2010 North Hertfordshire District Council election
← 2008 6 May 2010 (2010-05-06) 2011 →
19 of 49 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council
25 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Con
LD
Lab
Leader F. John Smith Steve Jarvis Martin Stears-Handscomb
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Labour
Seats before 32 9 8
Seats after 33 9 7
Seat change Increase1 Steady Decrease1
Popular vote 26,492 13,910 11,613
Percentage 46.8% 24.6% 20.5%
Leader before election

F. John Smith
Conservative

Leader after election

Lynda Needham
Conservative

The 2010 North Hertfordshire Council election was held on 6 May 2010, at the same time as other local elections across England and the general election. Of the 49 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council, 19 were up for election, being the usual third of seats plus a by-election in Royston Palace ward.[1]

The Conservatives gained one of the Royston Palace seats from the Liberal Democrats, whilst the Liberal Democrats gained Hitchin Bearton from the Labour leader, Martin Stears-Handscomb.[2] The Conservatives therefore increased their majority on the council. The Conservative leader prior to the election was F. John Smith, who had been leader of the council since 1999. He did not stand for re-election. After the election, Lynda Needham was appointed Conservative leader and leader of the council. Labour's new leader after the election was David Billing.[3]

Overall results

The overall results were as follows:[4]

2010 North Hertfordshire District Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 10 Increase1 68.4 23 33 67.3 26,492 46.8 -2.8
  Liberal Democrats 3 Steady 15.8 6 9 18.4 13,910 24.6 +5.2
  Labour 3 Decrease1 13.3 6 8 15.8 11,613 20.5 -0.1
  Green 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 3,639 6.4 -1.1
  UKIP 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 499 0.9 -0.4
  BNP 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 435 0.8 -0.7

Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows. Where the previous incumbent was standing for re-election they are marked with an asterisk(*).[5][6]

Baldock Town ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Jeremy Knighton* 1,981 54.1% -7.3
Liberal Democrats Richard William Winter 835 22.8% +5.9
Labour Kenneth Garland 552 15.1% -1.0
BNP James Reginald Scott 140 3.8% n/a
Green Sarah Elaine Pond 139 3.8% -1.3
Turnout 3,660 65.3%
Conservative hold Swing -6.6
Codicote ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Henry Brindley*
(Tom Brindley) 		972 61.0% +2.7
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Anne Willoughby
(Liz Willoughby) 		281 17.6% n/a
Labour Jonathan Holman 219 13.7% 0.0
Green Harold Bland 117 7.3% +0.7
Turnout 1,594 75.2%
Conservative hold Swing n/a
Hitchin Bearton ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Lisa Victoria Courts 1,337 32.2% +17.5
Conservative Stephen Parker 1,332 32.1% -2.1
Labour Martin John Stears-Handscomb* 1,138 27.4% -9.1
Green Jerome James Green 321 7.7% -6.2
Turnout 4,152 67.8%
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing +13.3
Hitchin Highbury ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Lawrence William Oliver* 1,889 42.9% -4.4
Conservative David Leal-Bennett 1,779 40.4% -1.7
Labour Araminta Jane Birdsey
(Min Birdsey) 		480 10.9% +5.3
Green Robert John Mardon
(Bob Mardon) 		236 5.4% +0.7
Turnout 4,402 73.5%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -1.4
Hitchin Oughton ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Edward Billing* 888 38.7% -12.1
Conservative Louise Alexandra Huggins 795 34.6% +2.0
Liberal Democrats Robin Lambie 461 20.1% +11.5
Green Mark Ashley Walker
(Ashley Walker) 		138 6.0% -1.9
Turnout 2,296 60.7%
Labour hold Swing -7.1
Hitchin Priory ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Allison Ashley* 1,599 56.6% -6.8
Liberal Democrats Michael John Lott 797 28.2% +10.8
Labour Deborah Vincenza Bruna Segalini 243 8.6% -0.6
Green Paul Anthony O'Shaughnessy 169 6.0% -3.8
Turnout 2,823 77.7%
Conservative hold Swing -8.8
Hitchin Walsworth ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan John Millard* 1,714 40.6% -2.1
Liberal Democrats Andrew Ircha 1,070 25.3% +14.6
Labour Derek Nigel Sheard 1,015 24.0% -4.4
Green Richard Lionel Wise 405 9.6% -1.1
Turnout 4,226 69.4%
Conservative hold Swing -8.4
Hitchwood, Offa and Hoo ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Miller* 2,591 61.6% -11.3
Liberal Democrats Peter Donald Johnson 821 19.5% +9.1
Labour Clare Helen Billing 522 12.4% +2.7
Green Christopher James Honey
(Chris Honey) 		251 6.0% -0.8
Turnout 4,207 75.0%
Conservative hold Swing -10.2
Kimpton ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Cyril Bishop* 834 63.3% -9.4
Liberal Democrats William Richard Webster 323 24.5% +6.7
Labour Alison Clare Casey 117 8.9% -0.3
Green George Winston Howe 42 3.2% n/a
Turnout 1,318 74.3%
Conservative hold Swing -8.1
Knebworth ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jane Elizabeth Gray* 1,854 61.7% -8.4
Liberal Democrats Edward Charles Barham 508 16.9% +9.5
Labour John Brian Burnell 502 16.7% +0.9
Green Giles Colin Woodruff 127 4.2% -2.0
Turnout 3,003 71.8%
Conservative hold Swing -9.0
Letchworth East ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lorna Rose Kercher* 968 39.0% +2.5
Conservative Blake Stephenson 915 36.9% -0.4
Green James Alexander Drew 331 13.4% +6.8
UKIP Susan Anne Mary Keeler 237 9.6% +6.4
Turnout 2,479 60.2%
Labour hold Swing +1.5
Letchworth Grange ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Chambers 1,558 40.2% +3.3
Labour Peter Anthony Mardell 1,147 29.6% -3.6
Liberal Democrats John Stephen White 772 19.9% +9.1
Green Rosemary Anne Bland 200 5.2% +0.9
BNP Thomas William Godfrey 176 4.5% -3.9
Turnout 3,874 67.2%
Conservative hold Swing +3.5
Letchworth South East ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Leo Dobson Booth* 1,531 41.3% -12.3
Labour Nigel Edward Agar 969 26.1% +7.5
Liberal Democrats Margaret Anne Higbid 806 21.7% +7.1
UKIP John Finbarr Barry 262 7.1% -1.4
Green Eric Morris Blakeley 125 3.4% -0.7
Turnout 3,711 65.3%
Conservative hold Swing -9.9
Letchworth South West ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael John Rice
(Mike Rice) 		2,026 47.6% -13.6
Liberal Democrats John Paul Winder 1,301 30.6% +11.2
Labour Paul David Burgin 628 14.8% +4.8
Green Jonathan Guy Hart
(Jon Hart) 		279 6.6% -2.4
Turnout 4,252 71.3%
Conservative hold Swing -12.4
Letchworth Wilbury ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gary Grindal* 1,174 47.2% +11.6
Conservative Pradeep Sharma
(Paul Sharma) 		855 34.4% -3.2
Green Ann Karen De Bock 303 12.2% +6.4
BNP Reginald Frank Norgan 119 4.8% -5.3
Turnout 2,488 62%
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Royston Heath ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Fiona Ronan Greenwood Hill* 1,586 54.4% +2.3
Liberal Democrats David Robert May 850 29.1% -6.7
Labour Robin Anthony King 331 11.3% -1.7
Green Philip John Oddy
(Phil Oddy) 		133 4.6% n/a
Turnout 2,918 70.3%
Conservative hold Swing +4.5
Royston Meridian ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Marr Davidson
(Bill Davidson) 		1,627 54.8% -3.1
Liberal Democrats Lisa Thompson 757 25.5% +2.6
Labour Carlo James Zambonini 394 13.3% +0.7
Green Karen Julie Harmel 172 5.8% -12.5
Turnout 2,969 71.4%
Conservative hold Swing -2.4
Royston Palace ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Robert Edward Inwood* 1,102 42.7% -7.0
Conservative Paul Antony Grimes 943 36.5% -6.3
Conservative Robert David Smith 904 35.0%
Liberal Democrats John Raymond Ledden 849 32.9%
Labour Vaughan West 326 12.6% +2.8
Labour Leslie Baker
(Les Baker) 		203 7.9%
Green Peter Groves 151 5.8% n/a
Green Matthew Philip King
(Matt King) 		149 5.8%
Turnout 2,582 64%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

The by-election in Royston Palace ward was due to the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Liz Beardwell.[7]

References

  1. ^ "The District of North Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2006", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2006/3112, retrieved 4 March 2023
  2. ^ "NHDC Labour leader loses seat". The Comet. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Council minutes, 20 May 2010". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  4. ^ Andrew, Teale. "Local Election Results 2010: North Hertfordshire". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  5. ^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "North Hertfordshire District Council Election Results 1973–2012" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Plymouth University. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Election Results 2010". North Hertfordshire District Council. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  7. ^ "North Herts: Rob Inwood and Paul Grimes elected in Royston Palace". Royston Crow. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
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