# 2015 South Kesteven District Council election

The 2015 South Kesteven District Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of South Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire, England. The whole council was up for election after boundary changes reduced the number of seats by two. The Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.

## Background

After the previous election in 2011 the Conservatives remained in control of the council with 38 seats, compared to 12 independents, 6 for Labour and 1 each for the Liberal Democrats and Lincolnshire Independents. By the time of the 2015 election there were two UK Independence Party councillors, after Mike and Jean Taylor defected from the Conservatives in January 2015, following their failure to be re-selected as Conservative candidates for the council election. Meanwhile, in Harrowby ward the Labour councillors Ian Selby and Bruce Wells stood as independents after they were deselected by Labour.
The Conservative leader of the council Linda Neal stood down at the 2015 election, with Bob Adams being chosen to succeed her as Conservative group leader. A seat in Bourne West was vacant by the election after the death of Conservative councillor John Smith, while in Market and West Deeping ward the election was postponed until 25 June after the death of independent councillor Reg Howard.
Boundary changes since the 2011 election reduced the number of councillors from 58 to 56, while the number of wards declined from 34 to 30.

## Election result

The Conservatives kept a large majority on the council after winning 44 of the 53 seats contested on 7 May. The three seats in Market and West Deeping elected on 25 June had two independents and one Conservative councillors elected.
South Kesteven local election result 2015 :
| Party | Seats | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 45 | 83.0 | 51.4 | 53,130 | +2.5% |
| Independent | 6 | 7.5 | 12.4 | 12,828 | -12.2% |
| Labour | 3 | 5.7 | 15.2 | 15,696 | +2.6% |
| UKIP | 1 | 1.9 | 10.0 | 10,300 | +9.3% |
| Lincolnshire Independent | 1 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 3,013 | +1.6% |
| Stamford Group of Independents | 0 | 0 | 4.7 | 4,865 | +4.7% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 1.9 | 1,943 | -4.3% |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 1.6 | 1,667 | -4.1% |
The above totals include the delayed election in Market and West Deeping ward.

## Ward results

Aveland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Peter Moseley | 1,114 | 77.3 |
| | Labour | Muriel Sowden | 327 | 22.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 787 | 54.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,441 | 72 |
Belmont (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George Chivers | 1,350 | |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Craft | 1,192 | |
| | Labour | Richard Galvin | 680 | |
| | Labour | Victoria Smith | 641 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,863 | 62 |
Belvoir (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Pamela Bosworth | 1,749 | |
| | Conservative | Thomas Webster | 1,570 | |
| | Labour | Jonathan Wacey | 763 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,082 | 72 |
Bourne Austerby (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Duncan Ashwell | 1,523 | |
| | Conservative | Jane Kingman | 1,459 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Reid | 1,190 | |
| | Independent | Paul Fellows | 746 | |
| | Labour | James Marsden | 647 | |
| | Lincolnshire Independent | John Ireland | 642 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,207 | 62 |
Bourne East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Russell | 1,153 | |
| | Conservative | Judith Smith | 1,126 | |
| | UKIP | Roger Woodbridge | 715 | |
| | Labour | Lisa Holmes | 691 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,685 | 64 |
Bourne West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David Mapp | 1,518 | |
| | Lincolnshire Independent | Helen Powell | 940 | |
| | UKIP | William Learoyd | 837 | |
| | Conservative | Hannah Westropp | 821 | |
| | Labour | Roberta Britton | 654 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,770 | 69 |
Casewick (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Kelham Cooke | 1,743 | |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Woolley | 1,646 | |
| | Independent | Elizabeth Channell | 722 | |
| | Independent | Thomas Butterfield | 699 | |
| | Lincolnshire Independent | Justin Mackenzie | 468 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,278 | 75 |
Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Robins | 842 | 58.2 |
| | Labour | Jean Joyce | 319 | 22.0 |
| | UKIP | David Plowright | 286 | 19.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 523 | 36.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,447 | 73 |
Deeping St James (3 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Fair Deal Dilks | unopposed |
| Conservative | Leigh Johnson | unopposed |
| Independent | Judy Stevens | unopposed |
Dole Wood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Barry Dobson | 893 | 61.7 |
| | Lincolnshire Independent | Anthony Smith | 554 | 38.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 339 | 23.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,447 | 73 |
Glen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Martin Wilkins | 951 | 69.3 |
| | UKIP | Patrick Beese | 422 | 30.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 529 | 38.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,373 | 74 |
Grantham Arnoldfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Helen Goral | 1,203 | |
| | Conservative | Dean Ward | 886 | |
| | UKIP | Michael Taylor | 516 | |
| | UKIP | Jean Taylor | 483 | |
| | Labour | Cash Carraway | 382 | |
| | Labour | Tanwir Chowdhury | 349 | |
| | Independent | Alfred Kent | 335 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,154 | 68 |
Grantham Barrowby Gate (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Lynda Coutts | 1,095 | |
| | Conservative | Frank Turner | 842 | |
| | UKIP | John Allan | 576 | |
| | UKIP | Simon Finch | 523 | |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Ropson | 474 | |
| | Labour | David Simpson | 395 | |
| | Independent | Ian Mihill | 354 | |
| | Green | Samuel Hadlow | 249 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,508 | 64 |
Grantham Earlesfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | UKIP | Felicity Cunningham | 903 | |
| | Labour | Tracey Forman | 814 | |
| | Labour | Robert Shorrock | 676 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,393 | 43 |
Grantham Harrowby (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ian Selby | 770 | |
| | Conservative | Linda Wootten | 749 | |
| | Labour | Susan Orwin | 528 | |
| | Labour | Mark Ashberry | 522 | |
| | Independent | Bruce Wells | 514 | |
| | Lincolnshire Independent | Michael Williams | 409 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,492 | 56 |
Grantham Springfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Nicola Manterfield | 768 | |
| | Conservative | Adam Stokes | 744 | |
| | Labour | Mark Bartlett | 597 | |
| | UKIP | Maureen Simon | 591 | |
| | Labour | Carole Thomson | 433 | |
| | Green | Gerhard Lohmann-Bond | 254 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,387 | 56 |
Grantham St Vincents (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Michael Cook | 1,110 | |
| | Labour | Charmaine Morgan | 938 | |
| | Conservative | Graham Jeal | 894 | |
| | UKIP | Donald Atkinson | 801 | |
| | Conservative | Stuart McBride | 774 | |
| | Labour | John Morgan | 699 | |
| | Labour | Alexander Morse | 639 | |
| | Green | Caroline Coram | 502 | |
| | Independent | Anita Selby | 341 | |
| | Independent | Patricia Ellis | 318 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,016 | 57 |
Grantham St Wulfram's (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Raymond Wootten | 1,409 | |
| | Conservative | Jacqueline Smith | 1,296 | |
| | UKIP | Paul Martin | 685 | |
| | Labour | Yvonne Gibbins | 639 | |
| | Labour | Stephen Diggines | 620 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,649 | 63 |
Isaac Newton (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Adams | 1,388 | |
| | Conservative | Andrea Webster | 891 | |
| | UKIP | Derek Creasey | 734 | |
| | Labour | Paul Jacklin | 486 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,499 | 63 |
Lincrest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Peter Stephens | 1,126 | 75.2 |
| | Labour | Lee Steptoe | 372 | 24.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 754 | 50.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,498 | 75 |
Loveden Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Robert Sampson | 924 | 59.2 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Maughan | 638 | 40.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | 18.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,562 | 73 |
Morton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Frances Cartwright | 680 | 50.5 |
| | Independent | Richard Wells | 667 | 49.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,347 | 69 |
Peascliffe and Ridgeway (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Brown | 1,390 | |
| | Conservative | Ian Stokes | 1,277 | |
| | Independent | Jeffrey Thompson | 1,167 | |
| | Independent | John Andrews | 776 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,610 | 70 |
Stamford All Saints (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Michael Exton | 1,100 | |
| | Conservative | Breda-Rae Griffin | 826 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | Susan Sandall | 646 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | Maxwell Sawyer | 609 | |
| | UKIP | Gareth Vaughan | 603 | |
| | Labour | David Bimson | 529 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,313 | 65 |
Stamford St George's (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Katherine Brown | 926 | |
| | Conservative | Brenda Sumner | 588 | |
| | UKIP | David Taylor | 539 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | Percival Sandall | 525 | |
| | Labour | John Godber | 441 | |
| | Labour | Vivien Pointon | 441 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | Gloria Johnson | 403 | |
| | Green | Michael Carr | 346 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,209 | 62 |
Stamford St John's (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Terl Bryant | 1,385 | |
| | Conservative | Damian Evans | 1,273 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | Clement Walden | 820 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | Anthony Story | 784 | |
| | UKIP | Allen Hewett | 620 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,882 | 71 |
Stamford St Mary's (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Matthew Lee | 967 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Sumner | 890 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Doarkanathsing Bisnauthsing | 641 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | John Dawson | 623 | |
| | Stamford Group of Independents | David Taylor | 455 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pamela Bisnauthsing | 349 | |
| | Green | Anushree Campbell | 310 | |
| | Green | David Dorson | 282 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,517 | 67 |
Toller :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Michael King | 943 | 67.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Withnall | 448 | 32.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 495 | 35.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,391 | 68 |
Viking (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Paul Wood | 1,617 | |
| | Conservative | Sarah Wilks | 1,332 | |
| | Conservative | Kathryn Wilks | 1,295 | |
| | Independent | Laura King | 1,231 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,475 | 74 |

### Market and West Deeping countermanded election

The election in Market and West Deeping ward was countermanded (delayed) until 25 June 2015 after the death of independent councillor Reg Howard who had been standing for re-election. Two of the three seats were won by independents Robert Broughton and Ashley Baxter, while Conservative Nicholas Neilson won the third seat.
Market and West Deeping (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Robert Broughton | 612 | |
| | Independent | Ashley Baxter | 609 | |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Neilson | 605 | |
| | Independent | David Shelton | 426 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Brookes | 229 | |
| | UKIP | Robert O'Farrell | 224 | |
| | UKIP | William Learoyd | 129 | |
| | UKIP | Roger Woodbridge | 113 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1243 | 23.1 |

## By-elections between 2015 and 2019
### Belvoir by-election

Belvoir by-election 3 December 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hannah Westropp | 603 | 52.5 | −17.1 |
| | Independent | Laura King | 212 | 18.5 | +18.5 |
| | Labour | Louise Clack | 175 | 15.2 | −15.2 |
| | UKIP | Mike Taylor | 159 | 13.8 | +13.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 391 | 34.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,149 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Deeping St James by-election

Deeping St James by-election 5 May 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Benn | 784 | 49.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Brookes | 436 | 27.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Lisa Holmes | 286 | 18.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Gerhard Lohmann-Bond | 70 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 348 | 22.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,576 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Stamford St George's by-election

Stamford St George's by-election 15 March 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Rachael Cooke | 309 | 45.6 | +12.3 |
| | Independent | Gloria Johnson | 174 | 25.7 | +6.8 |
| | Labour | Christopher Dennett | 114 | 16.8 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Stow | 68 | 10.0 | +10.0 |
| | Green | Gerhard Lohmann-Bond | 13 | 1.9 | −10.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 135 | 19.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 678 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Stamford St John's by-election

Stamford St John's by-election 15 March 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Taylor | 327 | 39.4 | −9.6 |
| | Independent | Steve Carroll | 267 | 32.1 | +32.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Harrish Bisnauthsing | 156 | 18.8 | +18.8 |
| | Labour | Cameron Clack | 66 | 7.9 | +7.9 |
| | Green | Simon Whitmore | 15 | 1.8 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 60 | 7.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 831 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |