New Forest District Council elections
New Forest District Council in Hampshire, England is elected every four years.
Political control
Since the foundation of the council in 1973 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[1]
Party in control | Years |
---|---|
Independent | 1973 - 1976 |
Conservative | 1976 - 1991 |
No overall control | 1991 - 1995 |
Liberal Democrats | 1995 - 1999 |
Conservative | 1999–present |
Previously New Forest District Council was controlled by the Independent Group, however the Conservatives entered into talks with several independents and the Party later decided to field candidates for the 1973 Local Election. Subsequently, from 1976 to 1991 the Conservatives had the majority on New Forest District Council, although after the 1991 Local Election the Conservatives remained the largest Party but became a minority administration. This was due to two factors, firstly the unpopularity of the national Conservative Government, and secondly the rise of the Liberal Democrats after the merger of the SDP and Liberal Parties.
In 1995 the Lib Dems won control of the District Council and formed a majority administration, the first political party other than the Conservatives to do so. The result was a concern for local Conservatives who subsequently feared that the new parliamentary constituencies for the New Forest (NF East & NF West) could be lost to the Lib Dems at the upcoming 1997 General Election. Nevertheless, both seats were won by the Tories despite a crushing national defeat that resulted in a landslide Labour Government. Locally the Liberal Democrat administration in the New Forest became very unpopular. Firstly the Council increased taxes by upwards of 40% over four years and secondly the administration introduced car parking charges in Council owned car parks despite winning a majority on the promise not to do so.
In a surprising result that came as a shock to many, the Conservatives won a majority of two at NFDC after the 1999 Local Election. This was especially traumatic for the Lid Dems who expected to remain in control of the Council, not least because of the unpopularity of the national Conservative Party. At the 2003 Election the Conservatives increased their majority slightly, and by 2007 the Tories won a solid majority taking 46 of the 60 seats. At the 2011 Local Election, encouraged by the growing popularity of the Conservatives in Coalition Government, the Tories had their first landslide and won 54 of the 60 seats leaving the Lib Dems with only 6 representatives. In 2014 the Tories lost two Councillors after defections to UKIP.
In 2015 the Local Elections coincided with the General Election. Both New Forest Parliamentary constituencies were won with almost 60% of the popular vote. The Tories 'left the Lib Dems feeling blue' after a second landslide which resulted in 58 Conservative Councillors and only 2 Lib Dems. UKIP, who were expected to make significant gains in the New Forest, were unable to increase their numbers of representative and lost their only two Councillors, both of whom were formally Conservative defectors.
Political Party | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 23 | 30 | 32 | 44 | 54 | 58 | |
Liberal Democrats | 31 | 25 | 27 | 14 | 6 | 2 | |
Independent | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Council elections
- New Forest District Council election, 1973
- New Forest District Council election, 1976 (New ward boundaries)[2]
- New Forest District Council election, 1979 (District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)[3]
- New Forest District Council election, 1983
- New Forest District Council election, 1987
- New Forest District Council election, 1991
- New Forest District Council election, 1995 (District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)[4]
- New Forest District Council election, 1999
- New Forest District Council election, 2003 (New ward boundaries increased the number of seats by 2)[5][6]
- New Forest District Council election, 2007
- New Forest District Council election, 2011 (Some new ward boundaries)[7]
- New Forest District Council election, 2015
By-election results
1995-1999
Ringwood North By-Election 17 September 1998[8] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | John Waddington | 503 | 61.6 | +21.4 | |
Liberal Democrat | Veronica Sullivan | 313 | 38.4 | +1.4 | |
Majority | 190 | 23.2 | |||
Turnout | 816 | 21.1 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
1999-2003
Bashley By-Election 7 June 2001[8] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Jill Cleary | 2,186 | 57.1 | -7.5 | |
Liberal Democrat | Margaret Newlands | 1,638 | 42.8 | +21.3 | |
Majority | 548 | 14.3 | |||
Turnout | 3,824 | 59.7 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Becton By-Election 22 November 2001[8] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Godfrey Beck | 692 | 61.0 | -7.6 | |
Liberal Democrat | Margaret Newlands | 442 | 39.0 | +7.6 | |
Majority | 250 | 22.0 | |||
Turnout | 1,134 | 21.5 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Milford By-Election 21 February 2002[8] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Brian Pemberton | 781 | 74.0 | +2.4 | |
Liberal Democrat | Jasqueline Szwaczka | 275 | 26.0 | +8.7 | |
Majority | 506 | 48.0 | |||
Turnout | 1,056 | 25.6 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Pennington By-Election 21 February 2002[8] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Liberal Democrat | Paul Hickman | 1,079 | 70.6 | +25.4 | |
Conservative | Penelope Beasley | 449 | 29.4 | -11.2 | |
Majority | 630 | 41.2 | |||
Turnout | 1,528 | 34.8 | |||
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Ringwood North By-Election 21 February 2002[8] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Lorna Ford | 337 | 47.5 | -13.2 | |
Independent | Stephen Wright | 203 | 28.6 | +28.6 | |
Liberal Democrat | Peter Chambers | 169 | 23.8 | -2.0 | |
Majority | 134 | 18.9 | |||
Turnout | 709 | 18.2 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
2003-2007
Holbury and North Blackfield By-Election 5 February 2004[9] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Liberal Democrat | Lee Dunsdon | 772 | 75.2 | +3.5 | |
Conservative | Robert Wappet | 210 | 20.4 | -7.9 | |
Labour | Philip Annette | 45 | 4.4 | +4.4 | |
Majority | 562 | 54.8 | |||
Turnout | 1,027 | 21.4 | |||
Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
Ringwood East & Sopley By-Election 5 May 2005[9] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Christopher Treleaven | 953 | 64.4 | -11.6 | |
Liberal Democrat | Peter Chambers | 527 | 35.6 | +11.6 | |
Majority | 426 | 28.8 | |||
Turnout | 1,480 | 68.8 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Totton West By-Election 20 July 2006[9] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Liberal Democrat | Leonard Harris | 535 | 48.1 | +0.3 | |
Conservative | Diana Brooks | 498 | 44.8 | -7.4 | |
Labour | Alan Goodfellow | 79 | 7.1 | +7.1 | |
Majority | 37 | 3.3 | |||
Turnout | 1,112 | 28.5 | |||
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Barton By-Election 25 January 2007[9] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Frances Carpenter | 990 | 56.9 | -16.7 | |
Liberal Democrat | Wynford Davies | 426 | 24.5 | -1.9 | |
Independent | Jeremy May | 277 | 15.9 | +15.9 | |
Labour | Peter Dance | 48 | 2.8 | +2.8 | |
Majority | 564 | 32.4 | |||
Turnout | 1,741 | 36.7 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
2007-2011
Bramshaw, Copythorne North and Minstead By-Election 14 June 2007[10] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Henry Forse | 436 | 78.0 | +4.9 | |
Liberal Democrat | Anthony Gray | 123 | 22.0 | -4.9 | |
Majority | 313 | 56.0 | |||
Turnout | 559 | 26.2 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Ringwood South By-Election 19 June 2008[11] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | Jeremy Heron | 610 | 58.6 | +25.1 | |
Liberal Democrat | Peter Chambers | 354 | 32.9 | +12.3 | |
Labour | Peter Harper | 113 | 10.5 | +1.6 | |
Majority | 256 | 25.7 | |||
Turnout | 1,077 | 23.3 | |||
Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
References
- ↑ "New Forest". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ↑ legislation.gov.uk - The District of New Forest (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
- ↑ The New Forest and Southampton (Areas) Order 1978
- ↑ legislation.gov.uk - The Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
- ↑ "Local elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ↑ legislation.gov.uk - The District of New Forest (Parishes and Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
- ↑ legislation.gov.uk - The New Forest (Electoral Changes) Order 2011. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "District Council By-Election Results 1998 - 2003". New Forest District Council. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- 1 2 3 4 "District Council By-Election Results 2004 - 2007". New Forest District Counil. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ↑ "By-election for district council Bramshaw, Copythorne North and Minstead ward - 14 June 2007 - report of the returning officer" (PDF). New Forest District Council. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ↑ "District Council Election - Ringwood South Ward - 19 June 2008 - Results". New Forest District Council. Retrieved 2009-09-15.