# 2008 Denbighshire County Council election

The 2008 Denbighshire County Council election took place in Denbighshire, Wales, on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Denbighshire Council. This was the same day as other 2008 United Kingdom local elections. The previous elections took place in 2004 and the next all-council elections took place in 2012.

## Background

Six months before the election, the Independent council leader, Rhiannon Hughes, and her entire cabinet had been voted out of their positions, following the release of a critical schools report.
Contests in May 2008 took place in all of the 30 electoral wards.

## Results
### Overview

The Conservatives became the largest group on the council after taking new seats, largely from Independent councillors.
Denbighshire County Council election 2008 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 18 | 11 | | +11 | 38.2 | 29.0 | 10,053 | +11.5 |
| Independent | 13 | 1 | 8 | -7 | 27.6 | 31.8 | 11,023 | -5.0 |
| Plaid Cymru | 8 | 1 | | +1 | 17.0 | 15.1 | 5,237 | -0.6 |
| Labour | 7 | | 1 | -1 | 14.9 | 16.0 | 5,548 | -3.8 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2.1 | 7.2 | 2,479 | -0.3 |
| DAW | 0 | | 3 | -3 | 0.0 | N/A | 0 | -2.7 |
| UKIP | 0 | | | 0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 162 | New |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 138 | New |

## Ward results
### Bodelwyddan (one seat)

Bodelwyddan 2008$^{(a)}$ :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Elizabeth Jones * | 246 | 45.6 |
| | Conservative | Nan Jones | 190 | 35.2 |
| | Independent | James Warner | 104 | 19.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 56 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,628 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Corwen (one seat)

Corwen 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Huw Jones | 531 | 55.2 |
| | Independent | Nigel Roberts * | 311 | 32.3 |
| | Conservative | John Broughton | 77 | 8.0 |
| | Independent | Anthony Dilworth | 43 | 4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 220 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,883 | |
| | Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Swing | |

### Denbigh Central (one seat)

Denbigh Central 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwyneth Kensler * | 256 | 45.0 |
| | Independent | Peter Glynn | 141 | 24.8 |
| | Labour | Graham Maudsley | 77 | 13.5 |
| | Independent | Robert Parkes | 62 | 10.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Young | 33 | 5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 115 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,410 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Denbigh Lower (two seats)

Denbigh Lower 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Bartley * | 993 | 41.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Neville Jones * | 664 | 27.8 |
| | Conservative | Dilwyn Edwards | 471 | 19.7 |
| | Labour | Robert Roberts | 261 | 10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 193 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,430 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Denbigh Upper/Henllan (two seats)

Denbigh Upper/Henllan 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Colin Hughes * | 266 | 26.8 |
| | Conservative | Jane Yorke | 236 | 23.7 |
| | Labour | Keith Stevens | 219 | |
| | Independent | Jennifer Rowley-Williams | 197 | 19.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Jean Gwynn | 193 | 19.4 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Philip Williams | 129 | |
| | Independent | Robb Jenkins | 119 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin L. Hughes * | 102 | 10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Larsen | 96 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 36.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,484 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |

### Dyserth (one seat)

Dyserth 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Peter Owen * | 327 | 46.1 |
| | Independent | Hugh Hughes | 181 | 25.5 |
| | Labour | Richard Gumm | 87 | 12.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Prydderch | 58 | 8.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Arwel Roberts | 56 | 7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 146 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,881 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |
Peter Owen was previously elected as an Independent, in 2004.

### Efenechtyd (one seat)

Efenechtyd 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Eryl Williams * | 397 | 54.9 |
| | Independent | John Price | 326 | 45.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 55.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,303 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Llanarmon-Yn-Lal/Llandelga (one seat)

Llanarmon-Yn-Lal/Llandelga 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Christine Evans | 514 | 47.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Barton * | 285 | 26.3 |
| | Conservative | Donald Holder | 283 | 26.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 229 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,908 | |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | |

### Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd (one seat)

Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Pauline Dobb | 297 | 43.8 |
| | Independent | Huw Williams | 258 | 38.1 |
| | Independent | Gwynfor Evans | 87 | 12.8 |
| | Labour | Mary Chaffé | 36 | 5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 56.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,209 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Llandrillo (one seat)

Llandrillo 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Cefyn Williams * | 405 | 78.3 |
| | Independent | David Robinson | 93 | 18.0 |
| | Conservative | Richard Wishart | 19 | 3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 54.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 962 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Llandyrnog (one seat)

Llandyrnog 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Gwilym Evans * | 469 | 56.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Young | 361 | 43.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 108 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,678 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd Gwyddelwern (one seat)

Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd Gwyddelwern 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Hugh Evans * | 690 | 69.9 |
| | Independent | Dewi Jones | 297 | 30.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 393 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,846 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Llangollen (two seats)

Llangollen 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Trefor Hughes * | 671 | 33.8 |
| | Independent | Lucy Morris | 613 | 30.9 |
| | Independent | Stuart Davies * | 491 | |
| | Conservative | Mark Pendlebury | 383 | 19.3 |
| | Labour | John Palmer | 319 | 16.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Jonathan Haddy | 154 | |
| | Independent | Janet Wakefield | 129 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,342 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | |

### Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch (one seat)

Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Paul Marfleet * | 455 | 56.5 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Huw Williams | 351 | 43.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 104 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,523 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Prestatyn Central (two seats)

Prestatyn Central 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Peter Duffy * | 564 | 39.9 |
| | Conservative | June Cahill | 504 | 35.6 |
| | Independent | Neville Jones * | 450 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Horobin | 442 | |
| | Labour | Robert Kelly | 180 | 12.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Penlington | 167 | 11.8 |
| | Independent | Colin Hall | 124 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 54 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,736 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |

### Prestatyn East (two seats)

Prestatyn East 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | James Davies * | 847 | 72.6 |
| | Conservative | Julian Thompson-Hill * | 739 | |
| | Labour | Alan Marsden | 320 | 27.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 419 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,100 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Prestatyn Meliden (one seat)

Prestatyn Meliden 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Rhiannon Hughes * | 307 | 44.7 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Frobisher | 210 | 30.6 |
| | Labour | Peter Newell | 154 | 22.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Newell | 16 | 2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,552 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Prestatyn North (three seats)

Prestatyn North 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George Green | 741 | 40.7 |
| | Conservative | Allan Pennington | 709 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Eckersley | 696 | |
| | Independent | Michael German * | 684 | 37.6 |
| | Independent | Isobel German * | 634 | |
| | Independent | David Cooper * | 476 | |
| | Labour | Velma Wilshaw-Cryer | 396 | 21.7 |
| | Labour | Patricia Dawson | 391 | |
| | Labour | Amanda Wiggan | 366 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,695 | |
| | Conservative gain from DAW | Conservative gain from DAW | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from DAW | Conservative gain from DAW | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from DAW | Conservative gain from DAW | Swing | |
In 2008 the DAW councillors stood as Independents

### Prestatyn South West (two seats)

Prestatyn South West 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Glyn Jones * | 559 | 46.0 |
| | Conservative | Sharon Frobisher * | 524 | |
| | Labour | Paul Roberts | 425 | 35.0 |
| | Labour | Adrian West | 385 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathon Bentley | 232 | 19.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 99 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,820 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Rhuddlan (two seats)

Rhuddlan 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Janet Davies | 671 | 47.0 |
| | Independent | Selwyn Thomas * | 497 | 34.8 |
| | Independent | Gareth Rowlands * | 422 | |
| | Independent | Stephen Rafferty | 325 | |
| | Conservative | Melanie Jones | 318 | |
| | Labour | George Williams | 261 | 18.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,915 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Rhyl East (two seats)

Rhyl East 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Bellis | 756 | 49.6 | +49.6 |
| | Conservative | Diana Hannam * | 581 | | |
| | Labour | Margaret McCarroll | 410 | 26.9 | −16.9 |
| | Independent | Susan Roberts * | 358 | 23.5 | −32.7 |
| | Labour | William Tasker | 353 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,721 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Councillor Hannam was previously elected as an Independent.

### Rhyl South (two seats)

Rhyl South 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Lee | 674 | 45.1 | +19.8 |
| | Labour | Jeanette Chamberlain-Jones * | 574 | 38.4 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Lynette Edwards | 568 | | |
| | Labour | Brian Moylan | 386 | | |
| | Plaid Cymru | Alun Edwards | 248 | 16.6 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,083 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Rhyl South East (three seats)

Rhyl South East 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Gunning | 826 | 38.7 | +38.7 |
| | Labour | Brian Blakeley * | 823 | 38.6 | −12.4 |
| | Conservative | Carl Davies | 766 | | |
| | Labour | Glyn Pickering * | 746 | | |
| | Conservative | Paul Sumner | 714 | | |
| | Labour | Barry Mellor | 673 | | |
| | Plaid Cymru | Stephen Marlor | 247 | 11.6 | +11.6 |
| | Independent | Hugh Jones * | 238 | 11.2 | −37.8 |
| | Independent | Martin Gibson | 121 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,935 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Rhyl South West (two seats)

Rhyl South West 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Thomas * | 587 | 59.2 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | Glyn Williams * | 532 | | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Geddes | 267 | 26.9 | +26.9 |
| | Conservative | Maria Espley | 266 | | |
| | BNP | Ian Si'ree | 138 | 13.9 | +13.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 265 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,560 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Rhyl West (two seats)

Rhyl West 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joan Butterfield * | 276 | 35.6 | −23.7 |
| | Labour | Ian Armstrong | 236 | | |
| | Independent | Colin Jones | 195 | 25.1 | −15.6 |
| | Independent | Mark Webster * | 188 | | |
| | Conservative | Michael Espley | 175 | 22.6 | +22.6 |
| | Conservative | Linda Gordon | 163 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Columbus McCormack | 130 | 16.8 | +16.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 23.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,494 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Mark Webster had been elected as a Labour councillor in 2004.

### Ruthin (three seats)

Ruthin 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | David Smith | 992 | 26.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robina Feeley | 978 | 25.7 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Morfudd Jones * | 887 | 23.3 |
| | Independent | Elwyn Edwards * | 861 | |
| | Conservative | Richard Costain | 789 | 20.7 |
| | UKIP | Warwick Nicholson | 162 | 4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,197 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### St Asaph East (one seat)

St Asaph East 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Dewi Owens * | 333 | 58.3 |
| | Independent | David Roberts | 145 | 25.4 |
| | Independent | Charles Leach | 93 | 16.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 288 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,348 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### St Asaph West (one seat)

St Asaph West 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | William Cowie | 209 | 46.4 |
| | Independent | John Smith * | 128 | 28.4 |
| | Conservative | John Horden | 113 | 25.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 81 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,337 | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | |

### Trefnant (one seat)

Trefnant 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Meirick Davies * | 331 | 45.2 |
| | Conservative | David Dudley | 305 | 41.7 |
| | Labour | Stephen Ellison | 96 | 13.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,525 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Tremeirchion (one seat)

Tremeirchion 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Barbara Smith | 309 | 47.5 |
| | Independent | Robert Williams * | 224 | 34.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rhodri Jones | 117 | 18.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 85 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,280 | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | |
(a) Election Centre/Andrew Teale source also compares the percentage vote of the lead candidate for each party in the ward
* = sitting councillor in this ward prior to election