Bournemouth Borough Council was the local authority for Bournemouth in Dorset, England between 1974 and 2019. Prior to 1974 Bournemouth had been a county borough within Hampshire (being a county borough meant it was self-governing, being independent of Hampshire County Council). Under the Local Government Act 1972 Bournemouth became a non-metropolitan district within Dorset on 1 April 1974, with the same boundaries as the former county borough. On 1 April 1997 it became a unitary authority, taking over the functions previously provided for the area by Dorset County Council. In 2019 the council was abolished, merging with Christchurch and Poole to form Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Political control

The first elections to the reformed council were held in 1973, initially to act as a shadow authority prior to the new arrangements coming into force the following year. From 1973 until the council's abolition in 2019 political control of the council was held by the following parties:[1]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in control Years
Conservative 1973–1991
No overall control 1991–1997

Unitary authority

Party in control Years
No overall control 1997–2003
Liberal Democrats 2003–2007
Conservative 2007–2019

Leadership

The role of mayor was largely ceremonial at Bournemouth Borough Council. Political leadership was instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders from 2007 until the council's abolition in 2019 were:[2]

Councillor Party From To
Richard Smith[3] Liberal Democrats 2007
Stephen MacLoughlin[4] Conservative May 2007 2010
Peter Charon[5] Conservative 19 Jul 2010 21 Feb 2012
John Beesley Conservative 21 Feb 2012 31 Mar 2019

Council elections

Non-metropolitan district elections

Unitary authority elections

Council composition

Year Conservative Liberal Democrats Labour Green UKIP Independent Council control
after election
2003 16 33 3 0 0 2 Liberal Democrats
2007 41 7 3 0 0 3 Conservative
2011 45 3 3 0 0 3 Conservative
2015 51 0 0 1 1 1 Conservative

Borough result maps

By-election results

1999–2003

Moordown By-Election 4 May 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Howard Henning 559 40.0 +19.3
Liberal Democrats John Hayter 537 38.4 -1.1
Labour Tony Hughes 301 21.5 +1.2
Majority 22 1.6
Turnout 1,397 23.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Westbourne By-Election 4 May 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Beesley 1,565 75.5 +13.6
Liberal Democrats Neil Russell 351 16.9 -7.1
Labour David Stokes 156 7.5 -6.6
Majority 1,214 58.6
Turnout 2,072 30.7
Conservative hold Swing
Strouden Park By-Election 7 September 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jean Littlewood 1,276 54.7 +11.3
Conservative Terry Hellier-Woods 917 39.3 +1.9
Labour Arthur O'Luby 139 6.0 -13.3
Majority 359 15.4
Turnout 2,332 29.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kinson By-Election 2 August 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Janice Hurne 708 44.7 -9.8
Liberal Democrats Donald Lazenbury 532 33.6 +13.1
Conservative Michaela Keene 345 21.8 -3.2
Majority 176 11.1
Turnout 1,585 25.2
Labour hold Swing

2003–2007

Talbot & Branksome Woods By-Election 15 January 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lynda Price 766 52.9 +1.9
Liberal Democrats Lorna McGowan 484 33.4 +5.4
UKIP Graham Evans 128 8.8 -2.9
Labour David Stokes 70 4.8 -4.5
Majority 282 19.5
Turnout 1,448 21.9
Conservative hold Swing
Boscombe West By-Election 22 July 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Benedict Prescott 526 42.9 +8.1
Conservative Christopher Wakefield 384 31.3 +5.9
Labour David Stokes 120 9.8 -5.6
UKIP Graham Evans 107 8.7 +8.7
Green Roger Eede 90 7.3 +7.3
Majority 142 11.6
Turnout 1,227 20.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Kinson North By-Election 29 September 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Patricia Lewis 720 37.0 -7.8
Labour Dennis Gritt 645 33.1 +4.8
Conservative Christopher Pomeroy 456 23.4 +7.1
UKIP Mark Smith 126 6.5 +6.5
Majority 75 3.9
Turnout 1,947 26.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Littledown & Iford By-Election 15 December 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas King 1,318 67.8 +36.9
Liberal Democrats Alan Ketchley 389 20.0 -30.9
Labour Debbie Sharman 162 8.3 +2.1
BNP Barry Bennett 74 3.8 +3.8
Majority 929 47.8
Turnout 1,943 25.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

2007–2011

Queen's Park By-Election 1 May 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Cheryl Anne Johnson 910 47.6 -7.3
Liberal Democrats Mike Carlile 466 24.4 -10.6
UKIP David Norman Hughes 175 9.1 +9.1
Labour Co-op Mike Goff 149 7.8 -2.3
Independent Chris Mayne 146 7.6 +7.6
Liberal Bill Brandwood 67 3.5 +3.5
Majority 444 23.2
Turnout 1,913 26.3
Conservative hold Swing
Winton East By-Election 1 May 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Lloyd Barton Spencer 590 35.6 -14.9
Liberal Democrats Anson Westbrook 411 24.8 -3.5
Labour Mel Semple 244 14.7 +3.1
Independent Malcolm Kenneth Lock 132 8.0 -1.7
Green Roger Eede 126 7.6 +7.6
BNP Barry John Sinclair Bennett 104 6.3 +6.3
UKIP Sam Whitt 51 3.1 +3.1
Majority 179 10.8
Turnout 1,658 24.6
Conservative hold Swing
Westbourne & West Cliff By-Election 4 June 2009
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Powell 1,308 51.4
Liberal Democrats Noel Davenport 567 22.3
UKIP Rod Trelease 360 14.1
Labour Jack Killingback 166 6.5
Independent Malcolm John Chapman 146 5.7
Majority 741 29.1
Turnout 2,547 31.76
Conservative hold Swing

2011–2015

Redhill and Northbourne By-Election 31 May 2012[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David d’Orton-Gibson 675 26.7
Labour Jo Kennedy 539 21.3
Liberal Democrats Pat Lewis 424 16.8
Independent Claire Smith 398 15.8
UKIP Nicholas Atkinson 327 13.0
Green Sandra Hale 54 2.1
Independent Paul Graham 51 2.0
BNP Colin Smith 42 1.7
Independent Peter Woodley 15 0.6
Majority 136 5.4
Turnout 2,525 32.77
Conservative hold Swing
Littledown and Iford By-Election 15 November 2012[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gill Seymour 810 54.0
Labour Debbie Lynn Sharman 247 16.5
UKIP David Norman Hughes 229 15.3
Liberal Democrats Peter David Pull 214 14.3
Majority 563 37.5
Turnout 1,500 19.98
Conservative hold Swing
Winton East By-Election 14 November 2013[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pat Oakley 503 41.8
Labour Mike Goff 215 17.9
UKIP Laurence Fear 212 17.6
Liberal Democrats Matthew Stephen Gillett 191 15.9
Green Sandra Hale 48 4.0
Independent Kathleen Mortimer 34 2.8
Turnout 1,203 15.44
Conservative hold Swing

2015–2019

Kinson South By-Election 10 December 2015 (2 seats)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Decent 520
Conservative Roger Marley 509
Labour Beryl Baxter 471
Labour Mel Semple 371
UKIP Duane Farr 313
Bournemouth Independent Alliance Philip Davenport 168
Bournemouth Independent Alliance Roger West 116
Green Carla Gregory-May 63
Liberal Democrats Gill Pardy 61
Liberal Democrats Phil Dunn 60
Green Geoffrey Darnton 54
Patria Kevin Dixon 8
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Kinson North By-Election 1 September 2016[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Perkins 556 34.7 +2.2
Labour Dennis Gritt 517 32.2 +11.2
UKIP Duane Farr 313 19.5 -7.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Plant 116 7.2 -1.8
Green Carla Gregory-May 102 6.4 -4.0
Majority 39 2.4
Turnout 1,604
Conservative hold Swing
Throop and Muscliff By-Election 18 January 2018[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Kieron Wilson 533 31.3 +31.3
Conservative Hazel Allen 511 30.0 +0.8
Labour Rob Bassinder 402 23.6 +13.1
Independent Peter Lucas 117 6.9 +6.9
Liberal Democrats Muriel Turner 107 6.3 +6.3
Green Jane Bull 33 1.9 -7.4
Majority 22 1.3
Turnout 1,703
Independent hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Council minutes". Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Massive Tory swing in Bournemouth". BBC News. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Bournemouth has a new leader following porn inquiry". BBC News. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Bournemouth council leader Peter Charon loses confidence vote". BBC News. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  6. ^ The Borough of Bournemouth (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978
  7. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Bournemouth (Electoral Changes) Order 2002. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Bournemouth Borough Council – Redhill and Northbourne By-election". Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  9. ^ "Redhill and Northbourne By-election Results Notice" (PDF). Bournemouth Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  10. ^ "Bournemouth Borough Council – Four candidates for Littledown and Iford by-election". Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  11. ^ "Bournemouth Borough Council – Littledown & Iford by-election results". Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  12. ^ "Election of a Councillor for the Winton East Ward - Result" (PDF). Bournemouth Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Kinson South Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Kinson North Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk.
  15. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Throop and Muscliff Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk.

External links

Bournemouth, Dorset
Council elections in Dorset
Former unitary authorities of England
Categories