Map of the results of the 2003 Torridge District Council election. Independents in grey, Community Alliance Independent in pink, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Conservatives in blue, Green party in green and UK Independence Party in purple.

The 2003 Torridge District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Torridge District Council in Devon, England. The whole council was up for election after boundary changes and the council stayed under no overall control.[1][2]

Election result

A newly formed group called the Community Alliance gained 9 seats on the council and they were among 17 new councillors on the council.[3][4] Among the gains for the Community Alliance were 3 seats in Northam ward, a seat in Bideford South from Labour and a gain from an independent in Westward Ho!.[2] None of the candidates for the Community Alliance were sitting councillors and the group said it aimed to "keep party politics out of local government".[2]

Meanwhile, Labour lost both their 2 seats on the council, while the Conservatives and Greens regained 1 seat each.[2] 8 councillors were elected without facing any opposition, but this was down from 9 at the 1999 election and 13 in 1995.[5] Overall turnout at the election was 38.4%, up from 36.1% in 1999.[6]

Torridge local election result 2003[2][7]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Independent 17 47.2 27.3 6,849 -7.7%
  Community Alliance Independent 9 +9 25.0 32.4 8,109 +32.4%
  Liberal Democrats 7 19.4 25.6 6,409 -11.5%
  Conservative 1 +1 2.8 4.6 1,165 +3.5%
  Green 1 +1 2.8 3.4 845 -3.1%
  UKIP 1 +1 2.8 1.7 427 +1.7%
  Labour 0 -2 0 5.0 1,257 -15.2%

Ward results

Appledore (2 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Leonard Ford 506
UKIP Andrew Eastman 427
Independent Philip Waters 421
Community Alliance Independent Jeremy Bell 402
Liberal Democrats Colin Langbridge 141
Turnout 1,897 47.9
Bideford East (3 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Community Alliance Independent Stephen Clarke 653
Community Alliance Independent William Isaac 516
Independent Pamela Paddon 482
Community Alliance Independent Andrew Powell 461
Liberal Democrats Noel Deakes 293
Liberal Democrats Christopher Birchmore 284
Liberal Democrats David Nicholson 161
Labour Anne Brenton 158
Labour Lynda Dark 144
Labour Sarah Lovera 87
Turnout 3,239 32.2
Bideford North (3 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Peter Christie 633
Liberal Democrats Hugo Barton 632
Community Alliance Independent Alasdair Gould 488
Independent Christopher Leather 486
Liberal Democrats John Hadfield 426
Liberal Democrats Matthew Osborne 338
Conservative Graham Jones 336
Turnout 3,339 34.8
Bideford South (3 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mervyn Lane 494
Community Alliance Independent Sonia Bushby 424
Liberal Democrats David Daniel 354
Liberal Democrats Anthony Inch 344
Community Alliance Independent David Ratcliff 310
Labour David Brenton 309
Community Alliance Independent Elliot Gould 309
Labour Ian Hopkins 131
Labour Walter Hill-Paul 106
Turnout 2,781 28.6
Broadheath[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Frank Howard unopposed
Clinton[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Philip Collins 228 34.2
Liberal Democrats Richard Copp 179 26.8
Conservative Roy Watts 179 26.8
Independent Brian Stacey 81 12.1
Majority 49 7.3
Turnout 667 55.1
Clovelly Bay[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Royston Johns unopposed
Coham Bridge[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Broyd 294 56.1
Community Alliance Independent Richard Deane 230 43.9
Majority 64 12.2
Turnout 524 42.6
Forest[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Christine March unopposed
Hartland and Bradworthy (2 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent William Pillman unopposed
Independent Trevor Sillifant unopposed
Holsworthy (2 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Desmond Shadrick 784
Independent John Allen 581
Conservative Coral Broyd 356
Turnout 1,721 40.5
Kenwith[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Community Alliance Independent Hugh Bone 263 52.6
Independent Anthony Collins 237 47.4
Majority 26 5.2
Turnout 500 39.4
Monkleigh and Littleham[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Geoffrey Boundy unopposed
Northam (3 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Community Alliance Independent Alan Eastwood 941
Community Alliance Independent Edward Davies 926
Community Alliance Independent Paul Sturges 850
Independent Richard Bradford 640
Independent Anthony Barnes 525
Labour Sheila Bloomfield 322
Turnout 4,204 40.0
Orchard Hill[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Susan Mounce 285 52.9
Community Alliance Independent Matthew Richards 254 47.1
Majority 31 5.8
Turnout 539 40.8
Shebbear and Langtree[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Allin Bewes 389 63.3
Community Alliance Independent Richard Clark 226 36.7
Majority 163 26.5
Turnout 615 47.6
Tamarside[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Richard Broad unopposed
Three Moors[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Patricia Ferguson unopposed
Torrington (3 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Margaret Brown 645
Independent Richard Bond 424
Liberal Democrats John Rawlinson 376
Liberal Democrats William Brook 364
Independent Richard Rumbold 254
Liberal Democrats Adrian Freeland 243
Green Cathrine Simmons 212
Turnout 2,518 27.8
Two Rivers[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent James Morrish 253 43.5
Independent William Tanton 154 26.5
Liberal Democrats Maurice Ridd 101 17.4
Community Alliance Independent Patrick Adams 74 12.7
Majority 99 17.0
Turnout 582 46.9
Waldon[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Robert Hicks 332 69.3
Community Alliance Independent Roger Vanstone 147 30.7
Majority 185 38.6
Turnout 479 39.1
Westward Ho![7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Community Alliance Independent Timothy Williams 428 57.6
Independent Thomas Barclay 315 42.4
Majority 113 15.2
Turnout 743 45.6
Winkleigh[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Cowle 506 71.0
Community Alliance Independent Paul Camilleri 207 29.0
Majority 299 41.9
Turnout 713 47.9

By-elections between 2003 and 2007

Bideford South

A by-election was held in Bideford South on 4 December 2003 after the former leader of the council, Liberal Democrat Mervyn Lane, resigned from the council due to ill health.[8]

Bideford South by-election 4 December 2003[8][9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Anthony Inch 244 44.4 +4.1
Independent Chris Leather 177 32.2 +32.2
Community Alliance Shirley Hagley 128 23.3 -11.3
Majority 67 12.2
Turnout 549 15.2 -13.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Westward Ho!

Westward Ho! by-election 4 November 2004[9][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Roger Tisdale 257 37.1 -5.3
Liberal Democrats John Hadfield 226 32.6 +32.6
Conservative Anthony Collins 149 21.5 +21.5
Independent Hugh Brading 61 8.8 +8.8
Majority 31 4.5
Turnout 693 41.2 -4.4
Independent gain from Independent Swing

Tamarside

Independent Kenneth James won a by-election in Tamarside on 14 July 2005 after the death of councillor Richard Broad.[12]

Tamarside by-election 14 July 2005[9][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Kenneth James 167 45.2
Conservative Coral Broyd 143 38.7
Independent Arthur Stewart 59 16.0
Majority 24 6.5
Turnout 369 29.6
Independent hold Swing

Northam

Conservative Sam Robinson won a by-election in Northam on 23 November 2006 after the resignation of councillor Alan Eastwood.[14]

Northam by-election 23 November 2006[9][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Robinson 556 57.3 +57.3
Green Miranda Cox 414 42.7 +42.7
Majority 142 14.6
Turnout 970 21.6 -18.4
Conservative gain from Independent Swing

References

  1. ^ "Local elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Community party in nine-seat haul". Western Morning News. NewsBank. 3 May 2003.
  3. ^ "It's all change in". Western Morning News. NewsBank. 2 May 2003.
  4. ^ "Bullying 'endemic' in council". BBC News Online. 21 May 2003. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  5. ^ "For 34 Candidates, It'S No Contest". Western Morning News. NewsBank. 2 May 2003.
  6. ^ Churchill, Laura (21 April 2011). "What lies ahead for 'improved' council?". North Devon Journal. NewsBank.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Full District Council Election Results - 1 May 2003". Torridge District Council. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  8. ^ a b "South Devon". Western Morning News. NewsBank. 19 November 2003.
  9. ^ a b c d "Local Authority Byelection Results". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  10. ^ "Labour loses council seat to Socialist". guardian.co.uk. 5 December 2003. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  11. ^ "Westward Ho! District By-Election Result - 4th Nov 2004". Torridge District Council. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  12. ^ "Air ambulance staff bailed". Western Morning News. NewsBank. 20 July 2005.
  13. ^ "Tamarside District By-Election Results - 14 July 2005". Torridge District Council. Retrieved 26 June 2014.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Northam". Western Morning News. NewsBank. 28 November 2006.
  15. ^ "District By-Election Results 23 November 2006". Torridge District Council. Retrieved 26 June 2014.[permanent dead link]
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