# 1991 West Dorset District Council election

The 1991 West Dorset District Council election was held on Thursday 2 May 1991 to elect councillors to West Dorset District Council in England. It took place on the same day as other district council elections in the United Kingdom. The entire council was up for election. District boundary changes took place before the election but the number of seats remained the same.
The 1991 election saw the council remain in no overall control, with Independent councillors maintaining their status as the largest group.

## Ward results
### Beaminster

Beaminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. Jones | 1,045 | 41.6 | +0.5 |
| | Independent | A. Hudson * | 827 | 32.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | D. Stebbings | 638 | 25.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 56.3 | –1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,049 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Bothenhampton

Bothenhampton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Cracknell * | 654 | 73.8 | +5.0 |
| | Labour | M. Farmer | 232 | 26.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 422 | 47.6 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 56.3 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,573 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bradford Abbas

Bradford Abbas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | E. Garrett * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,456 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Bradpole

Bradpole :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ind. Conservative | R. Coatsworth * | 478 | 69.8 | –5.8 |
| | Labour | M. Shiels | 207 | 30.2 | +5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 271 | 39.6 | –11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.5 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,680 | | |
| | Ind. Conservative hold | Ind. Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bridport North

Bridport North (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Cash * | 1,062 | 40.7 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | L. Dibdin * | 975 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Tiltman * | 884 | 33.9 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | B. Rowe | 662 | 25.4 | –3.0 |
| | Conservative | P. Jennings | 500 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 54.2 | –7.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,321 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Bridport South

Bridport South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Murless | 703 | 31.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | C. Samways * | 624 | 27.9 | –5.3 |
| | Conservative | J. Dunford | 498 | 22.3 | –5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B. Wheeler | 408 | 18.3 | –20.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.7 | –10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,668 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Broadmayne

Broadmayne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | A. Thacker | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,430 | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |

### Broadwindsor

Broadwindsor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Hardman * | 368 | 50.8 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | R. Hibbard | 319 | 46.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | 7.1 | +5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 61.2 | +14.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,123 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Burton Bradstock

Burton Bradstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Pritchard | 444 | 64.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | K. Smith | 250 | 36.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 194 | 28.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 55.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,249 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Caundle Vale

Caundle Vale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | N. White * | 355 | 62.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | S. Friar | 217 | 37.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 138 | 24.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 52.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,092 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Cerne Valley

Cerne Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | R. Stenhouse * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,128 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Charminster

Charminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Kennedy | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,306 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Charmouth

Charmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | J. Cockerill * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,325 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Chesil Bank

Chesil Bank :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | M. Pengelly * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,299 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Chickerell

Chickerell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Brown * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Conservative | I. Gardner | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,377 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Dorchester East

Dorchester East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Enid Stella Jones * | 978 | 63.6 | +8.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | T. Harries | 777 | – | |
| | Conservative | J. Ridge | 352 | 22.9 | –4.8 |
| | Labour | R. Cortes | 207 | 13.5 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.7 | –21.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,660 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Dorchester North

Dorchester North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | L. Phillips * | 687 | 42.5 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative | L. Lock * | 500 | 30.9 | –0.8 |
| | Green | B. Smith | 430 | 26.6 | N/A |
| | Green | R. Birley | 386 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 50.1 | –37.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,245 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Dorchester South

Dorchester South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. Maggs * | 1,208 | 41.9 | +8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | H. Dowell * | 1,197 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Rennie | 1,117 | – | |
| | Conservative | M. Dowell | 806 | 33.7 | –6.2 |
| | Conservative | E. Pritchard | 595 | – | |
| | Green | J. McMillan | 376 | 15.7 | +4.6 |
| | Green | R. Cumming | 235 | – | |
| | Green | H. West | 234 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.8 | –9.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,001 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Dorchester West

Dorchester West (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Gundry | 1,000 | 48.1 | +11.6 |
| | Labour | J. Antell * | 999 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | E. Boothman | 664 | 32.0 | –2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Trevor Jones * | 646 | – | |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. Bowring | 643 | – | |
| | Labour | F. Pope | 521 | – | |
| | Conservative | D. Fry | 414 | 19.9 | –9.3 |
| | Conservative | R. Burrage | 349 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 61.0 | –1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,342 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Frome Valley

Frome Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | M. Penfold * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,156 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Halstock

Halstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | T. Frost * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,260 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Holnest

Holnest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | G. House * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,255 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Loders

Loders :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Newman | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,105 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | O. Lovell * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Conservative | S. Poupard | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Independent | D. Applebee * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,096 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Maiden Newton

Maiden Newton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | H. Haward * | 540 | 77.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | E. Symonds | 159 | 22.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 381 | 54.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 59.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,196 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Netherbury

Netherbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Haynes | 426 | 67.8 | –10.2 |
| | Labour | T. Weld | 202 | 32.2 | +10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 224 | 35.7 | –20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.7 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,294 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Owermoigne

Owermoigne (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SDP | J. Shuttleworth * | 638 | 32.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | G. Cant * | 603 | 30.7 | –25.4 |
| | Conservative | S. Dunlop | 400 | 20.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | R. Symes | 395 | – | |
| | Labour | G. Napper | 326 | 16.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 56.9 | +3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,387 | | |
| | SDP gain from Liberal Democrats | SDP gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Piddle Valley

Piddle Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | A. Read * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,374 | | |
| | Independent gain from Ind. Conservative | Independent gain from Ind. Conservative | Independent gain from Ind. Conservative | Independent gain from Ind. Conservative | Independent gain from Ind. Conservative |

### Puddletown

Puddletown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Harries * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,200 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Queen Thorne

Queen Thorne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | J. Brewer * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,147 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Sherborne East

Sherborne East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | O. Chisholm | 843 | 54.3 | +26.1 |
| | Independent | R. Bygrave | 709 | 45.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | J. Williams * | 651 | – | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 58.5 | –14.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,525 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Sherborne West

Sherborne West (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Mildenhall | 1,098 | 37.3 | +8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. Baggs * | 1,076 | 36.5 | +11.7 |
| | Conservative | P. Shorland | 971 | – | |
| | Conservative | S. Waddington * | 899 | – | |
| | Independent | A. Mitchell | 773 | 26.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 60.5 | –29.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,804 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Symondsbury

Symondsbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Summers * | 332 | 55.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | P. Lathey | 267 | 44.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65 | 10.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,427 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Thorncombe

Thorncombe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Terrett * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,013 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Tolpuddle

Tolpuddle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. Hutchinson | 285 | 68.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | R. Pickering | 131 | 31.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 154 | 37.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 54.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 771 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Whitchurch Canonicorum

Whitchurch Canonicorum :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Bushrod | 274 | 38.6 | –24.2 |
| | Independent | P. Hughes | 229 | 32.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | T. Fisher | 207 | 29.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 45 | 6.3 | –19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 60.0 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,182 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Winterborne St Martin

Winterborne St Martin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | S. Slade * | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,905 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Yetminster

Yetminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Jordan | unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,349 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |