Map of the results of the 2006 Swindon council election. Conservatives in blue, Labour in red and Liberal Democrat in yellow. Wards in grey were not contested in 2006.

The 2006 Swindon Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Swindon Unitary Council in Wiltshire, 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

Campaign

19 seats were contested in the election, with a total of 70 candidates standing and 10 sitting councillors not defending their seats.[3] From the parties defending seats in the election these included 19 each from the Conservative and Labour parties and 15 Liberal Democrats.[3] Other candidates included 11 from the Green party, 2 Socialist Unity and 3 independents.[4] The election also saw the British National Party (BNP) stand for Swindon council for the first time, with one candidate, Reg Bates, standing in Gorse Hill and Pinehurst ward.[5] His candidature led a group comprising trade unions, the Labour party, community groups and some independent socialists to form an alliance in opposition to the BNP.[5]

Issues in the election included regeneration, with the different parties proposing different ideas including a library, art gallery, redeveloped car park and the preservation of green spaces.[6] The Conservatives defended their record in control of the council, saying that they had improved services and increased council tax by lower percentages than Labour had when they had been in control of the council.[4] Labour said they would protect services the Conservatives were cutting, deal with anti-social behaviour and criticised the Conservatives for increasing council tax.[4] Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats said they would stand up for local residents and make the town centre attractive for everyone.[4]

For the election a new website was launched by the council where voters could register in order to get reminders to vote, in an effort to increase turnout.[7]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives strengthen their control of the council after gaining 5 seats to hold 40 of the 59 seats.[8] 3 of the gains came from Labour who were reduced to 14 seats,[9] with both of Labour's Swindon Members of Parliament blaming the defeats on national issues.[8] The other two Conservative gains were from the Liberal Democrats who fell to 3 seats, while the 2 independent councillors were not defending seats in 2006.[9] Overall turnout in the election was 34.21%, up on the 32.7% in the 2004 election.[9]

Swindon Local Election Result 2006[10][11]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 13 5 0 +5 68.4 47.6 20,819 +2.5%
  Labour 5 0 3 −3 26.3 30.2 13,203 +2.4%
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 2 −2 5.3 14.1 6,156 −6.2%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 5.8 2,534 +0.9%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 1.0 458 +0.6%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 0.7 319 +0.7%
  Socialist Unity 0 0 0 0 0 0.6 244 +0.6%

Ward results

Abbey Meads[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Tomlinson 1,329 70.4 +12.2
Labour G Lawson 261 13.8 −7.3
Liberal Democrats L Sharp 158 8.4 −12.3
Green E Bushell 139 7.4 +7.4
Majority 1,068 56.6 +19.5
Turnout 1,887
Conservative hold Swing
Blunsdon[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G Dart 875 83.7 +11.5
Labour J Sefton 171 16.3 +1.8
Majority 704 67.3 +9.6
Turnout 1,046
Conservative hold Swing
Central[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R Wright 1,005 46.5 +3.9
Conservative K Leakey 642 29.7 +4.1
Liberal Democrats H Thompson 317 14.7 -4.7
Green K Evans 139 6.4 −2.2
Independent D Rowland 56 2.6 +2.6
Majority 363 16.8 −0.2
Turnout 2,159
Labour hold Swing
Covingham and Nythe[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P Young 1,526 57.5 +5.4
Labour M Dilley 1,126 42.5 +9.8
Majority 400 15.1 −4.3
Turnout 2,652
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Dorcan[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A James 1,266 49.1 −1.5
Labour N Butler 785 30.4 -2.1
Liberal Democrats E Aylett 311 12.0 −4.9
Green S Smith 219 8.5 +8.5
Majority 481 18.6 +0.5
Turnout 2,581
Conservative hold Swing
Eastcott[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats D Wood 1,201 48.9 +2.7
Labour M Ofori 508 20.7 −0.2
Conservative P Gregory 483 19.7 −1.6
Green J Hughes 263 10.7 −0.9
Majority 693 28.2 +3.4
Turnout 2,455
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Freshbrook and Grange Park[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M Bray 1,127 45.2 +2.5
Liberal Democrats H Teague 835 33.5 −6.2
Labour N Heavens 364 14.6 -3.0
Green M Harrison 166 6.7 +6.7
Majority 292 11.7 +8.7
Turnout 2,492
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Gorse Hill and Pinehurst[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M Fanning 825 41.3 −2.9
Conservative R Barnett 421 21.1 −6.0
BNP R Bates 319 16.0 +16.0
Liberal Democrats D Pajak 169 8.5 −8.9
Independent C Hunt 154 7.7 +7.7
Socialist Unity R North 109 5.5 -5.9
Majority 404 20.2 +3.0
Turnout 1,997
Labour hold Swing
Haydon Wick[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D Ranard 1,368 55.8 +1.1
Labour I Carroll 697 28.4 +3.6
Liberal Democrats A Sharp 385 15.7 −4.8
Majority 671 27.4 −2.5
Turnout 2,450
Conservative hold Swing
Highworth[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Short 1,423 54.8 +3.7
Labour A Durrant 691 26.6 +0.9
Green A Day 282 10.9 +2.8
Liberal Democrats C Shepherd 202 7.8 −7.3
Majority 732 28.2 +2.8
Turnout 2,598
Conservative hold Swing
Moredon[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D Wren 1,047 45.0 +0.9
Labour D Montaut 1,010 43.4 +5.0
Liberal Democrats J Pajak 269 11.6 −1.1
Majority 37 1.6 -4.1
Turnout 2,326
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Old Town and Lawn[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B Mattock 2,020 58.6 +2.6
Liberal Democrats M Wheaver 586 17.0 −8.3
Labour R Brooks 495 14.3 +5.5
Green C Smith 349 10.1 +0.3
Majority 1,434 41.6 +10.9
Turnout 3,450
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Parks[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B Thompson 694 42.6 −1.1
Conservative G Cherry 580 35.6 +12.0
Green D Miles 355 21.8 +10.7
Majority 114 7.0 −13.1
Turnout 1,629
Labour hold Swing
Penhill[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D Glaholm 544 45.2 −5.4
Liberal Democrats T Hudson 372 30.9 +4.0
Conservative H Tomlinson 287 23.9 +9.7
Majority 172 14.3 −9.4
Turnout 1,203
Labour hold Swing
Shaw and Nine Elms[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative K Williams 1,255 60.2 +5.3
Labour J Doyle 377 18.1 +2.1
Liberal Democrats J Farr 270 12.9 −1.0
Green J Miles 184 8.8 +1.1
Majority 878 42.1 +3.2
Turnout 2,086
Conservative hold Swing
St Margaret[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M Edwards 1,569 63.4 +9.0
Labour M Spry 904 36.6 +9.6
Majority 665 26.9 −0.5
Turnout 2,473
Conservative hold Swing
St Philip[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D Sammels 1,117 41.8 −2.1
Labour T Page 1,094 41.0 +0.4
Liberal Democrats A Richards 230 8.6 -0.3
Green R Smith 230 8.6 +2.0
Majority 23 0.9 −2.5
Turnout 2,671
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Western[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K Small 1,226 46.3 +6.9
Conservative J Milton 870 32.9 −0.4
Liberal Democrats M Cousens 417 15.7 +5.3
Socialist Unity A Newman 135 5.1 +5.1
Majority 356 13.4 +8.4
Turnout 2,648
Labour hold Swing
Wroughton and Chiseldon[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative E Shaw 1,614 55.1 -0.8
Liberal Democrats L Newman 434 14.8 −7.7
Labour M Gladman 426 14.5 −0.5
Independent J Newman 248 8.5 +8.5
Green R Heritage 208 7.1 +0.5
Majority 1,180 40.3 +7.0
Turnout 2,930
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Local elections: Swindon". BBC News Online. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  2. ^ "Local elections 2006: Results in full". The Guardian. 6 May 2006. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b "It's your choice..." This is Wiltshire.co.uk. 7 April 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d "Time to have your say". Swindon Advertiser. 3 May 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Don't let BNP get a grip in our town - groups unite to fight the BNP". This is Wiltshire.co.uk. 18 April 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  6. ^ "Making a new start". Swindon Advertiser. 27 April 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  7. ^ "Website ticks all the right boxes". This is Wiltshire.co.uk. 10 April 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  8. ^ a b "Labour slide has 'bottomed out'". Swindon Advertiser. 6 May 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  9. ^ a b c "Town's pilot may take off". Swindon Advertiser. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Local Elections 2006". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  11. ^ "Local elections". The Times. 6 May 2006. p. 64.
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