Map of the results of the 2012 Huntingdonshire District Council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, independents in light grey, UK Independence Party in purple and Labour in red. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2012.

The 2012 Huntingdonshire District Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of Huntingdonshire District Council in Cambridgeshire, 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:

Background

Before the election the Conservatives controlled the council with 41 seats, compared to 8 for the Liberal Democrats, 2 UK Independence Party and 1 independent.[3] 3 councillors stood down at the election, Conservatives Philip Swales of Ramsey ward and John Watt in Yaxley and Farcet, as well as Liberal Democrat Peter Ward in Warboys and Bury.[4]

15 seats were contested with the Conservatives guaranteed to keep a majority on the council whatever happened.[3] The Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and UK Independence Party contesting every seat except for in Sawtry where there was no Conservative candidate and Ramsey where the Liberal Democrats did not stand.[5] There was one candidate from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and a number of independents standing, including Dick Tuplin defending his seat in Sawtry, former Liberal Democrat Derek Giles in St Neots Eaton Socon and 2 candidates opposed to the westward expansion of St Ives.[5]

Election result

The Conservatives lost 3 seats and were run close in Godmanchester and The Hemingfords as well,[6] but they kept a strong majority on the council.[7] Labour, the UK Independence Party and an independent each took a seat from the Conservatives, but the Conservatives did gain a seat in Warboys and Bury from the Liberal Democrats.[7]

The Labour gain came in Huntingdon North, where Patrick Kadewere defeated the chairman of the council Jeff Dutton.[8] This gave Labour their first seat on the council since the 1999 election.[7] Meanwhile, the UK Independence Party took a seat in Ramsey, giving the party all 3 councillors for the ward,[8] with the party also getting an increased share of the vote across the council.[6]

Independents polled strongly with former Liberal Democrat councillor Derek Giles getting back on the council as an independent after taking St Neots Eaton Socon from the Conservatives.[6] Independent Dick Tuplin also held his seat in Sawtry with a majority of 818 votes,[8] while other independents came close to taking seats.[6][7]

The Liberal Democrats lost one of the three seats they had been defending and came last in many of the wards they had been contesting.[6] However party leader Peter Downes held his seat in Brampton comfortably and the party held Huntingdon East from the Conservatives after a recount.[6]

Huntingdonshire local election result 2012[9][10]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 9 1 3 -2 60.0 36.3 8,513 -18.8%
  Liberal Democrats 2 0 1 -1 13.3 16.6 3,903 -5.0%
  Independent 2 1 0 +1 13.3 13.8 3,232 +11.9%
  UKIP 1 1 0 +1 6.7 19.6 4,611 +11.4%
  Labour 1 1 0 +1 6.7 13.2 3,106 0.0%
  Monster Raving Loony 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 118 +0.5%

Ward results

Brampton[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Downes 1,196 60.6 +10.4
Conservative Florendia Theodorou 462 23.4 -17.7
UKIP Adrian Arnett 201 10.2 +10.2
Labour Robert Pugh 116 5.9 -2.8
Majority 734 37.2 +28.1
Turnout 1,975 42.0 -11.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Godmanchester[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Elaine Kadic 468 28.3 -22.1
Liberal Democrats David Underwood 455 27.5 -13.8
Independent Nigel Pauley 445 26.9 +26.9
Labour Ann Beevor 156 9.4 +1.1
UKIP Robert Brown 130 7.9 +7.9
Majority 13 0.8 -8.4
Turnout 1,654 33.9 -36.5
Conservative hold Swing
Huntingdon East[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Shellens 823 36.9 +2.9
Conservative Peter Brown 789 35.4 -13.6
UKIP Derek Norman 336 15.1 +15.1
Labour Marion Kadewere 282 12.6 -4.3
Majority 34 1.5
Turnout 2,230 31.7 -11.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Huntingdon North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Patrick Kadewere 430 42.0 +11.5
Conservative Jeffery Dutton 333 32.6 -1.5
UKIP Peter Ashcroft 179 17.5 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Patricia Shrapnel 81 7.9 -11.4
Majority 97 9.4
Turnout 1,023 26.9 -3.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Ramsey[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP Lisa Duffy 1,138 60.9 +7.8
Conservative Brian Cunningham 565 30.2 -5.7
Labour Susan Coomey 167 8.9 -2.0
Majority 573 30.6 +13.4
Turnout 1,870 29.2 -14.7
UKIP gain from Conservative Swing
Sawtry[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Richard Tuplin 1,049 75.5 +75.5
UKIP Roger Henson 231 16.6 +7.7
Labour Mary Howell 109 7.8 -1.4
Majority 818 58.9
Turnout 1,389 28.5 -42.0
Independent hold Swing
Somersham[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Criswell 871 58.7 -0.9
UKIP Shirley Reeve 251 16.9 +7.1
Liberal Democrats Anthony Jebson 181 12.2 -4.8
Labour Graeme Watkins 180 12.1 -1.5
Majority 620 41.8 -0.9
Turnout 1,483 32.6 -13.7
Conservative hold Swing
St. Ives East[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jason Ablewhite 651 46.5 -1.7
UKIP Paul Bullen 334 23.9 +13.0
Labour Angela Richards 166 11.9 +0.1
Liberal Democrats John Oliver 130 9.3 -19.8
Monster Raving Loony Lord Toby Jug 118 8.4 +8.4
Majority 317 22.7 +3.6
Turnout 1,399 28.1 -33.5
Conservative hold Swing
St. Ives West[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ryan Fuller 294 33.9 -9.2
Independent Heather Merryweather 201 23.2 +23.2
Liberal Democrats David Hodge 180 20.8 -14.6
UKIP Margaret King 129 14.9 -0.7
Labour Richard Allen 62 7.2 +1.3
Majority 93 10.7 +3.0
Turnout 866 38.7 -10.3
Conservative hold Swing
St. Neots Eaton Ford[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rodney Farrer 895 56.9 -11.8
UKIP Marian Appleton 254 16.1 +16.1
Labour Nicholas Johnson 239 15.2 +15.2
Liberal Democrats Nicholas Berry 185 11.8 -19.5
Majority 641 40.8 +3.5
Turnout 1,573 30.1 -13.6
Conservative hold Swing
St. Neots Eaton Socon[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Derek Giles 890 63.6
Conservative Andrew Jennings 288 20.6
Labour Patricia Nicholls 85 6.1
UKIP Jennifer O'Dell 84 6.0
Liberal Democrats Gordon Thorpe 53 3.8
Majority 602 43.0
Turnout 1,400 33.9 -3.3
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
St. Neots Eynesbury[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Hansard 646 42.1 -3.1
Labour William O'Connor 353 23.0 +0.2
UKIP David Howard 319 20.8 +20.8
Liberal Democrats Douglas Terry 218 14.2 -17.9
Majority 293 19.1 +6.0
Turnout 1,536 21.1 -11.8
Conservative hold Swing
The Hemingfords[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Bates 779 40.5 -22.2
Independent Paul Boothman 647 33.6 +33.6
UKIP Ian Percy 226 11.7 +4.0
Labour John Watson 137 7.1 -3.6
Liberal Democrats David Priestman 135 7.0 -11.9
Majority 132 6.9 -36.9
Turnout 1,924 39.7 -16.1
Conservative hold Swing
Warboys and Bury[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Pethard 612 46.3 -5.7
UKIP Michael Tew 346 26.2 +14.1
Labour Ian Ramsbottom 195 14.8 +5.9
Liberal Democrats Anthony Hulme 169 12.8 -14.2
Majority 266 20.1 -4.9
Turnout 1,322 27.6 -41.8
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Yaxley and Farcet[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Oliver 860 46.8 -14.5
UKIP John Hyland 453 24.6 +10.5
Labour Margaret Cochrane 429 23.3 +5.1
Liberal Democrats Christopher Waites 97 5.3 -1.1
Majority 407 22.1 -21.1
Turnout 1,839 23.0 -13.6
Conservative hold Swing

By-elections between 2012 and 2014

Earith

A by-election was held in Earith on 21 June 2012 after the death of Conservative councillor Philip Godfrey.[11] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Robin Carter by a majority of 87 votes over the UK Independence Party.[11]

Earith by-election 21 June 2012[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robin Carter 524 43.5 -18.2
UKIP Alan Fitzgerald 437 36.3 +26.8
Labour Iain Ramsbottom 96 8.0 -6.7
Liberal Democrats Anthony Hulme 92 7.6 -6.5
Monster Raving Loony Lord Toby Jug 56 4.6 +4.6
Majority 87 7.2 -39.8
Turnout 1,205 25.6 -22.7
Conservative hold Swing

Brampton

A by-election was held in Brampton on 2 May 2013 after Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Downes resigned from the council.[13] The seat was held for the Liberal Democrats by John Morris with a majority of 349 votes over the Conservatives.[14]

Brampton by-election 2 May 2013[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Morris 855 44.3 -16.3
Conservative Jane King 506 26.2 +2.8
UKIP Adrian Arnett 481 24.9 +14.7
Labour Mark Johnson 90 4.7 -1.2
Majority 349 18.1 -19.1
Turnout 1,932 41.3 -0.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Huntingdonshire". BBC News Online. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Local election gains for Labour in Cambridgeshire". BBC News Online. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b Makey, Julian (12 April 2012). "Clock ticks down to district's elections". News & Crier. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  4. ^ Raville, Matthew (2 May 2012). "Door is open for new faces". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. NewsBank.
  5. ^ a b "Hunts goes to the polls Thursday". Hunts Post. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "HDC - full poll results". Hunts Post. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d "Slideshow: Labour celebrates Huntingdonshire milestone - but Tories still dominate". Cambridge News. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  8. ^ a b c "UKIP take third ward seat in Ramsey". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. NewsBank. 4 May 2012.
  9. ^ "Non-Metro". The Guardian. NewsBank. 5 May 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Huntingdonshire District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  11. ^ a b c "Conservatives hold Earith seat in Huntingdonshire by-election". Eastern Daily Press. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  12. ^ a b "Local Authority Byelection Results". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  13. ^ Dickens, Andrew (8 May 2013). "Former housing boss 'honoured' to be elected in Brampton by-election". News & Crier. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Huntingdonshire District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
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