# 2006 St Albans City and District Council election

The 2006 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 4 May 2006 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 31
* Conservative 17
* Labour 8
* Independent 2

## Campaign

Before the election the council was composed of 29 Liberal Democrats, 17 Conservative, 11 Labour and 1 Independent councillors. The Liberal Democrats hoped to win a majority at the election and complained about decisions being delayed by the opposition parties. However the Conservatives were also confident of making gains and said that a hung council with the best councillors from each party making up the cabinet was right for St Albans. Labour meanwhile were hopeful of holding onto their seats, expecting that they would perform better than in recent elections. As well as the 3 main parties on the council, the Green Party also stood candidates in every ward, while targeting Clarence ward as their best chance.

## Election result

The Liberal Democrats regained overall control of the council that they had lost at the 1999 election after making a net gain of 2 seats. They gained 3 seats from Labour and 2 from the Conservatives, but also lost 3 seats in Marshalswick South, Redbourn and Verulam to the Conservatives. The 3 defeats for Labour included one in Sopwell ward, which they lost for what was described as "the first time in living memory". The results meant that the Liberal Democrats had a majority over the other parties of 4 seats after previously only having half of the councillors before the election, however the Conservatives did win more votes at the election than the Liberal Democrats. Overall turnout at the election was 45.1%.
In Wheathampstead ward the election ended in a tie after 3 recounts. The winner in the ward was decided by getting the 2 candidates to pick the longer pencil resulting in the Liberal Democrat Judith Shardlow defeating the Conservative former mayor Keith Stammers. Meanwhile, the Conservative group on the council was reduced, when councillor John Newman, left the party to sit as an independent councillor after having recently being replaced as Conservative group leader on the council by Teresa Heritage.
St Albans local election result 2006 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 10 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 50.0 | 35.7 | 15,694 | -2.5% |
| Conservative | 8 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 40.0 | 41.7 | 18,348 | +2.1% |
| Labour | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 10.0 | 14.6 | 6,426 | -2.5% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.1 | 3,549 | +7.3% |

## Ward results

Ashley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Rowlands | 844 | 38.1 | −3.1 |
| | Labour | Malachy Pakenham | 597 | 26.9 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | Rafat Khan | 551 | 24.9 | +4.3 |
| | Green | Stephen Clough | 224 | 10.1 | +10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 247 | 11.2 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,216 | 43.7 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Batchwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roma Mills | 827 | 38.6 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allan Witherick | 587 | 27.4 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative | Sara Cadish | 524 | 24.5 | −3.1 |
| | Green | Gillian Mills | 204 | 9.5 | +9.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 240 | 11.2 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,142 | 42.4 | +2.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Clarence :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joyce Lusby | 918 | 42.7 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | Katharine Lifely | 596 | 27.7 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | David Lee | 339 | 15.8 | −4.1 |
| | Green | Simon Grover | 298 | 13.9 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 322 | 15.0 | −7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,151 | 47.3 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Colney Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Day | 823 | 49.3 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Alan Cloke | 616 | 36.9 | +5.7 |
| | Labour | Gordon Watson | 146 | 8.7 | −2.0 |
| | Green | Peter Eggleston | 84 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 207 | 12.4 | −14.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,669 | 41.8 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Cunningham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Prowse | 898 | 41.5 | −15.7 |
| | Conservative | James Vessey | 654 | 30.2 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Abdul Kadir | 414 | 19.1 | +2.6 |
| | Green | Rosalind Hardy | 200 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 244 | 11.3 | −19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,166 | 46.5 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Harpenden East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alison Steer | 1,135 | 45.6 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Michael Wakely | 1,044 | 42.0 | +2.5 |
| | Labour | David Crew | 169 | 6.8 | −3.3 |
| | Green | Denise Taylor-Roome | 140 | 5.6 | +5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 91 | 3.6 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,488 | 48.2 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Harpenden North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Turner | 1,236 | 58.1 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeffrey Phillips | 578 | 27.2 | −5.6 |
| | Labour | Rosemary Ross | 166 | 7.8 | −2.5 |
| | Green | Sasha Bradbury | 147 | 6.9 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 658 | 30.9 | +6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,127 | 42.6 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Harpenden South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Teresa Heritage | 1,606 | 72.1 | +5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Carden | 313 | 14.0 | −10.0 |
| | Labour | Linda Spiri | 160 | 7.2 | −2.6 |
| | Green | Eric Harber | 150 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,293 | 58.1 | +15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,229 | 44.1 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Harpenden West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allen Chamberlain | 1,606 | 67.5 | +9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Skinner | 410 | 17.2 | −10.6 |
| | Green | Marc Scheimann | 207 | 8.7 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Rayner | 158 | 6.6 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,196 | 50.3 | +20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,381 | 44.9 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
London Colney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Etheldreda Gordon | 960 | 44.7 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | David Winstone | 790 | 36.8 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Prowse | 241 | 11.2 | −9.3 |
| | Green | Kate Metcalf | 155 | 7.2 | +7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 7.9 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,146 | 35.1 | −0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Marshalswick North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Clegg | 1,186 | 50.6 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | John Foster | 811 | 34.6 | −4.4 |
| | Labour | John Baughan | 178 | 7.6 | −1.6 |
| | Green | Rosalind Paul | 170 | 7.2 | +7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 375 | 16.0 | +3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,345 | 50.1 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Marshalswick South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mehmet Gaygusuz | 985 | 38.9 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Hale | 953 | 37.6 | −9.5 |
| | Labour | Anthony Nicholson | 343 | 13.5 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Mark Ewington | 251 | 9.9 | +9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32 | 1.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,532 | 51.1 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Park Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aislinn Lee | 1,233 | 52.0 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Griffiths | 868 | 36.6 | −0.5 |
| | Labour | Patricia Allen | 170 | 7.2 | −5.2 |
| | Green | Jack Easton | 101 | 4.3 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 365 | 15.4 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,372 | 46.2 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Redbourn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Susan Carr | 1,039 | 50.7 | +22.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Manning | 745 | 36.4 | +36.4 |
| | Labour | Edward Hill | 138 | 6.7 | −1.8 |
| | Green | Gregory Riener | 126 | 6.2 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 294 | 14.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,048 | 44.8 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Sandridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Beric Read | 880 | 55.8 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Churchard | 403 | 25.6 | −7.5 |
| | Labour | Michael Mulholland | 151 | 9.6 | −2.6 |
| | Green | Lorna-May Caddy | 143 | 9.1 | +9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 477 | 30.2 | +8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,577 | 42.8 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Sopwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Poor | 671 | 33.2 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | Dawn Pratley | 605 | 29.9 | −10.1 |
| | Conservative | Heather Rench | 516 | 25.5 | −4.5 |
| | Green | Thomas Hardy | 230 | 11.4 | +11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 66 | 3.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,022 | 40.3 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
St Peters :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Green | 915 | 45.4 | −1.9 |
| | Labour | Winifred Dunleavy | 464 | 23.0 | −6.4 |
| | Conservative | Debashis Mukherjee | 398 | 19.7 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Kristian Tizzard | 240 | 11.9 | +11.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 451 | 22.4 | +4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,017 | 39.7 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
St Stephen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Patricia Garrard | 1,329 | 58.4 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Parry | 593 | 26.1 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | Janet Blackwell | 201 | 8.8 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Margaret Davis | 153 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 736 | 32.3 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,276 | 46.5 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Verulam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Irene Willcocks | 1,167 | 44.2 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Campbell | 1,116 | 42.3 | +2.7 |
| | Green | Margaret Grover | 211 | 8.0 | +8.0 |
| | Labour | Jane Cloke | 146 | 5.5 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 51 | 1.9 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,640 | 53.5 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Wheathampstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judith Shardlow | 1,132 | 45.8 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Keith Stammers | 1,132 | 45.8 | +0.7 |
| | Green | Gillian Patrick | 115 | 4.7 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | Peter Woodhams | 94 | 3.8 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 0 | 0 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,473 | 54.1 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |