Hart District Council election, 2008

The 2008 Hart Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Hart District Council in Hampshire, 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

Campaign

12 seats were being contested in the election with the Conservatives defending 6 seats, the Liberal Democrats 5 and the Community Campaign (Hart) 1 seat.[3] In total there were 30 candidates standing in the election with the Conservatives the only party to stand in all of the seats.[3] Other candidates included 10 from the Liberal Democrats, 5 from Labour, 2 Community Campaign (Hart) and 1 from the British National Party.[4] Before the election a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, Community Campaign (Hart) and the 2 independents ran the council with the Conservatives forming the opposition.[4]

Issues in the election included facilities for teenagers, cleaner streets, recycling and reducing crime.[5] The Conservatives wanted to improve the value for money the council produced, develop the infrastructure for new housing and to keep roads in good condition.[5] However the Liberal Democrats pledged to improve recycling, get more affordable housing and keep crime levels low.[5]

During the campaign the national Conservative leader, David Cameron, visited the area to campaign for the party.[6]

Election result

The results saw the council remain with no party having a majority, but with the Conservatives gaining 2 seats to hold 17 of the 35 seats.[2] Both Conservative gains came from the Liberal Democrats, taking Fleet Courtmoor by 391 votes and Fleet Pondtail by 493 votes.[2] The Conservatives won 60% of the vote and claimed a mandate to take control of the council.[7][8] However the 2 independents held the balance of power between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrat/Community Campaign (Hart) alliance.[2] Overall turnout in the election was 36.9%.[9]

At the annual council meeting after the election the Conservatives took control of the council.[8][10] Their leader Ken Crookes won 18 votes compared to 17 for Liberal Democrat leader David Neighbour, with 1 of the 2 independents, Susan Band, backing the Conservatives.[10] The other independent, Denis Gotel, and the Community Campaign (Hart) backed the Liberal Democrat leader.[10] As a result, the council cabinet was made up of all Conservatives, except for independent Susan Band who would continue to be responsible for housing and health.[8][11]

Hart Local Election Result 2008[2][9]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 8 2 0 +2 66.7 60.1 10,021 +9.3%
  Liberal Democrat 3 0 2 -2 25.0 28.7 4,795 -4.3%
  Community Campaign (Hart) 1 0 0 0 8.3 8.7 1,459 -1.9%
  Labour 0 0 0 0 0 2.0 327 -0.9%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 84 -1.9%

Ward results

Blackwater and Hawley[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat Brian Blewett 669 61.3 +3.9
Conservative Richard Fielden 423 38.7 -3.9
Majority 246 22.5 +7.7
Turnout 1,092 32.2 -10.7
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Church Crookham East[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Community Campaign (Hart) James Radley 942 66.4 +11.6
Conservative Debbie Moss 476 33.6 -6.1
Majority 466 32.9 +17.8
Turnout 1,418 37.8 -5.6
Independent hold Swing
Crondall[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Nippy Singh 804 60.9 +11.0
Community Campaign (Hart) Chris Hannan 517 39.1 -11.0
Majority 287 21.7
Turnout 1,321 43.4 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing
Fleet Central[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Christopher Hunt 1,040 72.1 +26.1
Liberal Democrat Richard Robinson 335 23.2 +23.2
Labour David Jenkins 68 4.7 -1.7
Majority 705 48.9
Turnout 1,443 34.1 -3.6
Conservative hold Swing
Fleet Courtmoor[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Christopher Butler 1,113 58.6 +14.4
Liberal Democrat Paul Einchcomb 722 38.0 +38.0
Labour Ruth Williams 65 3.4 -1.7
Majority 391 20.6
Turnout 1,900 51.3 +5.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat Swing
Fleet Pondtail[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative David Healey 1,211 62.8 +15.9
Liberal Democrat Sue Fisher 718 37.2 -5.8
Majority 493 25.6 +21.7
Turnout 1,929 53.1 -1.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat Swing
Fleet West[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Tim Davies 1,005 77.2
Liberal Democrat Sarah Horton 227 17.4
Labour Janet Young 70 5.4
Majority 778 59.8
Turnout 1,302 34.2 -4.9
Conservative hold Swing
Hook[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Michael Haffey 1,515 78.3 +6.4
Liberal Democrat Penny Potts 419 21.7 -6.4
Majority 1,096 56.7 +13.0
Turnout 1,934 31.0 -2.3
Conservative hold Swing
Long Sutton[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Kennett 467 82.2 +11.0
Liberal Democrat Roger Carter 101 17.8 +3.3
Majority 366 64.4 +7.7
Turnout 568 31.2 -5.3
Conservative hold Swing
Odiham[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Stephen Gorys 1,067 78.5 -5.1
Liberal Democrat Chris Griffin 293 21.5 +5.1
Majority 774 56.9 -10.3
Turnout 1,360 37.1 -3.8
Conservative hold Swing
Yateley East[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat Stuart Bailey 722 57.9 +0.9
Conservative Sue Perkins 478 38.4 +2.5
Labour John Davies 46 3.7 -3.4
Majority 244 19.6 -1.4
Turnout 1,246 31.2 -1.4
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Yateley West[9][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Democrat David Murr 589 50.2 +4.9
Conservative Sue Dunning 422 36.0 +7.8
BNP Geoffrey Crompton 84 7.2 -7.8
Labour Joyce Still 78 6.6 -5.0
Majority 167 14.2 -2.9
Turnout 1,173 30.4 -1.1
Liberal Democrat hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ "Hart". BBC News Online. 2008-04-19. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Who will run Hart?". gethampshire. 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  3. 1 2 "Fight for seats on two councils". gethampshire. 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  4. 1 2 "Candidates get ready to contest borough poll". gethampshire. 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  5. 1 2 3 "BNP to field candidate in borough poll". gethampshire. 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  6. ↑ "Tory leader visits town". gethampshire. 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  7. ↑ "Tories launch bid to take control of Hart". gethampshire. 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  8. 1 2 3 "Tories gain control with aid of Independent Band". Basingstoke Gazette. 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Election Results for 1 May 2008". Hart District Council. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  10. 1 2 3 "Tories take control of Hart from coalition". gethampshire. 2008-05-13. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  11. ↑ "Tories take control". gethampshire. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Hart District Council election results". gethampshire. 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
Preceded by
Hart Council election, 2007		 Hart local elections Succeeded by
Hart Council election, 2010
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