# 1998 Rochford District Council election

Elections to Rochford Council were held on 7 May 1998. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrat party lost overall control of the council to no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Liberal Democrat 18
* Labour 12
* Conservative 6
* Residents 3
* Independent 1

## Election result

1998 Rochford District 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 % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 4 | 5 | 28.6 | 14 | 18 | 45.0 | 3,706 | 30.9 | |
| | Labour | 5 | 1 | 35.7 | 7 | 12 | 30.0 | 3,230 | 26.9 | |
| | Conservative | 4 | 4 | 28.6 | 2 | 6 | 15.0 | 4,363 | 36.4 | |
| | Residents | 1 | | 7.1 | 2 | 3 | 7.5 | 698 | 5.8 | |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0.0 | |

## Ward results
### Downhall

Downhall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Lemon | 510 | 61.2 |
| | Conservative | P. Savill | 189 | 22.7 |
| | Labour | R. Lushey | 135 | 16.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 38.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 25.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Grange & Rawreth

Grange & Rawreth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | R. Adams | 467 | 36.3 |
| | Labour | D. Rossi | 420 | 32.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | V. Howlett | 398 | 31.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 26.6 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |

### Hawkwell East

Hawkwell East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | H. Glynn | 860 | 56.9 |
| | Conservative | T. Cutmore | 420 | 27.8 |
| | Labour | D. Thompson | 231 | 15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 29.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 26.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Hockley East

Hockley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Residents | R. Vingoe | 698 | 77.7 |
| | Conservative | M. Mead | 132 | 14.7 |
| | Labour | L. Bain | 68 | 7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 63.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.0 |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | |

### Hullbridge Riverside

Hullbridge Riverside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | D. Flack | 418 | 63.6 |
| | Conservative | J. Spillane | 239 | 36.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 27.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 21.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Hullbridge South

Hullbridge South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | M. Stephenson | 314 | 66.1 |
| | Conservative | S. Spillane | 161 | 33.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 32.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 20.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Lodge

Lodge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. Helson | 466 | 43.0 |
| | Conservative | J. Mockford | 436 | 40.3 |
| | Labour | S. Walton | 181 | 16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 24.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Rayleigh Central

Rayleigh Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Helson | 324 | 44.2 |
| | Conservative | G. Mockford | 268 | 36.6 |
| | Labour | A. Popplewell | 141 | 19.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 25.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Rochford Eastwood

Rochford Eastwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Ford | 229 | 41.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | P. Stanton | 175 | 32.0 |
| | Conservative | V. Keenan | 143 | 26.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.1 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |

### Rochford Roche

Rochford Roche :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | D. Ford | 370 | 66.3 |
| | Conservative | M. Shelley | 188 | 33.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 32.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Rochford St. Andrew's

Rochford St. Andrew's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | D. Weir | 377 | 53.3 |
| | Conservative | R. Amner | 330 | 46.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Trinity

Trinity :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | K. Gibbs | 372 | 47.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | P. Pearse | 271 | 34.2 |
| | Labour | J. Fielding | 149 | 18.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |

### Wheatley

Wheatley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | M. Webster | 478 | 52.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Swain | 344 | 37.8 |
| | Labour | D. Randall | 87 | 9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |

### Whitehouse

Whitehouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | P. Webster | 540 | 53.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Hunnable | 358 | 35.5 |
| | Labour | M. Emmons | 110 | 10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 18.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |