# 2012 Southampton City Council election

The 2012 Southampton Council election took place on Thursday 3 May 2012 to elect members of Southampton City Council in Hampshire, England. One third of the council (16 seats) was scheduled for election, whilst two additional vacancies, caused by the resignation of sitting councillors, were also filled in Bitterne Park and Peartree wards, meaning a total of 18 of the city's 48 seats were elected.
The ruling Conservative party had come under intense public scrutiny for their sweeping programme of privatisation of council services and implementing pay cuts to council jobs, which led to union disputes. Labour won a majority of the seats being contested, and also gained overall control of the council from the Conservatives.

## Election result

This summary box compares each party vote share with the corresponding elections in 2008, the last elections at which the majority of this tranche of seats were elected.
Southampton Local Election Result 2012 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 13 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 72.2 | 43.7 | 25,311 | 17.4 |
| Conservative | 5 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 27.7 | 35.9 | 20,785 | 11.5 |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 9.8 | 5,660 | 8.8 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 3.9 | 2,277 | 0.6 |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 2.4 | 1,390 | 1.4 |
| TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1,227 | 2.1 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.4 | 790 | 0.1 |
| Southampton First | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.7 | 416 | 0.2 |

### Changes in council composition

After the election, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council | +/- |
| | Labour | 19 | 30 | 11 |
| | Conservatives | 26 | 16 | 10 |
| | Liberal Democrat | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 48 | 48 | |
| Working majority | Working majority | 3 | 4 | |

## Ward results

Bargate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Matt Tucker | 1,100 | 48.7 | +13.4 |
| | Conservative | Amy Willacy | 745 | 33.0 | −8.5 |
| | Green | Joe Cox | 140 | 6.2 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derrick Murray | 127 | 5.6 | −5.8 |
| | TUSC | Sharon Cutler | 82 | 3.6 | +3.6 |
| | Independent | Matt Rose | 67 | 3.0 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 355 | 15.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,261 | 16.3 | +0.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +11.0 | |
Bassett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hannides | 1,641 | 49.5 | −5.5 |
| | Labour | Ian Atkins | 895 | 27.0 | +17.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steven Hulbert | 367 | 11.1 | −20.5 |
| | Green | Jonathan Bean | 260 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
| | Southampton First | James Knight | 93 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| | TUSC | Neil Kelly | 62 | 1.9 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 746 | 22.5 | −0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,318 | 30.3 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -11.7 | |
Bevois :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Barnes-Andrews | 1,473 | 57.6 | +14.3 |
| | Conservative | Zahir Ahmed | 642 | 25.1 | −8.7 |
| | Green | Shaw Green | 201 | 7.9 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Ford | 149 | 5.8 | −5.1 |
| | TUSC | Andrew Howe | 63 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
| | Southampton First | Max McNamara | 31 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 831 | 32.5 | +23.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,559 | 22.2 | +1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +11.5 | |
Bitterne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mary Lloyd | 1,416 | 46.4 | +10.9 |
| | Conservative | David Fuller | 1,217 | 39.9 | −10.4 |
| | UKIP | William Withers | 210 | 6.9 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rob Naish | 133 | 4.4 | −8.9 |
| | TUSC | Perry McMillan | 77 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 199 | 6.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,053 | 30.3 | +0.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +10.7 | |
Bitterne Park (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ivan White | 1,216 | | |
| | Conservative | John Inglis | 1,203 | | |
| | Labour | Frances Murphy | 1,135 | | |
| | Labour | Mike Holder | 979 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robbie Robinson | 334 | | |
| | Independent | Ann MacGillivray | 333 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Read | 331 | | |
| | Green | Cara Sandys | 292 | | |
| | Independent | Charles Caplen | 242 | | |
| | TUSC | Nick Chaffey | 136 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,266 | 30.8 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Coxford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sally Spicer | 1,647 | 52.9 | +22.2 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Glasspool | 667 | 21.4 | −10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Galton | 334 | 10.7 | −17.9 |
| | UKIP | Leslie Obee | 295 | 9.5 | +0.6 |
| | Green | Ronald Meldrum | 75 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
| | TUSC | Tim Cutter | 57 | 1.8 | +1.8 |
| | Independent | Ricky Lambert | 39 | 1.3 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 980 | 31.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,114 | 30.0 | −1.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.3 | |
Freemantle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dave Shields | 1,403 | 41.7 | +18.9 |
| | Conservative | Michael Ball | 1,330 | 39.5 | −14.1 |
| | Green | Paul Garratt | 288 | 7.9 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Abbott | 233 | 6.4 | −7.3 |
| | Independent | Steve Mullane | 109 | 3.0 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 73 | 2.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,363 | 30.6 | +3.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.5 | |
Harefield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Daunt | 1,631 | 44.2 | |
| | Labour | Brian Norgate | 1,489 | 40.4 | |
| | UKIP | Christine Hotson | 305 | 8.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diane Robinson | 190 | 5.1 | |
| | TUSC | Graham O’Reilly | 75 | 2.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 | 3.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,690 | 35.1 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Millbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Georgina Laming | 1,769 | 48.8 | +27.6 |
| | Conservative | Steven Galton | 1,603 | 44.2 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Darke | 251 | 6.9 | −15.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 166 | 4.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,623 | 33.0 | +3.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +15.7 | |
Peartree (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eamonn Keogh | 1,683 | | |
| | Labour | Paul Lewzey | 1,594 | | |
| | Conservative | Matthew Jones | 1,262 | | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Grace | 1,250 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eileen Bowers | 497 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sebastian Buckle | 384 | | |
| | Green | Julie Williams | 287 | | |
| | Southampton First | Philip McShee | 168 | | |
| | TUSC | Josh Asker | 139 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,751 | 35.8 | +1.8 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Portswood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Linda Norris | 1,061 | 31.8 | −5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Reed | 1,015 | 30.5 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | Olivia Vaughan | 891 | 26.7 | +12.7 |
| | Green | Christopher Bluemel | 278 | 8.3 | −2.0 |
| | TUSC | David Rawlinson | 50 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| | Southampton First | Joseph Malone | 38 | 1.1 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46 | 1.3 | −2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,333 | 31.6 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.3 | |
Redbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lee Whitbread | 1,775 | 61.6 | +19.9 |
| | Conservative | Spandita Woodman | 703 | 24.4 | −19.1 |
| | TUSC | Pete Wyatt | 220 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Stokes | 182 | 6.3 | −8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,072 | 37.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,880 | 27.8 | +0.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +19.5 | |
Shirley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mark Chaloner | 1,825 | 45.3 | +13.8 |
| | Conservative | Terry Matthews | 1,474 | 36.6 | −15.0 |
| | Green | Dudley Clark | 256 | 6.4 | −2.6 |
| | UKIP | David Nightingale | 235 | 5.8 | +5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Harry Mitchell | 184 | 4.6 | −4.3 |
| | TUSC | Mike King | 52 | 1.3 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 351 | 8.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,026 | 38.6 | +2.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.4 | |
Sholing :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dan Jeffery | 1,805 | 47.0 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative | Casey Baldwin | 1,463 | 38.1 | −16.0 |
| | UKIP | Helena Ridd | 345 | 9.0 | +9.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Dennis | 229 | 6.0 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 8.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,842 | 35.7 | +0.4 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.6 | |
Swaythling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sharon Mintoff | 825 | 34.2 | +22.1 |
| | Conservative | Edward Osmond | 746 | 31.0 | −10.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Cappleman | 477 | 19.8 | −12.9 |
| | Green | Angela Cotton | 200 | 8.3 | +3.8 |
| | Southampton First | Anthony Lewis | 86 | 3.6 | −1.8 |
| | TUSC | Kev Hayes | 76 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 79 | 3.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,410 | 24.9 | −4.0 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Woolston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Williams | 1,607 | 55.1 | +13.7 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Houghton | 931 | 31.9 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Bleach | 243 | 8.3 | −4.0 |
| | TUSC | Gavin Marsh | 138 | 4.7 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 676 | 23.2 | +19.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,919 | 29.4 | −1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +9.8 | |