# 2016 Woking Borough Council election

The 2016 Woking Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2016 to elect members of Woking Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other elections across the UK and the Police and Crime Commissioner election for Surrey Police.
Boundary changes had included a shrinking of the council from 36 councillors to 30 councillors, and all 30 council seats in the 10 new wards were up for election. In each ward, 3 candidates were elected, with the leading candidate in each ward being elected for 4 years, the second-placed candidate being elected for 3 years and the third-placed candidate being elected for 2 years. As a result, there will be no borough elections in 2017, but a third of the council will be due for re-election in each of 2018, 2019 and 2020.

## Summary

Prior to this all-out election on new ward boundaries, the Conservatives had a strong majority on the council, with 24 seats compared to 9 for the Liberal Democrats, 2 Labour councillors, and one Independent.
Despite remaining the largest party by a clear margin of 10 seats over their nearest rivals, the result was considered slightly disappointing for the Conservatives, who saw their council majority over all other parties reduced to four seats.
Independent candidates won all three seats in Byfleet, defeating sitting LibDem councillor and former Mayor Anne Roberts and the Conservative councillors Gary Elson and Richard Wilson. The Liberal Democrats won all three seats in the new Hoe Valley ward and shared the spoils with the Conservatives in Goldsworth Park, Mount Hermon and St Johns. Labour took all three seats in the Canalside Ward (where the Conservative council was taking forward a controversial redevelopment and regeneration scheme in the Sheerwater area). However, the Conservatives did rack up four extremely convincing wins (with majorities in each ward of c.1,000 votes) in the wards of Heathlands, Horsell, Knaphill and Pyrford.
There were very close battles, resulting in three ‘split wards’, in Goldsworth Park, Mount Hermon and St Johns, but, arguably, no results were closer than those in the Mount Hermon ward, where Conservative councillor Carl Thomson and Liberal Democrat councillor Liam Lyons both lost their seats, and where only 64 votes separated the second and fifth placed candidates, and just 22 votes separated those who placed second and fourth.
In the election, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats were the only two parties to field a full slate of thirty candidates. UKIP stood one candidate in each of the ten wards, and two in Canalside, for a total of eleven candidates in all. Labour nominated sixteen candidates in total, but stood them across just seven out of the ten wards. The Greens fielded one candidate in each of seven wards, for a total of seven nominations. The best result for the Greens was in Knaphill, where their candidate James Brierley was the runner-up to the three successful Conservative candidates.
After the election, long-standing council leader Councillor John Kingsbury continued in office with the support of the Conservative group. Councillor Kingsbury later announced his retirement as council leader in 2017, and stood down as a councillor at the 2018 local elections.
Woking Borough Council election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| | Conservative | 17 | N/A | N/A | –7 | 56.66% | 47.51% | 34,980 | — |
| | Liberal Democrats | 7 | N/A | N/A | –2 | 23.33% | 28.13% | 20,707 | — |
| | Labour | 3 | N/A | N/A | +1 | 10% | 10.39% | 7,647 | — |
| | Independent | 3 | N/A | N/A | +2 | 10% | 5.41% | 3,982 | — |
| | UKIP | 0 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 5.37% | 3,956 | — |
| | Green | 0 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 3.19% | 2,351 | — |
| Totals | Totals | 30 | N/A | N/A | –6 | 100% | 100% | 73,623 | — |

## Ward by ward
### Byfleet and West Byfleet

Byfleet and West Byfleet (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Edwin Bond (elected for 4 years) | 1,474 | |
| | Independent | Amanda Jayne Boote (elected for 3 years) | 1,385 | |
| | Independent | Mary Ann Bridgeman (elected for 2 years) | 1,123 | |
| | Conservative | Richard Arthur Gillard Wilson | 1,011 | |
| | Conservative | Gary William Elson | 929 | |
| | Conservative | Pauline Mary Hedges | 922 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Elizabeth Roberts | 724 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Nigel Grimshaw | 582 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Karon Jane Read | 534 | |
| | UKIP | Neil James Willetts | 295 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,316 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3341 | 40.18% |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Canalside

Canalside (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Tahir Aziz (elected for 4 years) | 1,106 | |
| | Labour | Mohammad Ali (elected for 3 years) | 1,071 | |
| | Labour | Mohammad Ilyas Raja (elected for 2 years) | 1,060 | |
| | Conservative | Paula Jane Marcus | 868 | |
| | Conservative | Matthew Howard Provost | 829 | |
| | Conservative | Colin Patrick Scott | 807 | |
| | UKIP | David Simon Roe | 383 | |
| | UKIP | Judith Diana | 332 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rebecca Elisabeth Whale | 300 | |
| | Green | Christopher David Calvin Dykes | 281 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gareth Davies | 279 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Norman Grenville Johns | 230 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,517 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2862 | 38.07% |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Goldsworth Park

Goldsworth Park (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann-Marie Barker (elected for 4 years) | 894 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Eastwood (elected for 3 years) | 885 | |
| | Conservative | Chitra Rana (elected for 2 years) | 858 | |
| | Conservative | Laura Ashall | 847 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Richard Sanderson | 806 | |
| | Conservative | Rizwan Shah | 707 | |
| | Labour | John Scott-Morgan | 366 | |
| | UKIP | Troy de Leon | 356 | |
| | Labour | William Eric Owen | 327 | |
| | Labour | Robina Shaheen | 327 | |
| | Green | Eve Catherine Carnall | 219 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,036 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2510 | 35.67% |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Heathlands

Heathlands (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Kevin Mark Davis (elected for 4 years) | 1,519 | |
| | Conservative | Ayesha Azad (elected for 3 years) | 1,462 | |
| | Conservative | Robert John Kingsbury (elected for 2 years) | 1,375 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Marion Hill | 586 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Henry David Kay | 555 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alison Jane Sanderson | 482 | |
| | Green | Anna Katharine Wright | 380 | |
| | UKIP | Richard Peter Farr Squire | 336 | |
| | Labour | John Martin | 316 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,014 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2711 | 38.65% |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Hoe Valley

Hoe Valley (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Will Forster (elected for 4 years) | 1,126 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Mary Nell Morales (elected for 3 years) | 1,022 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deborah Elizabeth Hughes (elected for 2 years) | 967 | |
| | Conservative | Nathalie Bourne | 614 | |
| | Conservative | John Frederick Lawrence | 567 | |
| | Conservative | Daryl Martin Smith | 506 | |
| | UKIP | Jim Gore | 322 | |
| | Labour | Nigel Peter Jackson | 276 | |
| | Labour | Frances Louise Carpenter | 275 | |
| | Labour | Christopher David Martin | 249 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,292 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2352 | 37.38% |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Horsell

Horsell (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Beryl Ann Hunwicks (elected for 4 years) | 1,744 | |
| | Conservative | Colin Sidney Kemp (elected for 3 years) | 1,651 | |
| | Conservative | Anne Elizabeth Murray (elected for 2 years) | 1,569 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Laurence Kremer | 871 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rosemary Peta Johnson | 758 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samuel David Watts | 519 | |
| | UKIP | Stephen Anthony Herbert | 366 | |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Anne Evans | 348 | |
| | Green | Lucy Rhodes Dykes | 310 | |
| | Labour | Colin Robert Bright | 285 | |
| | Labour | Thomas George Willis | 244 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,177 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3134 | 43.67% |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Knaphill

Knaphill (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Sajjad Hussain (elected for 4 years) | 1,587 | |
| | Conservative | Melanie Anne Whitehand (elected for 3 years) | 1,333 | |
| | Conservative | Deborah Harlow (elected for 2 years) | 1,293 | |
| | Green | James William Brierley | 407 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vanessa Ellicott | 399 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Geoffrey Barker | 394 | |
| | Labour | Richard Peter Ford | 384 | |
| | UKIP | Terence John Knight | 372 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Syed Waqar Haider Jaffri | 223 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,506 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2591 | 34.52% |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Mount Hermon

Mount Hermon (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David John Bittleston (elected for 4 years) | 1,289 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Johnson (elected for 3 years) | 1,168 | |
| | Conservative | Mark Russell John Pengelly (elected for 2 years) | 1,159 | |
| | Conservative | Carl William Thomson | 1,146 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liam Stuart Lyons | 1,104 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sinclair Aubrey Webster | 980 | |
| | Green | John Robert George Parkin | 379 | |
| | UKIP | Lynda Mary Sage | 229 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,389 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2782 | 37.65% |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Pyrford

Pyrford (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Graham Gray Chrystie (elected for 4 years) | 1,892 | |
| | Conservative | Ashley Christian Lawrence Bowes (elected for 3 years) | 1,853 | |
| | Conservative | Rashid Mohammed (elected for 2 years) | 1,433 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Michael Lachowicz | 579 | |
| | UKIP | Robin Deller Millner | 523 | |
| | Labour | Misbah Zahid | 521 | |
| | Labour | David Williams | 492 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Peter John Sanderson | 497 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Guy Tuson Cosnahan | 373 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,346 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3172 | 43.18% |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### St Johns

St Johns (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Graham Stephen Cundy (elected for 4 years) | 1,174 | |
| | Conservative | Hilary Jane Addison (elected for 3 years) | 1,098 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Howard (elected for 2 years) | 1,052 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christina Judith Liddington | 1,043 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Graham Smith | 938 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher James Took | 775 | |
| | UKIP | Timothy Martin Read | 442 | |
| | Green | Joel Benjamin Street | 375 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,264 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2650 | 36.48% |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |