Bedford is a unitary authority in Bedfordshire, England. Until 1 April 2009 it was a non-metropolitan district. Since 2002 it has also had a directly elected mayor.

Political control

Borough council

Since the first election to the council in 1973 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[1][2][3]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in control Years
No overall control 1973–1976
Conservative 1976–1986
No overall control 1986–2009

Unitary authority

Party in control Years
No overall control 2009–present

Directly elected mayor

Party in control Years
Independent 2002–2009
Liberal Democrats 2009–present

Council elections

Non-metropolitan district elections

Unitary authority elections

Mayoral elections

Bedford held a referendum on 21 February 2002 on whether to introduce a directly elected mayor after a petition was signed by at least 5% of the electorate. The move was approved with 11,316 voting in favour and 5,357 against on a turnout of 15.5%.[9] The first mayoral election on 17 October 2002 saw independent Frank Branston elected as mayor.[10]

2007

In 2007 Frank Branston was re-elected as mayor.

Bedford Mayoral Election Results 2007
Name Party 1st Preference Votes % 2nd Preference Votes¹ % Final %²
Frank Branston Better Bedford Independent 15,966 3,732 19,698
Nicky Attenborough Conservative 10,710 2,603 13,313
Christine McHugh Lib Dem 10,553 N/A
Randolph Charles Labour 4,758 N/A
Justina McLennan Green 1,538 N/A

¹Using the Supplementary Vote system.

²Percentage figures are not officially used on the final votes, they are produced here for illustration and are calculated by the candidates final vote divided by the total of final votes.

2009

A by-election for Mayor of Bedford took place on 15 October 2009 after the death of the previous incumbent, Frank Branston in August 2009.[11] The election was won by the Liberal Democrat, Dave Hodgson.[11]

Bedford Mayoral Election Results 2009[12]
Name Party 1st Preference Votes % 2nd Preference Votes % Final %
Dave Hodgson Liberal Democrat 9,428 26.8 4,127 13,555 54.0
Parvez Akhtar Conservative 9,105 25.9 2,438 11,543 46.0
Apu Bagchi Independent 7,631 21.7 N/A
Tony Hare Independent 4,316 12.3 N/A
James Valentine Labour 3,482 9.9 N/A
Eve Morley Green Party 1,183 3.4 N/A

By-election results

Kingsbrook By-Election 8 April 1999
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats 1,043 53.0 +32.0
Labour 816 41.5 -21.9
Conservative 108 5.5 -10.1
Majority 227 11.5
Turnout 1,967
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Kingsbrook By-Election 10 December 2009[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew Gerard 661 49.4 +3.1
Labour James Saunders 370 27.6 +3.5
Conservative Adam Pritchard 150 11.2 -9.2
Independent Tony Hare 85 6.3 +6.3
Independent Patrick O'Rourke 73 5.5 +5.5
Majority 291 11.8
Turnout 1,339 18.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kempston North By-Election 24 June 2010[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shan Hunt 715 52.1
Conservative Martin Quince 384 28
Liberal Democrats Ant Caprioli 272 19.8
Majority 331 24.1
Turnout 1,371 33.2
Labour hold Swing

European Union Membership Referendum 2016

The electorate of Bedford Borough voted by a margin of 51.8% to 48.2% (on a 72.1% turnout)[15] to leave the European Union during the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum (reflecting the national picture). The Kingsbrook ward voted most heavily in favour of Leave (60.71%), while the Queen's Park ward voted most strongly for Remain (57.66%). Other areas of Bedford to favour Remain were Bromham and Biddenham, Castle, De Parys, Harpur, Kempston Rural, Newnham, Oakley and Sharnbrook.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Bedford". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  3. ^ "Bedford". BBC News Online. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  4. ^ The District of North Bedfordshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1979
  5. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  6. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Bedford (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Council Elections". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  8. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Bedford (Electoral Changes) Order 2011. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.
  9. ^ Parker, Simon (22 February 2002). "Bedford wants a mayor". guardian.co.uk. London. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  10. ^ Sherman, Jill (19 October 2002). "Maverick mayors add to Labour's embarrassment". The Times. London. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  11. ^ a b "Lib Dems claim victory in Bedford mayor race". 24dash.com. 16 October 2009. Archived from the original on 20 October 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  12. ^ "Lib Dem Dave Hodgson is the new Mayor of Bedford". Bedfordshire on Sunday. 16 October 2009. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  13. ^ "Huge boost for Labour in latest council by-elections". 24dash.com. 11 December 2009. Archived from the original on 16 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  14. ^ "Kempston North By-Election Result". Bedford Borough Council. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  15. ^ "EU Referendum local results - B - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  16. ^ "BBC EU Referendum ward level data". BBC News. Retrieved 13 January 2018.

External links

Council elections in Bedfordshire
Unitary authorities of England
Categories