# 1995 West Dorset District Council election

The 1995 West Dorset District Council election was held on Thursday 4 May 1995 to elect councillors to West Dorset District Council in England. It took place on the same day as other district council elections in the United Kingdom. The entire council was up for election.
The 1995 election saw the council remain in no overall control, with Independent councillors and the Conservatives each electing 18 councillors.

## Ward results
### Beaminster

Beaminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | D. Barrett | 963 | – | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | F. Streets | 785 | 33.6 | –8.0 |
| | Conservative | V. Ivory | 587 | 25.1 | –0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Walcot | 514 | – | |
| | Independent | M. Puzey | 514 | – | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.0 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,130 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Bothenhampton

Bothenhampton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Pritchard | 496 | 60.3 | –13.5 |
| | Labour | M. Farmer | 327 | 39.7 | +13.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 169 | 20.5 | –27.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.6 | –4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,595 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bradford Abbas

Bradford Abbas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | E. Garrett * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,491 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Bradpole

Bradpole :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | R. Coatsworth * | 450 | 68.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | M. Shiels | 203 | 31.1 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 247 | 37.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.0 | –3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,767 | | |
| | Independent gain from Ind. Conservative | Independent gain from Ind. Conservative | Swing | | |

### Bridport North

Bridport North (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L. Dibdin * | 922 | 40.6 | –0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Draper | 721 | 31.7 | –2.2 |
| | Conservative | B. Rowe | 628 | 27.7 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | F. McKenzie | 570 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.7 | –11.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,475 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Bridport South

Bridport South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Murless * | 660 | 37.2 | +5.7 |
| | Independent | C. Samways * | 477 | 26.9 | –1.0 |
| | Conservative | S. Brown | 397 | 22.4 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B. Wheeler | 242 | 13.6 | –4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.5 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,629 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Broadmayne

Broadmayne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | A. Thacker * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,483 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Broadwindsor

Broadwindsor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Hardman * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,166 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Burton Bradstock

Burton Bradstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Pritchard * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,311 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Caundle Vale

Caundle Vale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | N. White * | 260 | 62.1 | –9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | E. Compton | 236 | 47.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 4.8 | –19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.9 | –6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,092 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Cerne Valley

Cerne Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | R. Stenhouse * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,186 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Charminster

Charminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Kennedy * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,249 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Charmouth

Charmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | J. Cockerill * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,348 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Chesil Bank

Chesil Bank :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | M. Pengelly * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Chickerell

Chickerell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Brown * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Independent | I. Gardner * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,906 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |

### Dorchester East

Dorchester East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Enid Stella Jones * | 769 | 75.5 | +11.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | T. Harries * | 626 | – | |
| | Conservative | G. Duke | 249 | 24.5 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.7 | –14.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,936 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Dorchester North

Dorchester North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | L. Phillips * | 446 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Biggs | 372 | 28.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | L. Lock * | 323 | – | N/A |
| | Labour | J. Dyer | 278 | 21.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | S. Pering | 258 | – | |
| | Green | B. Smith | 223 | 16.9 | –9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 47.0 | –3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,214 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Dorchester South

Dorchester South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | H. Dowell * | 1,054 | 42.5 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Rennie * | 1,008 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. Maggs * | 893 | – | |
| | Independent | K. Lambert | 867 | 34.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | R. Hill | 560 | 22.6 | –11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.0 | –8.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,029 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Dorchester West

Dorchester West (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Antell * | 1,059 | 51.3 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | W. Gundry * | 789 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Trevor Jones * | 653 | 31.6 | –0.4 |
| | Labour | P. Hayward | 631 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | P. Sennett | 430 | – | |
| | Conservative | D. Fry | 354 | 17.1 | –2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.3 | – |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,227 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Frome Valley

Frome Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | M. Penfold * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,229 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Halstock

Halstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | T. Frost * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,401 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Holnest

Holnest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Friar | 521 | 69.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | G. House * | 232 | 30.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 289 | 38.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 58.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,303 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |

### Loders

Loders :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Bryan | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,154 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | O. Lovell * | 792 | – | N/A |
| | Independent | E. Street | 707 | – | N/A |
| | Conservative | S. Poupard * | 543 | 37.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | V. White | 443 | – | N/A |
| | Independent | K. Whetlor | 310 | – | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Saull-Hunt | 112 | 7.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,067 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Maiden Newton

Maiden Newton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | E. Harris | 450 | 72.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | R. Bowditch | 168 | 27.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 282 | 45.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,228 | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |

### Netherbury

Netherbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Haynes * | 286 | 50.7 | –17.1 |
| | Independent | R. Pawley | 278 | 49.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 1.4 | –34.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.0 | –6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,329 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Owermoigne

Owermoigne (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SDP | J. Shuttleworth * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Conservative | P. Grove-White | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,523 | | |
| | SDP hold | SDP hold | SDP hold | SDP hold | SDP hold |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats |

### Piddle Valley

Piddle Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Boughey | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,422 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Puddletown

Puddletown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Harries * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,219 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Queen Thorne

Queen Thorne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | I. Martin | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,179 | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |

### Sherborne East

Sherborne East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. Farmer | 496 | 39.3 | –15.0 |
| | Labour | R. Bygrave * | 422 | 33.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | J. Williams | 372 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Rehahn | 344 | 27.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | L. Ashby | 339 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.7 | –12.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,590 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Sherborne West

Sherborne West (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Mildenhall * | 863 | 40.3 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | P. Shorland * | 788 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Doyle | 693 | 32.4 | –4.1 |
| | Conservative | H. Warburton | 657 | – | |
| | Labour | P. O'Dwyer | 586 | 27.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Bonelle | 559 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | T. Rogers | 497 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.6 | –13.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,911 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Symondsbury

Symondsbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Summers * | 228 | 50.8 | –4.6 |
| | Labour | B. Begley | 221 | 49.2 | +4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 1.6 | –9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.5 | –9.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,383 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Thorncombe

Thorncombe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Terrett * | 290 | 59.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | J. Everington | 201 | 40.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 | 18.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,025 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Tolpuddle

Tolpuddle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. Hutchinson * | 248 | 63.8 | –4.7 |
| | Labour | R. Pickering | 141 | 36.2 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 107 | 27.5 | –9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.0 | –5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 796 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Whitchurch Canonicorum

Whitchurch Canonicorum :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Bushrod * | 331 | 57.0 | +18.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Hemingway | 250 | 43.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 81 | 13.9 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 52.0 | –8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,171 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Winterborne St Martin

Winterborne St Martin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | S. Slade * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,989 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Yetminster

Yetminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. King | 391 | 57.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | R. Wilson | 290 | 42.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 101 | 14.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,370 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |

## By-elections between 1995 and 1999
### Thorncombe

Thorncombe By-Election 17 April 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | | 225 | 44.6 | –14.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 199 | 39.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | | 80 | 15.8 | –25.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | 5.2 | –12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.84 | –1.16 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bridport South

Bridport South By-Election (2 seats) 1 May 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 354 | 35.1 | –2.1 |
| | Conservative | | 328 | 32.5 | +10.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 326 | 32.2 | +18.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 293 | – | |
| | Conservative | | 270 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Yetminster

Yetminster By-Election 1 May 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | | 576 | 51.3 | +8.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 546 | 48.7 | –8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Chickerell

Chickerell By-Election 10 July 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 701 | 64.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | | 201 | 18.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | | 187 | 16.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 500 | 45.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |