# 2004 Bedford Borough Council election

The 2004 Bedford Borough Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Bedford Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.
Results were seen as a setback for elected Mayor Frank Branston, as councillors who had defected to his Better Bedford Party such as Patrick Naughton in Goldington were defeated.
Prior to the election, one councillor left the Conservative group to sit as an independent.

## Summary
### Election result

2004 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 | 5 | 1 | 27.8 | 11 | 16 | 29.6 | 11,488 | 32.3 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | 6 | 2 | 33.3 | 9 | 15 | 27.8 | 8,170 | 23.0 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5 | 1 | 27.8 | 8 | 13 | 24.1 | 9,867 | 27.7 | +3.3 |
| | Better Bedford Party | 1 | 1 | 5.6 | 5 | 6 | 11.1 | 3,008 | 8.5 | –10.3 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 | 5.6 | 3 | 4 | 7.4 | 603 | 1.7 | –6.1 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,661 | 4.7 | N/A |
| | UKIP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 523 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 227 | 0.6 | –0.1 |
| | The Consensus | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 16 | <0.1 | N/A |

## Ward results
### Brickhill

Brickhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew McConnell* | 1,584 | 48.2 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Fitzpatrick | 1,377 | 41.9 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | Rebecca Chowdhury | 211 | 6.4 | −5.3 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Nicholas Pape | 117 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 207 | 6.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,289 | 49.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,598 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bromham

Bromham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Ashby | 1,582 | 66.4 | −7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stelios Mores | 432 | 18.1 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | Yanina Jones | 248 | 10.4 | −1.9 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Sarah Taylor | 122 | 5.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,150 | 48.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,384 | 40.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,864 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Better Bedford Party | Peter Chiswell* | 1,127 | 44.3 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Jane Caldwell | 624 | 24.5 | −15.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pierrette Lob-Levyt | 324 | 12.7 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Michael Williams | 303 | 11.9 | −30.1 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Glenn Farrar | 105 | 4.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Saul Keyworth | 62 | 2.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 503 | 19.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,545 | 41.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,092 | | |
| | Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative | Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Cauldwell

Cauldwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Randolph Charles* | 937 | 51.8 | −9.4 |
| | Conservative | Katherine Stacey | 393 | 21.7 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Bentham | 327 | 18.1 | +2.9 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Janet Bartram | 153 | 8.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 544 | 30.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,810 | 30.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,929 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Clapham

Clapham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mollie Foster* | 603 | 37.1 | −23.3 |
| | Conservative | Frederick Sparrow | 525 | 32.3 | −28.1 |
| | Labour | Terence Carroll | 230 | 14.1 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Lawson | 202 | 12.4 | +4.1 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Paul Dempsey | 66 | 4.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 78 | 4.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,626 | 38.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,263 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### De Parys

De Parys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tarsem Paul | 748 | 42.7 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Ryan* | 648 | 37.0 | −8.1 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Michael Mawson | 178 | 10.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | Marilyn Leask | 140 | 8.0 | −2.6 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Deba Choudhury | 36 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 100 | 5.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,750 | 42.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,086 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Eastcotts

Eastcotts :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine McHugh* | 569 | 61.5 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Chetcuti | 267 | 28.9 | −10.5 |
| | Labour | Franca Garrick | 47 | 5.1 | −1.1 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Vivian Suter | 42 | 4.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 302 | 32.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 925 | 43.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,137 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Goldington

Goldington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Merryman | 1,076 | 44.8 | −15.3 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Patrick Naughton* | 661 | 27.5 | −32.6 |
| | Labour | Timothy Caswell | 313 | 13.0 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative | Alan Cassan | 303 | 12.6 | ±0.0 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Francesca Ariano | 33 | 1.4 | N/A |
| | The Consensus | Dirk Bruere | 16 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 415 | 17.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,402 | 37.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,370 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Great Barford

Great Barford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Harrison* | 1,152 | 63.9 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Stekelis | 296 | 16.4 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | Pauline Curl | 212 | 11.8 | −4.5 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Rita Robinson | 144 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 856 | 47.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,804 | 44.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,089 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Harpur

Harpur :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Colleen Atkins | 889 | 41.7 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Brian Dillingham* | 638 | 29.9 | −11.9 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Alberto Thomas | 285 | 13.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Melanie Parra-Whitehead | 177 | 8.3 | −2.7 |
| | Green | Jennifer Foley | 113 | 5.3 | −5.2 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Brian Gibbons | 32 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 251 | 11.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,134 | 35.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,974 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Kempston East

Kempston East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lewis | 707 | 42.8 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Eileen Whitmore** | 454 | 27.5 | −18.6 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Mary Stupple | 281 | 17.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joan Slater | 161 | 9.7 | +3.0 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Janet Suter | 50 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 253 | 15.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,653 | 37.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,425 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Eileen Whitmore was a sitting councillor in Bromham ward.

### Kempston North

Kempston North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ray Oliver | 611 | 43.3 | −12.6 |
| | Conservative | Mark Smith | 456 | 32.3 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Gerard | 161 | 11.4 | +0.1 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Gurminder Singh | 136 | 9.6 | N/A |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Christine Richards | 48 | 3.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 155 | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,412 | 35.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,980 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kempston South

Kempston South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Hunt* | 804 | 45.1 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | Jagdish Singh | 437 | 24.5 | +10.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Timothy Hill | 348 | 19.5 | +8.0 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Barbara Lowden-Smith | 193 | 10.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 367 | 20.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,782 | 31.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,615 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kingsbrook

Kingsbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dave Hodgson* | 1,067 | 52.4 | +9.8 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Luder | 551 | 27.1 | −13.1 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Purbrick | 280 | 13.8 | +2.8 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Charlene Tillotson | 138 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 516 | 25.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,036 | 31.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,564 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Newnham

Newnham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Whitehead | 465 | 30.0 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative | Colin Crane* | 461 | 29.8 | −7.3 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Edward Davey | 340 | 22.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | June McDonald | 203 | 13.1 | −15.4 |
| | Green | Chris Davies | 52 | 3.4 | N/A |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Betty Stapleton | 27 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4 | 0.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,548 | 38.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,035 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Putnoe

Putnoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Weerasirie | 1,277 | 43.6 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | Peter Allen | 814 | 27.8 | +1.5 |
| | UKIP | Mark Adkin | 523 | 17.8 | −7.5 |
| | Labour | Charan Sekhon | 211 | 7.2 | −2.9 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Robert Wane | 105 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 463 | 15.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,930 | 44.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,659 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Queens Park

Queens Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Muhummad Khan* | 1,078 | 57.8 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neal Bath | 348 | 18.6 | +8.6 |
| | Conservative | Atul Sikand | 302 | 16.2 | +31 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Roland Warder | 138 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 730 | 39.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,866 | 39.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,771 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Wootton

Wootton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Tait | 789 | 47.3 | +11.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Murphy | 612 | 36.7 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | Adrien Beardmore | 154 | 9.2 | −0.2 |
| | Association of Bedfordshire Citizens | Stewart Lister | 112 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 177 | 10.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,667 | 40.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,116 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |