# 2008 St Albans City and District Council election

The 2008 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of St Albans District Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats gained overall control of the council from no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Liberal Democrats 30
* Conservative 22
* Labour 5
* Independent 1

## Background

Before the election the Liberal Democrats had 29 seats, compared to 19 for the Conservatives, 8 for Labour and there were 2 Independents. 18 of the 20 wards were contested in 2008, with only Colney Heath and Sandridge wards not having an election. Each of the Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Labour and Green parties contested every seat, apart from in Redbourn where the Liberal Democrats did not put up a candidate against the sitting independent councillor Tony Swendell.
3 Liberal Democrat councillors, Brian Peyton, Brian Sinfield and Jenny Stroud, and 2 Conservative councillors, Clare Ellis and Liz Stevenson, stood down at the election. Independent, former Conservative, councillor John Newman also did not defend his seat in Harpenden West after moving to Dorset.

## Election result

The Liberal Democrats regained an overall majority of 2 on the council with 30 councillors, after making a net gain of one seat. They gained seats in Batchwood, Sopwell and Verulam wards, but lost Harpenden East and Wheathampstead to the Conservatives, who increased to 22 seats on the council. The Labour party lost all of the seats they had been defending, including London Colney to the Conservatives, to fall to 5 seats on the council, while independent Tony Swendell held his seat in Redbourn. Labour blamed their defeats on voters protesting against the national Labour government. Overall turnout was 42.5%, a drop from 43.6% at the 2007 election.
Following the election the national Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg came to St Albans to celebrate the results.
St Albans local election result 2008 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 10 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 55.6 | 34.3 | 13,642 | -3.5% |
| Conservative | 7 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 38.9 | 43.2 | 17,184 | +0.6% |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 1,258 | +3.2% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 | 12.6 | 5,031 | -0.3% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.7 | 2,675 | -0.1% |

## Ward results

Ashley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Ellis | 1,016 | 50.0 | +8.7 |
| | Conservative | Guy Young | 521 | 25.6 | +1.3 |
| | Labour | Alistair Cooper | 272 | 13.4 | −6.9 |
| | Green | Graham Ward | 223 | 11.0 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 495 | 24.4 | +7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,032 | 37.7 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Batchwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allan Witherick | 864 | 39.4 | +9.3 |
| | Labour | David McManus | 702 | 32.0 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Indranil Chakravorty | 454 | 20.7 | −5.0 |
| | Green | Naomi Love | 174 | 7.9 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 7.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,194 | 40.9 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Clarence :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher White | 979 | 47.6 | −6.3 |
| | Conservative | Dursun Altun | 629 | 30.6 | +8.8 |
| | Green | Pete Eggleston | 237 | 11.5 | −1.3 |
| | Labour | Richard Harris | 211 | 10.3 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 350 | 17.0 | −15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,056 | 43.3 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Cunningham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoff Harrison | 971 | 49.0 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | James Vessey | 659 | 33.3 | +5.4 |
| | Labour | John Paton | 208 | 10.5 | −0.4 |
| | Green | Jack Easton | 143 | 7.2 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | 15.7 | −10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,981 | 41.4 | −2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Harpenden East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julie Bell | 1,259 | 51.6 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeffrey Phillips | 944 | 38.7 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | David Crew | 158 | 6.5 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Lydia El-Khouri | 81 | 3.3 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 315 | 12.9 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,442 | 46.4 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Harpenden North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Chambers | 1,201 | 64.4 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon Burrow | 394 | 21.1 | −0.1 |
| | Labour | Rosemary Ross | 142 | 7.6 | −0.8 |
| | Green | Annett Tate | 127 | 6.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 807 | 43.3 | +0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,864 | 36.3 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Harpenden South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stuart Roberts | 1,518 | 75.2 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Spinks | 278 | 13.8 | +1.8 |
| | Labour | Linda Spiri | 126 | 6.2 | −1.9 |
| | Green | Lorna Hann | 96 | 4.8 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,240 | 61.4 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,018 | 38.4 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Harpenden West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allen Chamberlain | 1,495 | 68.0 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Albert Moses | 418 | 19.0 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour | Benjamin Dearman | 160 | 7.3 | −1.0 |
| | Green | Tim Blackwell | 125 | 5.7 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,077 | 49.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,198 | 39.6 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
London Colney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dave Winstone | 1,175 | 47.5 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | Chris Flynn | 1,044 | 42.2 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Ketley | 140 | 5.7 | −5.6 |
| | Green | Rosalind Hardy | 113 | 4.6 | +4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 131 | 5.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,472 | 36.6 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Marshalswick North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Churchyard | 1,174 | 51.4 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative | Seema Kennedy | 874 | 38.2 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Ruairi McCourt | 128 | 5.6 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Rosalind Paul | 109 | 4.8 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 300 | 13.2 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,285 | 47.4 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Marshalswick South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Melvyn Teare | 1,190 | 47.7 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Sabena Khan | 848 | 34.0 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | Anthony Nicholson | 254 | 10.2 | −0.8 |
| | Green | Gillian Mills | 202 | 8.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 13.7 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,494 | 48.1 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Park Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Yates | 1,125 | 50.8 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | Mary Zambra | 861 | 38.9 | +0.4 |
| | Labour | Alex Breed | 153 | 6.9 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Stephen Clough | 74 | 3.3 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 264 | 11.9 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,213 | 41.4 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Redbourn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tony Swendell | 1,258 | 59.8 | +59.8 |
| | Conservative | Roger Gray | 687 | 32.7 | −13.7 |
| | Labour | Richard Bruckdorfer | 81 | 3.9 | −0.5 |
| | Green | Kate Metcalf | 77 | 3.7 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 571 | 27.1 | +26.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,103 | 44.8 | −2.3 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Sopwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Axworthy | 711 | 34.5 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Janet Smith | 707 | 34.3 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | Mary Murphy | 462 | 22.4 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Thomas Hardy | 183 | 8.9 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4 | 0.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,063 | 40.2 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
St Peters :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Morris | 773 | 36.5 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | Nadia Davies | 661 | 31.2 | +8.5 |
| | Green | Simon Grover | 362 | 17.1 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Michael Jewitt | 321 | 15.2 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 112 | 5.3 | −13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,117 | 38.8 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
St Stephen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Canham | 1,542 | 72.0 | +12.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Allum | 357 | 16.7 | −11.8 |
| | Labour | Janet Blackwell | 153 | 7.1 | −1.0 |
| | Green | Lucy Eggleston | 89 | 4.2 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,185 | 55.3 | +24.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,141 | 42.7 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Verulam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Fred Wartenberg | 1,273 | 47.5 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Smith | 1,098 | 41.0 | +3.3 |
| | Green | Margaret Grover | 185 | 6.9 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | Jill Gipps | 125 | 4.7 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 175 | 6.5 | −7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,681 | 52.5 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Wheathampstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gillian Clark | 1,240 | 50.9 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Edelston | 1,035 | 42.5 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | Peter Woodhams | 86 | 3.5 | +0.3 |
| | Green | Simon Wakeling | 75 | 3.1 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 205 | 8.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,436 | 52.5 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2008 and 2010

A by-election was held in Harpenden South on 4 June 2009 after Conservative councillor Paul Foster resigned from the council. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Brian Ellis with a majority of 899 votes over the Labour Party.
Harpenden South by-election 4 June 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Ellis | 1,602 | 53.5 | −21.8 |
| | Labour | Richard Lane | 703 | 23.5 | +17.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Albert Moses | 427 | 14.3 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Annett Tate | 264 | 8.8 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 899 | 30.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,996 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |