Map of the results of the 2007 West Somerset District Council election. independents in grey, Conservatives in blue, Labour in red and Liberal Democrats in yellow. The 2007 West Somerset District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election and independents gained overall control of the council from the Conservative party.[1]
Election result The Conservatives dropped to 13 seats, a net loss of 4, and fell behind the independents who became the largest group with 16 councillors.[2] [3] Conservative losses included defeats in the seats of Alcombe East, Old Cleeve, Porlock, Quantock Vale and West Quantock, but they did make some gains, including in Watchet where an independent lost a seat.[3] Both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats lost a seat, to only have one councillor each.[4] Overall turnout at the election was 46.9%.[3]
Following the election independent councillor Keith Ross became the new leader of the council, taking over from the Conservatives, with Labour councillor Simon Stokes becoming deputy leader.[5]
West Somerset local election result 2007[1] [6] Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/− Independent 16 9 3 +6 51.6 48.0 10,292 +18.8% Conservative 13 4 8 -4 41.9 43.0 9,218 +0.9% Labour 1 0 1 -1 3.2 5.4 1,150 -11.3% Liberal Democrats 1 0 1 -1 3.2 3.6 776 -7.1%
Ward results Alcombe East (2)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Ian Melhuish 323 Conservative Nicolas Messarra 201 Conservative Jamie Anderson 157 Turnout 681 43.7 +22.8 Independent gain from Conservative Swing Conservative hold Swing
Alcombe West (2)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Simon Stokes 479 Conservative Norman Hercock 355 Labour Marcus Kravis 348 Turnout 1,182 39.2 +4.4 Labour hold Swing Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Aville Vale[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Roger Webber 313 55.4 -23.1 Independent Aron Cody-Boutcher 252 44.6 +23.2 Majority 61 10.8 -46.5 Turnout 565 56.2 +7.0 Conservative hold Swing
Brompton Ralph and Haddon[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Keith Turner 255 63.1 +23.3 Independent David Gliddon 149 36.9 -23.3 Majority 106 26.2 Turnout 404 54.3 +9.4 Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Carhampton and Withycombe[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Democrats Peter Humber 417 71.8 Conservative Brian Jenkinson 164 28.2 Majority 253 43.6 Turnout 581 56.4 Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Crowcombe and Stogumber[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Tim Taylor 315 58.0 Independent Roy Harbour 228 42.0 Majority 87 16.0 Turnout 543 58.3 Conservative hold Swing
Dulverton and Brushford (2)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Keith Ross 684 Independent Michael Gammon 451 Conservative Paul Chamberlain 341 Turnout 1,476 53.3 +0.8 Independent hold Swing Independent hold Swing
Dunster[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Bryan Leaker 186 59.8 -0.4 Independent Julie Harvey-Smith 125 40.2 +19.3 Majority 61 19.6 -19.6 Turnout 311 47.9 -2.5 Conservative hold Swing
Exmoor[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Steven Pugsley unopposed Conservative hold Swing
Minehead North (3)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Doug Ross 822 Conservative Christine Lawrence 580 Conservative David Sanders 453 Conservative Jeremy White 415 Turnout 2,270 41.4 +3.9 Independent gain from Conservative Swing Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Minehead South (3)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Terry Venner 822 Independent Michael Downes 706 Independent John Walker 631 Conservative Anthony Berry 571 Conservative Dudley Seale 442 Conservative Stan Taylor 331 Turnout 3,503 43.4 +2.2 Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing Independent hold Swing Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Old Cleeve (2)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Kate Kravis 532 Independent Neil Parbrook 479 Conservative Pamela Driver 302 Turnout 1,313 42.7 Independent gain from Conservative Swing Independent hold Swing
Porlock and District (2)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Angela Palmer 656 Independent Jon Freeman 427 Conservative Mike Padgett 273 Turnout 1,356 47.7 Conservative hold Swing Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Quantock Vale (2)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Chris Morgan 424 Independent Paul Tipney 420 Conservative Mary Crowley 335 Conservative Loretta Whetlor 243 Turnout 1,422 46.6 +4.8 Independent gain from Conservative Swing Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Quarme[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Christopher White 347 71.0 Independent John Bray 142 29.0 Majority 205 42.0 Turnout 489 59.3 Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Watchet (3)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative David Westcott 716 Conservative Anthony Knight 505 Independent Jennifer Hill 441 Independent David Banks 425 Liberal Democrats Anthony Bowden 359 Labour Peter Murphy 323 Conservative Ann Snelling 300 Turnout 3,069 42.3 +0.7 Conservative gain from Independent Swing Conservative hold Swing Independent hold Swing
West Quantock[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Mitch Wicking 301 58.2 +14.4 Conservative Barbara Child 216 41.8 -14.4 Majority 85 16.4 Turnout 51.7 54.6 +1.6 Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Williton (2)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Hugh Davies 696 Independent Edwin May 298 Independent Ian Aldridge 269 Conservative Rose Woods 246 Independent John Holden 214 Independent William Gulliford 31 Turnout 1,754 47.7 +1.8 Independent hold Swing Independent hold Swing
By-elections between 2007 and 2011 Alcombe East Alcombe East By-Election 1 May 2008[7] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Dudley Seale 263 59.4 +21.0 Independent Sandra Slade 103 23.3 -38.3 Labour Ronald Bridle 42 9.5 +9.5 Liberal Democrats Anthony Bowden 35 7.9 +7.9 Majority 160 36.1 Turnout 443 41.1 -2.6 Conservative hold Swing
Minehead South Minehead South By-Election 16 April 2009[8] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Sandra Slade 393 51.5 -7.5 Conservative Leslie Smith 370 48.5 +7.5 Majority 23 3.0 Turnout 763 Independent hold Swing
References ^ a b "West Somerset". BBC News Online . 4 May 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2011 . ^ "Election round-up: Somerset". BBC News Online . 4 May 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2011 . ^ a b c Alder, Chris (4 May 2007). "Independents wrest control at West Somerset". Somerset County Gazette . Retrieved 27 November 2011 . ^ "Tories lose out to independents". BBC News Online . 4 May 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2011 . ^ Alder, Chris (18 May 2007). "New faces take the helm". Somerset County Gazette . Retrieved 27 November 2011 . ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "West Somerset District Council – May 2007". West Somerset Council. Retrieved 26 November 2011 . ^ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF) . West Somerset Council. Retrieved 4 September 2009 . ^ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF) . West Somerset Council. Retrieved 4 September 2009 .