2000 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council election

2000 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council election[1]
← 1999
4 May 2000 (2000-05-04)
2001 →
14 out of 39 seats to Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
20 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Labour
Seats won 12 2 0
Seats after 25 9 5
Seat change Increase 6 Decrease 3 Decrease 3
Popular vote 21,567 8,625 6,564
Percentage 57.4% 23.0% 17.5%
Swing Increase 11.2% Decrease 0.9% Decrease 11.7%
Winner of each seat at the 2000 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council election.
Council control before election


No overall control

Council control after election


Conservative

The 2000 Southend-on-Sea Council election took place on 4 May 2000 to elect members of Southend-on-Sea Unitary Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.[2]

Campaign

Before the election the council was run by a coalition between the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties, but the election was expected to see the Conservatives take control from them.[3] 14 of the 39 seats were being contested,[4] with the Conservatives only needing to gain one seat in order to have a majority.[5] They only required a tiny swing to achieve this, which would give the Conservatives control of the council for the first time in 8 years.[5] The election was a high-profile one with the Conservative leader, William Hague, campaigning in the area on the Monday before the election.[6]

A major issue in the election was the number of refugees in the town, which was estimated at up to 2,000.[6] The Conservatives said that the area had become a "dumping ground" and called on all asylum seekers to be detained upon entry into the country.[6] However Labour accused the Conservatives of "playing the race card"[6] and reported a Conservative leaflet to the Commission for Racial Equality.[7]

Other issues included Conservative plans to build a new bypass to ease traffic within the town.[4] Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties defended their record of investing £50 million in the town during their period in control of the council, while keeping council tax rises down, with the latest council tax level the second lowest in Essex.[4]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives gain control of the council with an 11-seat majority after winning over 57% of the vote.[6] They gained 3 seats each from both Labour and the Liberal Democrats[6] with defeated councillors including 3 members of the executive, Nigel Baker, Stephen George and Chris Mallam.[8] These defeats meant that Labour failed to hold any of the seats they had been defending, while the Liberal Democrats only managed to hold on to 2 seats.[9] Overall turnout in the election was just above the national average at 30%.[6]

Following the election Charles Latham became the new Conservative leader of the council and announced they would scrap planned bus lanes and abolish charges for social care services.[10][11]

2000 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council election[1][12]
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 12 Increase 6 85.7 13 25 64.1 21,567 57.4 +11.2
  Liberal Democrats 2 Decrease 3 14.3 7 9 23.1 8,625 23.0 –0.9
  Labour 0 Decrease 3 0.0 5 5 12.8 6,564 17.5 –11.7
  UKIP 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 579 1.5 N/A
  Independent 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 146 0.4 N/A
  Green 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 78 0.2 N/A

Ward results

Belfairs

Belfairs[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Howard Briggs* 2,337 69.1 +10.7
Liberal Democrats Colin Ritchie 713 21.1 −6.4
Labour Charles Willis 331 9.8 −4.3
Majority 1,624 48.0 +17.1
Turnout 3,381 37.4 −0.7
Registered electors 9,051
Conservative hold Swing Increase8.6

Blenheim

Blenheim[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Collins 1,367 46.6 +7.4
Liberal Democrats Christopher Mallam* 1,010 34.4 −6.2
Labour Teresa Merrison 324 11.0 −9.2
UKIP David Stephens 233 7.9 N/A
Majority 357 12.2 N/A
Turnout 2,934 32.3 +3.6
Registered electors 9,085
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing Increase6.8

Chalkwell

Chalkwell[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lesley Salter* 1,633 60.0 +5.6
Liberal Democrats Roger Fisher 623 22.9 −5.9
Labour Ruth Jarvis 285 10.5 −6.3
UKIP David Cooper-Walker 179 6.6 N/A
Majority 1,010 37.1 +11.4
Turnout 2,720 28.3 +0.3
Registered electors 9,640
Conservative hold Swing Increase5.8

Eastwood

Eastwood[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Weaver* 1,997 63.4 +13.9
Liberal Democrats Mervyn Howell 818 26.0 −8.0
Labour Denis Garne 334 10.6 −5.9
Majority 1,179 37.4 +21.9
Turnout 3,149 29.8 −0.1
Registered electors 10,583
Conservative hold Swing Increase11.0

Leigh

Leigh[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Wrexham* 1,515 46.8 +9.3
Conservative Joyce Lambert 1,356 41.9 +1.6
Labour Jane Norman 197 6.1 −8.3
UKIP Melvyn Smith 167 5.2 N/A
Majority 159 4.9 N/A
Turnout 3,235 35.2 +1.4
Registered electors 9,198
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase3.9

Milton

Milton[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jonathan Garston 1,096 50.4 +5.8
Labour Stephen George* 782 36.0 –9.7
Liberal Democrats Amanda Smith 150 6.9 –2.8
Independent Patricia Clark 146 6.7 N/A
Majority 314 14.4 N/A
Turnout 2,174 25.2 +1.3
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Increase7.8

Prittlewell

Prittlewell (2)[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Kerr 1,638 56.8 +18.8
Conservative Anna Waite 1,557 54.0 +16.0
Liberal Democrats Nigel Baker* 975 33.8 –4.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Newton 902 31.3 –7.0
Labour Sylvia Groom 357 12.4 –11.3
Labour Anne Chalk 342 11.9 –11.8
Turnout 5,771 33.1 +6.3
Registered electors 8,976
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats

St Lukes

St Lukes[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Melvyn Day 780 48.4 +14.0
Labour Joyce Mapp* 627 38.9 −15.9
Liberal Democrats Michael Clark 126 7.8 −3.1
Green Adrian Hedges 78 4.8 N/A
Majority 153 9.5 N/A
Turnout 1,611 19.1 −0.7
Registered electors 8,458
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Increase15.0

Shoebury

Shoebury[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony North* 2,282 68.8 +15.8
Labour Peter Griffiths 802 24.2 −13.9
Liberal Democrats Granville Stride 232 7.0 −1.9
Majority 1,480 44.6 +29.7
Turnout 3,316 22.3 −0.5
Registered electors 14,939
Conservative hold Swing Increase14.9

Southchurch

Southchurch[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ann Holland* 1,882 75.6 +12.3
Labour Colin Van-Assen 397 16.0 −11.1
Liberal Democrats Michael Woolcott 209 8.4 −1.1
Majority 1,485 59.7 +23.5
Turnout 2,488 28.3 +2.1
Registered electors 8,832
Conservative hold Swing Increase11.7

Thorpe

Thorpe[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Delaney 2,059 76.5 +8.0
Labour John Townsend 409 15.2 −6.2
Liberal Democrats Linda Smith 224 8.3 −1.7
Majority 1,650 61.3 +14.2
Turnout 2,692 27.1 +2.8
Registered electors 9,962
Conservative hold Swing Increase7.1

Victoria

Victoria[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Jones 922 45.9 +16.5
Labour David Norman 870 43.3 −15.9
Liberal Democrats Robert Howes 217 10.8 −0.6
Majority 52 2.6 N/A
Turnout 2,009 21.8 −0.3
Registered electors 9,243
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Increase16.2

Westborough

Westborough[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mary Lubel* 911 43.8 +2.6
Conservative Michael Samuel 661 31.8 +14.0
Labour Raymond Hales 507 24.4 −16.6
Majority 250 12.0 +11.8
Turnout 2,079 24.3 −5.0
Registered electors 8,590
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease5.7

References

  1. ^ a b "Election results: local councils". The Times. 5 May 2000. p. 4.
  2. ^ "Southend-on-Sea". BBC News Online. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  3. ^ Salman, Saba (25 April 2000). "Local voters set to kick Blair over mayoral 'fix'". Evening Standard. p. 22.
  4. ^ a b c "South Essex: Elections kick off..." Echo. 4 April 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
  5. ^ a b "Reporting from Southend". BBC News Online. 3 May 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Sherwin, Adam (5 May 2000). "Hard line on refugees helps Southend Tories". The Times. p. 4.
  7. ^ "Southend: Labour says Tory leaflet is racist". Echo. 13 April 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
  8. ^ "Election round-up: Tories romp to victory in South Essex". Echo. 5 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
  9. ^ "Election round-up: Southend losers pledge to win next time". Echo. 5 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
  10. ^ "Southend: Tories axe charges for caring". Echo. 10 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
  11. ^ "Southend: Bus lanes ditched". Echo. 8 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Southend Borough Council: Borough Council Election" (PDF). Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Retrieved 1 April 2010. [dead link]
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Southend-on-Sea_Borough_Council_election