Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election, 2007
The 2007 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was
Election result
The results saw the Conservative increase their majority after gaining 3 seats, which they described as an endorsement of their record in control of the council.[3] They gained 2 seats from Labour in Haldens and Hatfield South wards, while the Liberal Democrats failed to pick up any seats.[3] The third Conservative gain came in Howlands ward, where they defeated Green councillor Jill Weston,[3] who had defected from Labour in 2004.[4] Overall turnout in the election was 33.03%,[5] while dropping as low as 24% in some wards.[3]
Among the Conservative winners in the election were Hannah Berry and Paul Smith, who became the youngest councillors in the council's history at the ages of 18 and 20 respectively, after a recent change in the law had permitted under 21s to stand for election.[6]
Welwyn Hatfield Local Election Result 2007[5][7] |
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
|
Conservative |
13 |
3 |
0 |
+3 |
81.3 |
54.6 |
12,161 |
-1.2% |
|
Labour |
3 |
0 |
2 |
-2 |
18.8 |
25.1 |
5,592 |
+2.6% |
|
Liberal Democrat |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
16.7 |
3,729 |
-4.4% |
|
Green |
0 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
0 |
3.6 |
805 |
+3.0% |
One Conservative candidate was unopposed in the election.[5]
Ward results
Brookmans Park & Little Heath[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Stephen Boulton |
1,471 |
81.4 |
+1.0 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Jenny Blumsom |
125 |
6.9 |
-7.2 |
|
Green |
Kevin Pressland |
114 |
6.3 |
+6.3 |
|
Labour |
Cathy Watson |
98 |
5.4 |
-0.1 |
Majority |
1,346 |
74.5 |
+8.2 |
Turnout |
1,808 |
40.4 |
-5.1 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Handside[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Helen Bromley |
1,194 |
48.7 |
+4.6 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Malcolm Cowan |
1,044 |
42.6 |
-2.4 |
|
Labour |
Sheila Jones |
213 |
8.7 |
-2.2 |
Majority |
150 |
6.1 |
|
Turnout |
2,451 |
49.0 |
-1.0 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Hatfield Central[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Maureen Cook |
477 |
38.7 |
-2.4 |
|
Conservative |
Doug Berry |
461 |
37.4 |
+3.9 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Simon Archer |
294 |
23.9 |
-1.5 |
Majority |
16 |
1.3 |
-6.3 |
Turnout |
1,232 |
29.4 |
-2.0 |
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Hatfield East[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Mick Long |
725 |
57.0 |
+0.9 |
|
Labour |
Constance Elliott |
322 |
25.3 |
+3.4 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Lis Meyland-Smith |
225 |
17.7 |
-4.3 |
Majority |
403 |
31.7 |
-2.4 |
Turnout |
1,272 |
28.8 |
-8.3 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Hatfield North[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Howard Morgan |
920 |
56.2 |
+1.1 |
|
Labour |
Margaret White |
454 |
27.7 |
+0.4 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Neil Ross |
263 |
16.1 |
-1.5 |
Majority |
466 |
28.5 |
+0.7 |
Turnout |
1,637 |
24.1 |
-8.3 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Hatfield West[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Kim Morris |
608 |
54.0 |
+4.3 |
|
Labour |
Sheila Wilder |
341 |
30.3 |
-4.6 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Sheila Archer |
177 |
15.7 |
+0.3 |
Majority |
267 |
23.7 |
+8.9 |
Turnout |
1,126 |
25.8 |
-11.9 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Panshanger[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Darren Bennett |
829 |
55.3 |
-1.5 |
|
Labour |
Dean Milliken |
416 |
27.7 |
+2.0 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Shirley Shaw |
175 |
11.7 |
-5.8 |
|
Green |
Liz Verlander |
80 |
5.3 |
+5.3 |
Majority |
413 |
27.6 |
-3.5 |
Turnout |
1,500 |
31.4 |
-2.1 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Peartree[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Steve Roberts |
459 |
39.9 |
+3.4 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Frank Marsh |
361 |
31.4 |
-4.6 |
|
Conservative |
Christopher Hay |
331 |
28.8 |
+1.3 |
Majority |
98 |
8.5 |
+8.0 |
Turnout |
1,151 |
24.1 |
-3.2 |
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Sherrards[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
John Burnapp |
1,014 |
55.3 |
+0.8 |
|
Labour |
Tony Crump |
427 |
23.3 |
-5.0 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
Jonathan Arch |
249 |
13.6 |
-3.6 |
|
Green |
Berenice Dowlen |
145 |
7.9 |
+7.9 |
Majority |
587 |
32.0 |
+5.8 |
Turnout |
1,835 |
43.1 |
-4.2 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
Welwyn North[5] |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
Julie Cragg |
974 |
76.5 |
+4.2 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
John Blackburn |
185 |
14.5 |
-3.1 |
|
Labour |
Bridgit Croft |
114 |
9.0 |
-1.1 |
Majority |
789 |
62.0 |
+7.3 |
Turnout |
1,273 |
36.8 |
-2.7 |
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
|
|
References