West Lancashire District Council election, 2008

Map of the results of the 2008 West Lancashire council election. Conservatives in blue and Labour in red. Wards in grey were not contested in 2008.

The 2008 West Lancashire District Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of West Lancashire District Council in Lancashire, 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:

^[2]

Campaign

Before the election, in which 19 seats were being contested, the Conservatives ran the council with 33 of the 52 seats.^[3] The seat in Tanhouse was being contested after the death of Labour councillor Sally Keegan in December 2007,^[2] while Conservative Martin Forshaw was unopposed in Hesketh with Becconsall.^[4] The Conservatives were strongly favoured to remain in control and were particularly targeting the last Labour held seat in Burscough.^[3]

The Conservatives campaigned on plans to regenerate Skelmersdale, build new council offices on a site in Ormskirk and a pledge to keep council tax rises as low as possible.^[3]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives increase their control of the council after making 2 gains from Labour.^[2] They gained the seats of Burscough West and Up Holland, with the margin of victory in Up Holland being only 3 votes after 2 recounts were required.^[2] Labour also only held the Tanhouse seat by 34 votes after a recount.^[2] The results meant the Conservatives had 35 seats compared to 18 for Labour and 1 independent.^[2] Overall turnout in the election was 30.51%.^[5]

The Conservative council leader, Geoff Roberts, saw the results as a sign they could take the parliamentary seat in the next general election, while Labour blamed their defeats on national issues.^[4]

Ward results

Ashurst

Aughton and Downholland

Birch Green

Burscough East

Burscough West

Derby

Digmoor

Halsall

Hesketh-with-Becconsall

Knowsley

Moorside

Rufford

Scott

Skelmersdale North

Skelmersdale South

Tanhouse

Tarleton

Up Holland

Wrightington

References

External links

• Reactions to the results from the group leaders

Council elections in Lancashire County Council 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 Blackburn with Darwen 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Blackpool 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1997 2000 2003 2007 2011 2015 Burnley 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Chorley 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Fylde 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Hyndburn 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Lancaster 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Pendle 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Preston 1945 1946 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Ribble Valley 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Rossendale 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 South Ribble 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 West Lancashire 1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Wyre 1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 See also: Wards Boundary changes

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