# 2004 West Lancashire District Council election

The 2004 West Lancashire District Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of West Lancashire District Council in Lancashire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Party | Seats | ± |
| | Conservative | 29 | +1 |
| | Labour | 25 | -1 |

## Campaign

Before the election the Conservatives held 28 seats compared to 26 for Labour. 18 seats were contested in the election, with 9 seats being defended by each of the 2 parties. As well as candidates from the Conservative and Labour parties, there were also 7 independents, 4 Greens, 1 Liberal Democrat and 1 from the new Ormskirk party. Both the Liberal Democrat and Ormskirk party candidates were standing in Derby ward, which was seen as being one of the critical contests in the election.
A major issue in the election was privatisation, which the Conservatives supported saying it would improve efficiency, however Labour criticised the Conservatives plans saying investment should be kept in the area. The Conservatives called on voters to back their moves to establish litter free zones, create secure leisure facilities for young people and refurbish parks. However Labour attacked plans to sell council housing and the handing of a local park to a private developer. Other issues included crime, anti-social behaviour, CCTV and plans to move the accident and emergency department of Ormskirk hospital to Southport hospital.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives hold on to control of the council after making 1 gain from Labour. This meant the Conservatives held 29 seats compared to 25 for Labour and the election was described as a "vindication of Conservative policies running West Lancs" by the Conservative leader of the council, Geoff Roberts. Meanwhile, Labour's group leader on the council, Alan Bullen, only narrowly held his own seat on the council in Skelmersdale North. Overall turnout in the election was up by 14% at 42.47%.
West Lancashire Local Election Result 2004 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 10 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 55.6 | 47.4 | 13,309 | +1.3% |
| Labour | 8 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 10,346 | -3.0% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.6 | 2,979 | -0.5% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 937 | +0.4% |
| Ormskirk Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 298 | +1.1% |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 190 | +0.7% |

## Ward results
### Ashurst

Ashurst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Donna Duffy | 911 | 57.4 | +4.3 |
| | Independent | Patrick McElhinney | 347 | 21.9 | −7.6 |
| | Conservative | David Meadows | 330 | 20.8 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 564 | 35.5 | +11.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,588 | 33.4 | +14.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Aughton and Downholland

Aughton and Downholland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Una Atherley | 1,725 | 77.4 | +16.7 |
| | Labour | David McKay | 503 | 22.6 | −16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,222 | 54.8 | +33.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,228 | 49.4 | +15.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Birch Green

Birch Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mary Pendleton | 676 | 81.0 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | Susan Cropper | 159 | 19.0 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 517 | 62.0 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 835 | 27.8 | +14.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Burscough

Burscough East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Florence Westley | 900 | 60.6 |
| | Labour | Anne Carter | 584 | 39.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 316 | 21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,484 | 49.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Burscough West

Burscough West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Cynthia Dereli | 832 | 52.2 |
| | Conservative | Graham Jones | 763 | 47.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 69 | 4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,595 | 41.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Derby

Derby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Adrian Owens | 987 | 45.5 | −2.0 |
| | Labour | Alan Williams | 550 | 25.3 | −16.3 |
| | Ormskirk Party | Margaret Heslegrave | 298 | 13.7 | +13.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julian Reid | 190 | 8.8 | +8.8 |
| | Green | Anne Doyle | 146 | 6.7 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 437 | 20.2 | +14.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,171 | 47.0 | +18.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Digmoor

Digmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Terence Aldridge | 710 | 72.9 | −2.6 |
| | Independent | Alan Spears | 147 | 15.1 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Irene O'Donnell | 117 | 12.0 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 563 | 57.8 | −3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 974 | 31.0 | +14.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Halsall

Halsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Doreen Stephenson | 459 | 55.4 | −18.4 |
| | Independent | Raymond Brookfield | 370 | 44.6 | +44.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 | 10.8 | −36.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 829 | 47.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Hesketh-with-Becconsall

Hesketh-with-Becconsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Martin Forshaw | 820 | 63.8 |
| | Independent | Nadine Ashcroft | 466 | 36.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 354 | 27.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,286 | 42.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Knowsley

Knowsley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Lea | 1,360 | 61.4 | +4.8 |
| | Labour | Francis Williams | 652 | 29.4 | −2.8 |
| | Green | John Watt | 204 | 9.2 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 708 | 32.0 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,216 | 49.2 | +20.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Moorside

Moorside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Stephen Hanlon | 664 | 82.3 |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Barron | 143 | 17.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 521 | 64.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 807 | 29.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Rufford

Rufford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joan Colling | 609 | 77.7 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Shan Annis | 175 | 22.3 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 434 | 55.4 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 784 | 47.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Scott

Scott :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cyril Ainscough | 1,044 | 48.1 | +10.4 |
| | Labour | Noel Delaney | 820 | 37.8 | −0.5 |
| | Green | Maurice George | 305 | 14.1 | +4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 224 | 10.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,169 | 47.0 | +14.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Skelmersdale North

Skelmersdale North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Bullen | 531 | 45.7 | −15.4 |
| | Independent | Joan Morrison | 473 | 40.7 | +14.2 |
| | Conservative | Joan Witter | 157 | 13.5 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 58 | 5.0 | −29.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,161 | 37.4 | +13.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Skelmersdale South

Skelmersdale South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sydney Jones | 1,077 | 63.6 | −10.2 |
| | Conservative | Richard Shepherd | 334 | 19.7 | +5.5 |
| | Green | Martin Lowe | 282 | 16.7 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 743 | 43.9 | −15.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,693 | 33.9 | +15.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Tarleton

Tarleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Mee | 1,431 | 63.9 | +4.6 |
| | Independent | John Hodson | 810 | 36.1 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 621 | 27.8 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,241 | 50.5 | +13.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Up Holland

Up Holland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Skilling | 1,066 | 48.0 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative | Ruth Pollock | 787 | 35.5 | −9.3 |
| | Independent | Karen Horrocks | 366 | 16.5 | +16.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 279 | 12.5 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,219 | 45.2 | +14.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Wrightington

Wrightington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Gartside | 1,184 | 66.6 | +17.4 |
| | Labour | Pauline Bailey | 595 | 33.4 | −17.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 589 | 33.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,779 | 52.7 | +15.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |