# 2008 Winchester City Council election

The 2008 Winchester Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Winchester District Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Conservative 29
* Liberal Democrat 24
* Independent 3
* Labour 1

## Campaign

One third of the seats were being contested with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour each contesting all 19 seats. The Conservatives, who ran the council since the 2006 election were defending 6 seats compared to 11 for the Liberal Democrats and 2 independents. Among the councillors who were defending seats were the Conservative council leader, George Beckett, and the Liberal Democrat group leader Therese Evans. Other candidates included 2 independents, 7 from the United Kingdom Independence Party and 4 from the Green Party.
The Conservatives defended their record of running the council saying that they had improved services while keeping council tax rises below the rate of inflation. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats criticised the Conservatives over housing and development in the council area.
During the campaign a Conservative activist in Whiteley ward, John Hall, was charged after a police investigation over electoral fraud offences.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives just maintain their one-seat majority after losing two seats to the Liberal Democrats in St Barnabas and Whiteley wards, but gaining one seat back in St Michael and taking one seat from an independent in Shedfield.
Winchester Local Election Result 2008 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 12 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 63.2 | 46.0 | 15,511 | +6.2% |
| Conservative | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 31.6 | 43.3 | 14,609 | -7.0% |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 1,225 | +0.3% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.4 | 1,492 | +0.0% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.4 | 456 | +0.8% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 451 | -0.2% |

## Ward results
### Bishop's Waltham

Bishop's Waltham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jean Hammerton | 832 | 38.9 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | Michael North | 650 | 30.4 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brandy Blunt | 553 | 25.9 | +13.7 |
| | UKIP | William McNally | 57 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | David Picton-Jones | 47 | 2.2 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 182 | 8.5 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,139 | 41.1 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Boarhunt & Southwick

Boarhunt & Southwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Cooper | 294 | 50.4 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Nicholls | 273 | 46.8 | +7.3 |
| | Labour | James Ross | 16 | 2.7 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 3.6 | −7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 583 | 58.4 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Colden Common and Twyford

Colden Common and Twyford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Mason | 1,118 | 53.0 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | Sue Evershed | 942 | 44.6 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | Timothy Curran | 51 | 2.4 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | 8.4 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,111 | 50.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Compton and Otterbourne

Compton and Otterbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Beckett | 954 | 51.7 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Suzanne Hudson | 820 | 44.4 | −6.0 |
| | UKIP | Christopher Barton-Briddon | 48 | 2.6 | −2.0 |
| | Labour | Clare McKenna | 23 | 1.2 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 134 | 7.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,845 | 57.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Denmead

Denmead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Read | 1,611 | 78.1 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Stoneham | 379 | 18.4 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | Michael Chaplin | 73 | 3.5 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,232 | 59.7 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,063 | 39.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Kings Worthy

Kings Worthy :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Johnston | 938 | 53.8 | +9.3 |
| | Conservative | John White | 747 | 42.9 | −8.1 |
| | Labour | Elaine Fullaway | 58 | 3.3 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 191 | 10.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,743 | 51.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Littleton and Harestock

Littleton and Harestock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jacey Jackson | 970 | 59.9 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Cunningham | 627 | 38.7 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Brian Fullaway | 23 | 1.4 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 343 | 21.2 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,620 | 57.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Olivers Battery & Badger Farm

Olivers Battery & Badger Farm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Spender | 1,251 | 68.0 | +19.3 |
| | Conservative | Sally Owen | 497 | 27.0 | −21.2 |
| | Green | Jim Kirkpatrick | 59 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | John Elliot-Smith | 34 | 1.8 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 754 | 41.0 | +40.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,841 | 56.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Shedfield

Shedfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Linda Gemmell | 695 | 50.1 | +5.6 |
| | Independent | Stuart Jones | 393 | 28.3 | −9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Toole | 170 | 12.2 | +12.2 |
| | Labour | Patricia Hayward | 66 | 4.8 | −0.8 |
| | UKIP | Douglas Reed | 64 | 4.6 | +4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 302 | 21.8 | +15.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,388 | 44.7 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### St. Barnabas

St. Barnabas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allan Mitchell | 1,401 | 53.3 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative | Anne Saunders | 1,157 | 44.0 | −5.6 |
| | Labour | Adrian Field | 72 | 2.7 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 244 | 9.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,630 | 55.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### St. Bartholomew

St. Bartholomew :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Maynard | 1,085 | 51.7 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | Miff Kayum | 711 | 33.9 | −3.6 |
| | Green | Jo Woodman | 163 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
| | Labour | Denis Archdeacon | 98 | 4.7 | +0.3 |
| | UKIP | Lawrence Hole | 42 | 2.0 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 374 | 17.8 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,099 | 43.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St. John and All Saints

St. John and All Saints :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Higgins | 611 | 39.8 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Antony De Peyer | 458 | 29.8 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | Ann Jones | 390 | 25.4 | −2.5 |
| | UKIP | Geoffrey Barrett | 78 | 5.1 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 153 | 10.0 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,537 | 32.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St. Luke

St. Luke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lucille Thompson | 792 | 52.4 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Rob Ducker | 542 | 35.8 | +2.6 |
| | Labour | Patrick Davies | 178 | 11.8 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 | 16.6 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,512 | 36.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St. Michael

St. Michael :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Sanders | 1,166 | 51.6 | −7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynda Banister | 900 | 39.8 | +6.4 |
| | Green | Alison Craig | 99 | 4.4 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Albert Edwards | 63 | 2.8 | −2.0 |
| | UKIP | David Abbott | 33 | 1.5 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 266 | 11.8 | −13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,261 | 48.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### St. Paul

St. Paul :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ray Love | 953 | 57.7 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Kathleen Jeffreys | 489 | 29.6 | −7.2 |
| | Green | Bridget Leyden | 135 | 8.2 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | Tessa Valentine | 74 | 4.5 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 464 | 28.1 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,651 | 36.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### The Alresfords

The Alresfords :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Cook | 1,505 | 57.8 | +28.0 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Jeffs | 923 | 35.5 | −19.2 |
| | UKIP | David Samuel | 129 | 5.0 | −3.7 |
| | Labour | Robin Atkins | 45 | 1.7 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 582 | 22.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,602 | 53.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Whiteley

Whiteley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vivian Achwal | 551 | 53.5 | +6.0 |
| | Conservative | Mark Wheeler | 459 | 44.6 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | Barry Jones | 20 | 1.9 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 8.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,030 | 45.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Wickham

Wickham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Therese Evans | 857 | 64.8 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative | Karen Jeffreys | 442 | 33.4 | −3.2 |
| | Labour | Andrew Rudge | 23 | 1.7 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 415 | 31.4 | +6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,322 | 43.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Wonston and Micheldever

Wonston and Micheldever :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Lipscomb | 1,313 | 74.3 | +11.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Hobson | 384 | 21.7 | −5.6 |
| | Labour | Nigel Lickley | 70 | 4.0 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 929 | 52.6 | +16.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,767 | 42.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |