# 2006 Colchester Borough Council election

The 2006 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Colchester Borough 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 30
* Liberal Democrats 21
* Labour 7
* Independent 2

## Background

Before the election the Conservatives had run the council since the 2004 election and had 28 of the 60 seats on the council. The Liberal Democrats had 22 seats, Labour had 7 seats and there were 3 independents.
20 seats were contested at the election, with the councillors who were defending seats including the Conservative leader of the council, John Jowers, the mayor Terry Sutton and the Liberal Democrat group leader, Colin Sykes. However the Conservatives did not have a candidate in New Town ward due to an error on their candidate's nomination papers. As well as the parties who were defending seats on the council, the Green Party contested every seat for the first time and particularly targeted Castle ward. Independents who stood included Gerard Oxford in Highwoods ward, who was defending a seat he had won as a Liberal Democrat before leaving the party.

## Issues

A major issue at the election was the relocation of the bus station to a temporary site, while a new bus station was being built at a new shopping centre. Meanwhile, a Visual Arts Facility (VAF) was being built on the old bus station site. 6 independents stood at the election as part of a Save Our Bus Station Campaign opposing the move, with the Labour party also opposing the building of the VAF on the old bus station site. However the Conservatives said the temporary bus station site would be better than the old site.
Both the Liberal Democrats and Greens called for more recycling, while the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties called for action on street cleaning. The Conservatives meanwhile defending their record in power, pointing to a number of new projects being started including a planned new community stadium.

## Election result

The Conservatives made a net gain of 2 seats to have half of the seats on the council with 30 councillors, just falling short of winning a majority. Conservative gains included defeating the Liberal Democrat group leader Colin Sykes, with the Liberal Democrats falling to 21 seats. Labour remained on 7 seats after holding the only seat they had been defending, but polled less than the Greens in a number of wards. Overall turnout at the election was 36.4%.
2006 Colchester Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 10 | 2 | 50.0 | 20 | 30 | 50.0 | 13,951 | 38.9 | –2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 8 | 1 | 40.0 | 13 | 21 | 36.7 | 12,119 | 33.8 | –0.4 |
| | Labour | 1 | | 5.0 | 6 | 7 | 10.0 | 4,754 | 13.3 | –4.9 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 | 5.0 | 1 | 2 | 3.3 | 1,986 | 5.5 | –1.2 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,061 | 8.5 | N/A |

## Ward results
### Berechurch

Berechurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Terence Sutton* | 767 | 42.2 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | John Cooke | 587 | 32.3 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | Pauline Hazell | 328 | 18.1 | −5.7 |
| | Green | Charles Bather | 134 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 180 | 9.9 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,816 | 34.0 | +5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,367 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.7 | |

### Birch & Winstree

Birch & Winstree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Bentley | 1,224 | 66.6 | −5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Longman | 325 | 17.7 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | Abigail Tootal | 128 | 7.0 | −6.6 |
| | Green | Samuel Elliott | 108 | 5.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Jeannine McAndrew | 53 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 899 | 48.9 | −8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,838 | 42.1 | +11.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,357 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.4 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Hall* | 1,122 | 48.7 | −9.2 |
| | Green | Peter Lynn | 522 | 22.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Twitchen | 418 | 18.1 | −9.6 |
| | Labour | Mark Warner | 187 | 8.1 | −6.4 |
| | Independent | Stephen Miller | 57 | 2.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 600 | 26.0 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,306 | 41.5 | +6.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,574 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Christ Church

Christ Church :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Cope* | 615 | 43.7 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Bright | 468 | 33.3 | −9.3 |
| | Green | Alexander Cave | 245 | 17.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | David Hough | 79 | 5.6 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 147 | 10.4 | +10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,407 | 48.3 | +4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,926 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.5 | |

### Fordham & Stour

Fordham & Stour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Christopher Arnold* | 942 | 66.6 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Woodward | 176 | 12.4 | −2.1 |
| | Labour | Christopher Aldous | 119 | 8.4 | −4.6 |
| | Green | Clarice Mort | 114 | 8.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Jack Pooley | 63 | 4.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 766 | 54.2 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,414 | 36.7 | +9.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,890 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.6 | |

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Blandon* | 762 | 63.8 | +12.6 |
| | Conservative | Anne Allan | 216 | 18.1 | −7.1 |
| | Labour | Rossanna Trudgian | 139 | 11.6 | −12.1 |
| | Green | Timothy Glover | 77 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 546 | 45.7 | +19.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,194 | 29.7 | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,035 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 9.9 | |

### Highwoods

Highwoods :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Gerard Oxford* | 1,147 | 58.2 | +15.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Offen | 299 | 15.2 | −11.5 |
| | Conservative | Susan Harper | 293 | 14.9 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | Julia Thomas | 148 | 7.5 | −1.1 |
| | Green | Keith Brooke | 84 | 4.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 848 | 43.0 | +27.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,971 | 32.6 | +2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,067 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 13.8 | |

### Lexden

Lexden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sonia Lewis* | 1,282 | 65.8 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gwendoline Ilott | 385 | 19.8 | −9.9 |
| | Green | Peter Appleton | 105 | 5.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Luke Dopson | 103 | 5.3 | −2.7 |
| | Independent | Susan Francis | 73 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 897 | 46.0 | +13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,948 | 47.1 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,144 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 6.7 | |

### Mile End

Mile End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Taylor* | 939 | 46.2 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Turrell | 791 | 38.9 | −3.8 |
| | Green | Mary Bryan | 130 | 6.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Janet Smith | 125 | 6.2 | −5.0 |
| | Independent | Edmund Chinnery | 46 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 7.3 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,031 | 38.5 | +10.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,300 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.0 | |

### New Town

New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Theresa Higgins* | 1,029 | 65.4 | +10.1 |
| | Green | Maria Iacovou | 339 | 21.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | Scott Harris | 206 | 13.1 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 690 | 43.8 | +16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,574 | 28.8 | +0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,531 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | N/A | |
No Conservative candidate as previous (27.5%).

### Prettygate

Prettygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sue Lissimore | 1,368 | 53.6 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Sheppard* | 885 | 34.7 | −8.5 |
| | Labour | Mike Dale | 186 | 7.3 | −0.5 |
| | Green | Beverley Maltby | 115 | 4.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 483 | 18.9 | +13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,554 | 43.7 | −1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,858 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 6.6 | |

### Pyefleet

Pyefleet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Davidson* | 532 | 61.4 | −5.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carolyn Catney | 108 | 12.5 | −20.6 |
| | Independent | Tim Oxton | 100 | 11.5 | N/A |
| | Green | Tobie Glenny | 67 | 7.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Barbara Nichols | 60 | 6.9 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 424 | 48.9 | +15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 867 | 42.4 | −0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,052 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.8 | |

### St Andrew's

St Andrew's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julie Young* | 922 | 53.4 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Simpson | 504 | 29.2 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Wilson | 215 | 12.4 | −10.5 |
| | Green | Sophie Lovejoy | 87 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 418 | 24.2 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,728 | 28.2 | +5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,171 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.2 | |

### St. Anne's

St. Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Hogg* | 1,071 | 51.8 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | Kim Naish | 546 | 26.4 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative | Shahid Husain | 284 | 13.7 | −11.8 |
| | Green | Lucy Glover | 166 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 525 | 25.4 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,067 | 32.7 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,355 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.8 | |

### St John's

St. John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ray Gamble* | 1,105 | 61.8 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative | Simon Lucas | 523 | 29.2 | −5.8 |
| | Labour | Hugh Thomas | 82 | 4.6 | −4.9 |
| | Green | Annick Collins-Leyssen | 79 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 582 | 32.5 | +12.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,789 | 43.4 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,135 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 6.1 | |

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lyn Barton | 793 | 42.0 | +5.6 |
| | Conservative | Winifred Foster* | 637 | 33.7 | −4.7 |
| | Labour | David Canning | 370 | 19.6 | −5.7 |
| | Green | Walter Schwarz | 90 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 156 | 8.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,890 | 32.8 | −1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,765 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 5.2 | |

### Stanway

Stanway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gaye Pyman | 1,000 | 44.0 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Sykes* | 956 | 42.0 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | John Spademan | 193 | 8.5 | −4.7 |
| | Green | Pamela Nelson | 125 | 5.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 1.9 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,274 | 38.2 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,959 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 3.4 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Elliott | 974 | 54.4 | +13.4 |
| | Independent | Helen Bunney | 271 | 15.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Audrey Spencer | 261 | 14.6 | −11.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Stevens | 173 | 9.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Katherine Bamforth | 110 | 6.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 703 | 39.3 | +31.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,789 | 30.4 | −7.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,901 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | N/A | |

### West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green

West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dennis Willetts | 919 | 63.6 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Stevens | 253 | 17.5 | −2.9 |
| | Green | Roger Bamforth | 158 | 10.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ian Yates | 114 | 7.9 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 666 | 46.1 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,444 | 38.2 | +7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,812 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.1 | |

### West Mersea

West Mersea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Jowers* | 1,389 | 70.5 | −0.5 |
| | Green | Christopher Fox | 206 | 10.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | James Spencer | 199 | 10.1 | −4.7 |
| | Independent | John Coombes | 176 | 8.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,183 | 60.1 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,970 | 34.8 | −3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,678 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
No Liberal Democrat candidate as previous (14.2%).