# Bournemouth Borough Council elections

Bournemouth Borough Council was the local authority for Bournemouth in Dorset, England between 1974 and 2019. Prior to 1974 Bournemouth had been a county borough within Hampshire (being a county borough meant it was self-governing, being independent of Hampshire County Council). Under the Local Government Act 1972 Bournemouth became a non-metropolitan district within Dorset on 1 April 1974, with the same boundaries as the former county borough. On 1 April 1997 it became a unitary authority, taking over the functions previously provided for the area by Dorset County Council. In 2019 the council was abolished, merging with Christchurch and Poole to form Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

## Political control

The first elections to the reformed council were held in 1973, initially to act as a shadow authority prior to the new arrangements coming into force the following year. From 1973 until the council's abolition in 2019 political control of the council was held by the following parties:
Lower tier non-metropolitan district
| Party in control | Party in control | Years |
| | Conservative | 1973–1991 |
| | No overall control | 1991–1997 |
Unitary authority
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control | 1997–2003 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2003–2007 |
| Conservative | 2007–2019 |

### Leadership

The role of mayor was largely ceremonial at Bournemouth Borough Council. Political leadership was instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders from 2007 until the council's abolition in 2019 were:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Richard Smith | Liberal Democrats | | 2007 |
| Stephen MacLoughlin | Conservative | May 2007 | 2010 |
| Peter Charon | Conservative | 19 Jul 2010 | 21 Feb 2012 |
| John Beesley | Conservative | 21 Feb 2012 | 31 Mar 2019 |

## Council elections
### Non-metropolitan district elections

* 1973 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 1976 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 1979 Bournemouth Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 1983 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 1987 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 1991 Bournemouth Borough Council election

### Unitary authority elections

* 1996 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 1999 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 2003 Bournemouth Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 2007 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 2011 Bournemouth Borough Council election
* 2015 Bournemouth Borough Council election

## Council composition

| Year | Conservative | Liberal Democrats | Labour | Green | UKIP | Independent | Council control after election |
| 2003 | 16 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Liberal Democrats |
| 2007 | 41 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Conservative |
| 2011 | 45 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Conservative |
| 2015 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Conservative |

## Borough result maps

* 2003 results map
* 2007 results map
* 2011 results map
* 2015 results map

## By-election results
### 1999–2003

Moordown By-Election 4 May 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Howard Henning | 559 | 40.0 | +19.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Hayter | 537 | 38.4 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | Tony Hughes | 301 | 21.5 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22 | 1.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,397 | 23.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Westbourne By-Election 4 May 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Beesley | 1,565 | 75.5 | +13.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Russell | 351 | 16.9 | −7.1 |
| | Labour | David Stokes | 156 | 7.5 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,214 | 58.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,072 | 30.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Strouden Park By-Election 7 September 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jean Littlewood | 1,276 | 54.7 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | Terry Hellier-Woods | 917 | 39.3 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | Arthur O'Luby | 139 | 6.0 | −13.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 15.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,332 | 29.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Kinson By-Election 2 August 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Janice Hurne | 708 | 44.7 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Donald Lazenbury | 532 | 33.6 | +13.1 |
| | Conservative | Michaela Keene | 345 | 21.8 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | 11.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,585 | 25.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2003–2007

Talbot & Branksome Woods By-Election 15 January 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lynda Price | 766 | 52.9 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lorna McGowan | 484 | 33.4 | +5.4 |
| | UKIP | Graham Evans | 128 | 8.8 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | David Stokes | 70 | 4.8 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 282 | 19.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,448 | 21.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Boscombe West By-Election 22 July 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benedict Prescott | 526 | 42.9 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Wakefield | 384 | 31.3 | +5.9 |
| | Labour | David Stokes | 120 | 9.8 | −5.6 |
| | UKIP | Graham Evans | 107 | 8.7 | +8.7 |
| | Green | Roger Eede | 90 | 7.3 | +7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 | 11.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,227 | 20.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Kinson North By-Election 29 September 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Lewis | 720 | 37.0 | −7.8 |
| | Labour | Dennis Gritt | 645 | 33.1 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Pomeroy | 456 | 23.4 | +7.1 |
| | UKIP | Mark Smith | 126 | 6.5 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | 3.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,947 | 26.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Littledown & Iford By-Election 15 December 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas King | 1,318 | 67.8 | +36.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Ketchley | 389 | 20.0 | −30.9 |
| | Labour | Debbie Sharman | 162 | 8.3 | +2.1 |
| | BNP | Barry Bennett | 74 | 3.8 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 929 | 47.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,943 | 25.9 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### 2007–2011

Queen's Park By-Election 1 May 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cheryl Anne Johnson | 910 | 47.6 | −7.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Carlile | 466 | 24.4 | −10.6 |
| | UKIP | David Norman Hughes | 175 | 9.1 | +9.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | Mike Goff | 149 | 7.8 | −2.3 |
| | Independent | Chris Mayne | 146 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal | Bill Brandwood | 67 | 3.5 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 444 | 23.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,913 | 26.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Winton East By-Election 1 May 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Lloyd Barton Spencer | 590 | 35.6 | −14.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anson Westbrook | 411 | 24.8 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Mel Semple | 244 | 14.7 | +3.1 |
| | Independent | Malcolm Kenneth Lock | 132 | 8.0 | −1.7 |
| | Green | Roger Eede | 126 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| | BNP | Barry John Sinclair Bennett | 104 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| | UKIP | Sam Whitt | 51 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 179 | 10.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,658 | 24.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Westbourne & West Cliff By-Election 4 June 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Richard Powell | 1,308 | 51.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Noel Davenport | 567 | 22.3 |
| | UKIP | Rod Trelease | 360 | 14.1 |
| | Labour | Jack Killingback | 166 | 6.5 |
| | Independent | Malcolm John Chapman | 146 | 5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 741 | 29.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,547 | 31.76 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### 2011–2015

Redhill and Northbourne By-Election 31 May 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David d’Orton-Gibson | 675 | 26.7 |
| | Labour | Jo Kennedy | 539 | 21.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pat Lewis | 424 | 16.8 |
| | Independent | Claire Smith | 398 | 15.8 |
| | UKIP | Nicholas Atkinson | 327 | 13.0 |
| | Green | Sandra Hale | 54 | 2.1 |
| | Independent | Paul Graham | 51 | 2.0 |
| | BNP | Colin Smith | 42 | 1.7 |
| | Independent | Peter Woodley | 15 | 0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,525 | 32.77 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Littledown and Iford By-Election 15 November 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Gill Seymour | 810 | 54.0 |
| | Labour | Debbie Lynn Sharman | 247 | 16.5 |
| | UKIP | David Norman Hughes | 229 | 15.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter David Pull | 214 | 14.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 563 | 37.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,500 | 19.98 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Winton East By-Election 14 November 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Pat Oakley | 503 | 41.8 |
| | Labour | Mike Goff | 215 | 17.9 |
| | UKIP | Laurence Fear | 212 | 17.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Stephen Gillett | 191 | 15.9 |
| | Green | Sandra Hale | 48 | 4.0 |
| | Independent | Kathleen Mortimer | 34 | 2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,203 | 15.44 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### 2015–2019

Kinson South By-Election 10 December 2015 (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Norman Decent | 520 |
| Conservative | Roger Marley | 509 |
| Labour | Beryl Baxter | 471 |
| Labour | Mel Semple | 371 |
| UKIP | Duane Farr | 313 |
| Bournemouth Independent Alliance | Philip Davenport | 168 |
| Bournemouth Independent Alliance | Roger West | 116 |
| Green | Carla Gregory-May | 63 |
| Liberal Democrats | Gill Pardy | 61 |
| Liberal Democrats | Phil Dunn | 60 |
| Green | Geoffrey Darnton | 54 |
| Patria | Kevin Dixon | 8 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
Kinson North By-Election 1 September 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Perkins | 556 | 34.7 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | Dennis Gritt | 517 | 32.2 | +11.2 |
| | UKIP | Duane Farr | 313 | 19.5 | −7.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Plant | 116 | 7.2 | −1.8 |
| | Green | Carla Gregory-May | 102 | 6.4 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 2.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,604 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Throop and Muscliff By-Election 18 January 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Kieron Wilson | 533 | 31.3 | +31.3 |
| | Conservative | Hazel Allen | 511 | 30.0 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Rob Bassinder | 402 | 23.6 | +13.1 |
| | Independent | Peter Lucas | 117 | 6.9 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Muriel Turner | 107 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| | Green | Jane Bull | 33 | 1.9 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22 | 1.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,703 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |