# 1998 Waveney District Council election

The 1998 Waveney Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Waveney District Council in Suffolk, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 41
* Conservative 3
* Liberal Democrat 2
* Independent 2

## Election result

1998 Waveney District 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 % | +/− |
| | Labour | 11 | 3 | 68.8 | 30 | 41 | 85.4 | 10,466 | 51.3 | -10.1 |
| | Conservative | 2 | 1 | 12.5 | 1 | 3 | 6.3 | 5,360 | 26.3 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 | | 6.3 | 1 | 2 | 4.2 | 2,464 | 12.1 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4.2 | 2,101 | 10.3 | +6.9 |

## Ward results
### Beccles Town

Beccles Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | K. Cracknell | 978 | 46.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | K. Jenkins* | 730 | 34.5 | −7.1 |
| | Conservative | V. Pulford | 231 | 10.9 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | W. Fleetney | 178 | 8.4 | −36.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 248 | 11.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,117 | 35.9 | −6.4 |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | N/A | |

### Carlton

Carlton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Gower* | 939 | 56.0 | −6.8 |
| | Conservative | R. Bell | 596 | 35.5 | +8.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Thomas | 142 | 8.5 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 343 | 20.5 | −15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,677 | 25.6 | −9.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.6 | |

### Gunton

Gunton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Devereaux* | 709 | 48.8 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | A. Choveaux | 602 | 41.4 | +17.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Woolley | 142 | 9.8 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 107 | 7.4 | −19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,453 | 28.5 | −8.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 9.8 | |

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K. Patience | 588 | 67.2 | −12.0 |
| | Conservative | P. Biggs | 154 | 17.6 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L. Batchelor | 133 | 15.2 | +6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 434 | 49.6 | −17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 875 | 21.9 | −6.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 8.7 | |

### Kessingland

Kessingland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | I. Graham | 530 | 57.9 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative | A. Mylan | 210 | 23.0 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. Faith | 175 | 19.1 | +8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 320 | 35.0 | −7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 915 | 25.4 | −6.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.9 | |

### Kirkley

Kirkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. Young | 715 | 48.6 | +8.3 |
| | Labour | J. Bellham | 619 | 42.1 | −9.7 |
| | Conservative | M. Reader | 138 | 9.4 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 6.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,472 | 33.6 | −9.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 9.0 | |

### Lothingland

Lothingland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B. Hunter* | 890 | 60.5 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | S. Ames | 459 | 31.2 | +6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Tibbitt | 122 | 8.3 | −14.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 391 | 29.3 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,471 | 30.5 | −17.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.6 | |

### Mutford

Mutford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Taylor* | 327 | 57.8 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | B. Reader | 202 | 35.7 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Howe | 37 | 6.5 | −13.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 125 | 22.1 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 566 | 38.8 | −10.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.2 | |

### Normanston

Normanston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Leverett* | 787 | 77.4 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | F. Gaimster | 135 | 13.3 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B. Batchelder | 95 | 9.3 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 652 | 64.1 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,017 | 23.9 | −9.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.2 | |

### Oulton Broad

Oulton Broad :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Rodgers* | 817 | 56.1 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | R. Wallington | 462 | 31.7 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Martin | 178 | 12.2 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 355 | 24.4 | −8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,455 | 27.3 | −9.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 4.4 | |

### Pakefield

Pakefield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Kelly* | 1,043 | 66.9 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative | E. Tarlot | 349 | 22.4 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Shepherd | 167 | 10.7 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 694 | 44.5 | −6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,559 | 28.5 | −10.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.1 | |

### South Elmham

South Elmham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Rose | 368 | 61.7 | +15.0 |
| | Labour | A. Fisher | 168 | 28.2 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Morgan | 60 | 10.1 | −18.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 200 | 33.6 | +15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 596 | 39.6 | −14.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.8 | |

### Southwold

Southwold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | G. Langley | 1,123 | 49.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | C. Pretty | 860 | 38.0 | −13.4 |
| | Labour | C. Scott | 278 | 12.3 | −36.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 263 | 11.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,261 | 44.3 | −0.5 |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | N/A | |

### St. Margaret's

St. Margaret's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Coward | 958 | 71.0 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative | P. Pulford | 238 | 17.6 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | G. Haworth | 154 | 11.4 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 720 | 53.3 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,350 | 24.5 | −6.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 4.8 | |

### Wainford

Wainford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Bee | 208 | 47.5 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | S. Robbins | 164 | 37.4 | −17.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. May | 66 | 15.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 10.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 438 | 32.6 | −17.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 10.3 | |

### Whitton

Whitton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Carter* | 919 | 78.7 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative | B. Bee | 148 | 12.7 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Tonge | 100 | 8.8 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 771 | 66.1 | −10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,167 | 26.9 | −8.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.3 | |