2018 Southampton City Council election
← 2016 3 May 2018 2019 →
16 of the 48 seats to Southampton City Council
23 seats needed for a majority
Turnout32.1%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Simon Letts Jeremy Moulton
Party Labour Conservative Independent
Leader's seat Bitterne (defeated) Freemantle (defeated)
Seats won 8 7 1
Seats after 25 19 4
Seat change Steady Steady Steady
Popular vote 23,524 20,733 3,045
Percentage 41.4 36.5 5.3
Swing Increase7.1% Increase5.4% Increase1.8%
Map showing the election results. Each ward represents 1 seat
Majority party before election

Labour

 Majority party after election

Labour

Elections to Southampton City Council took place on Thursday 3 May 2018, alongside nationwide local elections, alongside other local elections across the country. The elections saw no changes in the overall composition of the council,[1] however saw seats being exchanged. The Labour Party lost Bitterne, Millbrook and Peartree to the Conservative party while the Conservatives lost Freemantle, Portswood and Swaythling to Labour. This led to the Labour leader of the council, Simon Letts, and the leader of the Conservative group in the city, Jeremy Moulton, losing their seats.[2]

Background and Campaigning

In the lead up to the election, the BBC had summarised that the situation in Southampton for the Labour Party was incredibly precarious and one seat loss could deprive the party of a majority. They cited the Redbridge ward as a target for the main opposition the Conservatives, yet the Conservatives came third to the Southampton Independents candidate.[3] Labour targeted the Conservative seats of Freemantle, Portswood and Swaythling, as well as the independent Coxford ward.[4]

Labour made a commitment to building 1,000 homes in the city over five years, invest further in council services, build a modular home factory and create a Clean Air Zone for the city.[5] The Conservative Party offered a series of policies to tackle air pollution and traffic in the city: suggesting two new railway stations in the city, one at St Mary's Stadium and one in Ocean Village potentially where the old Southampton Terminus Station was, allow free parking for electric vehicles and introducing more electric charge points in the city.[4][6] The Liberal Democrats focused on the quality of roads within the city and was sceptical of the way resources were used by the Labour administration to tackle homelessness in the city.[4][7]

The council had come under scrutiny for its decision to close the Kentish Road respite centre, which was due to budget cuts.[4] Activists Lisa Stead and Amanda Guest, who have campaigned on the issue, stood in Bitterne and Shirely, respectively, with the 'Putting People First' group on the council.[8] The Conservatives committed to fully reopening the respite centre.[4]

Election results

Overall election result

As the council is elected in thirds, one councillor for each of the 16 wards are elected each year. All comparisons in seats and swing are to the corresponding Southampton Council election, 2014.

Southampton City Council election result 2018
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 8 3 3 Steady 56.25 41.4 23,524 Increase7.1
  Conservative 7 3 3 Steady 37.50 36.5 20,733 Increase5.4
  Independent 1 0 0 Steady 6.25 5.3 3,045 Increase1.8
  Liberal Democrats 0 0 0 Steady 0.00 7.2 4,122 Increase0.2
  Green 0 0 0 Steady 0.00 5.2 2,989 Decrease0.2
  TUSC 0 0 0 Steady 0.00 0.5 275 Decrease2.3
  UKIP 0 0 0 Steady 0.00 0.1 92 Decrease15.0

Changes in council composition

Party Previous council New council +/-
Labour 25 25 Steady0
Conservatives 19 19 Steady0
Putting People First 3 3 Steady0
Southampton Independents 1 1 Steady0
Total 48 48
Working majority  2   2 

Ward results

Bargate[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Jane Bogle 1,668 56.6 +10.1
Conservative Edward James Osmond 827 28.1 -3.3
Liberal Democrats Ben Curd 204 6.9 +1.9
Green Joe Cox 184 6.2 -1.8
TUSC Diane Lesley Cook 63 2.1 N/A
Majority 841
Turnout 2,957 24.7
Labour hold Swing
Bassett[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Beryl May Harris 1,682 49.9 +2.5
Labour Sally Victoria Spicer 965 28.6 +5.4
Liberal Democrats Richard Blackman 464 13.8 +2.2
Green Alan Jack French 263 7.8 +1.1
Majority 717
Turnout 3,384 33.9
Conservative hold Swing
Bevois[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Toqeer Ahmed Kataria 2,260 73.3 +4.1
Conservative Diana June Galton 417 13.5 +1.7
Green Ronald Nicholas Meldrum 233 7.6 -
Liberal Democrats Vijay Chopra 173 5.6 +1.5
Majority 1,843
Turnout 3,096 28.4
Labour hold Swing
Bitterne[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Terry Michael Streets 1,528 49.5 +21.4
Labour Simon Letts 1,233 39.9 -1.3
Liberal Democrats Olivia Caitlin Reed 118 3.8 -0.9
Green Duncan Robert McMillan 114 3.7 -0.9
Independent Lisa Joanne Stead 96 3.1 N/A
Majority 295
Turnout 3,094 30.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Bitterne Park [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rob Harwood 1,914 47.8 +5.8
Labour Ashley Mark Minto 1,525 38.1 +1.4
Green Jenny Barnes 297 7.4 -2.9
Liberal Democrats James Arnold Read 266 6.6 -1.2
Majority 389
Turnout 4,015 38.2
Conservative hold Swing
Coxford[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Keith Morrell 1,595 46.9 +8.3
Labour Matt Renyard 958 28.2 +1.1
Conservative Trevor Glasspool 559 16.5 +4.9
Liberal Democrats Peter Galton 103 3.0 -0.3
Green Lucy Michelle Mundell 101 3.0 +0.9
Independent Ricky Lambert 82 2.4 N/A
Majority 637
Turnout 3,403
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Freemantle[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Steve Leggett 1,704 45.0 -2.3
Conservative Jeremy Richard Moulton 1,484 39.2 +8.2
Liberal Democrats Alexander Clifton-Melhuish 217 5.7 +0.5
Green Lindsey Cherrie Hood 185 4.9 -2.6
Protest Against Brexit Ed Thompson 167 4.4 N/A
TUSC Mike Marx 28 0.7 N/A
Majority 220
Turnout 3,792 34.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Harefield[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Val Laurent 2,015 52.7 +5.0
Labour Alan Lloyd 1,401 36.6 +3.7
Independent Peter Alexander Virgo 148 3.9 N/A
Green Chris Bluemel 136 3.6 -4.1
Liberal Democrats Colin Stuart McDougall 123 3.2 -3.2
Majority 614
Turnout 3,833 36.7
Conservative hold Swing
Millbrook[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Steven Graham Patrick Galton 1,694 44.3 +7.9
Labour Mike Denness 1,631 42.6 +1.2
Liberal Democrats Andrew Thomas Beal 159 4.2 -0.4
Green Daniel Payne 158 4.1 -0.1
UKIP Pearline Hingston 92 2.4 -9.7
Independent Ed Edworthy 91 2.4 N/A
Majority 63
Turnout 3,828 34.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Peartree[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tom Bell 1,725 46.5 +14.5
Labour Catherine Rendle 1,579 42.6 -2.4
Liberal Democrats Eileen Bowers 219 5.9 +1.0
Green Nick Mabey 142 3.8 -0.6
TUSC Declan Peter Clune 44 1.2 +0.6
Majority 146
Turnout 3,717 35.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Portswood[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lisa Mitchell 1,587 42.4 +9.1
Liberal Democrats Adrian Ford 923 24.7 -0.1
Conservative Paul Nicholas O'Neill 851 22.8 -2.8
Green Katherine Barbour 348 9.3 -0.1
TUSC Nick Chaffey 31 0.8 -0.2
Majority 664
Turnout 3,748 35.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Redbridge[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Cathie McEwing 1,181 38.5 -7.9
Southampton Independents Denise Mary Elizabeth Wyatt 982 32.0 +18.4
Conservative Matthew Robert Cowley 583 19.0 +4.6
UKIP Richard John Lyons 124 4.0 -15.4
Liberal Democrats Simon Stokes 99 3.2 -0.1
Green Christopher Richard James 96 3.1 +0.6
Majority 199
Turnout 3,075 28
Labour hold Swing
Shirley[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hannah Coombs 1,952 48.0 +1.8
Conservative Matt Turpin 1,244 30.6 +3.3
Liberal Democrats Steven Hulbert 440 10.8 +4.8
Green John Spottiswoode 204 5.0 +0.3
Independent Amanda Jane Guest 123 3.0 N/A
UKIP Nick Ray 107 2.6 -7.5
Majority 708
Turnout 4,076 38.7
Labour hold Swing
Sholing[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marley George Guthrie 2,093 56.1 +15.8
Labour Andy Frampton 1,323 35.5 -0.4
Liberal Democrats James Cappleman 162 4.3 +1.2
Green Lyn Hazel Brayshaw 153 4.1 +0.8
Majority 770
Turnout 3,741 34.9
Conservative hold Swing
Swaythling[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lorna Fielker 1,062 42.8 -4.8
Conservative Bob Painton 956 38.5 +9.7
Liberal Democrats Paul Alexander Clarke 275 11.1 +2.6
Green Angela Cotton 191 7.7 -2.3
Majority 106
Turnout 2,490 28.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Woolston[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christopher Hammond 1,495 49.0 -1.3
Conservative Matthew Thomas Jones 1,161 38.0 +13.2
Green Clive George Hillman 148 4.8 -2.8
Liberal Democrats Samuel David Harris 141 4.6 -5.0
TUSC Susan Ann Atkins 109 3.6 -4.0
Majority 334
Turnout 3,063 28.6
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Election 2018 Results - Southampton Council". BBC. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Labour and Tory leaders defeated in council elections". BBC. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  3. ^ Peter Henley (2 May 2018). "South of England local elections 2018". BBC. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e William Rimell (12 April 2018). "Southampton local elections: Candidates ready to battle it out for seats". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  5. ^ William Rimell (10 April 2018). "Labour pledges to build 1,000 homes". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  6. ^ "St Mary's Stadium could get a new railway station". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  7. ^ "REVEALED: The £56,000 cost of keeping homeless people out of a Southampton's Grosvenor Square car park". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  8. ^ "'I'll challenge anyone': Respite centre campaigners taking on Southampton councillors in elections". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Southampton City Council. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
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