2000 UK local government election
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.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was
- Conservative 25
- Liberal Democrat 9
- Labour 5[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]
Southend-on-Sea Local Election Result 2000[2][12] Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 12 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 85.7 | 57.4 | 21,567 | +11.2% |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 14.3 | 23.0 | 8,625 | -0.9% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 | 17.5 | 6,564 | -11.7% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 579 | +1.5% |
| Cliffs Pavilion Area Residents' Parking | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 146 | +0.4% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 78 | +0.2% |
Ward results
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 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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 | +7.9 |
Majority | 357 | 12.2 | |
Turnout | 2,934 | 32.3 | +3.6 |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
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 | +6.6 |
Majority | 1,010 | 37.1 | +11.4 |
Turnout | 2,720 | 28.3 | +0.3 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Eastwood[12] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Roger Walker | 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 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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 | +5.2 |
Majority | 159 | 4.9 | |
Turnout | 3,235 | 35.2 | +1.4 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Milton[12] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Jonathan Garston | 1,096 | 50.4 | |
| Labour | Stephen George | 782 | 36.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Amanda Smith | 150 | 6.9 | |
| Cliffs Pavilion Area Residents' Parking | Patricia Clark | 146 | 6.7 | |
Majority | 314 | 14.4 | |
Turnout | 2,174 | 25.2 | +1.3 |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Prittlewell (2)[12] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Christopher Kerr | 1,638 | | |
| Conservative | Anna Waite | 1,557 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Nigel Baker | 975 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Stephen Newton | 902 | | |
| Labour | Sylvia Groom | 357 | | |
| Labour | Anne Chalk | 342 | | |
Turnout | 5,771 | 33.1 | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
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 | +4.8 |
Majority | 153 | 9.5 | -10.9 |
Turnout | 1,611 | 19.1 | -0.7 |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
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 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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 | |
Turnout | 2,009 | 21.8 | -0.3 |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
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 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
References
- ^ "Southend-on-Sea". BBC News Online. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ a b "Election results: local councils". The Times. 5 May 2000. p. 4.
- ^ Salman, Saba (25 April 2000). "Local voters set to kick Blair over mayoral 'fix'". Evening Standard. p. 22.
- ^ a b c "South Essex: Elections kick off..." Echo. 4 April 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
- ^ a b "Reporting from Southend". BBC News Online. 3 May 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g Sherwin, Adam (5 May 2000). "Hard line on refugees helps Southend Tories". The Times. p. 4.
- ^ "Southend: Labour says Tory leaflet is racist". Echo. 13 April 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "Election round-up: Tories romp to victory in South Essex". Echo. 5 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "Election round-up: Southend losers pledge to win next time". Echo. 5 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "Southend: Tories axe charges for caring". Echo. 10 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "Southend: Bus lanes ditched". Echo. 8 May 2000. Retrieved 2 April 2010. [dead link]
- ^ 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]