2003 St Albans City and District Council election

The 2003 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of St Albans District Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Background

Following the last election in 2002 the Conservatives were the largest party with 21 seats, compared to 20 for the Liberal Democrats, 15 for Labour, 1 independent and 1 seat was vacant.[3] However the Liberal Democrats gained a seat from the Conservatives at a by-election in Verulam,[4] which meant that going into the 2003 election both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats needed to gain 8 seats to win a majority.[5]

Voting trial

The election saw a trial of various voting methods. Voters could choose between e-voting, either by computer or on a touchscreen at a polling booth, voting by phone or by post, or on a traditional ballot paper.[6] The period for voting was also increased to allow voting from 28 April to 1 May 2003.[6]

However problems occurred at 15 polling stations where the system did not recognise voters pin numbers,[7] which meant that traditional paper ballots had to be used in those polling stations.[8] The issues meant the election nearly had to be voided, with the count only able to start over 3 hours after polls had closed.[9]

However turnout was up by 5% on the previous election in 2002 at 43%.[10]

Election result

The Liberal Democrats gained 2 seats from Labour to become the largest party on the council with 23 councillors.[9] The Conservatives remained on 21 seats and there was still 1 independent, while the losses for Labour in Ashley and St Peter's wards reduced them to 13 seats.[9]

Following the election the Liberal Democrat group on the council chose Robert Donald as their new leader taking over from Brian Peyton.[11]

St Albans local election result 2003[12][13]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 12 2 0 +2 57.1 43.8 18,710 +5.0%
  Conservative 5 0 0 0 23.8 35.4 15,126 -0.4%
  Labour 4 0 2 -2 19.0 20.6 8,784 -4.5%
  No Candidate Deserves My Vote! 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 63 -0.2%

Ward results

Ashley[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alan Marshall 942 43.4 +6.9
Labour Alistair Cooper 759 35.0 −6.3
Conservative Alec Campbell 468 21.6 +1.1
Majority 183 8.4
Turnout 2,169 44.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Batchwood[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Martin Leach 873 47.1
Conservative Lee Foster 492 26.6
Liberal Democrats Debbie Williams 488 26.3
Majority 381 20.5
Turnout 1,853 37.6
Labour hold Swing
Clarence[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sheila Burton 1,315 65.3 +6.1
Labour Clive Newport 356 17.7 −5.2
Conservative Louisa-Jane Rosalki 343 17.0 −0.9
Majority 959 47.6 +11.3
Turnout 2,014 45.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Colney Heath[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christopher Brazier 972 58.1 +21.7
Conservative David Johns 522 31.2 −12.8
Labour David Mclean 179 10.7 −8.9
Majority 450 26.9
Turnout 1,673 43.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Cunningham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Robert Donald 1,281 61.3 +18.0
Labour Rebecca Gumbrell-Mccormick 416 19.9 −16.1
Conservative James Vessey 394 18.8 −1.9
Majority 865 41.4 +34.1
Turnout 2,091 46.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Harpenden East[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Waddilove 1,149 50.2 +3.5
Conservative Elizabeth Stevenson 854 37.3 −1.0
Labour David Crew 286 12.5 −2.5
Majority 295 12.9 +4.5
Turnout 2,289 45.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Harpenden North[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert Pawle 1,046 51.1 +3.2
Liberal Democrats Rachel Andrew 785 38.4 −3.2
Labour Rosemary Ross 214 10.5 +0.0
Majority 261 12.7 +6.4
Turnout 2,045 41.6
Conservative hold Swing
Harpenden South[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Foster 1,340 61.7 −1.7
Liberal Democrats Christopher Canfield 616 28.4 +5.1
Labour David Lawlor 216 9.9 −3.4
Majority 724 33.3 −6.8
Turnout 2,172 43.2
Conservative hold Swing
Harpenden West[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Julian Daly 1,319 56.3 −3.8
Liberal Democrats Mary Skinner 753 32.1 +7.0
Labour Benjamin Dearman 271 11.6 −3.2
Majority 566 24.2 −10.8
Turnout 2,343 43.6
Conservative hold Swing
London Colney[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Malcolm Macmillan 1,062 57.7 −4.2
Conservative Gilbert Massara 472 25.6 +2.1
Liberal Democrats Carol Prowse 308 16.7 +2.1
Majority 590 32.1 −6.3
Turnout 1,842 33.2
Labour hold Swing
Marshalswick North[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Churchard 1,003 48.5 +1.0
Conservative John Foster 782 37.8 +1.3
Labour John Baughan 282 13.6 −2.5
Majority 221 10.7 −0.3
Turnout 2,067 43.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Marshalswick South[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Kathleen Morris 1,364 53.3 −4.5
Conservative Richard Bretherton 858 33.5 +5.0
Labour Jane Cloke 338 13.2 −0.5
Majority 506 19.8 −9.5
Turnout 2,560 52.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Park Street[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephanie White 1,130 57.7 −7.8
Conservative Timothy Randall 554 28.3 +6.8
Labour Janet Blackwell 276 14.1 +1.1
Majority 576 29.4 −14.6
Turnout 1,960 38.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Redbourn[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christopher O'Donovan 1,019 50.5 −1.8
Conservative Maria Maynard 836 41.4 +1.9
Labour Linda Spiri 164 8.1 −0.2
Majority 183 9.1 −3.7
Turnout 2,019 45.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Sandridge[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Whiteside 769 54.7 +13.4
Liberal Democrats Peter Klyhn 465 33.1 −6.9
Labour John Baker 171 12.2 −4.8
Majority 304 21.6 +20.3
Turnout 1,405 39.5
Conservative hold Swing
Sopwell (2 seats)[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Eileen Harris 781 49.6 −8.7
Labour Janet Smith 777 49.4 −8.9
Liberal Democrats Brian Sinfield 397 25.2 +8.0
Liberal Democrats David Terrar 375 23.8 +6.6
Conservative Eileen Brown 356 22.6 +1.3
Conservative Margaret Brownlie 344 21.9 +0.6
Turnout 1,574 32.4 +9.1
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
St Peters[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Biddle 927 46.1 +8.0
Labour Lynette Warren 715 35.6 −8.1
Conservative Virginia Walker 367 18.3 +0.1
Majority 212 10.5
Turnout 2,009 42.1
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
St Stephen[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gordon Myland 1,247 58.1 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Louise Searle 634 29.5 −0.2
Labour Patricia Allen 266 12.4 −2.6
Majority 613 28.6 +3.0
Turnout 2,147 43.7
Conservative hold Swing
Verulam[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Martin Frearson 1,457 52.6 +15.5
Conservative Robin Streames 1,033 37.3 −11.4
Labour Richard Bruckdorfer 217 7.8 −4.9
No Candidate Deserves My Vote! Peter Goodall 63 2.3 +0.8
Majority 424 15.3
Turnout 2,770 56.3 +17.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Wheathampstead[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christopher Oxley 1,330 59.8 +16.8
Conservative Linda Brent 730 32.8 −15.6
Labour Mary Cheale 165 7.4 −1.3
Majority 600 27.0
Turnout 2,225 48.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

By-elections between 2003 and 2004

A by-election was held in Verulam ward on 5 April 2004 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Pauline Buffham, who was moving abroad.[14] The seat was gained for the Liberal Democrats by Susan Campbell with a majority of 265 votes over the Conservatives.[15]

Verulam by-election 5 April 2004[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Susan Campbell 1,173 49.4 −3.2
Conservative Katherine Cramer 908 38.2 +0.9
St Albans Party Janet Girsman 167 7.0 +7.0
Labour Larry Heyman 90 3.8 −4.0
Green Marc Scheimann 37 1.6 +1.6
Majority 265 11.2 −4.1
Turnout 2,375 48.1 −8.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

References

  1. ^ "Local elections". BBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
  2. ^ "How Britain voted: English and Scottish councils". The Independent. 3 May 2003. p. 18.
  3. ^ "St Albans". BBC News. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  4. ^ Price, Shannon (4 July 2002). "Lib-Dem victory this time around". Hertfordshire County Publications – via NewsBank.
  5. ^ "London: Local election preview". BBC News. 4 April 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  6. ^ a b Morris, Owen (9 April 2003). "Pupils set to e-vote". Hertfordshire County Publications – via NewsBank.
  7. ^ "Non-voters are the majority". BBC News. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  8. ^ "A new day for democracy". publicservice.co.uk. 21 May 2003. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  9. ^ a b c Collins, Paul (2 May 2003). "E-voting glitches hamper city elections". Hertfordshire County Publications – via NewsBank.
  10. ^ "St Albans e-voting trial goes horribly wrong. Almost". The Register. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  11. ^ "Lib Dems name new leader". Hertfordshire County Publications. 19 May 2003 – via NewsBank.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "District Council Election Results 1st May 2003". St Albans District and City Council. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
  13. ^ "Election results". Financial Times. 3 May 2003. p. 8.
  14. ^ "By-election date set after councillor quits". Hertfordshire County Publications. 26 February 2004 – via NewsBank.
  15. ^ a b "Verulam Ward By Election Result 5th April 2004". St Albans City and District Council. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
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