# 2010 Colchester Borough Council election

The 2010 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of Colchester Borough 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
* Liberal Democrats 26
* Conservative 24
* Labour 7
* Independent 3

## Election result

The Liberal Democrats became the largest party on the council with 26 seats after taking 3 seats from the Conservatives. The gains came in Berechurch and Mile End wards where the sitting councillors were not defending the seats, as well as Stanway where Conservative councillor Gaye Pyman was defeated by 265 votes. This dropped the Conservatives to 24 seats, while Labour stayed on 7 seats and there remained 3 independents. Overall turnout at the election was 65.3%, ranging from a high of 74.6% in Pyefleet to a low of 47.9% in St Andrew's ward.
Following the election the coalition between the Liberal Democrats, Labour and independents remained in control of the council administration.
2010 Colchester Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 10 | 3 | 50.0 | 16 | 26 | 43.3 | 27,738 | 39.9 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | 8 | 3 | 40.0 | 16 | 24 | 40.0 | 26,184 | 37.6 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | 1 | | 5.0 | 6 | 7 | 11.7 | 9,067 | 13.0 | ±0.0 |
| | Independent | 1 | | 5.0 | 2 | 3 | 5.0 | 2,710 | 3.9 | +0.4 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,792 | 5.4 | –3.1 |
| | BNP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 98 | 0.1 | New |

## Ward results
### Berechurch

Berechurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Mudie | 1,535 | 40.7 | +6.4 |
| | Labour | Christopher Pearson | 1,224 | 32.5 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Bright | 897 | 23.8 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Maria Iacovou | 112 | 3.0 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 311 | 8.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,768 | 58.5 | +25.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,449 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 5.5 | |

### Birch & Winstree

Birch & Winstree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Bentley* | 2,019 | 62.9 | −7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geraldine Westcott-Boyd | 677 | 21.1 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | James Spencer | 358 | 11.2 | +5.2 |
| | Green | Angela Livingstone | 154 | 4.8 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,342 | 41.8 | −9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,208 | 72.5 | +35.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,453 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.7 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Frame | 1,774 | 41.8 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative | Lucy Craymer | 1,112 | 26.2 | +8.6 |
| | Green | Peter Lynn | 913 | 21.5 | −10.2 |
| | Labour | Adam Fox | 449 | 10.6 | +5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 662 | 15.6 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,248 | 59.1 | +21.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,225 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 6.0 | |

### Christ Church

Christ Church :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Cope* | 1,218 | 51.6 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | Alan Drew | 717 | 30.4 | −3.8 |
| | Green | Alexander Cave | 226 | 9.6 | −8.1 |
| | Labour | Michael Donnachie | 200 | 8.5 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 501 | 21.2 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,361 | 73.4 | +27.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,238 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 6.5 | |

### Fordham & Stour

Fordham & Stour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Christopher Arnold | 1,698 | 57.4 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Woodward | 749 | 25.3 | +12.1 |
| | Labour | Michael Gilheany | 335 | 11.3 | +2.5 |
| | Green | Clarice Mort | 176 | 5.9 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 949 | 32.1 | −21.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,958 | 72.4 | +38.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,104 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 11.0 | |

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Blandon* | 1,452 | 57.9 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative | Grant Mitchell | 583 | 23.3 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | Stephen Adshead | 329 | 13.1 | +1.6 |
| | Green | Stephen Ford | 143 | 5.7 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 869 | 34.7 | −2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,507 | 55.9 | +28.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,480 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.3 | |

### Highwoods

Highwoods :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Gerard Oxford* | 2,057 | 48.2 | −11.3 |
| | Conservative | Joshua Woulfe | 848 | 19.9 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Grimsey | 831 | 19.5 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | Janet Smith | 352 | 8.2 | +3.6 |
| | BNP | Patrick Sullivan | 98 | 2.3 | −4.0 |
| | Green | Robert Spence | 85 | 2.0 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,209 | 28.3 | −15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,271 | 63.0 | +31.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,801 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 8.0 | |

### Lexden

Lexden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sonia Lewis* | 1,729 | 55.5 | −6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Josephine Hayes | 1,084 | 34.8 | +7.2 |
| | Labour | Audrey Spencer | 168 | 5.4 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Clare Palmer | 132 | 4.2 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 645 | 20.7 | −14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,113 | 72.1 | +30.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,333 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.0 | |

### Mile End

Mile End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Scott Greenhill | 2,577 | 55.9 | −5.2 |
| | Conservative | Matthew Eaton | 1,516 | 32.9 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | Ian Yates | 372 | 8.1 | +4.7 |
| | Green | Mary Bryan | 146 | 3.2 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,061 | 23.0 | −5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,061 | 65.1 | +26.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,110 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.0 | |

### New Town

New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Theresa Higgins | 2,061 | 59.1 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | Mo Metcalf-Fisher | 680 | 19.5 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Rossanna Trudgian | 441 | 12.7 | +3.7 |
| | Green | Linda Wonnacott | 304 | 8.7 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,381 | 39.6 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,486 | 56.1 | +28.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,241 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.2 | |

### Prettygate

Prettygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Susan Lissimore* | 2,055 | 46.6 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Loxley | 1,891 | 42.9 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Michael Dale | 320 | 7.3 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Peter Appleton | 146 | 3.3 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 3.7 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,412 | 74.1 | +29.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,970 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.3 | |

### Pyefleet

Pyefleet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Terence Sutton | 699 | 43.8 | −17.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Raven | 681 | 42.7 | +30.2 |
| | Labour | Robert Fisher | 146 | 9.2 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Tobie Glenny | 69 | 4.3 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 1.1 | −47.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,595 | 74.6 | +32.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,144 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 23.9 | |

### St. Andrew's

St. Andrew's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julie Young* | 1,323 | 43.0 | −8.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Warner | 1,107 | 36.0 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Ellis | 545 | 17.7 | +3.0 |
| | Green | Beverley Maltby | 100 | 3.3 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 216 | 7.0 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,075 | 47.9 | +23.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,433 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.0 | |

### St. Anne's

St. Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Hogg* | 2,214 | 58.4 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Caine | 916 | 24.2 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Bruce Tuxford | 490 | 12.9 | −1.8 |
| | Green | Sandra Moog | 168 | 4.4 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,298 | 34.3 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,788 | 58.2 | +29.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,534 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.6 | |

### St. John's

St. John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ray Gamble* | 1,833 | 62.1 | −9.5 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Tollick | 813 | 27.5 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | Luke Dopson | 217 | 7.4 | +4.0 |
| | Green | David Traynier | 89 | 3.0 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,020 | 34.6 | −14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,952 | 71.9 | +29.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,117 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 7.3 | |

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lyn Barton* | 1,832 | 48.8 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Darius Laws | 1,321 | 35.2 | −7.1 |
| | Labour | Paul Fryer-Kelsey | 465 | 12.4 | +2.2 |
| | Green | Walter Schwarz | 135 | 3.6 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 511 | 13.6 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,753 | 55.7 | +25.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,755 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 6.5 | |

### Stanway

Stanway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Sykes | 1,991 | 46.0 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Gaye Pyman* | 1,726 | 39.9 | −3.4 |
| | Labour | David Hough | 478 | 11.1 | +3.9 |
| | Green | Pamela Nelson | 130 | 3.0 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 265 | 6.1 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,325 | 66.9 | +28.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,498 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 1.9 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Elliott* | 2,266 | 55.3 | −5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jason Lower | 858 | 21.0 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Robert Spademan | 732 | 17.9 | +4.8 |
| | Green | Katherine Bamforth | 238 | 5.8 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,408 | 34.4 | −7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,094 | 67.0 | +36.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,145 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.8 | |

### West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green

West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dennis Willetts* | 1,350 | 46.0 | −16.9 |
| | Independent | John Gili-Ross | 653 | 22.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katherine Douglas | 535 | 18.2 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | Barbara Nichols | 276 | 9.4 | −3.0 |
| | Green | Roger Bamforth | 119 | 4.1 | −7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 697 | 23.8 | −26.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,933 | 73.8 | +37.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,963 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### West Mersea

West Mersea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Jowers* | 2,694 | 65.2 | −12.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Stevens | 838 | 20.3 | +10.7 |
| | Labour | John Wood | 392 | 9.5 | +2.7 |
| | Green | Christopher Fox | 207 | 5.0 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,856 | 44.9 | −23.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,131 | 69.2 | +34.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,988 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 11.6 | |