St Albans Council election, 2004
The 2004 St Albans Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of St Albans District Council in Hertfordshire, 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
- Liberal Democrat 29
- Conservative 17
- Labour 11
- Independent 1[2]
Candidates
18 seats were contested in the election with only Colney Heath and Sandridge wards not having elections.[3] Candidates from the 3 main parties stood in all 18 wards apart from in Redbourn, where the Liberal Democrats did not put up a candidate to oppose the independent councillor, Tony Swendell, who was standing for re-election.[3] Two other parties put up some candidates, 3 from the new St Albans Party and 2 from the Green Party.[3]
Election result
The results saw the Liberal Democrat make 5 gains but come up one seat short of gaining an overall majority.[4][5] They gained seats in Ashley and St Peters wards from Labour, and in Marshalswick South, Park Street and Wheathampstead from the Conservatives.[6]
Following the election the Liberal Democrats took control of the council despite opposition from both Labour and the Conservatives.[7]
| St Albans Local Election Result 2004[8] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | ||
| Liberal Democrat | 9 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 50.0 | 38.2 | 15,235 | -5.6% | ||
| Conservative | 5 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 27.8 | 39.6 | 15,796 | +4.2% | ||
| Labour | 3 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 16.7 | 17.1 | 6,826 | -3.5% | ||
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.6 | 3.3 | 1,310 | +3.3% | ||
| St Albans Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 436 | +1.1% | ||
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | 310 | +0.8% | ||
Ward results
| Ashley[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Michael Ellis | 912 | 41.2 | -2.2 | |
| Labour | Edward Hill | 713 | 32.2 | -2.8 | |
| Conservative | Alec Campbell | 457 | 20.6 | -1.0 | |
| St Albans Party | Peter Cobden | 133 | 6.0 | +6.0 | |
| Majority | 199 | 9.0 | +0.6 | ||
| Turnout | 2,215 | 44.4 | +0.0 | ||
| Liberal Democrat gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
| Batchwood[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Labour | Eleanor Harris | 732 | 37.1 | -10.0 | |
| Liberal Democrat | Allan Witherick | 698 | 35.3 | +9.0 | |
| Conservative | Eileen Brown | 545 | 27.6 | +1.0 | |
| Majority | 34 | 1.8 | -18.7 | ||
| Turnout | 1,975 | 40.1 | +2.5 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Clarence[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Brian Sinfield | 985 | 47.0 | -18.3 | |
| Conservative | Lee Foster | 514 | 24.5 | +7.5 | |
| Labour | David Lee | 416 | 19.9 | +2.2 | |
| Green | Simon Grover | 180 | 8.6 | +8.6 | |
| Majority | 471 | 22.5 | -25.1 | ||
| Turnout | 2,095 | 47.1 | +1.3 | ||
| Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
| Cunningham[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Geoffrey Harrison | 1,180 | 57.2 | -4.1 | |
| Conservative | James Vessey | 542 | 26.3 | +7.5 | |
| Labour | Rebecca Gumbrell-Mccormick | 340 | 16.5 | -3.4 | |
| Majority | 638 | 30.9 | -10.5 | ||
| Turnout | 2,062 | 45.5 | -0.7 | ||
| Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
| Harpenden East[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Brian Peyton | 1,224 | 50.4 | +0.2 | |
| Conservative | Nora Kavanaugh | 960 | 39.5 | +2.2 | |
| Labour | David Crew | 245 | 10.1 | -2.4 | |
| Majority | 264 | 10.9 | -2.0 | ||
| Turnout | 2,429 | 47.7 | +2.2 | ||
| Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
| Harpenden North[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Conservative | John Chambers | 1,228 | 56.9 | +5.8 | |
| Liberal Democrat | Christopher Canfield | 707 | 32.8 | -5.6 | |
| Labour | Rosemary Ross | 223 | 10.3 | -0.2 | |
| Majority | 521 | 24.1 | +11.4 | ||
| Turnout | 2,158 | 43.4 | +1.8 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Harpenden South[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Conservative | Elizabeth Stevenson | 1,480 | 66.2 | +4.5 | |
| Liberal Democrat | Nigel Jenkinson | 536 | 24.0 | -4.4 | |
| Labour | David Lawlor | 220 | 9.8 | -0.1 | |
| Majority | 944 | 42.2 | +8.9 | ||
| Turnout | 2,236 | 44.3 | +1.1 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Harpenden West[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Conservative | John Newman | 1,448 | 57.7 | +1.4 | |
| Liberal Democrat | Jeffrey Phillips | 698 | 27.8 | -4.3 | |
| Labour | Elizabeth Rayner | 232 | 9.3 | -2.3 | |
| Green | Marc Scheimann | 130 | 5.2 | +5.2 | |
| Majority | 750 | 29.9 | +5.7 | ||
| Turnout | 2,508 | 46.5 | +2.9 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| London Colney[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Labour | Sean Flynn | 881 | 43.7 | -14.0 | |
| Conservative | Brian Lee | 721 | 35.8 | +10.2 | |
| Liberal Democrat | Carol Prowse | 414 | 20.5 | +3.8 | |
| Majority | 160 | 7.9 | -24.2 | ||
| Turnout | 2,016 | 35.6 | +2.4 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Marshalswick North[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Jennifer Stroud | 1,169 | 51.8 | +3.3 | |
| Conservative | John Foster | 880 | 39.0 | +1.2 | |
| Labour | John Baughan | 207 | 9.2 | -4.4 | |
| Majority | 289 | 12.8 | +2.1 | ||
| Turnout | 2,256 | 47.5 | -3.9 | ||
| Liberal Democrat hold | Swing | ||||
| Marshalswick South[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Melvyn Teare | 1,193 | 47.1 | -6.2 | |
| Conservative | Richard Bretherton | 1,025 | 40.5 | +7.0 | |
| Labour | Sonia Smith | 313 | 12.4 | -0.8 | |
| Majority | 168 | 6.6 | -13.2 | ||
| Turnout | 2,531 | 51.4 | -1.3 | ||
| Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
| Park Street[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | David Yates | 1,079 | 50.4 | -7.3 | |
| Conservative | Katharine Cramer | 795 | 37.1 | +8.8 | |
| Labour | Janet Blackwell | 266 | 12.4 | -1.7 | |
| Majority | 284 | 13.3 | -16.1 | ||
| Turnout | 2,140 | 42.1 | +3.3 | ||
| Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
| Redbourn[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Independent | Anthony Swendell | 1,310 | 63.5 | +63.5 | |
| Conservative | Susan Walford | 578 | 28.0 | -13.4 | |
| Labour | Linda Spiri | 175 | 8.5 | +0.4 | |
| Majority | 732 | 35.5 | |||
| Turnout | 2,063 | 45.7 | +0.0 | ||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
| Sopwell[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Labour | Janet Smith | 708 | 40.0 | ||
| Liberal Democrat | Linda Bateman | 532 | 30.0 | ||
| Conservative | Roderick Douglas | 532 | 30.0 | ||
| Majority | 176 | 10.0 | |||
| Turnout | 1,772 | 36.2 | +3.8 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| St Peters[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Martin Morris | 987 | 47.3 | +1.2 | |
| Labour | Helen Ives-Rose | 613 | 29.4 | -6.2 | |
| Conservative | Maureen Havard | 385 | 18.5 | +0.2 | |
| St Albans Party | Vera Tinson | 100 | 4.8 | +4.8 | |
| Majority | 374 | 17.9 | +7.4 | ||
| Turnout | 2,085 | 41.9 | -0.2 | ||
| Liberal Democrat gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
| St Stephen[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Conservative | David Canham | 1,431 | 60.6 | +2.5 | |
| Liberal Democrat | David Parry | 733 | 31.0 | +1.5 | |
| Labour | Jane Cloke | 197 | 8.3 | -4.1 | |
| Majority | 698 | 29.6 | +1.0 | ||
| Turnout | 2,361 | 47.7 | +4.0 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Verulam[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Conservative | Clare Ellis | 1,213 | 45.7 | +8.4 | |
| Liberal Democrat | Peter Burton | 1,051 | 39.6 | -13.0 | |
| St Albans Party | Janet Girsman | 203 | 7.6 | +7.6 | |
| Labour | Larry Heyman | 188 | 7.1 | -0.7 | |
| Majority | 162 | 6.1 | -9.2 | ||
| Turnout | 2,655 | 53.8 | -2.5 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Wheathampstead[8][9] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Liberal Democrat | Paul Edelston | 1,137 | 48.3 | -11.5 | |
| Conservative | Gillian Clark | 1,062 | 45.1 | +12.3 | |
| Labour | Mary Cheale | 157 | 6.7 | -0.7 | |
| Majority | 75 | 3.2 | -23.8 | ||
| Turnout | 2,356 | 51.7 | +2.8 | ||
| Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
References
- ^ "St Albans council". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^ "Elections 2004: Results at a glance". The Guardian. 2004-06-12. p. 10.
- ^ a b c "Parties get set to do battle". www.times-series.co.uk. 2004-05-20. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^ Lydall, Ross (2004-06-11). "Tories claim to have turned tide after South-East wins". Evening Standard. p. 8.
- ^ "Watford Lib Dems are strengthened". BBC News Online. 2004-06-11. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
- ^ "Blair: War cast shadow over election". This is Local London. 2004-06-11. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
- ^ "Council control seized by Lib Dems". St Albans & Harpenden Review. 2004-06-29. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Local Elections: St Albans". BBC Online. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "District Council Election Results 10th June 2004". St Albans District and City Council. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
| Preceded by St Albans Council election, 2003 |
St Albans local elections | Succeeded by St Albans Council election, 2006 |
