# 2007 West Somerset District Council election

The 2007 West Somerset District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of West Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election and independents gained overall control of the council from the Conservative party.

## Election result

The Conservatives dropped to 13 seats, a net loss of 4, and fell behind the independents who became the largest group with 16 councillors. Conservative losses included defeats in the seats of Alcombe East, Old Cleeve, Porlock, Quantock Vale and West Quantock, but they did make some gains, including in Watchet where an independent lost a seat. Both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats lost a seat, to only have one councillor each. Overall turnout at the election was 46.9%.
Following the election independent councillor Keith Ross became the new leader of the council, taking over from the Conservatives, with Labour councillor Simon Stokes becoming deputy leader.
West Somerset local election result 2007 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 16 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 51.6 | 48.0 | 10,292 | +18.8% |
| Conservative | 13 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 41.9 | 43.0 | 9,218 | +0.9% |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3.2 | 5.4 | 1,150 | -11.3% |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 776 | -7.1% |

## Ward results

Alcombe East (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ian Melhuish | 323 | | |
| | Conservative | Nicolas Messarra | 201 | | |
| | Conservative | Jamie Anderson | 157 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 681 | 43.7 | +22.8 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Alcombe West (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Simon Stokes | 479 | | |
| | Conservative | Norman Hercock | 355 | | |
| | Labour | Marcus Kravis | 348 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,182 | 39.2 | +4.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Aville Vale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Webber | 313 | 55.4 | −23.1 |
| | Independent | Aron Cody-Boutcher | 252 | 44.6 | +23.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 61 | 10.8 | −46.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 565 | 56.2 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Brompton Ralph and Haddon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keith Turner | 255 | 63.1 | +23.3 |
| | Independent | David Gliddon | 149 | 36.9 | −23.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 106 | 26.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 404 | 54.3 | +9.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Carhampton and Withycombe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Humber | 417 | 71.8 |
| | Conservative | Brian Jenkinson | 164 | 28.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 253 | 43.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 581 | 56.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Crowcombe and Stogumber :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Tim Taylor | 315 | 58.0 |
| | Independent | Roy Harbour | 228 | 42.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 87 | 16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 543 | 58.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Dulverton and Brushford (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Keith Ross | 684 | | |
| | Independent | Michael Gammon | 451 | | |
| | Conservative | Paul Chamberlain | 341 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,476 | 53.3 | +0.8 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Dunster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bryan Leaker | 186 | 59.8 | −0.4 |
| | Independent | Julie Harvey-Smith | 125 | 40.2 | +19.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 61 | 19.6 | −19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 311 | 47.9 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Exmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steven Pugsley | unopposed | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Minehead North (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Doug Ross | 822 | | |
| | Conservative | Christine Lawrence | 580 | | |
| | Conservative | David Sanders | 453 | | |
| | Conservative | Jeremy White | 415 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,270 | 41.4 | +3.9 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Minehead South (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Terry Venner | 822 | | |
| | Independent | Michael Downes | 706 | | |
| | Independent | John Walker | 631 | | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Berry | 571 | | |
| | Conservative | Dudley Seale | 442 | | |
| | Conservative | Stan Taylor | 331 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,503 | 43.4 | +2.2 |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Old Cleeve (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Kate Kravis | 532 | |
| | Independent | Neil Parbrook | 479 | |
| | Conservative | Pamela Driver | 302 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,313 | 42.7 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
Porlock and District (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Angela Palmer | 656 | |
| | Independent | Jon Freeman | 427 | |
| | Conservative | Mike Padgett | 273 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,356 | 47.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Quantock Vale (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Chris Morgan | 424 | | |
| | Independent | Paul Tipney | 420 | | |
| | Conservative | Mary Crowley | 335 | | |
| | Conservative | Loretta Whetlor | 243 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,422 | 46.6 | +4.8 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Quarme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Christopher White | 347 | 71.0 |
| | Independent | John Bray | 142 | 29.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 205 | 42.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 489 | 59.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |
Watchet (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Westcott | 716 | | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Knight | 505 | | |
| | Independent | Jennifer Hill | 441 | | |
| | Independent | David Banks | 425 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Bowden | 359 | | |
| | Labour | Peter Murphy | 323 | | |
| | Conservative | Ann Snelling | 300 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,069 | 42.3 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
West Quantock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mitch Wicking | 301 | 58.2 | +14.4 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Child | 216 | 41.8 | −14.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 85 | 16.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51.7 | 54.6 | +1.6 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Williton (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Hugh Davies | 696 | | |
| | Independent | Edwin May | 298 | | |
| | Independent | Ian Aldridge | 269 | | |
| | Conservative | Rose Woods | 246 | | |
| | Independent | John Holden | 214 | | |
| | Independent | William Gulliford | 31 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,754 | 47.7 | +1.8 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2007 and 2011
### Alcombe East

Alcombe East By-Election 1 May 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dudley Seale | 263 | 59.4 | +21.0 |
| | Independent | Sandra Slade | 103 | 23.3 | −38.3 |
| | Labour | Ronald Bridle | 42 | 9.5 | +9.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Bowden | 35 | 7.9 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 160 | 36.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 443 | 41.1 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Minehead South

Minehead South By-Election 16 April 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Sandra Slade | 393 | 51.5 | −7.5 |
| | Conservative | Leslie Smith | 370 | 48.5 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 | 3.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 763 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |