# 2006 Winchester City Council election

The 2006 Winchester Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Winchester District Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Conservative 29
* Liberal Democrat 21
* Independent 4
* Labour 3

## Campaign

Before the election the Liberal Democrats had 26 seats, the Conservatives 22, independents 5 and Labour 4. 19 seats were being contested with 4 Liberal Democrat and 1 independent councillors standing down at the election, while the council leader Sheila Campbell and 2 other cabinet members were defending seats.
Issues in the election included anti-social behaviour, council tax, rural transportation and planning policy.

## Election result

The count was disrupted delaying the last result after some of the ballot papers were set on fire meaning water had to be poured into the ballot box. The results saw the Conservatives take control of the council for the first time since the early 1990s. They gained 7 seats included 5 from the Liberal Democrats and 1 each from Labour and the independents. Conservatives defeated both the Liberal Democrat council leader Sheila Campbell and the Labour leader Patrick Davies.
The widespread press coverage earlier in the year about the local Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oaten having had sex with male prostitutes was seen as having damaged the Liberal Democrats and benefited the Conservatives. In the July after the election Oaten announced that he would be standing down from parliament at the next general election.
Following the election George Beckett became the new Conservative leader of the council.
Winchester Local Election Result 2006 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 13 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 68.4 | 53.8 | 17,604 | +12.1% |
| Liberal Democrats | 4 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 21.1 | 33.8 | 11,047 | -8.3% |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 2,100 | -1.0% |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 5.3 | 5.8 | 1,898 | -0.1% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 64 | -2.6% |

## Ward results
### Bishop's Waltham

Bishop's Waltham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Georgina Busher | 985 | 45.8 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Roger Hockin | 928 | 43.2 | +16.9 |
| | Labour | Stephen Haines | 120 | 5.6 | +1.3 |
| | Independent | Ruby Forrest | 117 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 2.6 | −16.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,150 | 42 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Cheriton & Bishops Sutton

Cheriton & Bishops Sutton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harry Verney | 565 | 62.6 | +10.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Day | 338 | 37.4 | −7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 227 | 25.2 | +17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 903 | 53 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Colden Common and Twyford

Colden Common and Twyford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Izard | 971 | 51.3 | −10.1 |
| | Conservative | Theresa Marshall | 850 | 44.9 | +12.3 |
| | Labour | Tessa Valentine | 73 | 3.9 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 121 | 6.4 | −22.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,894 | 47 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Denmead

Denmead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederick Allgood | 1,742 | 81.4 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Houghton | 320 | 15.0 | −9.3 |
| | Labour | David Picton-Jones | 78 | 3.6 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,422 | 66.4 | +18.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,140 | 41 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Droxford, Soberton and Hambledon

Droxford, Soberton and Hambldon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Antony Coates | 740 | 78.5 | +10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Scriven | 203 | 21.5 | −8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 537 | 57.0 | +18.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 943 | 59 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Kings Worthy

Kings Worthy :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stanley Howell | 799 | 51.0 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hilary Jones | 697 | 44.5 | −0.6 |
| | Labour | Elaine Fullaway | 70 | 4.5 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 102 | 6.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,566 | 49 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Olivers Battery & Badger Farm

Olivers Battery & Badger Farm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Colin | 837 | 48.7 | −9.2 |
| | Conservative | Susan Evershed | 829 | 48.2 | +11.1 |
| | Labour | David Smith | 53 | 3.1 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.5 | −20.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,719 | 54 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Owslebury & Curdridge

Owslebury & Curdridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Laurence Ruffell | 881 | 60.2 | +15.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roy Stainton | 539 | 36.8 | −16.0 |
| | Labour | Brian Fullaway | 44 | 3.0 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 23.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,464 | 49 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Shedfield

Shedfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Huxstep | 649 | 44.5 | +0.7 |
| | Independent | Andrew Archard | 554 | 38.0 | −11.9 |
| | Independent | Stuart Jones | 173 | 11.9 | +11.9 |
| | Labour | Patricia Hayward | 82 | 5.6 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 95 | 6.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,458 | 47 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Sparsholt

Sparsholt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keith Wood | 484 | 62.0 | +13.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Coleman | 297 | 38.0 | −13.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 187 | 24.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 781 | 52 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### St. Barnabas

St. Barnabas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Worrall | 1,350 | 52.7 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allan Mitchell | 1,099 | 42.9 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Adrian Field | 111 | 4.3 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 251 | 9.8 | +5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,560 | 55 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### St. Bartholomew

St. Bartholomew :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dominic Hiscock | 978 | 49.4 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Cunningham | 869 | 43.9 | +8.9 |
| | Labour | Timothy Curran | 133 | 6.7 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 | 5.5 | −6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,980 | 43 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St. John and All Saints

St. John and All Saints :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris Pines | 507 | 32.7 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Michael Lovegrove | 498 | 32.1 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Hicks | 478 | 30.8 | −1.8 |
| | Independent | Harold Robbins | 69 | 4.4 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,552 | 35 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St. Luke

St. Luke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Stephens | 614 | 43.1 | +5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Hobson | 458 | 32.1 | −10.4 |
| | Labour | Patrick Davies | 354 | 24.8 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 156 | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,426 | 35 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### St. Michael

St. Michael :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Tait | 1,240 | 58.7 | +18.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Chester | 702 | 33.2 | −10.7 |
| | Labour | Albert Edwards | 107 | 5.1 | +1.2 |
| | UKIP | Judith Napier-Clark | 64 | 3.0 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 538 | 25.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,113 | 47 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### St. Paul

St. Paul :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Raymond Pearce | 845 | 50.4 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | Gillian Allen | 725 | 43.2 | +9.5 |
| | Labour | Debra Grech | 108 | 6.4 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 7.2 | −15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,678 | 39 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Swanmore and Newton

Swanmore and Newtown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Victoria Weston | 1,101 | 56.2 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sheila Campbell | 805 | 41.1 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Dennis May | 52 | 2.7 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 296 | 15.1 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,958 | 60 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### The Alresfords

The Alresfords :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Hollingbery | 1,469 | 59.3 | +18.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jacqueline Porter | 876 | 35.4 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | Robin Atkins | 131 | 5.3 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 593 | 23.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,476 | 51 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Wonston and Micheldever

Wonston and Micheldever :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Godfrey | 1,271 | 65.1 | +7.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter McLoughlin | 604 | 30.9 | −6.9 |
| | Labour | Nigel Lickley | 77 | 3.9 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 667 | 34.2 | +14.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,952 | 48 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |