Map of the results of the 2007 West Somerset District Council election. independents in grey, Conservatives in blue, Labour in red and Liberal Democrats in yellow.

The 2007 West Somerset District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election and independents gained overall control of the council from the Conservative party.[1]

Election result

The Conservatives dropped to 13 seats, a net loss of 4, and fell behind the independents who became the largest group with 16 councillors.[2][3] Conservative losses included defeats in the seats of Alcombe East, Old Cleeve, Porlock, Quantock Vale and West Quantock, but they did make some gains, including in Watchet where an independent lost a seat.[3] Both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats lost a seat, to only have one councillor each.[4] Overall turnout at the election was 46.9%.[3]

Following the election independent councillor Keith Ross became the new leader of the council, taking over from the Conservatives, with Labour councillor Simon Stokes becoming deputy leader.[5]

West Somerset local election result 2007[1][6]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Independent 16 9 3 +6 51.6 48.0 10,292 +18.8%
  Conservative 13 4 8 -4 41.9 43.0 9,218 +0.9%
  Labour 1 0 1 -1 3.2 5.4 1,150 -11.3%
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 1 -1 3.2 3.6 776 -7.1%

Ward results

Alcombe East (2)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Ian Melhuish 323
Conservative Nicolas Messarra 201
Conservative Jamie Anderson 157
Turnout 681 43.7 +22.8
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Alcombe West (2)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Stokes 479
Conservative Norman Hercock 355
Labour Marcus Kravis 348
Turnout 1,182 39.2 +4.4
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Aville Vale[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Webber 313 55.4 -23.1
Independent Aron Cody-Boutcher 252 44.6 +23.2
Majority 61 10.8 -46.5
Turnout 565 56.2 +7.0
Conservative hold Swing
Brompton Ralph and Haddon[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Turner 255 63.1 +23.3
Independent David Gliddon 149 36.9 -23.3
Majority 106 26.2
Turnout 404 54.3 +9.4
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Carhampton and Withycombe[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Humber 417 71.8
Conservative Brian Jenkinson 164 28.2
Majority 253 43.6
Turnout 581 56.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Crowcombe and Stogumber[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Taylor 315 58.0
Independent Roy Harbour 228 42.0
Majority 87 16.0
Turnout 543 58.3
Conservative hold Swing
Dulverton and Brushford (2)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Keith Ross 684
Independent Michael Gammon 451
Conservative Paul Chamberlain 341
Turnout 1,476 53.3 +0.8
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Dunster[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bryan Leaker 186 59.8 -0.4
Independent Julie Harvey-Smith 125 40.2 +19.3
Majority 61 19.6 -19.6
Turnout 311 47.9 -2.5
Conservative hold Swing
Exmoor[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Steven Pugsley unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
Minehead North (3)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Doug Ross 822
Conservative Christine Lawrence 580
Conservative David Sanders 453
Conservative Jeremy White 415
Turnout 2,270 41.4 +3.9
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Minehead South (3)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Terry Venner 822
Independent Michael Downes 706
Independent John Walker 631
Conservative Anthony Berry 571
Conservative Dudley Seale 442
Conservative Stan Taylor 331
Turnout 3,503 43.4 +2.2
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Independent hold Swing
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Old Cleeve (2)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Kate Kravis 532
Independent Neil Parbrook 479
Conservative Pamela Driver 302
Turnout 1,313 42.7
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Independent hold Swing
Porlock and District (2)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Angela Palmer 656
Independent Jon Freeman 427
Conservative Mike Padgett 273
Turnout 1,356 47.7
Conservative hold Swing
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Quantock Vale (2)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Chris Morgan 424
Independent Paul Tipney 420
Conservative Mary Crowley 335
Conservative Loretta Whetlor 243
Turnout 1,422 46.6 +4.8
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Quarme[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher White 347 71.0
Independent John Bray 142 29.0
Majority 205 42.0
Turnout 489 59.3
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Watchet (3)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Westcott 716
Conservative Anthony Knight 505
Independent Jennifer Hill 441
Independent David Banks 425
Liberal Democrats Anthony Bowden 359
Labour Peter Murphy 323
Conservative Ann Snelling 300
Turnout 3,069 42.3 +0.7
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
West Quantock[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mitch Wicking 301 58.2 +14.4
Conservative Barbara Child 216 41.8 -14.4
Majority 85 16.4
Turnout 51.7 54.6 +1.6
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Williton (2)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Hugh Davies 696
Independent Edwin May 298
Independent Ian Aldridge 269
Conservative Rose Woods 246
Independent John Holden 214
Independent William Gulliford 31
Turnout 1,754 47.7 +1.8
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

By-elections between 2007 and 2011

Alcombe East

Alcombe East By-Election 1 May 2008[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Seale 263 59.4 +21.0
Independent Sandra Slade 103 23.3 -38.3
Labour Ronald Bridle 42 9.5 +9.5
Liberal Democrats Anthony Bowden 35 7.9 +7.9
Majority 160 36.1
Turnout 443 41.1 -2.6
Conservative hold Swing

Minehead South

Minehead South By-Election 16 April 2009[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Sandra Slade 393 51.5 -7.5
Conservative Leslie Smith 370 48.5 +7.5
Majority 23 3.0
Turnout 763
Independent hold Swing

References

  1. ^ a b "West Somerset". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Election round-up: Somerset". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Alder, Chris (4 May 2007). "Independents wrest control at West Somerset". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  4. ^ "Tories lose out to independents". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  5. ^ Alder, Chris (18 May 2007). "New faces take the helm". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "West Somerset District Council – May 2007". West Somerset Council. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). West Somerset Council. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  8. ^ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). West Somerset Council. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
Categories