# 2006 Bedford Borough Council election

The 2006 Bedford Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Bedford Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.
Prior to the election, one councillor left the Labour group to sit as an Independent.

## Summary
### Election result

2006 Bedford 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 % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 7 | 1 | 38.9 | 10 | 17 | 31.5 | 12,543 | 35.6 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5 | 2 | 27.8 | 10 | 15 | 27.8 | 9,567 | 27.2 | –0.5 |
| | Labour | 3 | 2 | 16.7 | 9 | 12 | 22.2 | 7,589 | 21.5 | –1.5 |
| | Independent | 3 | | 16.7 | 3 | 6 | 11.1 | 2,783 | 7.9 | +6.2 |
| | Better Bedford Party | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 4 | 4 | 7.4 | 2,045 | 5.8 | –2.7 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 696 | 2.0 | +1.4 |

## Ward results
### Brickhill

Brickhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Hand* | 1,639 | 48.7 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charles Royden | 1,491 | 44.3 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Brian Anderson | 235 | 7.0 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 4.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,365 | 51.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bromham

Bromham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Terence Rigby* | 1,782 | 74.6 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Gallagher | 244 | 10.2 | −6.0 |
| | Labour | Nicholas Luder | 233 | 9.8 | −2.5 |
| | Green | David Maxwell | 192 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 4.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,365 | 51.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Apu Bagchi* | 857 | 36.0 | −10.8 |
| | Labour | Laurence Evans | 527 | 22.2 | −24.6 |
| | Conservative | David Fletcher | 509 | 21.4 | −16.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynda Aylett-Green | 321 | 13.5 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Saul Keyworth | 164 | 6.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 330 | 13.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,378 | 37.8 | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Cauldwell

Cauldwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Elford* | 1,038 | 54.9 | −8.9 |
| | Conservative | Katherine Stacey | 546 | 28.9 | +16.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Gerard | 306 | 16.2 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 492 | 26.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,890 | 30.9 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Goldington

Goldington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mahmud Rogers | 977 | 45.9 | −14.5 |
| | Conservative | Colin Crane | 439 | 20.6 | +8.0 |
| | Labour | Marilyn Leask | 393 | 18.5 | −3.5 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Martin Barlett | 321 | 15.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 538 | 25.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,130 | 33.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Harpur

Harpur :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Dillingham | 744 | 38.4 | −3.4 |
| | Labour | Penelope Nicholls | 719 | 37.1 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Ryan | 218 | 11.2 | +0.2 |
| | Green | Jennifer Foley | 156 | 8.0 | −2.5 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Alberto Thomas | 102 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 | 1.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,939 | 32.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Harrold

Harrold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Charsley | 575 | 44.9 | +28.0 |
| | Conservative | David Billington | 507 | 39.6 | −26.5 |
| | Independent | Martin Bridgman* | 126 | 10.2 | −55.9 |
| | Labour | Stephen Poole | 37 | 2.9 | −14.1 |
| | Green | Lucy Bywater | 35 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 68 | 5.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,280 | 55.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Kempston East

Kempston East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Attenborough* | 726 | 47.8 | −4.3 |
| | Labour | Gillian Burley | 589 | 38.8 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joan Slater | 205 | 13.5 | +6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 137 | 9.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,520 | 34.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Kempston North

Kempston North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Susan Oliver* | 724 | 49.6 | −12.8 |
| | Conservative | Mark Smith | 592 | 40.6 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Desmond Clarke | 143 | 9.8 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 132 | 9.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,459 | 36.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kempston South

Kempston South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jasbir Parmar | 775 | 40.5 | +23.8 |
| | Labour | Shan Hunt* | 622 | 32.5 | −8.4 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Angela Parker | 242 | 12.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Timothy Hill | 192 | 10.0 | −1.5 |
| | Green | Neil Foley | 81 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 153 | 8.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,912 | 34.3 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Kingsbrook

Kingsbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shirley McKay* | 1,044 | 47.9 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Frank Garrick | 607 | 27.8 | −12.4 |
| | Conservative | Mohammed Kabir | 529 | 24.3 | +13.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 437 | 25.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,180 | 20.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Newnham

Newnham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Mingay* | 629 | 37.5 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stelios Mores | 467 | 27.9 | −2.5 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Edward Davey | 265 | 15.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | June McDonald | 255 | 15.2 | −13.3 |
| | Green | Mark Steinhart | 60 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 9.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,676 | 41.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Oakley

Oakley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Patricia Olney* | 686 | 87.4 | +9.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rosemary Smithson | 63 | 8.0 | +5.6 |
| | Labour | Franca Garrick | 36 | 4.6 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 623 | 79.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 785 | 42.7 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Putnoe

Putnoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Headley* | 1,716 | 54.2 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | Peter Allen | 743 | 23.5 | −2.8 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Raymond Hostler | 478 | 15.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Rosemary Roome | 229 | 7.2 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 973 | 30.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,166 | 48.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Queen's Park

Queen's Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mohammed Yasin* | 1,087 | 42.2 | −23.0 |
| | Conservative | Parvez Akhtar | 1,013 | 39.3 | +26.2 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Michele Bonito | 306 | 11.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neal Bath | 172 | 6.7 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 74 | 2.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,578 | 51.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Riseley

Riseley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ian Clifton* | 1,027 | 85.4 | +4.9 |
| | Independent | Patricia Grieve | 87 | 7.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Stekelis | 46 | 3.8 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | Terence Carroll | 42 | 3.5 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 940 | 78.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,202 | 56.3 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Wilshamstead

Wilshamstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Huckle* | 821 | 53.1 | −10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Malcolm Whiteman | 523 | 33.8 | +4.8 |
| | Labour | Jane Owen | 132 | 8.5 | N/A |
| | Green | Justina McLennan | 71 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 298 | 19.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,547 | 38.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Wootton

Wootton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judith Cunningham* | 864 | 47.3 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Catherine Dale | 549 | 30.0 | −5.4 |
| | Better Bedford Party | John Bojczuk | 331 | 18.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Adrien Beardmore | 84 | 4.6 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 973 | 30.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,166 | 48.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |