# 2004 Harlow District Council election

The 2004 Harlow District Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Harlow District Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Conservative 13
* Labour 11
* Liberal Democrats 9

## Background

After the last election in 2003 both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had 12 seats, while Labour had 9 councillors. However, in July 2003 councillor Jane Steer defected from the Liberal Democrats to the Conservatives, making the Conservatives the largest group on the council for the first time in almost 50 years with 13 seats. The joint administration between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats continued to run the council.
Meanwhile, in January 2004 the Liberal Democrat group on the council expelled Matthew Shepherd from the party's group on the council.

## Election result

Overall turnout at the election was 37%.
Harlow local election result 2004 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 45.5 | 33.1 | 6,812 | 5.2 |
| Conservative | 4 | 0 | 0 | | 36.4 | 31.7 | 6,531 | 1.0 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18.2 | 21.8 | 4,494 | 6.0 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11.6 | 2,399 | 11.6 |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 1.8 | 364 | 1.8 |

## Ward results
### Bush Fair

Bush Fair :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Eschle | 751 | 34.9 | −8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Robins | 690 | 32.1 | −14.4 |
| | Conservative | Guy Mitchinson | 383 | 17.8 | +8.0 |
| | Independent | William Henderson | 325 | 15.1 | +15.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 61 | 2.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,149 | 40.2 | +8.9 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Church Langley

Church Langley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Carter | 1,073 | 61.6 | −6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Pailing | 400 | 22.9 | +5.6 |
| | Labour | Kenneth Lawrie | 270 | 15.5 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 683 | 38.7 | −12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,743 | 30.5 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Great Parndon

Great Parndon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Johnson | 775 | 40.0 | −9.3 |
| | Labour | Suzanne Ennifer | 612 | 31.6 | −4.3 |
| | Independent | Raymond Statham | 332 | 17.1 | +17.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Rideout | 220 | 11.3 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 163 | 8.4 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,939 | 38.9 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Harlow Common

Harlow Common :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gregory Peck | 785 | 39.1 | −15.4 |
| | Conservative | Pamela Norton | 654 | 32.6 | +2.2 |
| | Independent | Gary Roberts | 308 | 15.3 | +15.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Enders | 262 | 13.0 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 131 | 6.5 | −17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,009 | 38.1 | +9.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Little Parndon & Hare Street

Little Parndon & Hare Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Jesse | 869 | 46.7 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Lee Dangerfield | 589 | 31.6 | +11.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Steer | 404 | 21.7 | −4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 280 | 15.1 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,862 | 37.2 | +6.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Mark Hall

Mark Hall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sean Folan | 800 | 38.9 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Macy | 584 | 28.4 | −16.4 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Lane | 381 | 18.5 | +5.1 |
| | Independent | Katrina Ray | 290 | 14.1 | +14.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 216 | 10.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,055 | 42.9 | +9.3 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Netteswell

Netteswell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Jackson | 627 | 34.1 | −15.7 |
| | Labour | Feroz Khan | 448 | 24.3 | −8.2 |
| | UKIP | Anthony Bennett | 364 | 19.8 | +19.8 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Shannon | 260 | 14.1 | +1.8 |
| | Independent | Dean Weston | 141 | 7.7 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 179 | 9.8 | −7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,840 | 36.4 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Old Harlow

Old Harlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Muriel Jolles | 748 | 37.7 | −18.6 |
| | Independent | Colleen Morrison | 534 | 26.9 | +26.9 |
| | Labour | Paul Sztumpf | 496 | 25.0 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon MacNeill | 208 | 10.5 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 214 | 10.8 | −15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,986 | 42.4 | +7.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Staple Tye

Staple Tye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Lawton | 583 | 38.2 | −17.0 |
| | Labour | Caroline Carter | 402 | 26.3 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | Peter Dobson | 361 | 23.7 | +5.1 |
| | Independent | David Lambert | 180 | 11.8 | +11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 181 | 11.9 | −17.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,526 | 32.4 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Sumners and Kingsmoor

Sumners and Kingsmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Goddard | 783 | 46.0 | −2.2 |
| | Labour | Robert Long | 623 | 36.6 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kuzna Jackson | 295 | 17.3 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 160 | 9.4 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,701 | 33.5 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Toddbrook

Toddbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Brooks | 756 | 42.2 | −6.6 |
| | Conservative | Paul Richardson | 524 | 29.3 | −7.3 |
| | Independent | Rex Amor | 289 | 16.1 | +16.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Westlake | 221 | 12.3 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 232 | 12.9 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,790 | 35.4 | +5.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |