# 2003 Bedford Borough Council election

The 2003 Bedford Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Bedford Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.
Prior to the election, five councillors - four from the Conservatives and one from the Liberal Democrats - left their respective groups and formed the Better Bedford Independent Party.

## Summary
### Election result

2003 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 | 3 | 29.4 | 13 | 18 | 33.3 | 7,902 | 28.7 | –9.1 |
| | Labour | 3 | 1 | 17.6 | 10 | 13 | 24.1 | 5,170 | 18.8 | –6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5 | 2 | 29.4 | 7 | 12 | 22.2 | 6,706 | 24.4 | –2.5 |
| | Better Bedford Party | 2 | 1 | 11.8 | 4 | 6 | 11.1 | 5,163 | 18.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | 3 | 1 | 16.7 | 2 | 5 | 9.3 | 2,154 | 7.8 | –1.7 |
| | BNP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 223 | 0.8 | N/A |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 186 | 0.7 | +0.4 |

## Ward results
### Brickhill

Brickhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lynne Faulkner* | 1,191 | 45.0 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Whitehead | 1,003 | 37.9 | −2.0 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Roberto Bosco | 234 | 8.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Karl Sorembik | 178 | 6.7 | −3.6 |
| | Green | Jennifer Foley | 40 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 188 | 7.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,646 | 40.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,586 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bromham

Bromham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Rigby* | 1,181 | 70.2 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Rutherford | 176 | 10.5 | −3.0 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Leslie Hunt | 175 | 10.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Arun Muzhi | 151 | 9.0 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,005 | 59.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,683 | 29.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,787 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Carlton

Carlton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jim Brandon* | 953 | 81.2 | +5.0 |
| | Conservative | Anthony Morris | 108 | 9.2 | −4.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Robertson | 63 | 5.4 | −4.8 |
| | Labour | Stephen Poole | 49 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 845 | 72.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,173 | 50.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,342 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Better Bedford Party | Margaret Davey* | 994 | 46.2 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | Marilyn Leask | 751 | 34.9 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative | Michael Williams | 230 | 10.7 | −30.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pierret Lob-Levyt | 177 | 8.2 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 243 | 11.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,152 | 35.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,052 | | |
| | Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative | Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Margaret Davey was the incumbent councillor, originally elected for the Conservatives, but defected to the Better Bedford Party. Because this seat is compared to the last time it was up for election it is shown as a Better Bedford Party gain.

### Cauldwell

Cauldwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christopher Black* | 742 | 50.6 | −7.8 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Gurminder Dosanjh | 352 | 24.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neal Bath | 206 | 14.1 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Denise Coates | 166 | 11.3 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 390 | 26.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,466 | 25.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,774 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Clapham

Clapham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tom Foster | 633 | 48.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Judith Arnold* | 310 | 23.6 | −26.6 |
| | Independent | John Creasey | 196 | 14.9 | −15.8 |
| | Labour | Terence Carroll | 119 | 9.0 | −8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Lawson | 57 | 4.3 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 323 | 24.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,315 | 32.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,128 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### De Parys

De Parys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Sawyer | 559 | 38.6 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Tarsem Paul* | 473 | 32.6 | −11.2 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Susannah Senior | 242 | 16.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Jane Caldwell | 140 | 9.7 | −0.9 |
| | Green | Mark Steinhardt | 35 | 2.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 86 | 5.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,449 | 35.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,126 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Goldington

Goldington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Smith* | 975 | 54.6 | −2.4 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Stewart Lister | 350 | 19.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | David Lewis | 293 | 16.4 | −5.6 |
| | Conservative | Valerie Fulford | 169 | 9.5 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 625 | 35.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,787 | 29.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,201 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Great Barford

Great Barford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Carole Ellis* | 787 | 53.4 | +0.5 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Elizabeth Ferguson | 454 | 30.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Stekelis | 121 | 8.2 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Pauline Curl | 112 | 7.6 | −8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 333 | 22.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,474 | 36.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,103 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Harpur

Harpur :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Nicholls* | 777 | 46.3 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Michael Spavins | 439 | 26.1 | −7.9 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Stuart Channon | 214 | 12.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rodney Cottrell | 167 | 9.9 | −1.1 |
| | Green | Colin Grimley | 82 | 4.9 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 338 | 20.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,679 | 27.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,128 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kempston South

Kempston South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Carl Meader | 749 | 49.2 | +11.7 |
| | Better Bedford Party | David Merry | 481 | 31.6 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | Jagdish Singh | 132 | 8.7 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Timothy Hill | 132 | 8.7 | −2.8 |
| | Green | Neil Foley | 29 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 268 | 17.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,523 | 27.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,590 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kingsbrook

Kingsbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anita Gerard | 784 | 45.3 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | James Valentine | 534 | 30.8 | −9.8 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Katherine Alder | 255 | 14.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Barbara Purbrick | 158 | 9.1 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 | 14.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,731 | 27.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,419 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Putnoe

Putnoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Myrtle Stewardson* | 1,250 | 49.2 | +9.5 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Glenn Farrar | 477 | 18.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Ralph Hall | 427 | 16.8 | −9.5 |
| | BNP | Richard Green | 223 | 8.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | David Williams | 166 | 6.5 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 773 | 30.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,543 | 38.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,618 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Roxton

Roxton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Clarke* | 497 | 70.6 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sophia Stow | 132 | 18.8 | +7.8 |
| | Labour | Rosemary Roome | 75 | 10.7 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 365 | 51.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 704 | 31.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,227 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Sharnbrook

Sharnbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Better Bedford Party | Douglas McMurdo | 491 | 54.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Richard Davison-Francis* | 338 | 37.3 | −22.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Murphy | 43 | 4.7 | −0.6 |
| | Labour | Yanina Jones | 34 | 3.8 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 153 | 16.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 906 | 45.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,001 | | |
| | Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative | Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Turvey

Turvey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Celia Hanbury* | 560 | 70.4 | −1.6 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Eric Evans | 84 | 10.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gerald Elliott | 77 | 9.7 | −18.3 |
| | Labour | Yvonne Anderson | 74 | 9.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 479 | 59.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 795 | 36.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,171 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Wilshamstead

Wilshamstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Anthony Hare* | 372 | 30.3 | −26.9 |
| | Conservative | Victor Wilson-Maccormack | 286 | 23.3 | −33.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Parker | 231 | 18.8 | −15.1 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Vivian Suter | 221 | 18.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Francer Garrick | 117 | 9.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 86 | 7.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,227 | 34.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,629 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Anthony Hare was the incumbent councillor, originally elected for the Conservatives, but defected to become an Independent. Because this seat is compared to the last time it was up for election it is shown as an Independent gain.

### Wootton

Wootton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon Willey* | 553 | 44.2 | +8.5 |
| | Conservative | Roy Judge | 450 | 36.0 | +2.9 |
| | Better Bedford Party | Leslie Walker | 139 | 11.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Adrien Beardmore | 109 | 8.7 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 103 | 8.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,251 | 30.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,078 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |