# 2003 Colchester Borough Council election

The 2003 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Colchester Borough Council in Essex, England. This was the same day as the other 2003 United Kingdom local elections. One third of the seats were up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.

## Background

Prior to the election, two sitting Labour councillors resigned from the party, leaving the Labour group with 4 seats. Don Quinn (St Andrew's) left the Labour group to sit as an Independent, whilst Phillip Hawkins (Wivenhoe Cross) resigned his seat after moving to Scotland.
Before the election the Conservatives were the largest party with 24 seats, the Liberal Democrats had 23 seats, Labour had 4 seats, there were 8 independents and 1 seat was vacant. The council was run by a cabinet comprising 3 Conservatives, 3 Liberal Democrats and 1 Labour members.
21 seats were being contested, with 2 seats available in Wivenhoe Cross due to the vacancy. The remaining 20 seats all had the sitting councillors defending their seats and included the Labour group leader Tim Young in St Andrew's and the Conservative mayor Nigel Chapman in Fordham and Stour. Meanwhile, in Highwoods, Ian Ringer, defended the seat as an independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats earlier in 2003.

## Election result

Prior to the election, 3 Liberal Democrat councillors from Highwoods ward defected and sat as Independents, reducing the Liberal Democrat group to 23 councillors.
2003 Colchester Borough 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 % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 8 | 2 | 38.1 | 17 | 25 | 41.7 | 8,740 | 32.0 | –4.4 |
| | Conservative | 10 | | 47.6 | 14 | 24 | 40.0 | 11,108 | 40.6 | +1.1 |
| | Independent | 1 | 2 | 4.8 | 5 | 6 | 10.0 | 1,563 | 5.7 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | 2 | 1 | 9.5 | 3 | 5 | 8.3 | 5,467 | 20.0 | +0.9 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 370 | 1.4 | +0.2 |
| | Socialist Alliance | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 96 | 0.4 | +0.3 |
Before the election one seat was vacant in Wivenhoe Cross ward.

## Ward results

Shown below are ward results according to the council's election results archive.
Three of the single-seat wards (Dedham & Langham, East Donyland, Marks Tey) were not up for election this year. Neither were three of the two-seat wards (Harbour, Lexden, St John's).

### Berechurch

Berechurch Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Brooks* | 746 | 52.1 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Julia Thomas | 404 | 28.2 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative | Sarah McLean | 274 | 19.2 | +5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 23.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,432 | 24.5 | −6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,844 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 5.1 | |

### Birch & Winstree

Birch & Winstree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Crowe* | 966 | 71.8 | +9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Woodward | 190 | 14.1 | −6.1 |
| | Labour | Audrey Spencer | 183 | 13.6 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 776 | 57.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,345 | 31.0 | −8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,338 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.0 | |

### Castle

Castle Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Jones* | 903 | 54.4 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative | Pauline Lucas | 404 | 24.3 | +5.0 |
| | Labour | Malcolm Cannon | 210 | 12.7 | −1.4 |
| | Green | Walter Schwarz | 132 | 8.0 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 499 | 30.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,660 | 28.6 | −3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,809 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.3 | |

### Christ Church

Christ Church :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Hunt | 662 | 48.0 | +6.3 |
| | Conservative | Roger Buston* | 587 | 42.6 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | David Canning | 124 | 9.0 | −8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,379 | 43.4 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,174 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 2.2 | |

### Copford & West Stanway

Copford & West Stanway Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Blundell* | 353 | 70.5 | −4.7 |
| | Independent | Patrick Mead | 70 | 14.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Anna Trudgian | 40 | 8.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Scott-Boutell | 37 | 7.4 | −17.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 283 | 56.5 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 501 | 34.0 | −1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,475 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Fordham & Stour

Fordham & Stour Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nigel Chapman* | 797 | 71.9 | +9.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Wilma Sutton | 161 | 14.5 | −7.5 |
| | Labour | Gary Griffiths | 144 | 13.0 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 636 | 57.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,108 | 27.6 | −5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,021 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.7 | |

### Great Tey

Great Tey Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Chillingworth | 645 | 68.6 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carolyn Catney | 196 | 20.9 | −13.4 |
| | Labour | Alan Trudigan | 108 | 11.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 449 | 47.8 | +16.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 940 | 42.7 | +2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,199 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.2 | |

### Highwoods

Highwoods :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Maris Fuller | 417 | 32.5 | +7.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Hayman | 408 | 31.8 | −24.2 |
| | Independent | Ian Ringer* | 339 | 26.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Edmund Chinnery | 121 | 9.4 | −9.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,290 | 22.0 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,854 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | 15.7 | |

### Mile End

Mile End Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Turrell* | 589 | 44.5 | +13.8 |
| | Conservative | Shahid Husain | 400 | 30.2 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Janet Smith | 171 | 12.9 | −12.2 |
| | Independent | Jane Chinnery | 124 | 9.4 | N/A |
| | Green | Mary Bryan | 40 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 189 | 14.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,331 | 26.3 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,058 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 8.6 | |

### New Town

New Town Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Fisher* | 767 | 55.9 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Glenn Bath | 325 | 23.7 | +8.0 |
| | Labour | Jane Green | 281 | 20.5 | −6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 442 | 31.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,395 | 22.9 | −3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,088 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.6 | |

### Prettygate

Prettygate Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sandra Gray | 1,044 | 48.3 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Ron Levy* | 935 | 43.3 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | Luke Dopson | 182 | 8.4 | −5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,161 | 36.2 | −0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,002 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 2.1 | |

### St. Andrew's

St Andrew's Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tim Young* | 813 | 62.2 | +6.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Berriman | 270 | 20.6 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Anne Allan | 184 | 14.1 | −1.6 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Jeremy Jepps | 41 | 3.1 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 543 | 41.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,313 | 19.7 | −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,676 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.4 | |

### St. Anne's

St Annes's Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barrie Cook* | 853 | 58.3 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Peter Brine | 295 | 20.2 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | Angus Allan | 283 | 19.4 | +0.9 |
| | Socialist Alliance | David Isaacson | 31 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 558 | 38.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,461 | 22.7 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,433 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.6 | |

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Bourne | 596 | 38.3 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | Alan Scattergood* | 530 | 34.0 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barbara Williamson | 408 | 26.2 | −3.8 |
| | Socialist Alliance | John Coombes | 24 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 66 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,568 | 24.5 | −0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,410 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.4 | |

### Stanway

Stanway Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley Scott-Boutell* | 918 | 52.3 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | John Reeves | 610 | 34.8 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | John Spademan | 222 | 12.7 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 308 | 17.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,755 | 28.8 | −5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,090 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.8 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Margaret Crowe | 546 | 35.0 | +17.2 |
| | Independent | Anne Burgess | 542 | 34.7 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Alan Mogridge | 415 | 26.6 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Stella Barnes | 56 | 3.6 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,561 | 26.4 | −2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,908 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | 9.1 | |

### West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green

West Bergholt & Ash Green Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jill Todd* | 774 | 66.7 | +19.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Una Jones | 238 | 20.5 | +0.4 |
| | Labour | Ian Yates | 149 | 12.8 | −5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 536 | 46.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,166 | 30.3 | −2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,846 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 19.6 | |
No Green candidate as previous (14.8%).

### West Mersea

West Mersea Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Margaret Kimberley* | 1,107 | 63.0 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Bry Mogridge | 359 | 20.4 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronald Baker | 249 | 14.2 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 748 | 42.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1757 | 30.1 | −0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,844 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.6 | |

### Wivenhoe Cross

Wivenhoe Cross Ward (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David Adams* | 313 | 57.5 |
| | Conservative | Eugene Kraft | 264 | 48.5 |
| | Labour | Aulay MacKenzie | 172 | 31.6 |
| | Labour | Paul Bishop | 142 | 26.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry James | 101 | 18.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 544 | 16.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,246 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour |

### Wivenhoe Quay

Wivenhoe Quay Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Richard Davies* | 488 | 35.9 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Rogers | 394 | 29.0 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | Stephen Ford | 336 | 24.7 | −8.2 |
| | Green | Christopher Fox | 142 | 10.4 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 94 | 6.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,371 | 35.6 | −2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,846 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 0.9 | |

## By-elections
### Wivenhoe Quay

A by-election took place on 22 April 2004 after the death of the independent councillor Richard Davies.
Wivenhoe Quay By-Election 22 April 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Ford | 626 | 34.4 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | Anne Quarrie | 614 | 33.7 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeremy Jacobs | 581 | 31.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,821 | 44.0 | +8.4 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | 2.5 | |
No Independent (35.9%) or Green (10.4%) candidates as previous.