# 1997 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election

The 1997 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election took place on 1 May 1997, to elect all 40 members in 19 wards for Bracknell Forest Borough Council in England. The election was held on the same day as both the 1997 United Kingdom general election and other local elections in England as part of the 1997 United Kingdom local elections, resulting in a much higher turnout of 75% compared to 1995. With the planned abolition of Berkshire County Council, Bracknell Forest would see itself transition from a district council to a unitary authority a year into the new term. Despite the landslide victory of the Labour Party in the general election, Bracknell Forest emerged as the only council in the United Kingdom to switch from outright Labour control to outright Conservative control, with the Conservative Party gaining a majority of 6. The Liberal Democrats were wiped out.
Part of the reason for such a dramatic switch was ascribed to the presence of a 'New Labour' slate of candidates. Irrespective of its name, it was not connected to the New Labour movement, but was led by former Labour group leader John Tompkins. In two wards, where the Conservatives gained 3 councillors from Labour, the margin of victory was smaller than the vote share of the 'New Labour' candidates. The local Labour Party argued that the similarity of the 'New Labour' name amounted to an attempt at confusing voters and investigated legal action. Former Conservative council leader Alan Ward, who won re-election in Central Sandhurst, surmised that the national Labour Party - both euphoric and preoccupied by its win of government - was not interested in pursuing the case, and the election results were allowed to stand. This would be the start of a 26-year Conservative reign, headed by Paul Bettison, that would only end in 2023.

## Summary

1997 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Conservative | 23 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 57.5 | 44.7 | 25,438 |
| Labour | 17 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 42.5 | 31.2 | 17,751 |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0.0 | 20.8 | 11,857 |
| New Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 1,251 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 642 |

## Ward results

An asterisk (*) denotes an incumbent councillor standing for re-election

### Ascot

Ascot (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anne Kay Haydon | 2,955 | 51.3 | +17.4 |
| | Conservative | Hilary Doyle* | 2,928 | | |
| | Conservative | Dorothy Andrea Susan Hayes* | 2,893 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Frances Sophia Farrelly | 1,433 | 24.9 | −8.1 |
| | Labour | Lucy Mary Norman | 1,376 | 23.9 | −9.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Jane Simmonds | 1,358 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Francis Harradine | 1,343 | | |
| | Labour | John James Harding | 1,295 | | |
| | Labour | John Kenneth Wright | 1,206 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 69.7 | +38.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,267 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Binfield

Binfield (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Terry Mills | 2,059 | 50.7 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | John Bruce Harrison | 1,996 | | |
| | Labour | Robert Martin Woodrow | 915 | 22.5 | −9.8 |
| | Labour | Edwin Lloyd Glasson | 877 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bernard Walter Yoxall | 721 | 17.8 | −2.1 |
| | Independent | Kenneth Charles Bennett | 363 | 8.9 | New |
| | Independent | Geoffrey Howard Taylor* | 281 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.3 | +40.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,384 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bullbrook

Bullbrook (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patrick Joseph Ryan* | 1,267 | 36.1 | −8.4 |
| | Conservative | Gareth Michael Barnard | 1,233 | 35.1 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | James Michael Barry Egan* | 1,225 | | |
| | Labour | Robert Edward Draper* | 1,214 | | |
| | Labour | Michael John Salter | 1,144 | | |
| | Conservative | Jones A. Ms. | 1,135 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley Marion Boyd | 807 | 23.0 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Hedley Barker | 770 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronald Henry Hanson | 690 | | |
| | New Labour | Carole Ann Hall | 204 | 5.8 | New |
| | New Labour | Neil Albert Tomkins | 170 | | |
| | New Labour | Peter John Hall | 166 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 72.6 | +30.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,105 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Central Sandhurst

Central Sandhurst (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Laurie North* | 1,368 | 56.5 | +12.4 |
| | Conservative | Alan Frederick Ward* | 1,245 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Raymond William Earwicker | 608 | 25.1 | −16.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Mark Nicholson | 596 | | |
| | Labour | Jillian Irene Ryan | 348 | 14.4 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | Edward Geary | 286 | | |
| | New Labour | Peter John Woodburn Darke | 97 | 4.0 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.8 | +29.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,159 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### College Town

College Town (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew (Andy) Duncan Blatchford | 1,219 | 46.7 | +15.9 |
| | Conservative | Raymond Simonds | 1,142 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Veronica Anne Sullivan* | 993 | 38.1 | −14.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Alan Neighbour* | 982 | | |
| | Labour | Ian Plested | 397 | 15.2 | −1.3 |
| | Labour | Alexandra Denise Tidd | 381 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 69.7 | +36.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,138 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Cranbourne

Cranbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mary Patricia Ballin* | 503 | 67.2 | +8.7 |
| | Labour | Anthony Malcolm House | 246 | 32.8 | −8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 70.0 | +35.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,089 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Crowthorne

Crowthorne (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James George Finnie* | 1,461 | 46.8 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Robert Hugh Wade | 1,228 | | |
| | Conservative | John (Cliff) Clifton Thompson | 1,172 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Pope* | 949 | 30.4 | −12.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Robin Sexton | 908 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David James Maxwell* | 890 | | |
| | Labour | Roy John Bailey | 712 | 22.8 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | Daphne Elizabeth Sandiford | 647 | | |
| | Labour | Sylvia Maria Ruth Trevis | 588 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 75.6 | +34.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,175 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Garth

Garth (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dennis Rueben Good* | 1,027 | 47.1 | −8.8 |
| | Labour | Steven Paul Taylor* | 999 | | |
| | Conservative | Jacqueline Doris Sylvia Ryder | 786 | 36.1 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Beatrice Helen Brown | 683 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert David Maxwell | 269 | 12.3 | +2.4 |
| | New Labour | Janette Mary Tompkins | 97 | 4.5 | New |
| | New Labour | Jean Oxenbury | 64 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.4 | +25.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,929 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Great Hollands North

Great Hollands North (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeananne Margaret Shillcock* | 1,168 | 45.3 | −17.2 |
| | Labour | Langdon Richard Jones* | 1,160 | | |
| | Conservative | Betty Anne Nicholls | 961 | 37.2 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | Marilyn Denise Edmeades | 910 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Polly Martin | 452 | 17.5 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 73.8 | +30.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,628 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Great Hollands South

Great Hollands South (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael John Adams* | 1,063 | 43.3 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative | Robert Angell | 991 | 40.4 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Stephen William King* | 975 | | |
| | Conservative | Janice Ann Angell | 948 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Alexander Shepherd | 399 | 16.3 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 69.9 | +28.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,599 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Hanworth

Hanworth (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George William Bayle | 1,953 | 44.9 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Janet Hazel Keene* | 1,869 | | |
| | Labour | Tom Wheaton* | 1,853 | | |
| | Conservative | Martin William Wallace | 1,585 | 36.4 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Alan Sydney Browne | 1,581 | | |
| | Conservative | Diana Simone Olivia Henfrey | 1,524 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Noel Le-Patourel | 816 | 18.7 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 74.2 | +32.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,168 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Harmans Water

Harmans Water (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William James Ernest Onions* | 2,033 | 39.5 | −11.8 |
| | Conservative | Shelagh Rosemary Pile | 1,801 | 35.0 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | Jean Amy Sutcliffe | 1,721 | | |
| | Labour | Stanley Charles Simmonds* | 1,667 | | |
| | Conservative | Alexander John Wood | 1,607 | | |
| | Labour | Graham Edward Stuart Vertigen | 1,584 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Edward Cocks | 847 | 16.5 | +3.1 |
| | New Labour | Deborah Rose Simmonds | 461 | 9.0 | New |
| | New Labour | Kevin Anthony Philip Simmonds | 367 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 72.9 | +32.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,351 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Little Sandhurst

Little Sandhurst (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul David Bettison* | 1,291 | 55.0 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | Dale Philip Birch* | 1,220 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Richard Score | 618 | 26.3 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Beresford Taylor | 574 | | |
| | Labour | Clive Urquhart | 439 | 18.7 | −6.6 |
| | Labour | Susan Dorothy Gurran | 415 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.8 | +35.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,186 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Old Bracknell

Old Bracknell (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael John Beadsley | 1,368 | 43.9 | −16.4 |
| | Labour | Hirst B. Ms.* | 1,309 | | |
| | Labour | Donald Anthony Veakins* | 1,196 | | |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Regina Mary Ashcroft | 1,055 | 33.8 | +6.9 |
| | Conservative | Isabel Margaret Mattick | 1,034 | | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Richard Martin Turrell | 950 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Edward Roffey | 520 | 16.7 | +3.9 |
| | New Labour | John Lewis | 174 | 5.6 | New |
| | New Labour | Roderick Alan Lewis | 170 | | |
| | New Labour | Nicola Metcalfe | 169 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 75.1 | +29.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,055 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Owlsmoor

Owlsmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David James Worrall | 1,480 | 49.7 | +12.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Reginald Peter John Hodge* | 948 | 31.8 | −14.5 |
| | Labour | Andrew Douglas Annette | 551 | 18.5 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 73.6 | +36.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,152 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Priestwood

Priestwood (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Juliet Mary Clifford* | 930 | 43.9 | +2.5 |
| | Labour | David John Fawcett* | 798 | | |
| | Conservative | Veronica Carol Lewin | 544 | 25.7 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative | Arthur George Thomson | 469 | | |
| | Independent | Raymond Frederick Ackary | 279 | 13.2 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stanley James Southgate | 228 | 10.8 | +3.5 |
| | New Labour | John William Tomkins | 136 | 6.4 | New |
| | New Labour | John Joseph Oxenbury | 98 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.4 | +27.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,929 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St. Marys

St. Marys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Anthony Flood* | 962 | 70.5 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Muriel Evelyn Holburn | 252 | 18.5 | New |
| | Labour | Carol Ann Draper | 151 | 11.1 | −21.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.4 | +46.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,733 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Warfield

Warfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Michael Sargeant* | 2,572 | 59.8 | +4.1 |
| | Labour | Patricia Eira Brown | 986 | 22.9 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martyn Jon Towle | 744 | 17.3 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.4 | +45.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,657 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Wildridings

Wildridings (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Austin John McCormack* | 821 | 46.4 | −8.6 |
| | Labour | Philip Grayson* | 754 | | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Rose Wreglesworth | 612 | 34.6 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | Noel William Wreglesworth | 553 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Laurence Gerard John Gallagher | 253 | 14.3 | +2.8 |
| | New Labour | Jonathan Paul Tompkins | 82 | 4.6 | New |
| | New Labour | Simon Peter Brooks | 52 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.9 | +25.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,203 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections
### Harmans Water

Harmans Water By-Election 25 February 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roy John Bailey | 876 | 50.2 | +10.7 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Richard Martin Turrell | 765 | 43.9 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Edward Cocks | 103 | 5.9 | −10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 6.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,744 | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Great Hollands South

Great Hollands South By-Election 19 November 1998 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Stefan Piasecki | 638 | 62.2 | +18.9 |
| | Conservative | Diana Simone Olivia Henfrey | 329 | 32.1 | −8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David James Maxwell | 58 | 5.7 | −10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 309 | 30.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,025 | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 13.6 | |

## Footnotes

* ↑ Taylor was elected as a Conservative Party candidate in 1995.