group, replacing the leader for the previous 15 years Angela Harrison.[8] The only Liberal Democrat councillor, Mike Henderson, meanwhile joined with the independent councillor Monique Bonney in the independent group on the council to ensure they both got positions on council committees.[8]

Swale local election result 2011[9][10]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 32 1 2 -1 68.1 50.4 33,548 +0.2%
  Labour 13 4 1 +3 27.7 34.8 23,188 +5.3%
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 2 -2 2.1 6.8 4,520 -9.3%
  Independent 1 0 0 0 2.1 1.0 635 +1.0%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 5.5 3,683 +1.8%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 1.2 815 +0.6%
  Monster Raving Loony 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 213 +0.3%

Ward results

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Abbey (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bryan Mulhern 759
Conservative Anita Walker 682
Labour Trevor Payne 626
Labour Fran Rehal 536
Green Gary Miller 322
Liberal Democrats David Evans 191
Liberal Democrats Richard Williams 154
Turnout 3,270 40.4 −23.1
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Borden[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Hampshire 506 50.9 −2.8
UKIP Michael Baldock 361 36.3 +36.3
Labour Matthew Partridge 127 12.8 −0.3
Majority 145 14.6 −5.9
Turnout 994 51.7 +9.4
Conservative hold Swing
Boughton and Courtenay (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Bowles 1,291
Conservative George Bobbin 1,187
Labour Ash Rehal 586
Turnout 3,064 49.1 +11.7
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Chalkwell (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Roger Truelove 900
Labour Ghlin Whelan 760
Conservative Clive Duncan 316
Conservative Sandra Warham 272
UKIP Alison Donkin 147
Liberal Democrats Anthea Spurling 141
Turnout 2,536 39.8 −23.8
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Davington Priory[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Henderson 360 43.8 −14.4
Conservative Andy Culham 256 31.2 +3.6
Labour Caroline MacDonald 145 17.7 +3.5
Green Tim Valentine 60 7.3 +7.3
Majority 104 12.7 −17.9
Turnout 821 44.1 −0.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
East Downs[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin Prescott 731 65.4 −12.2
Labour Barry Hefferon 299 26.8 +4.4
UKIP Nadine McDermott 87 7.8 +7.8
Majority 432 38.7 −16.5
Turnout 1,117 53.3 +11.9
Conservative hold Swing
Grove (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Duncan Dewar-Whalley 792
Conservative Gareth Randall 781
Labour Richard Raycraft 488
Labour Peter Wilson 422
UKIP Ian Davison 418
Liberal Democrats Bernie Lowe 226
Turnout 3,127 38.5 −25.2
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerry Lewin 1,031
Conservative John Wright 836
UKIP Richard Palmer 509
Labour James Graham 418
Labour David Walker 339
Turnout 3,133 45.2 −27.3
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Iwade and Lower Halstow[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ben Stokes 712 52.6 −5.9
Labour Janet Gregory 509 37.6 +21.6
UKIP Christopher Trafford 77 5.7 +5.7
Liberal Democrats Peter Springham 56 4.1 −21.3
Majority 203 15.0 −18.1
Turnout 1,354 44.9 +10.1
Conservative hold Swing
Kemsley (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brenda Simpson 830
Conservative Sue Gent 797
Labour Tony Phillips 461
Labour Bradley Wise 397
UKIP Peter Paige 230
Liberal Democrats Mary Zeng 122
Turnout 2,837 33.4 −29.3
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Leysdown and Warden[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pat Sandle 438 62.8 +33.9
Labour Matt Wheatcroft 259 37.2 +25.1
Majority 179 25.6
Turnout 697 32.3 −1.0
Conservative hold Swing
Milton Regis (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Adam Tolhurst 527
Labour Tony Winckless 491
Liberal Democrats Elvie Lowe 353
Conservative Margaret Bridge 331
Conservative Eileen Hodgson 289
Liberal Democrats David Spurling 227
Monster Raving Loony Sheikh Mihand 42
Turnout 2,260 37.2 +4.4
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Minster Cliffs (3 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adrian Crowther 1,148
Conservative Ken Pugh 1,057
Conservative Andy Booth 910
Labour Jamie Bicknell 533
Labour Libby Tucker 532
Labour Mark Tucker 484
UKIP Maureen Morgan 390
Turnout 5,054 38.5 −26.0
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Murston (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nick Williams 482
Conservative Ed Gent 421
Liberal Democrats Dave Banks 420
Labour Paul Williams 369
Liberal Democrats Keith Nevols 236
Turnout 1,928 32.3 −24.0
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Queenborough and Halfway (3 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jackie Constable 908
Conservative Peter Marchington 846
Labour Mick Constable 841
Conservative Richard Darby 812
Conservative Mick Galvin 754
Labour Julian Stewart 625
Liberal Democrats Sandy Sims 149
Turnout 4,935 36.9 −23.9
Labour hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Roman (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mike Haywood 752
Labour Martin McCusker 530
Conservative Alan Blackley 396
Conservative Keith Ferrin 279
UKIP Aaron Donkin 207
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Madgwick 119
Turnout 2,283 36.2 −24.5
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Sheerness East (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mark Ellen 504
Labour David Sargent 453
Conservative Chris Foulds 376
Conservative Emma Bridge 360
Liberal Democrats Colin Howe 98
Turnout 1,791 31.8 −19.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour hold Swing
Sheerness West (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Angela Harrison 688
Labour Stephen Worrall 575
Conservative David Wilson 434
Liberal Democrats David Kemp 122
Turnout 1,829 32.1 −19.4
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Sheppey Central (3 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative June Garrad 911
Conservative John Morris 871
Conservative Lesley Ingham 838
Labour Alan Henley 664
Labour Pat Wiggins 618
Labour Ian Smart 557
UKIP Rosemary Donkin 326
Monster Raving Loony Mad Mike Young 171
Turnout 4,956 32.0 −37.7
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
St Anns[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Cosgrove 906
Conservative John Coulter 854
Labour Judith Webb 628
Labour Paul Durkin 627
Green Tina Hagger 224
Liberal Democrats Brian Head 154
Liberal Democrats Richard Matthewman 100
Turnout 3,493 47.5 −21.7
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
St Michaels (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Conway 1,242
Conservative Sylvia Bennett 1,021
Labour Shelley Cheesman 521
Labour Geraldine Feltham 403
Liberal Democrats Brenda Hammond 317
UKIP Stephen Trafford 296
Turnout 3,800 44.0 +7.1
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Teynham and Lynsted (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lloyd Bowen 940
Conservative Rick Barnicott 857
Labour Ian Buxton 470
Labour Gillian Griffiths 460
UKIP James Nash 163
Independent Graeme William 107
Turnout 2,997 42.4 −23.9
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Watling (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Simmons 979
Conservative Ted Wilcox 941
Labour Catherine Read 430
Labour Michael Wakeman 364
Liberal Democrats Ruth Cronk 331
Liberal Democrats Michael Wheeler 329
Green Huw Jones 209
Turnout 3,583 47.6 −22.1
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
West Downs[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Monique Bonney 528 52.0 −5.7
Conservative Mike Whiting 487 48.0 +5.7
Majority 41 4.0 −11.3
Turnout 1,015 52.1 +8.1
Independent hold Swing
Woodstock (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Willicombe 1,121
Conservative Jean Willicombe 950
UKIP Lee Burgess 472
Labour Margaret Cooper 441
Labour Andrew Cooper 439
Liberal Democrats Ann McLean 315
Turnout 3,738 53.7 −24.4
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

By-elections between 2011 and 2015

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Kemsley

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A by-election was held in Kemsley on 8 March 2012 after the death of Conservative councillor Brenda Simpson.[11] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Mike Whiting with a majority of 72 votes over Labour candidate Richard Raycraft.[11]

Kemsley by-election 8 March 2012[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Whiting 384 33.7 −16.9
Labour Richard Raycraft 312 27.3 −0.7
UKIP Derek Carnell 279 24.5 +10.5
Liberal Democrats Berick Tomes 166 14.5 +7.1
Majority 72 6.4
Turnout 1,141 23.2 −10.2
Conservative hold Swing

Sheppey Central

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A by-election was held in Sheppey Central on 16 October 2014 following the death of Conservative councillor John Morris.[12] The seat was gained for the UK Independence Party by David Jones with a majority of 507 votes over Conservative Tina Booth.[12] David Jones became the second UK Independence Party councillor on Swale council after the defection of Adrian Crowther from the Conservatives in 2013.[12]

Sheppey Central by-election 16 October 2014[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP David Jones 831 58.4 +42.7
Conservative Tina Booth 324 22.8 −21.2
Labour Alan Henley 240 16.9 −15.2
Monster Raving Loony "Mad" Mike Young 27 1.9 0.0
Majority 507 35.6
Turnout 1,422 19.9 −12.1
UKIP gain from Conservative Swing

References

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  1. ^ a b c "England council elections". BBC News Online. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b Thonr, Jan (17 March 2010). "Get on the rolls before polling time". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank.
  3. ^ Waite, Steve (13 April 2011). "List of candidates is confirmed for poll". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank.
  4. ^ a b "Independent retains seat". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank. 11 May 2011. p. 10.
  5. ^ a b c "Day of tension ends with a tie-breaker". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank. 11 May 2011. p. 10.
  6. ^ a b "Election results for Swale". Kent Online. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  7. ^ Stafford, Lowri (12 May 2011). "Election sees Tories hang on to power". Faversham Times. NewsBank.
  8. ^ a b Stafford, Lowri (18 May 2011). "Lib Dem joins independent". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank.
  9. ^ "Local authority elections: England". The Guardian. NewsBank. 7 May 2011.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "Election Results 2011". Swale Borough Council. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  11. ^ a b c Robinson, Hayley (13 March 2012). "Tories hold on to Kemsley seat". Kent Online. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d Dyson, Lewis (17 October 2014). "David Jones becomes first UKIP councillor elected to Swale council after landslide win at Sheppey Central by-election". Kent Online. Retrieved 5 April 2015.