# 1988 Colchester Borough Council election

Elections to Colchester Borough Council were held on 5 May 1988 alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom.
This was the first Colchester local election contested by the newly formed Liberal Democrats following the merger of the SDP and Liberal Party.
At the election, the Liberal Democrats emerged as the largest party on the council for the first time since its creation in 1973.

## Summary

1988 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 % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 7 | 2 | 35.0 | 17 | 24 | 40.0 | 12,424 | 32.5 | –4.3 |
| | Conservative | 9 | 1 | 45.0 | 14 | 23 | 38.3 | 15,190 | 39.7 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour | 3 | 1 | 15.0 | 6 | 9 | 15.0 | 9,590 | 25.1 | +4.7 |
| | Tiptree Residents | 1 | | 5.0 | 2 | 3 | 5.0 | 1,042 | 2.7 | –0.2 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.7 | 0 | 0.0 | –0.2 |

## Ward results
### Berechurch

Berechurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John William Stevens* | 1,140 | 41.8 | −3.2 |
| | Labour | G. Prior | 984 | 36.0 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | E. Parsons | 606 | 22.2 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 156 | 5.8 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,730 | 44.8 | −4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,090 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.8 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Cole* | 947 | 38.5 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | E. Humphreys | 896 | 36.4 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | H. Winter | 617 | 25.1 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 51 | 2.1 | −7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,460 | 47.9 | −11.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,136 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.5 | |

### Dedham

Dedham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | G. Williams | 485 | 53.9 | +17.7 |
| | Conservative | G. Spray | 390 | 43.4 | −15.0 |
| | Labour | S. Worgan | 24 | 2.7 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 95 | 10.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 899 | 58.8 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,529 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 16.4 | |

### East Donyland

East Donyland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Sanderson* | 551 | 56.9 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | B. Wilding | 302 | 31.2 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Woodward | 115 | 11.9 | −11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 249 | 25.7 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 968 | 56.5 | −0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,713 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.0 | |

### Fordham

Fordham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Cannon* | 449 | 66.1 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | A. Sullivan | 127 | 18.7 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | G. Chase | 103 | 15.2 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 322 | 47.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 679 | 48.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,405 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.2 | |

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Bird* | 1,135 | 52.5 | +18.1 |
| | Conservative | Mike Coyne | 518 | 24.0 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Blandon | 461 | 21.3 | −15.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 617 | 28.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,114 | 38.3 | −10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,652 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 10.2 | |

### Lexden

Lexden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sonia Lewis | 1,188 | 50.2 | +7.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B. Williamson | 1,056 | 44.6 | −7.7 |
| | Labour | J. Crawford | 123 | 5.2 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 132 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,367 | 54.7 | −4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,327 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 7.5 | |

### Marks Tey

Marks Tey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Gower | 454 | 49.8 | −14.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | G. Ambridge | 268 | 29.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Maureen Lee | 190 | 20.8 | −15.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 186 | 20.4 | −7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 912 | 43.8 | +14.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,082 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Mile End

Mile End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Borges* | 884 | 58.4 | +6.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | E. Reid | 376 | 24.9 | −9.1 |
| | Labour | A. Hayden-Case | 253 | 16.7 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 508 | 33.5 | +15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,513 | 37.8 | −7.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,005 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.8 | |

### New Town

New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Russell* | 1,373 | 68.2 | +13.0 |
| | Labour | Sandra Benedetti | 417 | 20.7 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Clarke | 223 | 11.1 | −6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 956 | 47.5 | +19.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,013 | 43.8 | +3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,595 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 9.6 | |

### Prettygate

Prettygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Hunt* | 1,295 | 50.7 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | R. Stevenson | 1,001 | 39.2 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | G. Thompson | 256 | 10.0 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 294 | 11.5 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,512 | 50.7 | −7.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,029 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.2 | |

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Cawley* | 1,047 | 49.7 | −8.6 |
| | Labour | Frank Wilkin | 588 | 27.9 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | E. Winney | 470 | 22.3 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 459 | 21.8 | −13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,105 | 33.0 | −3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,381 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 6.6 | |

### St. Andrew's

St. Andrew's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Truscott | 1,294 | 52.6 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | E. Paice | 746 | 30.3 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Muffett | 421 | 17.1 | −10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 548 | 22.3 | +5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,461 | 27.3 | −2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,019 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.9 | |

### St. Anne's

St. Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mary Frank* | 922 | 41.6 | +16.7 |
| | Conservative | G. Gawthrop | 702 | 31.7 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Sheehan | 592 | 26.7 | −13.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 220 | 9.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,216 | 45.8 | −4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,843 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 10.0 | |

### St. John's

St. John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Smith* | 1,120 | 51.7 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L. Clubb | 821 | 37.9 | −9.6 |
| | Labour | K. Hindle | 224 | 10.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 299 | 13.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,165 | 39.4 | −10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,497 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.4 | |

### St. Mary's

St. Mary's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Brooks* | 1,209 | 59.2 | +8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Watkins | 426 | 20.9 | −11.8 |
| | Labour | R. Turp | 407 | 19.9 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 783 | 38.3 | +19.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,042 | 41.0 | −8.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,986 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.9 | |

### Stanway

Stanway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Sykes | 968 | 44.0 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | B. Chafer* | 887 | 40.3 | −6.6 |
| | Labour | Tim Young | 346 | 15.7 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 81 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,201 | 41.3 | −2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,333 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.6 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tiptree Residents | E. Bird* | 1,042 | 66.3 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | E. Peel | 385 | 24.5 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Lucy Wood | 145 | 9.2 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 657 | 41.8 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,572 | 25.5 | −5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,161 | | |
| | Tiptree Residents hold | Tiptree Residents hold | Swing | 0.2 | |

### West Mersea

West Mersea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Kimberley | 1,337 | 73.4 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Stevens | 345 | 18.9 | −10.4 |
| | Labour | C. McGowan-Griffin | 139 | 7.6 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 992 | 54.5 | +19.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,821 | 34.1 | −10.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,341 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.6 | |

### Wivenhoe

Wivenhoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Adams | 1,174 | 47.8 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Newman | 1,097 | 44.7 | +3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Wilson | 185 | 7.5 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 77 | 3.1 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,456 | 40.5 | −3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,058 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 2.2 | |