# 2003 Southampton City Council election

The 2003 Southampton Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Southampton Unitary Council in Hampshire, 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:
* Liberal Democrat 18
* Labour 16
* Conservative 12
* Liberal 1
* Independent 1

## Election result

The results saw the Liberal Democrats become the largest party on the council with 18 seats, but without a majority, after making 3 gains. They gained the seats of Coxford and Millbrook from Liberal party councillors who had previously left the Liberal Democrats, and the seat of Woolston from Labour. This was the first time the Liberal Democrats, or their predecessors the Liberal Party, had been the largest party in Southampton for over 90 years.
Labour were reduced to 16 seats after losing another seat in Sholing to the Conservatives who went up to 12 seats. The Liberal party defeats reduced them to only 1 seat, while 1 independent who was not up for re-election remained. Overall turnout was up by only 0.8% from 2002 at 29%, despite all voters having the option to vote by post.
Following the election, discussions were held in order to decide who would be to take control of the council, with Labour trying to remain in control and the Liberal Democrats to take over. The Conservatives refused to support either of the other groups, meaning that the Liberal and independent councillors held the balance, as Labour's Parvin Damani had a potential casting vote as mayor. However the full council meeting on 21 May saw Liberal Democrat Adrian Vinson become council leader by 1 vote, after gaining the support of independent and formerly Labour councillor Paul Russell, after Vinson had earlier offered Russell a cabinet post.
Southampton Local Election Result 2003 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 37.5 | 30.7 | 14,710 | 0.8 |
| Conservative | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 37.5 | 30.0 | 14,403 | 1.6 |
| Labour | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25.0 | 30.1 | 14,442 | 5.4 |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 2.5 | 1,179 | 2.5 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2.1 | 1,023 | 2.1 |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 1.9 | 893 | 1.6 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 1.4 | 652 | 0.1 |
| Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 1.0 | 477 | 0.5 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0.4 | 201 | 1.8 |

## Ward results
### Bargate

Bargate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Parvin Damanii | 779 | 46.1 | |
| | Conservative | Tina Lanning | 494 | 29.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maureen Kirkwood | 416 | 24.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 285 | 16.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,689 | 15.5 | −1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bassett

Bassett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alec Samuels | 1,673 | 46.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judith Webb | 1,221 | 33.7 | |
| | Labour | Michael Lewkowicz | 480 | 13.2 | |
| | Liberal | Violet Riddle | 139 | 3.8 | |
| | UKIP | Michael Cottrell | 111 | 3.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 452 | 12.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,624 | 34.0 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bevois

Bevois :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jacqui Rayment | 1,021 | 47.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Hordley | 464 | 21.3 | |
| | Conservative | Pamela Rees | 399 | 18.4 | |
| | Green | David Cromwell | 191 | 8.8 | |
| | Socialist Alliance | Ella Noyes | 99 | 4.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 557 | 25.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,174 | 21.5 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bitterne

Bitterne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Matthew Stevens | 1,268 | 44.2 | |
| | Conservative | Ivan White | 740 | 25.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Naish | 487 | 17.0 | |
| | BNP | Jason Brown | 288 | 10.0 | |
| | UKIP | Conrad Brown | 84 | 2.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 528 | 18.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,867 | 28.7 | −1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bitterne Park

Bitterne Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Baillie | 1,457 | 42.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Frederick Tucker | 1,287 | 37.1 | |
| | Labour | Joseph Hannigan | 603 | 17.4 | |
| | Liberal | Kenneth Bellwood | 118 | 3.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,465 | 34.2 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Coxford

Coxford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Darke | 1,187 | 39.3 | |
| | Labour | Sarah Bogle | 933 | 30.9 | |
| | Conservative | Lesley Matthews | 361 | 12.0 | |
| | Liberal | Michael Gausden | 245 | 8.1 | |
| | BNP | Edwin Gamon | 197 | 6.5 | |
| | UKIP | Leslie Obee | 95 | 3.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 | 8.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,018 | 28.8 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Liberal | Liberal Democrats gain from Liberal | Swing | | |

### Freemantle

Freemantle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Parnell | 1,308 | 43.9 | |
| | Labour | Norman Rides | 861 | 28.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barbara Cummins | 487 | 16.3 | |
| | Green | Darren Pickering | 256 | 8.6 | |
| | Socialist Alliance | Mark Abel | 70 | 2.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 447 | 15.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,982 | 28.9 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Harefield

Harefield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Adrian Johnson | 1,792 | 50.6 | |
| | Labour | Kenneth Tew | 1,143 | 32.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Hordley | 606 | 17.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 649 | 18.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,541 | 33.7 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Millbrook

Millbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Proctor | 1,338 | 41.2 | |
| | Labour | Nigel Clark | 763 | 23.5 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Ball | 502 | 15.5 | |
| | Liberal | George Melrose | 367 | 11.3 | |
| | BNP | Terrie Rintoul | 230 | 7.1 | |
| | Socialist Alliance | Derek Twine | 49 | 1.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 575 | 17.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,249 | 30.3 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Liberal | Liberal Democrats gain from Liberal | Swing | | |

### Peartree

Peartree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Slade | 1,519 | 49.1 | |
| | Labour | Roger Iles | 814 | 26.3 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Denness | 616 | 19.9 | |
| | UKIP | Martin Daish | 146 | 4.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 705 | 22.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,095 | 30.4 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Portswood

Portswood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Calvin Horner | 1,528 | 47.5 | |
| | Conservative | Edward Daunt | 700 | 21.8 | |
| | Labour | Ann Wardle | 562 | 17.5 | |
| | Green | Joseph Cox | 205 | 6.4 | |
| | Socialist Alliance | Jeanne Butterfield | 136 | 4.2 | |
| | Liberal | Susan Pike | 86 | 2.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 828 | 25.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,217 | 30.3 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Redbridge

Redbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Marsh-Jenks | 1,235 | 43.3 | |
| | Conservative | Enid Greenham | 699 | 24.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edward Blake | 598 | 21.0 | |
| | BNP | Jason Robinson | 275 | 9.6 | |
| | Socialist Alliance | Paul Nicholson | 46 | 1.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 536 | 18.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,853 | 27.0 | +2.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Shirley

Shirley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Forbes | 1,579 | 44.2 | |
| | Labour | Warwick Payne | 1,028 | 28.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Newman | 657 | 18.4 | |
| | Independent | Simon Hardy | 201 | 5.6 | |
| | UKIP | Kevin Costigane | 106 | 3.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 551 | 15.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,571 | 35.1 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Sholing

Sholing :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gavin Dick | 1,269 | 37.6 | |
| | Labour | Paul Jenks | 1,225 | 36.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin McPhee | 588 | 17.4 | |
| | UKIP | Tony Weaver | 256 | 7.6 | |
| | Socialist Alliance | Leonora Goergen | 39 | 1.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 1.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,377 | 32.2 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Swaythling

Swaythling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Terence Holden-Brown | 1,066 | 46.4 | |
| | Labour | Michael Brainsby | 636 | 27.7 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Alexander | 432 | 18.8 | |
| | UKIP | Rodney Caws | 95 | 4.1 | |
| | Liberal | June Mitchell | 68 | 3.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 430 | 18.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,297 | 23.8 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Woolston

Woolston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Simpson | 1,261 | 42.6 | |
| | Labour | Julian Price | 1,091 | 36.8 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Lankford | 382 | 12.9 | |
| | BNP | Debbyann Payne | 189 | 6.4 | |
| | Socialist Alliance | Matthew Wilkinson | 38 | 1.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 5.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,961 | 29.8 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |