# 2004 Wyre Forest District Council election

The 2004 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003. The council stayed under no overall control, but with the Conservatives taking over as the largest party on the council from the Health Concern party.

## Background

In total 113 candidates stood in the election with all 42 seats being contested for the first time since 1979 after boundary changes had taken place. The boundary changes meant that Bewdley ward had gained an extra councillor and become Bewdley and Arley, while Blakedown and Chaddesley had been combined into one ward. The Conservatives put up a full slate of 42 candidates with Health Concern having the next most with 27. Other candidates included 24 Labour, 9 Liberal, 7 Liberal Democrats and 3 independents. A noted feature of the candidates was that there were ten married couples standing in the election with two of them being existing councillors.
Before the election Health Concern had 16 seats on the council as compared to 11 for the Conservatives. This was a drop for Health Concern from 2003 after 3 councillors had defected to the Conservatives.

## Election result

The results had the Conservatives gain 8 seats to become the largest party on the council. This was mainly at the expense of Health Concern whose losses included the leader of the council, Howard Martin. For other parties the election saw the Liberals gain one seat to hold 8, while both Labour and the Liberal Democrats stayed on the same number of seats. The results meant that 14 councillors, a third of the council, would be new. Voter turnout was up at 38.83% after seeing less than 31% in 2003, with the highest turnout being 54.36% in Wolverley.
The Conservatives success was put down to a strong campaign and they were expected to form the next administration. This would be the first time in 15 years that the Conservatives would have control of Wyre Forest council, with the other parties saying they would not attempt to form a rival coalition leaving the way clear for the Conservatives. The Conservatives were expected to attempt to implement their manifesto pledges including bringing a cinema to Kidderminster, changing car parking in Kidderminster and reviewing the fortnightly refuse collection.
Conservative control was confirmed at a council meeting on 30 June with Stephen Clee becoming leader of the council. Meanwhile, Health Concern councillors chose Ken Stokes to become the new leader of their group on the council.
Wyre Forest local election result 2004 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 19 | +8 | 45.2 | 38.6 | 26,373 | +11.5% |
| Health Concern | 8 | -8 | 19.0 | 25.8 | 17,650 | -1.2% |
| Liberal | 8 | +1 | 19.0 | 11.7 | 8,034 | -1.0% |
| Labour | 4 | 0 | 9.5 | 16.1 | 11,014 | -8.0% |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 0 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 3,945 | -3.0% |
| Independent | 1 | -1 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1,381 | +1.6% |

## Ward results

Aggborough and Spennells (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Dyke | 1,037 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Dyke | 946 | |
| | Conservative | Maureen Aston | 673 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samantha Walker | 654 | |
| | Health Concern | Keith Robertson | 560 | |
| | Conservative | Ian Siddall | 511 | |
| | Health Concern | Anthony Butcher | 482 | |
| | Conservative | Susan Godwin | 479 | |
| | Labour | Lesley Brown | 182 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,524 | 38.8 |
Areley Kings (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Maureen Mason | 841 | |
| | Labour | James Shaw | 733 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Partridge | 673 | |
| | Conservative | Allan Wood | 669 | |
| | Labour | James Cooper | 628 | |
| | Health Concern | Nigel Thomas | 606 | |
| | Labour | Albert Adams | 595 | |
| | Independent | Arthur Millington | 260 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,005 | 40.7 |
Bewdley and Arley (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Louise Edginton | 977 | |
| | Health Concern | Mavis Baillie | 918 | |
| | Conservative | Stephen Clee | 906 | |
| | Health Concern | Frank Baillie | 886 | |
| | Health Concern | Maxwell Keen | 859 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Court | 765 | |
| | Labour | Paul Gittins | 604 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,915 | 43.6 |
Blakedown and Chaddesley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Stephen Williams | 925 | |
| | Conservative | Pauline Hayward | 867 | |
| | Health Concern | Harry Grove | 687 | |
| | Labour | Flora Wright | 166 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,645 | 47.0 |
Broadwaters (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Robert Wheway | 770 | |
| | Health Concern | Kenneth Stokes | 723 | |
| | Liberal | Amanda Poole | 589 | |
| | Health Concern | Marian Spragg | 564 | |
| | Liberal | Michael Price | 526 | |
| | Conservative | Gordon Hinton | 412 | |
| | Labour | Stephen Hill | 362 | |
| | Conservative | Janette Adams | 345 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Dudley | 322 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,613 | 32.1 |
Cookley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Christopher Nicholls | 435 | 46.7 |
| | Conservative | David Pittaway | 296 | 31.8 |
| | Health Concern | Graham Barker | 201 | 21.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 139 | 14.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 932 | 50.4 |
Franche (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jeffrey Baker | 774 | |
| | Conservative | Anne Hingley | 738 | |
| | Health Concern | Michael Shellie | 699 | |
| | Health Concern | Howard Martin | 693 | |
| | Conservative | Graeme Carruthers | 646 | |
| | Health Concern | Robert Spragg | 628 | |
| | Labour | Nigel Knowles | 625 | |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Morgan | 561 | |
| | Labour | Leroy Wright | 490 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,854 | 38.1 |
Greenhill (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Graham Ballinger | 1,045 | |
| | Liberal | Paul Harrison | 993 | |
| | Liberal | Rachel Lewis | 864 | |
| | Health Concern | Christopher Gadd | 518 | |
| | Health Concern | Pauline Stokes | 456 | |
| | Conservative | John Aston | 324 | |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Bulmer | 324 | |
| | Conservative | David Muston | 306 | |
| | Independent | Tavis Pitt | 265 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,095 | 33.9 |
Habberley and Blakebrook (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Lynn Hyde | 931 | |
| | Labour | Michael Kelly | 825 | |
| | Conservative | Arthur Buckley | 804 | |
| | Labour | Trevor Bennett | 771 | |
| | Health Concern | Elizabeth Davies | 766 | |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Prosser | 735 | |
| | Health Concern | George Eeles | 705 | |
| | Conservative | Keith Fletcher | 670 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,207 | 44.1 |
Lickhill (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Health Concern | Brian Glass | 939 | |
| | Health Concern | Jill Fairbrother-Millis | 896 | |
| | Health Concern | Irene Dolan | 768 | |
| | Conservative | David Little | 696 | |
| | Conservative | Ian Cresswell | 592 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Freeman | 553 | |
| | Labour | Donovan Giles | 344 | |
| | Labour | Roger Green | 315 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,103 | 34.3 |
Mitton (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Holden | 758 | |
| | Conservative | June Salter | 748 | |
| | Health Concern | Patricia Rimell | 736 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Salter | 691 | |
| | Health Concern | Dixon Sheppard | 671 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Barrass | 505 | |
| | Labour | David Keogh-Smith | 314 | |
| | Labour | Gary Watson | 284 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,707 | 35.1 |
Offmore and Comberton (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Frances Oborski | 1,186 | |
| | Liberal | Michael Oborski | 1,043 | |
| | Liberal | Siriol Hayward | 1,018 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Gregory | 561 | |
| | Conservative | Sheila Harrold | 540 | |
| | Conservative | Gillian Onslow | 539 | |
| | Labour | Keith Budden | 415 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,302 | 40.4 |
Oldington and Foley Park (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Nathan Desmond | 493 | |
| | Conservative | Susan Meekings | 414 | |
| | Health Concern | Peter Young | 373 | |
| | Labour | James Brown | 299 | |
| | Labour | John Gretton | 291 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Parsons | 195 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,065 | 31.6 |
Rock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Simmonds | 488 | 53.7 |
| | Conservative | Douglas Godwin | 420 | 46.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 68 | 7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 908 | 46.2 |
Sutton Park (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Marcus Hart | 1,001 | |
| | Conservative | James Dudley | 931 | |
| | Conservative | John-Paul Campion | 852 | |
| | Health Concern | Jennifer Harrison | 619 | |
| | Health Concern | Anthony Greenfield | 606 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Meredith | 375 | |
| | Labour | William Bradley | 301 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stanley Ratcliff | 233 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,918 | 35.2 |
Wolverley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Hazlewood | 439 | 46.4 |
| | Independent | Nigel Addison | 368 | 38.9 |
| | Labour | Conrad Bourne | 139 | 14.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 946 | 54.4 |
Wribbenhall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Jones | 621 | |
| | Health Concern | Anthony Williams | 574 | |
| | Conservative | Gordon Yarranton | 542 | |
| | Health Concern | Derek Killingworth | 517 | |
| | Labour | Barry McFarland | 404 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,658 | 39.0 |

## By-elections between 2004 and 2006

A by-election was held in Aggborough and Spennells after the death of Conservative councillor Maureen Aston. Candidates at the election included the former leader of the council Howard Martin for Health Concern, a former councillor for the ward, Adrian Sewell for Labour, and the first Green party candidate for an election to Wyre Forest District Council, Kate Spohrer. The seat was held by Conservative John Aston, husband of the former councillor, with a majority of 63 votes over Liberal Democrat Samantha Walker.
Aggborough and Spennells by-election 27 October 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Aston | 527 | 40.0 | +15.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samantha Walker | 464 | 35.2 | −12.8 |
| | Health Concern | Howard Martin | 185 | 14.0 | −6.6 |
| | Labour | Adrian Sewell | 108 | 8.2 | +1.5 |
| | Green | Katherine Spohrer | 33 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 4.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,317 | 24.7 | −14.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |