1998 UK local government election
Elections to Colchester Borough Council took place on 7 May 1998. This was on the same day as other local elections across the United Kingdom.
At the election, the Liberal Democrats lost control of the council to no overall control, with gains being made by both Labour and the Conservatives.[1][2]
Summary
1998 Colchester Borough Council election |
Party | This election | Full council | This election |
Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 8 | 4 | 40.0 | 19 | 27 | 45.0 | 11,266 | 34.7 | –5.2 |
| Labour | 5 | 2 | 25.0 | 13 | 18 | 30.0 | 10,327 | 31.8 | –2.4 |
| Conservative | 7 | 2 | 35.0 | 7 | 14 | 23.3 | 10,860 | 33.5 | +11.0 |
| Tiptree Residents | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.7 | 0 | 0.0 | –2.9 |
Ward results
Berechurch
Berechurch Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Cooke | 971 | 49.0 | +6.4 |
| Liberal Democrats | W. Sutton* | 771 | 38.9 | -11.2 |
| Conservative | J. Dinglemans | 239 | 12.1 | +4.8 |
Majority | 200 | 10.1 | N/A |
Turnout | 1,981 | 34.1 | -9.1 |
Registered electors | 5,823 | | |
| Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 8.8 | |
Birch Messing Copford
Birch Messing Copford Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Peter Crowe* | 555 | 65.8 | +15.1 |
| Labour | T. Rogers | 197 | 23.4 | +1.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | D. Paton | 91 | 10.8 | -16.7 |
Majority | 358 | 42.5 | +19.3 |
Turnout | 843 | 33.2 | -14.0 |
Registered electors | 2,544 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 6.8 | |
Castle
Castle Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Chris Hall* | 907 | 44.5 | -1.1 |
| Labour | Chris Pearson | 585 | 28.7 | -9.2 |
| Conservative | N. Stock | 514 | 25.2 | +9.7 |
| Natural Law | Loretta Basker | 32 | 1.6 | +0.7 |
Majority | 322 | 15.8 | +8.1 |
Turnout | 2,038 | 34.0 | -7.6 |
Registered electors | 6,012 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.1 | |
Harbour
Harbour Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Patricia Blandon* | 800 | 43.8 | -9.2 |
| Labour | David Canning | 761 | 41.7 | +2.3 |
| Conservative | Sandra Rae | 264 | 14.5 | +6.9 |
Majority | 39 | 2.1 | -11.5 |
Turnout | 1,825 | 29.1 | -8.7 |
Registered electors | 6,283 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 5.8 | |
Lexden
Lexden Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | P. Walford | 1,030 | 50.4 | +2.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | Una Jones | 802 | 39.3 | -1.9 |
| Labour | Stella Creasy | 210 | 10.3 | +1.1 |
Majority | 228 | 11.2 | +4.0 |
Turnout | 2,042 | 46.5 | -6.0 |
Registered electors | 4,387 | | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 2.0 | |
No Independent Conservative candidate as previous (1.3%).
Mile End
Mile End Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | David Goatley* | 913 | 36.2 | +6.1 |
| Conservative | N. Taylor | 844 | 33.5 | +2.9 |
| Labour | J. Thomas | 766 | 30.4 | -6.6 |
Majority | 69 | 2.7 | N/A |
Turnout | 2,523 | 25.5 | -7.7 |
Registered electors | 9,916 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.6 | |
New Town
New Town Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Bob Russell | 997 | 62.6 | -0.1 |
| Labour | Jean Quinn | 429 | 26.9 | -3.7 |
| Conservative | A. Allen | 166 | 10.4 | +3.7 |
Majority | 568 | 35.7 | +3.7 |
Turnout | 1,592 | 30.2 | -6.6 |
Registered electors | 5,273 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.8 | |
Prettygate
Prettygate Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | J. Girdlestone | 838 | 40.7 | +15.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | David Goss* | 795 | 38.6 | -9.7 |
| Labour | P. Creasy | 426 | 20.7 | -5.4 |
Majority | 43 | 2.1 | N/A |
Turnout | 2,059 | 34.6 | -6.0 |
Registered electors | 5,951 | | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 12.5 | |
Pyefleet
Pyefleet Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Robert Davidson | 573 | 66.7 | +20.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | R. Watkins | 146 | 17.0 | -22.9 |
| Labour | John Coombes | 140 | 16.3 | +4.4 |
Majority | 427 | 49.7 | +43.0 |
Turnout | 859 | 42.2 | -10.0 |
Registered electors | 2,026 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 21.5 | |
No Green candidate as previous (3.5%).
Shrub End
Shrub End Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | W. Sandford* | 452 | 40.4 | -9.4 |
| Labour | R. Pryor | 436 | 38.9 | +0.5 |
| Conservative | A. Yalland | 232 | 20.7 | +8.9 |
Majority | 16 | 1.4 | -10.1 |
Turnout | 1,120 | 21.7 | -7.0 |
Registered electors | 5,175 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 5.0 | |
St. Andrew's
St. Andrew's Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Julie Young | 688 | 58.4 | -2.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | John Gray | 375 | 31.8 | +1.3 |
| Conservative | Richard Lamberth | 116 | 9.8 | +1.2 |
Majority | 313 | 26.5 | -4.0 |
Turnout | 1,179 | 21.7 | -1.9 |
Registered electors | 5,432 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 2.0 | |
St. Anne's
St. Anne's Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | D. Fairbrother | 967 | 50.1 | -0.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | K. Hindle | 745 | 38.6 | -3.6 |
| Conservative | M. Girdlestone | 220 | 11.4 | +4.3 |
Majority | 222 | 11.5 | N/A |
Turnout | 1,932 | 34.1 | -6.0 |
Registered electors | 5,669 | | |
| Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 1.5 | |
St. John's
St. John's Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Helen Chuah | 813 | 44.8 | -15.0 |
| Conservative | D. Smith | 661 | 36.4 | +12.1 |
| Labour | Dave Harris | 340 | 18.7 | +2.8 |
Majority | 152 | 8.4 | -27.1 |
Turnout | 1,814 | 32.1 | -6.8 |
Registered electors | 5,656 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 13.6 | |
St. Mary's
St. Mary's Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Nick Cope* | 754 | 41.9 | -3.9 |
| Conservative | S. Candy | 681 | 37.8 | +4.4 |
| Labour | P. McGilvray | 366 | 20.3 | -0.5 |
Majority | 73 | 4.1 | -8.2 |
Turnout | 1,801 | 33.0 | -10.2 |
Registered electors | 5,453 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.2 | |
Stanway
Stanway Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Gwendoline Illot | 752 | 40.7 | -13.2 |
| Conservative | Ian McCord | 651 | 35.3 | +15.4 |
| Labour | Ian Yates | 443 | 24.0 | -2.2 |
Majority | 101 | 5.5 | -22.2 |
Turnout | 1,846 | 30.5 | -3.9 |
Registered electors | 6,074 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 14.3 | |
Tiptree
Tiptree Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Mike Dale | 913 | 60.0 | +18.0 |
| Conservative | Elizabeth Blundell | 410 | 26.9 | +17.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | A. Seaman | 199 | 13.1 | N/A |
Majority | 503 | 33.0 | N/A |
Turnout | 1,522 | 24.3 | -12.5 |
Registered electors | 6,263 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 0.5 | |
No Tiptree Residents candidate as previous (48.2%).
West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green
West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Nigel Chapman | 655 | 49.9 | +18.3 |
| Liberal Democrats | R. Tyrrell | 481 | 36.7 | -11.9 |
| Labour | David Jones | 176 | 13.4 | -6.4 |
Majority | 174 | 13.3 | N/A |
Turnout | 1,312 | 33.5 | -12.5 |
Registered electors | 3,932 | | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 15.1 | |
West Mersea
West Mersea Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Margaret Kimberley* | 910 | 60.6 | +5.7 |
| Labour | Alan Mogridge | 361 | 24.0 | +2.0 |
| Liberal Democrats | B. Harrison | 231 | 15.4 | -7.7 |
Majority | 549 | 36.6 | +4.8 |
Turnout | 1,502 | 25.9 | -9.6 |
Registered electors | 5,806 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 1.9 | |
Winstree
Winstree Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | M. Fairhead* | 674 | 80.0 | +16.7 |
| Labour | Luke Dopson | 96 | 11.4 | +3.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | P. Gentry | 73 | 8.7 | -18.7 |
Majority | 578 | 68.6 | +31.7 |
Turnout | 843 | 44.2 | -15.4 |
Registered electors | 1,909 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 6.8 | |
Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | R. Richardson* | 1,056 | 57.0 | -1.8 |
| Conservative | David Adams | 627 | 33.9 | +6.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | L. Warren | 169 | 9.1 | -5.3 |
Majority | 429 | 23.2 | -7.8 |
Turnout | 1,852 | 25.7 | -8.4 |
Registered electors | 7,223 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 4.0 | |
By-elections
Tiptree
Tiptree: 25 June 1998[3] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | 624 | 46.0 | -14.0 |
| Tiptree Residents | | 399 | 29.4 | N/A |
| Conservative | | 333 | 24.6 | -2.3 |
Majority | 291 | 16.6 | -16.4 |
Turnout | 1,356 | 21.7 | -2.6 |
| Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
No Liberal Democrat candidate as previous (13.1%).
References
- ^ "Local government election results". The Independent. 8 May 1998.
- ^ Timmins, Nicholas (8 May 1998). "Parties suffer mixed fortunes in poll". Financial Times. p. 15.
- ^ "Local Authority Byelection Results". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2014.