# 2007 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council election

The 2007 Southend-on-Sea Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Southend-on-Sea Unitary Council in Essex, 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
* Conservative 30
* Liberal Democrat 10
* Labour 7
* Independent 4

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives retain control of the council with a majority of 9 seats over the other parties. The former leader of the council, Anna Waite, who had been defeated in the 2006 election, was returned to the council in St Luke's ward after defeating the Labour councillor Kevin Robinson. However the Conservatives lost a usually safe seat in Thorpe to independent Ron Woodley by 791 votes.
For the second election in a row a Conservative leader of the council was defeated. Murray Foster was defeated in Prittlewell ward by Liberal Democrat Ric Morgan, forcing the Conservatives to choose a new leader. Nigel Holdcroft was unopposed within the Conservative group and became the new leader of the council.
Overall turnout in the election was 31%.
Southend-on-Sea Local Election Result 2007 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 52.9 | 40.9 | 16,024 | -1.3% |
| Liberal Democrats | 4 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 23.5 | 22.1 | 8,656 | -3.7% |
| Labour | 2 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 11.8 | 15.7 | 6,156 | +3.0% |
| Independent | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11.8 | 10.9 | 4,260 | +1.8% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 2,334 | +1.4% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.4 | 926 | -0.6% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 667 | -0.3% |
| Mums' Army | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 115 | +0.0% |

## Ward results

Belfairs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lesley Salter | 1,240 | 47.5 | +1.5 |
| | Independent | Maria Jeffery | 822 | 31.5 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronald Streeter | 361 | 13.8 | −9.7 |
| | Labour | Gary Farrer | 189 | 7.2 | +7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 418 | 16.0 | +0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,612 | 35.6 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Blenheim Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Clinkscales | 982 | 40.4 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Brian Houssart | 745 | 30.7 | −0.7 |
| | BNP | Raymond Weaver | 284 | 11.7 | +11.7 |
| | Labour | Teresa Merrison | 257 | 10.6 | −1.5 |
| | UKIP | Peggy Walker | 162 | 6.7 | −11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 237 | 9.8 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,430 | 31.8 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Chalkwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Hebermel | 1,179 | 54.4 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Mallam | 357 | 16.5 | −11.4 |
| | Labour | Joan Richards | 254 | 11.7 | −4.0 |
| | UKIP | Toni Thornes | 217 | 10.0 | +10.0 |
| | Green | Michael Woodgate | 162 | 7.5 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 822 | 37.9 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,169 | 29.6 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Eastwood Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jason Luty | 1,425 | 63.4 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tracey Browne | 521 | 23.2 | −8.7 |
| | Labour | Raoul Meade | 303 | 13.5 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 904 | 40.2 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,249 | 30.0 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Kursaal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen George | 715 | 39.9 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | Blaine Robin | 538 | 30.0 | +1.6 |
| | BNP | Dean Fenner | 276 | 15.4 | −5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Cartwright | 265 | 14.8 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 177 | 9.9 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,794 | 24.9 | −2.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Wexham | 1,414 | 63.7 | +12.3 |
| | Conservative | Bernard Arscott | 649 | 29.2 | −4.8 |
| | Labour | Ian Gilbert | 158 | 7.1 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 765 | 34.4 | +17.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,221 | 31.0 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Garston | 837 | 44.3 | +4.3 |
| | Labour | Clive Rebbeck | 528 | 28.0 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Collins | 187 | 9.9 | −3.3 |
| | Independent | John Bacon | 134 | 7.1 | −8.5 |
| | Green | Stephen Jordan | 125 | 6.6 | −3.6 |
| | Independent | David Aitken | 77 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 309 | 16.4 | −2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,888 | 26.5 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Prittlewell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ric Morgan | 1,056 | 41.6 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | Murray Foster | 960 | 37.8 | +1.5 |
| | UKIP | John Croft | 288 | 11.4 | −6.6 |
| | Labour | Llynus Pigrem | 233 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 3.8 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,537 | 34.0 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
St Laurence :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carole Roast | 1,046 | 43.9 | −11.9 |
| | Conservative | Pam Farley | 900 | 37.8 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Reginald Copley | 288 | 12.1 | +12.1 |
| | Green | Daniel Lee | 150 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 146 | 6.1 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,384 | 31.7 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
St Lukes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anna Waite | 784 | 33.2 | +8.3 |
| | Labour | Kevin Robinson | 767 | 32.4 | −0.6 |
| | BNP | Geoffrey Strobridge | 442 | 18.7 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Ayling | 222 | 9.4 | −2.6 |
| | Green | Cristian Ramis | 150 | 6.3 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 0.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,365 | 29.5 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Shoeburyness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pat Rayner | 788 | 33.5 | |
| | Independent | Mike Assenheim | 658 | 28.0 | |
| | Labour | Anne Chalk | 481 | 20.5 | |
| | BNP | John Moss | 315 | 13.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jane Dresner | 107 | 4.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 5.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,349 | 30.3 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Southchurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ann Holland | 1,280 | 54.3 | +4.0 |
| | BNP | Fenton Bowley | 367 | 15.6 | −3.4 |
| | Labour | Joyce Mapp | 302 | 12.8 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jenny Wexham | 261 | 11.1 | −0.6 |
| | Green | Stuart Salmon | 148 | 6.3 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 913 | 38.7 | +7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,358 | 33.1 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Thorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ron Woodley | 1,801 | 53.8 | +24.0 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Folkard | 1,009 | 30.2 | −12.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Howard Gibeon | 365 | 10.9 | −10.1 |
| | Labour | Chris Gasper | 170 | 5.1 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 792 | 23.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,345 | 46.3 | +2.0 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Victoria :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Norman | 744 | 43.4 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Roger Kemp | 442 | 25.8 | +1.4 |
| | BNP | Alisdair Lewis | 277 | 16.2 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronella Streeter | 252 | 14.7 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 302 | 17.6 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,715 | 24.3 | −2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
West Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gwen Horrigan | 1,626 | 59.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Albert Wren | 755 | 27.7 | |
| | Green | Paul Circus | 191 | 7.0 | |
| | Labour | Jane Norman | 150 | 5.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 871 | 32.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,722 | 39.3 | −5.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
West Shoebury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derek Jarvis | 1,250 | 54.4 | +10.6 |
| | BNP | Terence Jellis | 373 | 16.2 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Lars Davidsson | 308 | 13.4 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Betson | 251 | 10.9 | +3.5 |
| | Mums' Army | Linda Martin | 115 | 5.0 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 877 | 38.2 | +11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,297 | 31.0 | −5.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Westborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Martin Terry | 768 | 45.1 | +9.6 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Buckley | 372 | 21.8 | +1.3 |
| | Labour | Tony Borton | 309 | 18.1 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Vincent | 254 | 14.9 | −8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 396 | 23.3 | +11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,703 | 23.3 | −3.7 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |