2007 Harrogate Borough Council election

Map of the results

The 2007 Harrogate Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Harrogate Borough Council in North Yorkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was

Campaign

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Before the election the Conservatives ran the council, but without a majority, with 27 seats, compared to 22 Liberal Democrats and 5 independents.[3] 20 seats were contested in the election, with 1 of the seats being a by-election in Marston Moor ward[4] after the resignation of the Conservative councillor.[5] Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats were defending 9 seats in the election, while independents held 2.[6]

The election saw the British National Party contest 15 of the 20 seats, more than Labour who only contested 9 seats, and up from only 1 in 2006.[6] The leader of the British National Party Nick Griffin visited Ripon during the campaign, with the party campaigning against migrant workers, such as those from Poland, who they said were "undercutting British workers" by working for low wages.[6] For the first time the United Kingdom Independence Party also contested 2 seats in the election.[7]

Election result

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The results saw no party win a majority on the council after the Liberal Democrats gained 2 seats from the Conservatives.[8] The Liberal Democrats gained Bilton and Knaresborough King James from the Conservatives, but the Conservatives remained the largest party on the council with 25 seats compared to 23 for the Liberal Democrats.[8]

The balance on the council was held by 6 independents, after independents won all 3 seats contested in Ripon.[8] This included gaining Ripon Spa by 171 votes from Liberal Democrat Paul Freeman, who had held the seat for 16 years.[8] No other party won any seats, with the British National Party coming no better than third in every seat they contested, despite having 15 candidates.[8]

Harrogate local election result 2007[9][2]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 10 2 1 +1 50.0 45.9 14,904 +0.1%
  Conservative 7 0 2 -2 35.0 38.0 12,331 -2.4%
  Independent 3 1 0 +1 15.0 8.1 2,640 -1.6%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 4.3 1,386 +3.8%
  Labour 0 0 0 0 0 3.3 1,055 -0.3%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 128 +0.4%

Ward results

[edit]
Bilton[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew Parkes 974 49.4 −3.0
Conservative Robin Adderley 877 44.5 +0.0
Labour Joel Banner 122 6.2 +3.1
Majority 97 4.9 −3.0
Turnout 1,973 46.9 +5.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Granby[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Margaret-Ann De Courcey-Bayley 923 66.0 −8.8
Conservative David Pearson 296 21.2 +0.7
BNP Steven Gill 103 7.4 +7.4
Labour Tom King 76 5.4 +0.7
Majority 627 44.8 −9.5
Turnout 1,398 31.7 −0.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Harlow Moor[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Theakston 1,057 62.0 +0.2
Liberal Democrats Matthew Webber 567 33.3 −4.9
Labour Kevin McNerney 81 4.8 +4.8
Majority 490 28.7 +5.1
Turnout 1,705 40.8 −0.1
Conservative hold Swing
High Harrogate[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Jones 815 54.0 +2.1
Liberal Democrats Steve Macare 522 34.6 −8.6
BNP John Bray 104 6.9 +6.9
Labour Harry Mann 69 4.6 −0.3
Majority 293 19.4 +10.7
Turnout 1,510 34.5 −3.3
Conservative hold Swing
Hookstone[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Reg Marsh 1,202 65.4 +3.8
Conservative Richard Cain 467 25.4 −9.9
BNP Frederick Johnson 112 6.1 +6.1
Labour Patricia Foxall 57 3.1 +0.0
Majority 735 40.0 +13.7
Turnout 1,838 41.9 −0.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Knaresborough East[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Keith Rothwell 621 45.1 −14.3
Conservative Chris Williams 330 23.9 −6.7
Independent Andy Wright 270 19.6 +19.6
Labour David Crosthwaite 93 6.7 −3.3
BNP Belinda Holdsworth 64 4.6 +4.6
Majority 291 21.1 −7.7
Turnout 1,378 35.4 +0.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Knaresborough King James[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jean Burdett 1,031 55.5 +5.6
Conservative Tim Hunter 716 38.6 −7.6
Labour Sam Clayton 110 5.9 +2.0
Majority 315 17.0 +13.2
Turnout 1,857 47.4 −0.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Knaresborough Scriven Park[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Kevin Hawkins 740 52.5 −0.5
Conservative Nathan Smith 496 35.2 −3.1
Labour Alan Beatham 95 6.7 −2.0
BNP Mark Strike 78 5.5 +5.5
Majority 244 17.3 +2.7
Turnout 1,409 37.0 −1.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Low Harrogate[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jean Butterfield 862 54.3 −0.7
Liberal Democrats Carol Brooks 725 45.7 +0.7
Majority 137 8.6 −1.4
Turnout 1,587 38.3 +1.9
Conservative hold Swing
Marston Moor[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Savage 630 65.9 −12.2
Liberal Democrats Gill Firth 326 34.1 +12.2
Majority 304 31.8 −24.5
Turnout 956 43.8 −12.1
Conservative hold Swing
New Park[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Trevor Chapman 1,080 75.3 +3.7
Conservative Lorien Pilling 211 14.7 −13.7
BNP Julie Brown 92 6.4 +6.4
UKIP John Upex 51 3.6 +3.6
Majority 869 60.6 +17.4
Turnout 1,434 35.4 +1.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Pannal[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Gardner 1,455 66.3 −7.4
Liberal Democrats Claire Kelley 741 33.7 +9.7
Majority 714 32.5 −17.2
Turnout 2,196 51.3 +1.1
Conservative hold Swing
Ripon Minster[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Sidney Hawke 665 47.3 +0.1
Liberal Democrats Steve Jones 245 17.4 +10.6
Conservative John Topping 203 14.4 +1.9
Independent Stanley Mackintosh 160 11.4 −17.1
BNP Tom Linden 134 9.5 +9.5
Majority 420 29.9 +11.3
Turnout 1,407 36.1 +2.4
Independent hold Swing
Ripon Moorside[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Charles Powell 913 61.4 −27.1
Liberal Democrats John Stockdale 255 17.2 +17.2
Conservative Tony Simpson 204 13.7 +2.2
BNP Neil Smith 114 7.7 +7.7
Majority 658 44.3 −22.8
Turnout 1,486 38.7 +1.1
Independent hold Swing
Ripon Spa[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Peter Horton 632 39.9 −5.3
Liberal Democrats Paul Freeman 461 29.1 +4.6
Conservative Andrew Palmer 366 23.1 −7.2
BNP Michelle Shrubb 123 7.8 +7.8
Majority 171 10.8 −4.2
Turnout 1,582 39.4 +1.3
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Rossett[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Clark 1,393 59.8 +3.1
Liberal Democrats James Jones 882 37.8 −5.5
Labour Michael Lawn 56 2.4 +2.4
Majority 511 21.9 +8.4
Turnout 2,331 49.9 −0.9
Conservative hold Swing
Saltergate[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Webber 807 55.7 +2.9
Conservative Heather Adderley 493 34.0 −8.4
UKIP Ray Kidd 77 5.3 +5.3
BNP James Thackray 71 4.9 +4.9
Majority 314 21.7 +11.4
Turnout 1,448 35.2 −3.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Starbeck[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Granville Ward 1,081 72.2 +7.7
Conservative Phillip Dixon 195 13.0 −0.8
BNP Colin Banner 146 9.7 −1.0
Labour Geoff Foxall 76 5.1 +0.5
Majority 886 59.1 +8.5
Turnout 1,498 35.2 −0.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Stray[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pat Jones 1,034 54.5 −1.3
Liberal Democrats Nick Anderson 811 42.8 −1.4
BNP Robert Green 51 2.7 +2.7
Majority 223 11.8 +0.3
Turnout 1,896 44.7 −0.2
Conservative hold Swing
Woodfield[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Wren 910 58.5 −7.3
Conservative Mary Dilworth 231 14.9 −2.7
Labour Daniel Maguire 220 14.1 −2.6
BNP Russell Taylor 194 12.5 +12.5
Majority 679 43.7 −4.5
Turnout 1,555 37.7 +0.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ "Harrogate". BBC News Online. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Local and Mayoral elections 2007" (PDF). House of Commons Library. 19 July 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Far-right party targets Ripon voters". Harrogate Advertiser. 5 April 2007.
  4. ^ "Council election candidates announced". Harrogate Advertiser. 4 April 2007.
  5. ^ "Rival candidates in battle to win". Harrogate Advertiser. 20 April 2007.
  6. ^ a b c "BNP advances on Middle England to exploit 'fear' of Polish migrants". The Times. 23 April 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  7. ^ "UKIP ready for polls attack on Yorkshire". Yorkshire Post. 11 April 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2011.[dead link‍]
  8. ^ a b c d e "Independents hold sway at Ripon". Yorkshire Post. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "District Council election" (PDF). Harrogate Borough Council. Retrieved 17 January 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Harrogate Borough Council Elections 2007 results". Harrogate Advertiser. 11 May 2007.
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