2008 UK local government election
Elections to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council in Dorset, England were held on 1 May 2008. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control as it has been since 1980.[1]
The Mayor David Harris and four other councillors stood down at the election. A further seat was vacant for Melcombe Regis after the death of a Liberal Democrat councillor.[2]
The election saw the Conservative Party gain 3 seats, including their first ever seat in Portland, consolidating their position as largest party on the council. However their leader Nigel Reed lost in Weymouth East to the Liberal Democrats.[3] The leader of the Labour Party on the council, Kate Wheller, was one of two Labour losses when she lost in Westham West.[4]
After the election, the composition of the council was:
- Conservative 16
- Liberal Democrat 12
- Labour 4
- Independent 4
Election result
Weymouth and Portland Local Election Result 2008 Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 7 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 53.8 | 31.5 | 5,332 | +3.4 |
| Conservative | 4 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 30.8 | 40.3 | 6,824 | +1.6 |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 7.7 | 21.4 | 3,635 | -3.5 |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 7.7 | 5.9 | 1,008 | +1.2 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.9 | 154 | -1.2 |
Ward results
Littlemoor Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Simon Bowkett | 383 | 58.1 | +2.8 |
| Conservative | Ronald Peattie | 276 | 41.9 | +12.1 |
Majority | 107 | 16.2 | -9.3 |
Turnout | 659 | 25.5 | -10.5 |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Melcombe Regis (2) Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Farrell | 625 | | |
| Conservative | Grant Leighton | 605 | | |
| Conservative | Derek Model | 503 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | John Liles | 494 | | |
| Labour | Maria Blackwood | 184 | | |
| Green | Paul McIntosh | 154 | | |
| Labour | Justine Marriott | 137 | | |
Turnout | 2,702 | 29.6 | +1.2 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Preston Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | David Mannings | 1,201 | 48.5 | +5.2 |
| Conservative | Dominic Lonsdale | 1,157 | 46.8 | -4.4 |
| Labour | Maureen Drake | 116 | 4.7 | -0.9 |
Majority | 44 | 1.7 | |
Turnout | 2,474 | 57.6 | +3.2 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Radipole Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Ian Roebuck | 704 | 54.2 | -13.2 |
| Conservative | Ralph Johnson | 407 | 31.4 | +14.2 |
| Labour | Matt Pitman | 187 | 14.4 | +7.4 |
Majority | 294 | 22.8 | -27.4 |
Turnout | 1,298 | 42.8 | +0.2 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Tophill West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Amanda Alsop | 518 | 48.7 | -18.5 |
| Independent | Gareth Duncan | 332 | 31.2 | +31.2 |
| Labour | Jo Atwell | 214 | 20.1 | -12.7 |
Majority | 186 | 17.5 | -16.9 |
Turnout | 1,064 | 27.0 | -0.6 |
| Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Underhill Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Tim Munro | 354 | 38.6 | |
| Independent | Richard Denton-White | 322 | 35.1 | |
| Labour | Sandy West | 157 | 17.1 | |
| Conservative | Margaret Gadd | 84 | 9.2 | |
Majority | 32 | 3.5 | |
Turnout | 917 | 34.0 | |
| Independent hold | Swing | | |
Westham East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Howard Legg | 334 | 46.1 | -10.5 |
| Conservative | Liisa Wallace | 218 | 30.1 | +9.6 |
| Labour | Stewart Pearson | 172 | 23.8 | +0.9 |
Majority | 116 | 16.0 | -17.7 |
Turnout | 724 | 25.8 | -7.3 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Westham North Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Graham Winter | 750 | 52.7 | +10.6 |
| Conservative | David Wallace | 354 | 24.9 | +2.6 |
| Labour | Lindsay Drage | 319 | 22.4 | -13.2 |
Majority | 396 | 27.8 | +21.3 |
Turnout | 1,423 | 34.1 | -2.7 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Westham West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Gill Taylor | 530 | 44.1 | +10.7 |
| Labour | Kate Wheller | 351 | 29.2 | -2.0 |
| Conservative | Margaret Alsop | 321 | 26.7 | -8.6 |
Majority | 179 | 14.9 | |
Turnout | 1,202 | 41.4 | -1.7 |
| Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Weymouth East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | John Birtwistle | 694 | 53.2 | +17.1 |
| Conservative | Nigel Reed | 489 | 37.5 | -2.4 |
| Labour | Richard Baker | 121 | 9.3 | -8.9 |
Majority | 205 | 15.7 | |
Turnout | 1,304 | 45.7 | +3.3 |
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Weymouth West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Sonia Cash | 856 | 54.8 | +14.2 |
| Labour | Andy Blackwood | 705 | 45.2 | +8.6 |
Majority | 151 | 9.6 | +5.6 |
Turnout | 1,561 | 38.9 | -2.2 |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Wyke Regis Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Doug Hollings | 1,036 | 63.8 | +25.7 |
| Labour | Colin Huckle | 589 | 36.2 | -6.2 |
Majority | 447 | 27.6 | |
Turnout | 1,625 | 37.7 | -0.6 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
References
- ^ "Councils set for election fever". BBC Online. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- ^ "Mayor to miss election". Dorset Echo. 5 April 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Tories gain seats and Labour lose". BBC Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- ^ "Tory gains in Weymouth and Portland elections". Dorset Echo. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- 2008 Weymouth and Portland election result
- Ward results