# 2008 Colchester Borough Council election

The 2008 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Colchester Borough Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party lost overall control of the council to no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Conservative 27
* Liberal Democrats 23
* Labour 7
* Independent 3

## Background

After the last election in 2007 the Conservatives held half of the seats on the council with 30 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats had 21 seats, Labour 6 seats and there were 3 independents. However, in July 2007, 2 Liberal Democrat councilors, Craig and Terry Sutton, defected to the Conservatives after falling out with the local Liberal Democrat Member of parliament Bob Russell over a new community stadium. This gave the Conservatives a majority on the council with 32 of the 60 seats.
20 seats were contested at the election, with the Conservatives defending 12 of the seats. A total of 82 candidates stood at the election, including full slates from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green parties, along with one candidate from the British National Party.

## Election result

The Conservatives lost their majority on the council after losing 5 seats, 4 to the Liberal Democrats and 1 to Labour. Among those who lost seats were 2 members of the Conservative council cabinet, while Craig Sutton in Berechurch lost his seat to Labour after having defected to the Conservatives from the Liberal Democrats in 2007. Conservative defeats were attributed to high levels of housebuilding in the area, with the Conservatives dropping to 27 seats, while the Liberal Democrats rose to 23 seats and Labour went up to 7 seats. Meanwhile, the British National Party came fourth in High Woods ward with 131 votes after putting up the party's first candidate for Colchester council. Overall turnout at the election was 34.5%.
Following the election the Liberal Democrat, Labour and independent groups made a deal to take control over the council from the Conservatives, with Liberal Democrat Anne Turrell becoming the new leader of the council.
2008 Colchester Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 7 | 5 | 35.0 | 20 | 27 | 45.0 | 13,142 | 37.3 | –4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 9 | 4 | 45.0 | 14 | 23 | 38.3 | 13,111 | 37.2 | +7.9 |
| | Labour | 3 | 1 | 15.0 | 4 | 7 | 11.7 | 4,593 | 13.0 | –3.3 |
| | Independent | 1 | | 5.0 | 2 | 3 | 5.0 | 1,247 | 3.5 | +0.4 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,012 | 8.5 | –1.0 |

## Ward results
### Berechurch

Berechurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kim Naish | 735 | 37.0 | −12.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Stevens | 682 | 34.3 | +8.5 |
| | Conservative | Craig Sutton* | 435 | 21.9 | +3.1 |
| | Green | Philippa Lane | 136 | 6.8 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 53 | 2.7 | −21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,988 | 33.5 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,939 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 10.6 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Spyvee* | 1,111 | 45.2 | +4.2 |
| | Green | Peter Lynn | 779 | 31.7 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | Darius Laws | 434 | 17.6 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | John Cooke | 136 | 5.5 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 332 | 13.5 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,460 | 38.1 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,460 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.4 | |

### Dedham & Langham

Dedham & Langham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Garnett* | 895 | 82.8 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carolyn Catney | 102 | 9.4 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | Andrew Maxwell | 46 | 4.3 | −2.4 |
| | Green | Sandra Moog | 38 | 3.5 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 793 | 73.4 | +8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,081 | 45.6 | −8.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,372 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.4 | |

### East Donyland

East Donyland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Lilley | 351 | 42.8 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Peter Hare | 344 | 42.0 | +11.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Woodward | 67 | 8.2 | −1.3 |
| | Green | Tracy Lee-Newman | 58 | 7.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 0.9 | −12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 820 | 41.2 | −7.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,992 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 6.4 | |
No Independent candidate as previous (16.3%).

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Justin Knight* | 727 | 59.3 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | Barry McConnell | 271 | 22.1 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | Michael Gilheany | 141 | 11.5 | −0.1 |
| | Green | Stephen Ford | 88 | 7.2 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 456 | 37.2 | −8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,227 | 27.7 | −2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,440 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.3 | |

### Highwoods

Highwoods :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Beverley Oxford* | 1,247 | 59.5 | +6.9 |
| | Conservative | Anne Allan | 320 | 15.3 | −6.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Baker | 237 | 11.3 | −4.0 |
| | BNP | Patrick Sullivan | 131 | 6.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | Jordan Newell | 97 | 4.6 | −1.8 |
| | Green | Robert Spence | 63 | 3.0 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 927 | 44.2 | +12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,095 | 31.4 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,681 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 6.5 | |

### Lexden

Lexden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Hardy | 1,079 | 62.3 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Loxley | 477 | 27.6 | +7.8 |
| | Green | Clare Palmer | 104 | 6.0 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Adam Fox | 71 | 4.1 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 602 | 34.8 | −11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,731 | 41.2 | −5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,217 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.7 | |

### Marks Tey

Marks Tey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Blundell | 450 | 63.7 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | John Wood | 123 | 17.4 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Josephine Hayes | 88 | 12.5 | −3.5 |
| | Green | Roger Bamforth | 45 | 6.4 | +6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 327 | 46.3 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 706 | 34.5 | −6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,054 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.3 | |

### Mile End

Mile End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Goss | 1,500 | 61.1 | +14.0 |
| | Conservative | Brian Jarvis* | 790 | 32.2 | −11.2 |
| | Green | Mary Bryan | 84 | 3.4 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Rossanna Trudgian | 83 | 3.4 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 710 | 28.9 | +25.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,457 | 39.0 | −0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,321 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 12.6 | |

### New Town

New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Higgins | 1,046 | 62.6 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | Glenn Bath | 277 | 16.6 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Linda Wonnacott | 198 | 11.8 | −4.3 |
| | Labour | Luke Dopson | 150 | 9.0 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 769 | 46.0 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,671 | 27.5 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,090 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.9 | |

### Prettygate

Prettygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Beverley Davies | 1,197 | 45.5 | −8.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Ost | 1,167 | 44.3 | +10.5 |
| | Labour | Michael Dale | 142 | 5.4 | −1.6 |
| | Green | Peter Appleton | 127 | 4.8 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 1.1 | −19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,633 | 44.2 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,969 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.6 | |

### St. Andrew's

St. Andrew's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tina Dopson* | 837 | 51.2 | −10.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Warner | 496 | 30.3 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Wilson | 240 | 14.7 | −0.4 |
| | Green | Andrew Senter | 63 | 3.9 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 341 | 20.8 | −21.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,636 | 24.9 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,581 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 10.9 | |

### St. Anne's

St. Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Chuah* | 1,049 | 56.5 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Levy | 393 | 21.2 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Robert Fisher | 272 | 14.7 | −12.3 |
| | Green | Mervyn Carter | 141 | 7.6 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 656 | 35.4 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,855 | 28.7 | −3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,482 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.1 | |

### St. John's

St. John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Smith* | 1,244 | 71.6 | +9.8 |
| | Conservative | Glenn Granger | 389 | 22.4 | −6.8 |
| | Labour | Scott Harris | 59 | 3.4 | −1.2 |
| | Green | Tobie Glenny | 45 | 2.6 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 855 | 49.2 | +16.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,737 | 42.0 | −1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,139 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 8.3 | |

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Offen | 822 | 42.9 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | Roger Buston* | 811 | 42.3 | +3.8 |
| | Labour | Bruce Tuxford | 196 | 10.2 | −11.5 |
| | Green | Walter Schwarz | 89 | 4.6 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,918 | 30.0 | −1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,399 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 2.3 | |

### Stanway

Stanway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Laura Sykes | 1,118 | 45.6 | −6.6 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Ellis* | 1,063 | 43.3 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | Carole Spademan | 176 | 7.2 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Pamela Nelson | 96 | 3.9 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 | 2.2 | −11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,453 | 38.8 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,339 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 5.6 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Martin* | 1,116 | 60.5 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Longman | 345 | 18.7 | +10.4 |
| | Labour | Audrey Spencer | 242 | 13.1 | −5.1 |
| | Green | Katherine Bamforth | 142 | 7.7 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 771 | 41.8 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,845 | 30.4 | +0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,092 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.7 | |

### West Mersea

West Mersea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Bouckley* | 1,583 | 77.7 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Stevens | 195 | 9.6 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | Barbara Nichols | 139 | 6.8 | −1.9 |
| | Green | Beverley Maltby | 120 | 5.9 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,388 | 68.1 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,037 | 34.5 | −0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,925 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.0 | |

### Wivenhoe Cross

Wivenhoe Cross :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Manning | 506 | 48.4 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Eugene Kraft* | 377 | 36.1 | −3.8 |
| | Green | Maria Iacovou | 83 | 7.9 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Janet Smith | 79 | 7.6 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 129 | 12.3 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,045 | 29.7 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,525 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.9 | |

### Wivenhoe Quay

Wivenhoe Quay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ann Quarrie* | 678 | 36.8 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | Josephine Richardson | 518 | 28.1 | −7.8 |
| | Green | Christopher Fox | 513 | 27.9 | +7.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Rodgers | 132 | 7.2 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 160 | 8.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,841 | 43.8 | −0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,219 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.5 | |

## By-elections
### Birch and Winstree

A by-election took place in Birch and Winstree ward on 4 December 2008 after the death of the Conservative councillor Peter Crowe. Andrew Ellis retained the seat for the Conservatives by a majority of 322 votes.
Birch and Winstree: 4 December 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Ellis | 745 | 58.1 | −12.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Longman | 423 | 33.0 | +14.1 |
| | Labour | James Spencer | 83 | 6.5 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Katherine Bamforth | 32 | 2.5 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 322 | 25.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,283 | 29.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |