Purbeck District Council election, 2008
Elections to Purbeck District Council were held on 1 May 2008. Nine of the twenty-four seats on the council were up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1] Overall turnout was 44.86%.[2]
A big issue in the election was housing with much criticism of plans to build over five thousand homes in the district by 2026.[3] The nominations for the election saw an unusual event when Liberal Democrat candidate Alexandra Brenton signed the nomination papers for her friend and Labour party candidate Selby Bennett.[4] Two seats were contested in Lytchett Matravers after Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Peacock stood down in February.[5]
The results saw the Liberal Democrat party gained Wareham and Wool wards from the Conservative party to pull level on the Council. The Conservative party took Swanage South from Liberal Democrat Colin Bright who had defected from the Conservatives the previous month.[6]
After the election, the composition of the council was
Election result
Purbeck Local Election Result 2008 |
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
|
Liberal Democrat |
5 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
55.6 |
45.6 |
6,174 |
+3.8% |
|
Conservative |
4 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
44.4 |
47.3 |
6,399 |
+8.7% |
|
Labour |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4.8 |
653 |
-2.3% |
|
Independent |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2.2 |
304 |
-3.2% |
Ward results
Lytchett Minster and Upton East |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Wendy Starr |
692 |
57.6 |
-4.1 |
|
Conservative |
Simon Williams |
509 |
42.4 |
+4.1 |
Majority |
183 |
15.2 |
-8.2 |
Turnout |
1,201 |
39.1 |
-0.8 |
|
Liberal Democrat hold |
Swing |
|
|
Lytchett Minster and Upton West |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Paul Johns |
829 |
65.3 |
+15.8 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Mark Howlett |
391 |
30.8 |
-19.7 |
|
Labour |
Ruth Cade |
50 |
3.9 |
+3.9 |
Majority |
438 |
24.5 |
|
Turnout |
1,270 |
42.6 |
-6.3 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
St Martin |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Beryl Ezzard |
563 |
56.2 |
-0.9 |
|
Conservative |
Jane Thomas |
438 |
43.8 |
+10.3 |
Majority |
125 |
12.4 |
-11.2 |
Turnout |
1,001 |
46.5 |
+0.9 |
|
Liberal Democrat hold |
Swing |
|
|
Swanage North |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Gloria Marsh |
917 |
59.3 |
+8.2 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Philippa Keeling |
497 |
32.1 |
+7.1 |
|
Labour |
Margaret Storey |
132 |
8.5 |
-2.3 |
Majority |
420 |
27.2 |
+1.1 |
Turnout |
1,546 |
46.2 |
-3.4 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Swanage South |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Alison Patrick |
932 |
50.6 |
+10.6 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Colin Bright |
561 |
30.5 |
+1.1 |
|
Labour |
Marilyn Larthe de Langladure |
348 |
18.9 |
+0.6 |
Majority |
371 |
20.1 |
+9.5 |
Turnout |
1,841 |
38.5 |
+0.0 |
|
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat |
Swing |
|
|
Wareham |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Keith Critchley |
1,245 |
57.6 |
-4.6 |
|
Conservative |
Roy Anderson |
915 |
42.4 |
+4.6 |
Majority |
330 |
15.2 |
-9.2 |
Turnout |
2,160 |
47.0 |
+4.1 |
|
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative |
Swing |
|
|
Wool |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Graham Holmes |
725 |
47.1 |
+0.7 |
|
Conservative |
Malcolm Shakesby |
438 |
28.4 |
-6.1 |
|
Independent |
Rosemary Grey-Hodder |
304 |
19.7 |
+19.7 |
|
Labour |
Rosemary Phillips |
73 |
4.7 |
-2.6 |
Majority |
287 |
18.7 |
+6.8 |
Turnout |
1,540 |
46.5 |
+2.9 |
|
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative |
Swing |
|
|
References