# 2003 Wealden District Council election

The 2003 Wealden District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Wealden District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 1999 reducing the number of seats by 3. The Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

## Background

At the last election in 1999 the Conservatives won 34 seats, compared to 22 for the Liberal Democrats and 2 independents. In November 2003 the Conservatives gained 2 seats from the Liberal Democrats in a by-election in Uckfield, but the Liberal Democrats took one seat back in the same ward in a June 2002 by-election.
The Liberal Democrats also lost seats after 2 Hailsham councillors, Nick and Madeline Ellwood, were expelled from the party, and a further 2, John Glover and Ian Haffenden, resigned from the party in protest. The 4 councillors who resigned formed a Wealden Independents party, while the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, Allan Thurley, stepped down over the expulsions and was succeeded by Eddie Rice.
A total of 133 candidates stood for the 55 seats in 35 wards being contested, after boundary changes reduced the number of seats from 58. The changes increased the number of seats in Crowborough and Uckfield, while combining some of the rural seats.

## Campaign

A major issue at the election was council tax after it increased by 18%, 5.1% of which was due to Wealden Council. The Conservatives blamed the increase on the government providing a poor grant to the council, while the Liberal Democrats called for the council tax to be replaced by a local income tax. Another issue was housing with the Conservatives called for more land to be released for low cost housing, but the Liberal Democrats attacked the number of houses to be built, saying the infrastructure needed to be improved first. Both the Labour party and local independents also campaigned against the 1,300 houses to be built in Hailsham, with The Independents saying more houses should be built in the north of the council area.
The Conservatives said they would tackle littering and continue the household recycling scheme, while the Liberal Democrats called for policing to be improved and for the council to be modernised. Meanwhile, Labour aimed to win their first seat on the council in Uckfield and called for the council to abolish the reduction in council tax for second homes.

## Election result

The Conservatives stayed in control of the council with 34 seats, while the Liberal Democrats took 15 seats and independents won 6. Few seats changed parties, with the Conservatives keeping a 13-seat majority. The changes that did happen included the Liberal Democrat group leader Eddie Rice losing his seat in Rotherfield and the Liberal Democrats were also defeated in Polegate South, where Ivy Scarborough, a Residents Association candidate was successful. Independents were also successful in Crowborough and Hailsham, while Labour failed to take any seats. Overall turnout at the election was 35%, up from 33.5% in 1999.
Wealden local election result 2003 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Conservative | 34 | -1 | 61.8 | 49.4 | 31,769 |
| Liberal Democrats | 15 | -2 | 27.3 | 35.0 | 22,515 |
| Independent | 6 | 0 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 6,142 |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.9 | 2,534 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.9 | 1,246 |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 137 |
3 Conservative candidates were unopposed at the election.

## Ward results

Alfriston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Keith Whitehead | 673 | 67.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Caroline Adcock | 327 | 32.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 346 | 34.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,000 | 49.5 |
Buxted and Maresfield (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Patricia Kennedy | 904 | |
| | Conservative | Norman Buck | 862 | |
| | Green | Peter Selby | 357 | |
| | Independent | Ken Ogden | 314 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Morgan | 293 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,730 | 36.2 |
Chiddingly and East Hoathly :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sylvia Tidy | unopposed | | |
Cross-in-Hand/Five Ashes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jonica Fox | 511 | 69.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Bryant | 177 | 23.9 |
| | Green | Jennifer Evans | 53 | 7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 334 | 45.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 741 | 38.2 |
Crowborough East (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carolyn Clark | 555 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Mein | 540 | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Edwards | 422 | |
| | Conservative | Neil Waller | 408 | |
| | Labour | Derek Sivers | 118 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,043 | 27.5 |
Crowborough Jarvis Brook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ian McKirgan | 222 | 39.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Bucklitsch | 221 | 38.8 |
| | Conservative | Brian Hewitt | 126 | 22.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 569 | 28.8 |
Crowborough North (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Chantal Wilson | 1,038 | |
| | Conservative | Hector Munro | 671 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Mahony | 328 | |
| | Labour | Sonja Le Vay | 201 | |
| | Independent | Michael Wallman | 131 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,369 | 35.8 |
Crowborough St Johns :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Richard Broughton-Tompkins | 458 | 75.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hilary Lyon | 103 | 16.9 |
| | Labour | Jean McCarthy | 47 | 7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 355 | 58.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 608 | 32.0 |
Crowborough West (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Diane Phillips | 814 | |
| | Conservative | Antony Quin | 812 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edward Willis | 394 | |
| | Labour | Brendan Clegg | 238 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,258 | 32.2 |
Danehill/Fletching/Nutley (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Sylvia Martin | 1,052 | |
| | Conservative | Bernard Brown | 1,024 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Stevens | 571 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,647 | 39.6 |
East Dean :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Brian West | 612 | 67.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Hillman | 290 | 32.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 322 | 35.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 902 | 46.9 |
Forest Row (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Rowena Moore | 708 | |
| | Conservative | Raymond Parsons | 668 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Graham | 526 | |
| | Labour | Norma McNamara | 270 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,172 | 33.5 |
Framfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Gore | 563 | 64.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susanna Mockridge | 168 | 19.4 |
| | UKIP | Keith Riddle | 137 | 15.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 395 | 45.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 868 | 42.2 |
Frant/Withyham (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Christopher Abergavenny | 827 | |
| | Conservative | Lynda Myers | 822 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Briony Taylor | 431 | |
| | Green | Keith Obbard | 404 | |
| | Labour | Michael Clare | 179 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,663 | 38.6 |
Hailsham Central & North (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Holbrook | 494 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Laura Murphy | 434 | |
| | Conservative | Richard West | 425 | |
| | Conservative | John Ball | 419 | |
| | Independent | John Glover | 348 | |
| | Independent | Madeleine Ellwood | 344 | |
| | Labour | Steven Jordan | 146 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,610 | 32.1 |
Hailsham East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Nigel Coltman | 170 | 33.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Cock | 128 | 25.3 |
| | Labour | Dudley Rose | 113 | 22.4 |
| | Independent | William Crittenden | 94 | 18.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 42 | 8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 505 | 26.6 |
Hailsham South and West (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Geoffrey Rowe | 713 | |
| | Independent | Jonathan Ellwood | 702 | |
| | Independent | Ian Haffenden | 685 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharon Cottingham | 572 | |
| | Conservative | Sybil Bentley | 567 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edward Powell | 554 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gavin Blake-Coggins | 551 | |
| | Conservative | Jeffery Bentley-Astor | 524 | |
| | Conservative | John Kent | 511 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,379 | 28.7 |
Hartfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeremy Hollins | unopposed | | |
Heathfield East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Janice Dunk | 443 | 69.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Evans | 191 | 30.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 252 | 39.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 634 | 34.8 |
Heathfield North and Central (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Richard Angel | 1,082 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Kirkpatrick | 1,063 | |
| | Conservative | Veronica Oakes | 996 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Hall | 447 | |
| | Green | Timothy Rayner | 432 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,020 | 28.2 |
Hellingly (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Blake | 817 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David White | 732 | |
| | Conservative | Barby Dashwood-Hall | 583 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Smith | 528 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,660 | 36.9 |
Herstmonceux :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Andrew Long | 477 | 63.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Love | 279 | 36.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 198 | 26.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 756 | 36.5 |
Horam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Susan Stedman | 381 | 56.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Benson | 289 | 43.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 670 | 33.2 |
Mayfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Brian Redman | 459 | 54.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allan Thurley | 387 | 45.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 72 | 8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 846 | 41.7 |
Ninfield and Hooe with Wartling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pamela Doodes | unopposed | | |
Pevensey and Westham (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Dianne Dear | 1,245 | |
| | Conservative | John Vincent | 1,233 | |
| | Conservative | Linda McKeever | 1,135 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Laura Parker | 793 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Thomas | 781 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,187 | 29.7 |
Polegate North (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roy Martin | 888 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christina Berry | 802 | |
| | Independent | Gerald Carter | 478 | |
| | Independent | John Harmer | 453 | |
| | Conservative | Anne Hampson | 160 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Hampson | 152 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,933 | 37.7 |
Polegate South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ivy Scarborough | 349 | 45.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick Trowell | 241 | 31.6 |
| | Conservative | Michael Richards | 173 | 22.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 108 | 14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 763 | 38.7 |
Rotherfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David Logan | 379 | 47.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edwin Rice | 365 | 45.7 |
| | Independent | David Heritage | 55 | 6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 799 | 41.7 |
Uckfield Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Claire Dowling | 425 | 52.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Cooper | 308 | 38.2 |
| | Labour | Eileen Wolley | 73 | 9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 117 | 14.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 806 | 35.1 |
Uckfield New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Nottage | 339 | 54.2 |
| | Labour | Ian Smith | 144 | 23.0 |
| | Conservative | Daphne Mainprice | 143 | 22.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 195 | 31.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 626 | 31.0 |
Uckfield North (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Sparks | 632 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Whittaker | 520 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Heap | 356 | |
| | Labour | Duncan Bennett | 250 | |
| | Labour | Leonard Ashby | 246 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,004 | 27.8 |
Uckfield Ridgewood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Parker | 483 | 57.2 |
| | Conservative | Silvia Buck | 310 | 36.7 |
| | Labour | Jane 'Espinasse | 51 | 6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 173 | 20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 844 | 39.1 |
Wadhurst (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Anna Monaghan | 767 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Hodgson | 734 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emma Sanderson-Nash | 395 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rosalyn Bucklitsch | 324 | |
| | Labour | Jane Zacharzewski | 144 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,364 | 32.0 |
Willingdon (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Shing | 1,770 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Seabrook | 1,559 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Watkins | 1,516 | |
| | Conservative | David Burtenshaw | 1,043 | |
| | Conservative | Guy Woodford | 1,000 | |
| | Conservative | Raymond Ingram | 949 | |
| | Independent | Margaret Piper | 216 | |
| | Labour | Patricia Brinson | 123 | |
| | Labour | Helen Sedgewick | 114 | |
| | Labour | Gillian Roles | 77 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,367 | 48.7 |

## By-elections between 2003 and 2007
### Uckfield Ridgewood

A by-election was held in Uckfield Ridgewood on 16 September 2004 and was held for the Liberal Democrats by Robert Sweetland with a 185-vote majority.
Uckfield Ridgewood By-Election 16 September 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Sweetland | 380 | 60.4 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | Jacob Vince | 195 | 31.0 | −5.7 |
| | Labour | Leonard Ashby | 54 | 8.6 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 185 | 29.4 | +8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 629 | 28.6 | +8.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Pevensey and Westham

A by-election was held in Pevensey and Westham on 29 September 2005 after the death of the previous councillor John Vincent. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Kevin Balsdon with a 760-vote majority.
Pevensey and Westham By-Election 29 September 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Balsdon | 1,229 | 66.7 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Thomas | 469 | 25.5 | −13.4 |
| | Labour | Robert Walker | 143 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 760 | 41.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,841 | 25.7 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Crowborough North

A by-election was held in Crowborough North on 6 April 2006 and was held for the Conservatives by Timothy Tyler with a 279-vote majority.
Crowborough North By-Election 6 April 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Timothy Tyler | 417 | 52.5 | +22.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Bucklitsch | 138 | 17.4 | +2.7 |
| | Independent | Paul Scott | 103 | 13.0 | −33.4 |
| | Labour | Jean McCarthy | 94 | 11.8 | +2.8 |
| | Independent | Colin Stocks | 43 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 279 | 35.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 795 | 20.1 | −15.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Uckfield New Town

A by-election was held in Uckfield New Town on 29 June 2006 after the death of the Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Nottage. The seat was held for the Liberal Democrats by Julia Hey with a 170-vote majority.
Uckfield New Town By-Election 29 June 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julia Hey | 381 | 57.6 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Marion Rowland | 211 | 31.9 | +9.1 |
| | Green | Samantha Bryant | 69 | 10.4 | +10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 25.7 | −5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 661 | 32.5 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |