The 2002 South Lakeland District Council election took place on 2 May 2002 to elect members of South Lakeland District Council in Cumbria, 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

Before the election the Liberal Democrats were the largest group on the council, but no party had a majority.[3] 14 of the seats being contested were in Kendal, with the Liberal Democrats defending 9 of the 18 seats which were up for election.[3][4] 3 councillors stood down at the election, Liberal Democrat John Sudholme of Kendal Castle ward, Labour's Jim Blamire of Kendal Underley and independent Philip Ball of Kendal Oxenholme.[5]

Issues in the election included plans to move council housing from the direct control of the council, with Labour opposing the move and both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats supporting it.[3] Other issues included improving the council finances, increasing recycling, parking and social exclusion.[3]

Election result

The results saw little change in the party balance on the council,[6] with the only net change being the Conservatives going up by 1 seat to 19 councillors, at the expense of the independents, who dropped to 3 seats.[7] Close results came in Kendal Nether, where Labour gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats by 7 votes after a recount, and Kendal Highgate, where the Liberal Democrats took a seat from Labour by 13 votes.[7]

South Lakeland Local Election Result 2002[8][2]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 9 0 50.0 45.8 5,690
  Labour 6 0 33.3 22.1 2,746
  Conservative 2 +1 11.1 30.6 3,799
  Independent 1 -1 5.6 1.5 190

One Independent candidate was unopposed.[8]

Ward results

Arnside and Beetham (by-election)[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ian Stewart 1,038 54.1 -1.8
Conservative George Crossman 879 45.9 +1.8
Majority 159 8.2 -3.6
Turnout 1,917 54.8 +10.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kendal Castle[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sonia Lawson 344 51.7 -3.8
Conservative Lyndsay Slater 267 40.2 +12.7
Labour Alan Whitton 54 8.1 -8.9
Majority 77 11.5
Turnout 665 44.0 +3.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kendal Far Cross[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Butterfield 278 43.9 +29.2
Liberal Democrats Carole Cliffe 218 34.4 -37.3
Labour Guy Johnson 137 21.6 +8.1
Majority 60 9.5
Turnout 633 38.8 +9.1
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Kendal Fell[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robin Yates* 233 47.6 -14.9
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Cook 195 39.9 +2.4
Conservative Helen Graham 61 12.5 N/A
Majority 38 7.7
Turnout 489 35.6 -3.6
Labour hold Swing
Kendal Glebelands[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Rothwell* 276 39.8 -8.5
Liberal Democrats Russell Caton 250 36.1 +19.2
Conservative Pamela Flitcroft 167 24.1 -10.7
Majority 26 3.7
Turnout 693 46.4 +6.5
Labour hold Swing
Kendal Heron Hill[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Shine* 411 63.7 -9.9
Conservative Susan Hunt 154 23.9 +7.6
Labour Margaret Alderson 80 12.4 +2.3
Majority 257 39.8
Turnout 645 38.8 +0.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kendal Highgate[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Little 269 43.4 +5.0
Labour Rita Molloy* 256 41.4 -6.4
Conservative Frank Brooks 94 15.2 +1.4
Majority 13 2.0
Turnout 619 42.2 +7.5
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Kendal Kirkland[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Avril Dobson* 255 64.4 -17.1
Conservative Janet Brooks 77 19.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Gwyneth Raymond 64 16.2 -2.3
Majority 178 45.0
Turnout 396 29.0 -3.6
Labour hold Swing
Kendal Mintsfeet[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Angela Barratt* 248 42.6 -20.6
Labour Brian Dobson 184 31.6 +15.9
Conservative Jack Tomlinson 150 25.8 +4.7
Majority 64 11.0
Turnout 582 35.3 +9.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kendal Nether[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Braithwaite 298 44.4 +2.3
Liberal Democrats Christopher Mayho* 291 43.4 -6.4
Conservative Susannah Pearson 82 12.2 +4.2
Majority 7 1.0
Turnout 671 45.8 +1.7
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Kendal Oxenholme[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Gwendoline Murfin 363 57.5 -0.8
Conservative Olga Lewis 154 24.4 +11.8
Labour Keith Fawcett 114 18.1 -11.0
Majority 209 33.1
Turnout 631 36.2 +3.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kendal Parks[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Brendan Jameson* 395 73.3 -7.8
Conservative Elizabeth Graham 101 18.7 +6.9
Labour Helen Speed 43 8.0 +0.9
Majority 294 54.6
Turnout 539 32.8 -1.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kendal Stonecross[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Graham Vincent* 491 58.8 +9.8
Conservative Harold Barker 282 33.8 -6.8
Labour Terence McIntee 62 7.4 -3.0
Majority 209 25.0
Turnout 835 52.7 +7.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kendal Strickland[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jean Ewing* 375 61.0 -11.0
Conservative Melvin Mackie 120 19.5 +5.6
Liberal Democrats Lynne Mayho 120 19.5 +5.4
Majority 255 41.5
Turnout 615 36.9 -1.2
Labour hold Swing
Kendal Underley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Batteson 379 63.8 -23.5
Liberal Democrats James McKeefery 121 20.4 +7.7
Conservative Geoffrey Robson 94 15.8 N/A
Majority 258 43.4
Turnout 594 39.6 +0.5
Labour hold Swing
Lakes Ambleside[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Robert Barker* 580 46.8 +9.7
Conservative Brian Barton 468 37.8 +19.1
Independent George Middleton 190 15.3 -20.7
Majority 112 9.0
Turnout 1,238 38.6 -0.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Lakes Grasmere[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Elizabeth Braithwaite* unopposed N/A -75.7
Majority N/A N/A
Turnout N/A N/A -38.6
Independent hold Swing
Sedbergh[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Winn 771 72.5 +16.7
Liberal Democrats Sydney McLennan 292 27.5 +9.0
Majority 479 45.0
Turnout 1,063 37.4 -3.2
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "South Lakeland". BBC News Online. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Local Elections in England: 2 May 2002" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d Dennett, Jennie (19 April 2002). "Housing becomes political hot potato". The Westmorland Gazette. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Election call". The Westmorland Gazette. 26 April 2002. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Stalwarts back out of elections". The Westmorland Gazette. 12 April 2002. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  6. ^ "BNP shock for North". BBC News Online. 3 May 2002. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Election results no surprise". The Westmorland Gazette. 3 May 2002. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "South Lakeland". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
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