# 2003 South Lakeland District Council election

The 2003 South Lakeland District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of South Lakeland District Council in Cumbria, 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 Democrat 23
* Conservative 18
* Labour 9
* Independent 2

## Background

Before the election the Liberal Democrats had 21 seats, the Conservatives 19, Labour 9 and independents 3. 17 seats were being contested with the Conservatives defending 10, the Liberal Democrats 6 and an independent 1 seat. 2 sitting Liberal Democrat councillors stood down at the election, Patricia Himsworth in Arnside and Beetham, and Claire Chorley in Burneside.
Major issues in the election included housing, regeneration, recycling, public toilets, affordable transport and refuse collection.

## Election result

The results saw the Liberal Democrats remain the largest party with 23 seats, but without a majority, after gaining 2 seats from the Conservatives in Cartmel and Low Furness & Swarthmoor and 1 seat from an independent in Whinfell. However the Conservatives did take 1 seat back from the Liberal Democrats in Arnside & Beetham to hold 18 seats. Labour remained on 9 seats, while independents dropped to 2 seats. Overall turnout in the election was 44%, with a low of 33.9% in Windermere Applethwaite to a high of 54.2% in Kirkby Lonsdale.
South Lakeland Local Election Result 2003 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 9 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 52.9 | 49.7 | 7,923 | +19.1% |
| Liberal Democrats | 8 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 47.1 | 43.7 | 6,967 | -2.1% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 5.4 | 854 | +3.9% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 198 | -20.9% |

## Ward results

Arnside and Beetham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Rollins | 906 | 47.3 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brenda Tidmarsh-Stephen | 812 | 42.4 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Jocelyn Innes | 198 | 10.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 94 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,916 | 54.1 | +10.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Broughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joss Curwen* | 700 | 75.7 | −16.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Humberstone | 225 | 24.3 | −68.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 475 | 51.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 925 | 48.9 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
* Joss Curwen was originally elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor.
Burneside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Frank Hodson | 385 | 60.6 | −23.0 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Procter | 250 | 39.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 135 | 21.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 635 | 40.7 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Cartmel :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Howard Martin | 364 | 54.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Leslie Hadwin* | 308 | 45.8 | +45.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 56 | 8.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 672 | 44.6 | +44.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |
* Leslie Hadwin was originally elected unopposed as an Independent councillor.
Crake Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Noel Spendlove* | 360 | 65.9 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | Robert Webster | 186 | 34.1 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 174 | 31.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 546 | 37.9 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Crooklands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Galbraith | 440 | 51.0 | −20.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sheila Eccles | 423 | 49.0 | +27.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 2.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 863 | 49.0 | +11.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Grange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Reginald Parker | 907 | 53.0 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronald Shapland | 803 | 47.0 | +9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 104 | 6.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,710 | 46.7 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Holker :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Manning* | 519 | 67.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Rawsthorn | 246 | 32.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 273 | 35.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 765 | 51.9 | +51.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
* John Manning had previously been elected in a by-election.
Kirkby Lonsdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barclay Stainton | 629 | 61.2 | −4.6 |
| | Independent | Alan Day | 338 | 32.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Lansdowne | 61 | 5.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 291 | 28.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,028 | 54.2 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Lakes Ambleside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Vatcher* | 499 | 45.1 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | Brian Barton | 480 | 43.4 | +24.7 |
| | Independent | George Middleton | 127 | 11.5 | −24.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19 | 1.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,106 | 36.2 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Low Furness & Swarthmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sonjie Marshall | 710 | 52.6 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | William Tyson* | 640 | 47.4 | +23.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 | 5.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,350 | 39.7 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
* William Tyson had been elected at a by-election for the Conservative Party.
Sedbergh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Lancaster* | 697 | 71.4 | +11.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sydney McLennan | 279 | 28.6 | +10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 418 | 42.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 976 | 34.5 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Whinfell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Thornton | 489 | 55.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | William Robinson* | 389 | 44.3 | +44.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 110 | 11.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 878 | 48.2 | +48.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Windermere Applethwaite :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jennifer Borer* | 343 | 60.7 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Audrey Ahmad | 222 | 39.3 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 121 | 21.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 565 | 33.9 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Windermere Bowness North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deidre Cranwell* | 478 | 57.1 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Martin Hall | 359 | 42.9 | +9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 119 | 14.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 837 | 52.7 | +5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Windermere Bowness South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jane Hoyle* | 410 | 75.9 | +16.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Scott-Parker | 130 | 24.1 | −16.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 280 | 51.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 540 | 38.5 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Windermere Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kathleen Atkinson* | 481 | 76.3 | +27.7 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Graham | 149 | 23.7 | −12.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 332 | 52.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 630 | 37.4 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |