# 2010 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2010 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council in Merseyside, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 28
* Liberal Democrats 15
* Conservative 5

## Background

Before the election Labour were the largest party with 23 councillors, but the council was run by an alliance between the Liberal Democrats with 19 seats and the Conservatives with 6 seats. Seats were contested in all 16 of the wards at the 2010 election, with Labour needing a 2-seat swing to win a majority on the council.

## Election result

Labour gained 5 seats to take control of the council, with 28 councillors. This gave them an 8-seat majority over the Liberal Democrats with 15 seats and the Conservatives with 5 seats. Labour took Bold, Haydock, Moss Bank and Town Centre from the Liberal Democrats, including defeating the Liberal Democrat cabinet member Richard Ferry in Moss Bank. Meanwhile, Labour also gained Windle from the Conservatives.
Following the election Labour's Marie Rimmer became leader of the council for a third time.
St Helens local election result 2010 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 12 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 75.0 | 48.2 | 39,095 | +11.2% |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 18.8 | 30.4 | 24,628 | -7.3% |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 6.3 | 18.3 | 14,827 | -1.4% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.9 | 2,373 | -2.7% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 158 | +0.2% |

## Ward results

Billinge and Seneley Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Susan Murphy | 2,964 | 49.6 | +7.9 |
| | Conservative | Michael Hodgson | 1,795 | 30.0 | −10.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Gadsden | 1,216 | 20.4 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,169 | 19.6 | +18.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,975 | 67.1 | +31.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Blackbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul McQuade | 2,881 | 57.7 | +11.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Bonney | 1,276 | 25.6 | −13.4 |
| | Conservative | Judith Collins | 547 | 11.0 | −3.6 |
| | BNP | Gail Lawley | 290 | 5.8 | +5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,605 | 32.1 | +24.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,994 | 59.2 | +27.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Bold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gareth Cross | 2,074 | 48.3 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Dunn | 1,503 | 35.0 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | Charmian Pyke | 426 | 9.9 | +1.6 |
| | BNP | Marie Oakes | 294 | 6.8 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 571 | 13.3 | +12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,297 | 57.4 | +25.8 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Earlestown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charles Banks | 2,533 | 57.5 | +5.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Smith | 1,146 | 26.0 | −13.8 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Harvey | 726 | 16.5 | +8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,387 | 31.5 | +19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,405 | 54.3 | +22.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Eccleston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Pearl | 2,949 | 45.3 | −23.8 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Almond | 1,940 | 29.8 | +18.7 |
| | Conservative | Kathleen Barton | 1,411 | 21.7 | +7.1 |
| | BNP | David Cleverley | 205 | 3.2 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,009 | 15.5 | −39.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,505 | 70.0 | +29.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Haydock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Anderton | 2,802 | 51.5 | +6.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eric Sheldon | 2,015 | 37.0 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Anthony Rigby | 623 | 11.5 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 787 | 14.5 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,440 | 60.1 | +26.4 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Moss Bank :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeffrey Fletcher | 2,417 | 46.3 | +18.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Ferry | 2,111 | 40.5 | −22.0 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Black | 689 | 13.2 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 306 | 5.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,217 | 60.9 | +25.6 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Newton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Taylor | 2,441 | 48.3 | −21.0 |
| | Labour | John Perry | 1,785 | 35.3 | +14.6 |
| | Conservative | Brian Honey | 829 | 16.4 | +6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 656 | 13.0 | −35.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,055 | 59.7 | +24.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Parr :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Terence Shields | 2,779 | 71.5 | +8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Round | 741 | 19.1 | −6.6 |
| | Conservative | Madeleine Wilcock | 364 | 9.4 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,038 | 52.5 | +14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,884 | 45.2 | +22.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Rainford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederick Monk | 2,356 | 49.3 | −17.9 |
| | Labour | Keith Aspinall | 1,634 | 34.2 | +14.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Hackett | 792 | 16.6 | +10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 722 | 15.1 | −32.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,782 | 71.4 | +28.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Rainhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Glover | 2,789 | 46.3 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Denise Aspinall | 1,800 | 29.9 | +16.4 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Bligh | 1,160 | 19.3 | −6.7 |
| | BNP | Leila Bentham | 273 | 4.5 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 989 | 16.4 | −9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,022 | 66.3 | +28.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Sutton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephanie Topping | 2,327 | 44.9 | −17.1 |
| | Labour | Alison Bacon | 2,075 | 40.1 | +16.8 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Woodcock | 445 | 8.6 | +3.2 |
| | BNP | Peter Clayton | 333 | 6.4 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 252 | 4.9 | −33.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,180 | 57.0 | +25.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Thatto Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard McCauley | 2,995 | 58.7 | +5.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Ollerhead | 1,071 | 21.0 | −2.3 |
| | Conservative | Richard Barton | 684 | 13.4 | +1.3 |
| | BNP | Paul Telford | 349 | 6.8 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,924 | 37.7 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,099 | 54.7 | +26.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Town Centre :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Carole Gill | 2,176 | 54.0 | +18.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Crowther | 1,163 | 28.9 | −20.0 |
| | Conservative | Helen Smith | 351 | 8.7 | +3.2 |
| | BNP | James Winstanley | 341 | 8.5 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,013 | 25.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,031 | 48.9 | −19.2 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
West Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Marie Rimmer | 3,063 | 58.7 | +8.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Johnson | 1,070 | 20.5 | −6.9 |
| | Conservative | Oliver Kretay | 639 | 12.2 | +1.1 |
| | BNP | Terence Oakes | 288 | 5.5 | −5.7 |
| | Independent | Patricia Robinson | 158 | 3.0 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,993 | 38.2 | +15.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,218 | 58.2 | +25.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Windle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ellen Glover | 2,188 | 44.0 | +16.9 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Roughley | 1,782 | 35.8 | −17.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Noreen Knowles | 1,007 | 20.2 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 406 | 8.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,977 | 62.1 | +27.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2010 and 2011
### Billinge and Seneley Green

A by-election was held in Billinge and Seneley Green on 14 October 2010 after the death of Labour councillor Richard Ward. The seat was held for Labour by Alison Bacon with a majority of 664 votes over Conservative Elizabeth Black.
Billinge and Seneley Green by-election 14 October 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alison Bacon | 1,288 | 56.4 | +6.8 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Black | 624 | 27.3 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Gadsden | 229 | 10.0 | −10.4 |
| | BNP | James Winstanley | 141 | 6.2 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 664 | 29.1 | +9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,282 | 24.8 | −42.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Haydock

A by-election was held in Haydock on 2 December 2010 after the death of the longest serving Labour councillor in the country, Jim Caunce. The seat was held for Labour by Anthony Burns with a majority of 694 votes over Liberal Democrat Eric Sheldon.
Haydock by-election 2 December 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anthony Burns | 1,234 | 62.7 | +11.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eric Sheldon | 540 | 27.4 | −9.6 |
| | Conservative | John Cunliffe | 112 | 5.7 | −5.8 |
| | BNP | James Winstanley | 82 | 4.2 | +4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 694 | 35.3 | +20.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,968 | 20.4 | −39.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |