# 2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election

The 2003 Stratford-on-Avon District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Stratford-on-Avon District Council in Warwickshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Conservative 27
* Liberal Democrat 22
* Independent 3
* Labour 1

## Campaign

Before the election the Conservatives were one seats short of having a majority on the council with 26 seats, as compared to 22 for the Liberal Democrats, 2 Labour and 3 independents. 16 seats were contested in the election with the Liberal Democrats defending the most seats.
Council tax levels were the major issue in the election with the Liberal Democrats attacking plans for a 58% increase, which they said was mostly due to waste and poor decisions by the council. However the Conservatives defended the rise, blaming it on an insufficient grant from the national government and on the previous Liberal Democrat administration for using cash balances to keep levels artificially low. The election also saw four independent candidates standing in Stratford wards in opposition to the council tax rise.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives regain control of the council, after the election saw 5 seats changes hands. They made a net gain of 1 seat at the expense of Labour who were reduced to only 1 seat on the council after losing in Southam ward. The election in Stratford Avenue and New Town saw the closest result with independent Keith Lloyd, standing in protest at council tax levels, defeating Liberal Democrat Bill Lowe by 1 vote. However the Liberal Democrats ended with the same number of seats, with their 2 gains including a surprise win in Stockton and Napton. Turnout in the election varied from a low of 27% to a high of 51%, but overall fell from 45% in 2002 to only 35%. This was despite including 3,000 voters who had used a trial e-voting internet system.
Stratford-on-Avon Local Election Result 2003 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 56.3 | 45.5 | 9,856 | +3.7% |
| Conservative | 6 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 37.5 | 39.6 | 8,577 | -3.7% |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.3 | 10.5 | 2,285 | +2.8% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 4.1 | 885 | -2.6% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 66 | -0.2% |

## Ward results

Alcester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pamela Price | 980 | 59.3 |
| | Conservative | Sylvia Hyde | 673 | 40.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 307 | 18.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,653 | 37.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Bidford and Salford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Brian Slaughter | 759 | 54.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Sandle | 632 | 45.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,391 | 27.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Fenny Compton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Chris Williams | 501 | 67.0 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Insoll | 247 | 33.0 | +33.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 | 34.0 | +11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 748 | 40.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Henley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ann Haddon | 652 | 57.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Edwards | 474 | 42.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 178 | 15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,126 | 32.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Kineton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Giblin | 690 | 52.2 |
| | Conservative | Richard Hurley | 631 | 47.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 59 | 4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,321 | 40.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Shipston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob White | 853 | 57.1 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Gray | 642 | 42.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 211 | 14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,495 | 43.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Southam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Leslie Hewer | 620 | 42.1 |
| | Labour | James Taylor | 608 | 41.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlie Williams | 244 | 16.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,472 | 31.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
Stockton and Napton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Rock | 419 | 62.7 | +36.4 |
| | Conservative | Peter Garret | 249 | 37.3 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 25.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 668 | 37.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Stratford Alveston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Vincent Seaman | 749 | 43.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judith Riley | 634 | 37.0 |
| | Independent | Roy Lodge | 187 | 10.9 |
| | Independent | Leslie Rouch | 145 | 8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 115 | 6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,715 | 41.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |
Stratford Avenue and New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Keith Lloyd | 612 | 35.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Lowe | 611 | 35.8 |
| | Conservative | Robert Bessell | 417 | 24.4 |
| | Labour | Karen Parnell | 69 | 4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,709 | 34.1 |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |
Stratford Guild and Hathaway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Thomas | 759 | 37.6 |
| | Conservative | Michael Perry | 631 | 31.3 |
| | Independent | Roger Hatch | 478 | 23.7 |
| | Labour | Michael Gerrard | 150 | 7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 128 | 6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,018 | 37.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Stratford Mount Pleasant :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Moorse | 762 | 60.6 |
| | Independent | Ted Lloyd | 438 | 34.8 |
| | Labour | Matthew Stephens | 58 | 4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 324 | 25.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,258 | 37.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Studley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Cronin | 820 | 58.2 |
| | Conservative | Heather Wersocki | 589 | 41.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 231 | 16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,409 | 30.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Tredington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Chris Saint | 556 | 68.6 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ben Brabyn | 255 | 31.4 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 301 | 37.1 | −6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 811 | 43.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Welford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Barnes | 647 | 76.7 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Harry Cottam | 196 | 23.3 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 451 | 53.5 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 843 | 51.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Wellesbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Close | 829 | 40.8 |
| | Conservative | Anita MacAulay | 712 | 35.0 |
| | Independent | Philip Coton | 425 | 20.9 |
| | Green | Michael Davies | 66 | 3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 117 | 5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,032 | 39.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | |