# 2008 Thurrock Council election

The 2008 Thurrock Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Thurrock 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 24
* Labour 22
* Independent 2
* British National Party 1

## Campaign

The 2008 election in Thurrock was seen as one of the key national contests with the Conservatives needing to gain one seat to take overall control. Important issues in the election included recycling, local bus services and race relations.
18 seats were contested in the election with the Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park seat being a by-election after the previous councillor resigned. The Conservatives, Labour and British National Party contested all 18 seats except in East Tilbury where the Conservatives did not put up a candidate. There were also 8 Liberal Democrats and 2 other candidates.

## Election results

The results saw the council stay under no overall control but with the British National Party gaining a seat. The Conservatives remained the largest party on the council after winning 10 of the seats contested as compared to 6 for Labour. The final seat was won by independent Barry Palmer in East Tilbury.
While the Conservatives were still just short of an overall majority they remained in control of the council due to their existing agreement with the 2 independent councillors. Both main parties said they would not work with the new British National Party councillor, although she said she did not want to work with them anyway.
Following the election in March 2009, Terry Hipsey, the then Conservative leader of the council, defected from the Conservatives to Labour, leaving each of the major parties with 23 councillors.
Thurrock Local Election Result 2008 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 55.6 | 37.2 | 11,900 | +6.5% |
| Labour | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 33.3 | 32.6 | 10,416 | -1.5% |
| BNP | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5.6 | 21.3 | 6,827 | -3.3% |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.6 | 3.5 | 1,115 | -0.7% |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 1,265 | +0.0% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 372 | -0.5% |
| Ind. Working Class | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 98 | -0.2% |
| Independent Socialist | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Ward results

Aveley & Uplands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Amanda Wilton | 845 | 45.5 | +8.5 |
| | BNP | Dave Strickson | 521 | 28.1 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | John Garner | 363 | 19.5 | −4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Livermore | 128 | 6.9 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 324 | 17.4 | +11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,857 | 29.0 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Belhus :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sue Gray | 786 | 42.8 | +6.8 |
| | Conservative | Georgette Polley | 549 | 29.9 | −4.6 |
| | BNP | Lauren Kay | 387 | 21.1 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Biddall | 115 | 6.3 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 237 | 12.9 | +11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,837 | 28.6 | +1.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Chadwell St. Mary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gerard Rice | 925 | 42.0 | −1.3 |
| | BNP | Bryn Robinson | 645 | 29.3 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | Amanda Redsell | 515 | 23.4 | +5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Saunders | 119 | 5.4 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 280 | 12.7 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,204 | 30.7 | −0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Chafford & North Stifford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Garry Hague | 866 | 52.6 | +16.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Earnshaw Palmer | 390 | 23.7 | −5.2 |
| | BNP | Sandra Strickson | 201 | 12.2 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | Martin Healy | 188 | 11.4 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 476 | 28.9 | +21.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,645 | 31.1 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Corringham & Fobbing :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Harrison | 837 | 49.2 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | John Cecil | 560 | 32.9 | +0.9 |
| | BNP | Warren Parish | 303 | 17.8 | −8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 277 | 16.3 | +6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,700 | 38.2 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
East Tilbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Barry Palmer | 923 | 64.6 | −1.7 |
| | BNP | Bradley Elvin | 286 | 20.0 | −4.2 |
| | Labour | Felton Flavius | 220 | 15.4 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 637 | 44.6 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,429 | 31.0 | +0.2 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Grays Riverside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Kent | 720 | 41.8 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | Paul Coutts | 473 | 27.5 | +6.8 |
| | BNP | Jamie Strickson | 398 | 23.1 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Jones | 130 | 7.6 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 247 | 14.3 | −3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,721 | 23.8 | +0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Grays Thurrock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Yash Gupta | 1,011 | 47.3 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Leo Milan-Vega | 555 | 25.9 | −0.8 |
| | BNP | Ricky-Lee Strickson | 445 | 20.8 | −4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Jackson | 128 | 6.0 | +6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 456 | 21.4 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,139 | 33.9 | −0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Little Thurrock Blackshots :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joycelyn Redsell | 735 | 46.8 | −18.0 |
| | Labour | Bob Moorman | 279 | 17.8 | −4.0 |
| | BNP | Dean Kay | 243 | 15.5 | +15.5 |
| | UKIP | Alan Broad | 207 | 13.2 | +13.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Kelly | 106 | 6.8 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 456 | 29.0 | −14.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,570 | 35.0 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ockendon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Amanda Arnold | 1,016 | 45.3 | +10.5 |
| | Labour | Wendy Curtis | 806 | 35.9 | +1.8 |
| | BNP | Sophie Agass | 422 | 18.8 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 210 | 9.4 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,244 | 33.9 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Orsett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Diane Revell | 1,103 | 59.5 | −13.9 |
| | Labour | Angela Gaywood | 420 | 22.7 | +6.9 |
| | BNP | Derek Beackon | 330 | 17.8 | +17.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 683 | 36.8 | −20.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,853 | 40.0 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
South Chafford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Veryard | 547 | 55.0 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | David Hooper | 188 | 18.9 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adedoyin Ogunfemi | 149 | 15.0 | −15.5 |
| | BNP | Donna Strickson | 111 | 11.2 | +11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 36.1 | +20.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 995 | 21.5 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Stanford East & Corringham Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Danny Nicklen | 1,069 | 43.5 | +8.3 |
| | Labour | Gordon Gambier | 949 | 38.6 | +0.9 |
| | BNP | Danny Brown | 344 | 14.0 | −7.1 |
| | Ind. Working Class | Dave Amis | 98 | 4.0 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,460 | 38.0 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Stanford-Le-Hope West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Terry Hipsey | 718 | 44.7 | +5.0 |
| | Labour | Anita Nuss | 450 | 28.0 | +0.3 |
| | BNP | Anita Jessup | 275 | 17.1 | −0.9 |
| | UKIP | Clive Broad | 165 | 10.3 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 268 | 16.7 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,608 | 33.9 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The Homesteads :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Suzanne MacPherson | 1,203 | 45.5 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Anthony Sharp | 901 | 34.1 | +0.4 |
| | BNP | Paul Woodley | 542 | 20.5 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 302 | 11.4 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,646 | 39.5 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Tilbury Riverside & Thurrock Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BNP | Emma Colgate | 530 | 39.9 | +9.7 |
| | Labour | Paul Martin | 463 | 34.8 | +0.9 |
| | Independent | June Brown | 192 | 14.4 | −9.4 |
| | Conservative | Lee Dove | 144 | 10.8 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 5.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,329 | 30.9 | +5.9 |
| | BNP gain from Labour | BNP gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Tilbury St. Chads :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lynn Worrall | 519 | 46.5 | −1.2 |
| | BNP | Angela Daly | 458 | 41.0 | +14.0 |
| | Conservative | Kay Mangion | 139 | 12.5 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 61 | 5.5 | −15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,116 | 27.8 | −0.3 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
West Thurrock & South Stifford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Oliver Gerrish | 668 | 40.7 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Gareth Davies | 586 | 35.7 | +7.2 |
| | BNP | Ken Daly | 386 | 23.5 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 82 | 5.0 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,640 | 25.9 | −0.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |