# 2010 North Hertfordshire District Council election

The 2010 North Hertfordshire Council election was held on 6 May 2010, at the same time as other local elections across England and the general election. Of the 49 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council, 19 were up for election, being the usual third of seats plus a by-election in Royston Palace ward.
The Conservatives gained one of the Royston Palace seats from the Liberal Democrats, whilst the Liberal Democrats gained Hitchin Bearton from the Labour leader, Martin Stears-Handscomb. The Conservatives therefore increased their majority on the council. The Conservative leader prior to the election was F. John Smith, who had been leader of the council since 1999. He did not stand for re-election. After the election, Lynda Needham was appointed Conservative leader and leader of the council. Labour's new leader after the election was David Billing.

## Overall results

The overall results were as follows:
2010 North Hertfordshire 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 % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 10 | 1 | 68.4 | 23 | 33 | 67.3 | 26,492 | 46.8 | -2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 3 | | 15.8 | 6 | 9 | 18.4 | 13,910 | 24.6 | +5.2 |
| | Labour | 3 | 1 | 13.3 | 6 | 8 | 15.8 | 11,613 | 20.5 | -0.1 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,639 | 6.4 | -1.1 |
| | UKIP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 499 | 0.9 | -0.4 |
| | BNP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 435 | 0.8 | -0.7 |

## Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows. Where the previous incumbent was standing for re-election they are marked with an asterisk(*).
Baldock Town ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Jeremy Knighton* | 1,981 | 54.1% | −7.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard William Winter | 835 | 22.8% | +5.9 |
| | Labour | Kenneth Garland | 552 | 15.1% | −1.0 |
| | BNP | James Reginald Scott | 140 | 3.8% | n/a |
| | Green | Sarah Elaine Pond | 139 | 3.8% | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,660 | 65.3% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -6.6 | |
Codicote ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Henry Brindley* (Tom Brindley) | 972 | 61.0% | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Anne Willoughby (Liz Willoughby) | 281 | 17.6% | n/a |
| | Labour | Jonathan Holman | 219 | 13.7% | 0.0 |
| | Green | Harold Bland | 117 | 7.3% | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,594 | 75.2% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | n/a | |
Hitchin Bearton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lisa Victoria Courts | 1,337 | 32.2% | +17.5 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Parker | 1,332 | 32.1% | −2.1 |
| | Labour | Martin John Stears-Handscomb* | 1,138 | 27.4% | −9.1 |
| | Green | Jerome James Green | 321 | 7.7% | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,152 | 67.8% | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +13.3 | |
Hitchin Highbury ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lawrence William Oliver* | 1,889 | 42.9% | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | David Leal-Bennett | 1,779 | 40.4% | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Araminta Jane Birdsey (Min Birdsey) | 480 | 10.9% | +5.3 |
| | Green | Robert John Mardon (Bob Mardon) | 236 | 5.4% | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,402 | 73.5% | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -1.4 | |
Hitchin Oughton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Edward Billing* | 888 | 38.7% | −12.1 |
| | Conservative | Louise Alexandra Huggins | 795 | 34.6% | +2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robin Lambie | 461 | 20.1% | +11.5 |
| | Green | Mark Ashley Walker (Ashley Walker) | 138 | 6.0% | −1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,296 | 60.7% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.1 | |
Hitchin Priory ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allison Ashley* | 1,599 | 56.6% | −6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael John Lott | 797 | 28.2% | +10.8 |
| | Labour | Deborah Vincenza Bruna Segalini | 243 | 8.6% | −0.6 |
| | Green | Paul Anthony O'Shaughnessy | 169 | 6.0% | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,823 | 77.7% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.8 | |
Hitchin Walsworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alan John Millard* | 1,714 | 40.6% | −2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Ircha | 1,070 | 25.3% | +14.6 |
| | Labour | Derek Nigel Sheard | 1,015 | 24.0% | −4.4 |
| | Green | Richard Lionel Wise | 405 | 9.6% | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,226 | 69.4% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.4 | |
Hitchwood, Offa and Hoo ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Miller* | 2,591 | 61.6% | −11.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Donald Johnson | 821 | 19.5% | +9.1 |
| | Labour | Clare Helen Billing | 522 | 12.4% | +2.7 |
| | Green | Christopher James Honey (Chris Honey) | 251 | 6.0% | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,207 | 75.0% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -10.2 | |
Kimpton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Cyril Bishop* | 834 | 63.3% | −9.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Richard Webster | 323 | 24.5% | +6.7 |
| | Labour | Alison Clare Casey | 117 | 8.9% | −0.3 |
| | Green | George Winston Howe | 42 | 3.2% | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,318 | 74.3% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.1 | |
Knebworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jane Elizabeth Gray* | 1,854 | 61.7% | −8.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edward Charles Barham | 508 | 16.9% | +9.5 |
| | Labour | John Brian Burnell | 502 | 16.7% | +0.9 |
| | Green | Giles Colin Woodruff | 127 | 4.2% | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,003 | 71.8% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -9.0 | |
Letchworth East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lorna Rose Kercher* | 968 | 39.0% | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Blake Stephenson | 915 | 36.9% | −0.4 |
| | Green | James Alexander Drew | 331 | 13.4% | +6.8 |
| | UKIP | Susan Anne Mary Keeler | 237 | 9.6% | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,479 | 60.2% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
Letchworth Grange ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Chambers | 1,558 | 40.2% | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Peter Anthony Mardell | 1,147 | 29.6% | −3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Stephen White | 772 | 19.9% | +9.1 |
| | Green | Rosemary Anne Bland | 200 | 5.2% | +0.9 |
| | BNP | Thomas William Godfrey | 176 | 4.5% | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,874 | 67.2% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
Letchworth South East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Leo Dobson Booth* | 1,531 | 41.3% | −12.3 |
| | Labour | Nigel Edward Agar | 969 | 26.1% | +7.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Anne Higbid | 806 | 21.7% | +7.1 |
| | UKIP | John Finbarr Barry | 262 | 7.1% | −1.4 |
| | Green | Eric Morris Blakeley | 125 | 3.4% | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,711 | 65.3% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -9.9 | |
Letchworth South West ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael John Rice (Mike Rice) | 2,026 | 47.6% | −13.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Paul Winder | 1,301 | 30.6% | +11.2 |
| | Labour | Paul David Burgin | 628 | 14.8% | +4.8 |
| | Green | Jonathan Guy Hart (Jon Hart) | 279 | 6.6% | −2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,252 | 71.3% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -12.4 | |
Letchworth Wilbury ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gary Grindal* | 1,174 | 47.2% | +11.6 |
| | Conservative | Pradeep Sharma (Paul Sharma) | 855 | 34.4% | −3.2 |
| | Green | Ann Karen De Bock | 303 | 12.2% | +6.4 |
| | BNP | Reginald Frank Norgan | 119 | 4.8% | −5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,488 | 62% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.4 | |
Royston Heath ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Fiona Ronan Greenwood Hill* | 1,586 | 54.4% | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Robert May | 850 | 29.1% | −6.7 |
| | Labour | Robin Anthony King | 331 | 11.3% | −1.7 |
| | Green | Philip John Oddy (Phil Oddy) | 133 | 4.6% | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,918 | 70.3% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
Royston Meridian ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Marr Davidson (Bill Davidson) | 1,627 | 54.8% | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lisa Thompson | 757 | 25.5% | +2.6 |
| | Labour | Carlo James Zambonini | 394 | 13.3% | +0.7 |
| | Green | Karen Julie Harmel | 172 | 5.8% | −12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,969 | 71.4% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.4 | |
Royston Palace ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Edward Inwood* | 1,102 | 42.7% | −7.0 |
| | Conservative | Paul Antony Grimes | 943 | 36.5% | −6.3 |
| | Conservative | Robert David Smith | 904 | 35.0% | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Raymond Ledden | 849 | 32.9% | |
| | Labour | Vaughan West | 326 | 12.6% | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Leslie Baker (Les Baker) | 203 | 7.9% | |
| | Green | Peter Groves | 151 | 5.8% | n/a |
| | Green | Matthew Philip King (Matt King) | 149 | 5.8% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,582 | 64% | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
The by-election in Royston Palace ward was due to the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Liz Beardwell.