# 2002 Swindon Borough Council election

The 2002 Swindon Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2002 to elect members of Swindon Unitary Council in Wiltshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Labour 29
* Conservative 22
* Liberal Democrat 8

## Voting pilot

The election in Swindon was one of thirty that trialed different methods of voting or counting in the 2002 local elections, with Swindon having a trial of voting via the internet. The trial results had 5% of voters using the phone to cast a vote and over 10% voting via the internet. A survey in Swindon found that those who voted via the Internet were more likely to be younger and male than those who voted at a polling station. Overall turnout in the election was 31.33%.

## Election result

Swindon Local Election Result 2002 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Labour | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47.4 | 34.2 | 13,539 |
| Conservative | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36.8 | 38.6 | 15,250 |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.8 | 24.3 | 9,609 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | 703 |
| Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 170 |
| Rock 'n' Roll Loony | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 138 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 128 |

## Ward results

Abbey Meads :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Justin Tomlinson | 705 | 70.4 |
| | Labour | Michelle Mahon | 195 | 19.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katherine Pajak | 101 | 10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 510 | 50.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,001 | 28.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Blunsdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Doreen Dart | 796 | 72.2 |
| | Labour | Lynn Vardy | 160 | 14.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ruth Fitchett | 146 | 13.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 636 | 57.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,102 | 42.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Nash | 758 | 41.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Dickinson | 628 | 34.7 |
| | Conservative | Peter Bates | 300 | 16.6 |
| | Green | Simon Smith | 85 | 4.7 |
| | Rock 'n' Roll Loony | John Stuart | 37 | 2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,808 | 25.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Covingham and Nythe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Maureen Dilley | 1,188 | 47.8 |
| | Conservative | Angela Watts | 984 | 39.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adelaide Dudman | 313 | 12.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 204 | 8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,485 | 35.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Dorcan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Wren | 1,056 | 44.5 |
| | Conservative | Garry Perkins | 986 | 41.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Wheaver | 275 | 11.6 |
| | Rock 'n' Roll Loony | Bridget Jeffery | 55 | 2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 | 3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,372 | 34.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Eastcott :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Evemy | 1,030 | 47.8 |
| | Labour | Richard Young | 571 | 26.5 |
| | Conservative | Russell Holland | 352 | 16.3 |
| | Green | Christine Smith | 155 | 7.2 |
| | Rock 'n' Roll Loony | Roland Gillard | 46 | 2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 459 | 21.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,154 | 28.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Freshbrook and Grange Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Shepherd | 879 | 40.9 |
| | Conservative | Michael Bray | 746 | 34.7 |
| | Labour | Phil Rashid | 526 | 24.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 133 | 6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,151 | 28.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Gorse Hill and Pinehurst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Maurice Fanning | 847 | 54.3 |
| | Conservative | Mark Furkins | 376 | 24.1 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Andrew Newman | 170 | 10.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jacob Pajak | 168 | 10.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 471 | 30.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,561 | 22.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Haydon Wick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David Renard | 1,133 | 47.9 |
| | Labour | Fay Howard | 821 | 34.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tel Hudson | 411 | 17.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | 13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,365 | 30.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
Highworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Lisa Hawkes | 1,293 | 50.5 |
| | Labour | Peter Mallinson | 719 | 28.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jenny Shorten | 550 | 21.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 574 | 22.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,562 | 38.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Moredon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Derique Montaut | 843 | 46.4 |
| | Conservative | Kirt Wakefield | 646 | 35.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Bass | 329 | 18.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 197 | 10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,818 | 24.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Old Town and Lawn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Wendy Johnson | 1,933 | 48.9 |
| | Conservative | Colin Lovell | 1,603 | 40.5 |
| | Labour | John Newman | 273 | 6.9 |
| | Green | John Hughes | 147 | 3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 330 | 8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,956 | 52.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Parks :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Barrie Thompson | 973 | 64.4 |
| | Conservative | Natasha Young | 293 | 19.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ellen Aylett | 245 | 16.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 680 | 45.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,511 | 21.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Penhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Glaholm | 687 | 59.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Fitchett | 253 | 21.9 |
| | Conservative | Donald Day | 215 | 18.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 434 | 37.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,155 | 25.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Shaw and Nine Elms :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Douglas Stewart | 1,000 | 53.2 |
| | Labour | Neil Heavens | 502 | 26.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Phipps | 379 | 20.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 498 | 26.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,881 | 27.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
St Margaret :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Bernard Baker | 1,069 | 47.2 |
| | Labour | Alison Durrant | 897 | 39.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Newman | 300 | 13.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 172 | 7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,266 | 30.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
St Philip :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Philip Steele | 1,006 | 45.4 |
| | Conservative | Raymond Fisher | 882 | 39.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Wiltshire | 214 | 9.7 |
| | Green | Raymond Smith | 113 | 5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 124 | 5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,215 | 31.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Kevin Small | 1,068 | 50.2 |
| | Conservative | Paul Saunders | 535 | 25.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Clifton-Page | 301 | 14.2 |
| | Independent | Michael Morton | 128 | 6.0 |
| | Green | Robert Heritage | 94 | 4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 533 | 25.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,126 | 28.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Wroughton and Chiseldon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jemima Milton | 1,336 | 43.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Hooper | 1,154 | 37.9 |
| | Labour | Andy Harrison | 449 | 14.7 |
| | Green | James Bevan | 109 | 3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 182 | 6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,048 | 40.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |