# 1994 Colchester Borough Council election

Elections to Colchester Borough Council took place on 5 May 1994. This was on the same day as other local elections across the United Kingdom.
At the election, the Liberal Democrats gained control of the council from no overall control, becoming the first party other than the Conservatives to control the council since its creation in 1973.

## Summary

1994 Colchester Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 13 | 4 | 65.0 | 20 | 33 | 54.2 | 20,941 | 47.5 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | 4 | 2 | 20.0 | 15 | 19 | 32.2 | 11,349 | 25.8 | –11.8 |
| | Labour | 3 | 1 | 15.0 | 4 | 7 | 11.9 | 10,744 | 24.4 | +7.6 |
| | Tiptree Residents | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.7 | 0 | 0.0 | –2.6 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 765 | 1.7 | +0.3 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 252 | 0.6 | N/A |

## Ward results
### Berechurch

Berechurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | W. Sutton | 1,187 | 52.1 | −3.2 |
| | Labour | Paul Bishop | 819 | 36.0 | +15.1 |
| | Conservative | N. Peckston | 272 | 11.9 | −10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 368 | 16.2 | −16.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,278 | 40.0 | +2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,693 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 9.2 | |
No Green candidate as previous (1.0%).

### Birch Messing Copford

Birch Messing Copford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Crowe* | 608 | 50.7 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Una Jones | 330 | 27.5 | +4.8 |
| | Labour | Julie Young | 261 | 21.8 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 278 | 23.2 | −1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,199 | 47.2 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,542 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.6 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Hall* | 1,362 | 53.0 | +11.4 |
| | Labour | J. Dodge | 689 | 26.8 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | J. Lucas | 415 | 16.1 | −10.1 |
| | Green | C. Shaw | 105 | 4.1 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 673 | 26.2 | +14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,571 | 47.5 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,413 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 7.4 | |

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Blandon | 1,244 | 50.3 | −5.7 |
| | Labour | J. Bird* | 958 | 38.8 | +14.8 |
| | Conservative | M. Cole | 206 | 8.3 | −10.3 |
| | Green | N. Mills | 63 | 2.5 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | 11.6 | −20.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,471 | 42.5 | +4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,818 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | 10.3 | |

### Lexden

Lexden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Trusler* | 1,270 | 52.3 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Donald Hensall | 980 | 40.4 | −9.6 |
| | Labour | L. Barrett | 176 | 7.3 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 290 | 12.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,426 | 56.2 | −1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,317 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 8.4 | |
No Green candidate as previous (0.8%).

### Mile End

Mile End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Ambury | 1,702 | 49.8 | +19.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Fulford* | 1,122 | 32.8 | −23.4 |
| | Labour | Kim Naish | 499 | 14.6 | +3.7 |
| | Green | B. Smith | 93 | 2.7 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 580 | 17.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,416 | 42.4 | +6.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,064 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 21.3 | |

### New Town

New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Russell* | 1,615 | 66.8 | +8.4 |
| | Labour | S. Pygott | 587 | 24.3 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | D. McBean | 132 | 5.5 | −7.9 |
| | Green | P. Wareham | 85 | 3.5 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,028 | 42.5 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,419 | 46.5 | +5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,207 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.7 | |

### Prettygate

Prettygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Goss* | 1,858 | 65.4 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Ron Levy | 601 | 21.2 | −15.0 |
| | Labour | T. Pearson | 339 | 11.9 | +4.1 |
| | Green | D. Smith | 43 | 1.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,257 | 44.2 | +25.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,841 | 48.7 | −0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,830 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 12.6 | |

### Pyefleet

Pyefleet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Lord | 449 | 46.6 | −6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Justin Knight | 385 | 39.9 | −6.7 |
| | Labour | S. Manning-Press | 96 | 10.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Walter Schwarz | 34 | 3.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 6.6 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 962 | 52.2 | −5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,846 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.1 | |

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | W. Sandford | 799 | 54.4 | −16.9 |
| | Labour | Frank Wilkin | 482 | 32.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | S. Wilson | 189 | 12.9 | −15.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 317 | 21.6 | −21.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,470 | 27.8 | +4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,293 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | N/A | |

### St. Andrew's

St. Andrew's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Prosser | 846 | 52.7 | +12.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Gary | 588 | 36.6 | +7.5 |
| | Conservative | E. Winney | 134 | 8.3 | −16.6 |
| | Green | S. Kelly | 37 | 2.3 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 258 | 16.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,605 | 30.1 | +5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,329 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.7 | |

### St. Anne's

St. Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Gamble | 1,208 | 46.8 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Mary Frank* | 1,180 | 45.7 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | N. Elcombe | 193 | 7.5 | −8.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 1.1 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,581 | 46.0 | +8.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,614 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | 4.5 | |
No Green candidate as previous (1.1%).

### St. John's

St. John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Barker* | 1,668 | 64.3 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | N. Taylor | 605 | 23.3 | −13.5 |
| | Labour | T. Pringle | 322 | 12.4 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,063 | 41.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,595 | 46.1 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,635 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 11.5 | |
No Green candidate as previous (2.8%).

### St. Mary's

St. Mary's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Silverwood-Cope | 1,116 | 45.2 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | R. Spendlove* | 735 | 29.8 | −10.5 |
| | Labour | Maureen Lee | 309 | 12.5 | +3.4 |
| | Independent | R. Hudson | 252 | 10.2 | N/A |
| | Green | J. Hebbern | 55 | 2.2 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 381 | 15.4 | +6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,467 | 48.7 | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,069 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.4 | |

### Stanway

Stanway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Ellis | 1,489 | 58.5 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | Ian McCord | 691 | 27.1 | −8.0 |
| | Labour | E. Plowright | 366 | 14.4 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 798 | 31.3 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,546 | 44.0 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,791 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.9 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | N. Holland | 879 | 34.8 | +24.2 |
| | Conservative | M. Hope | 830 | 32.8 | −10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Seaman | 717 | 28.4 | N/A |
| | Green | V. Bannister | 101 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,527 | 41.7 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,057 | | |
| | Labour gain from Tiptree Residents | Labour gain from Tiptree Residents | Swing | 17.3 | |
No Tiptree Residents candidate as previous (46.3%).

### West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green

West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Baldwin* | 1,092 | 61.1 | +18.7 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Blundell | 516 | 28.9 | −18.7 |
| | Labour | M. Nice | 178 | 10.0 | ±0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 576 | 32.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,786 | 48.1 | −3.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,715 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 18.7 | |

### West Mersea

West Mersea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Margaret Kimberley* | 1,032 | 51.3 | −23.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Pipe | 640 | 31.8 | +14.2 |
| | Labour | Alison Inman | 340 | 16.9 | +9.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 392 | 19.5 | −38.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,012 | 36.3 | +2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,547 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 19.1 | |

### Winstree

Winstree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Fairhead* | 696 | 64.3 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Burgess | 297 | 27.4 | −7.3 |
| | Labour | J. Coombes | 89 | 8.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 399 | 36.9 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,082 | 59.6 | +3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,817 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.2 | |

### Wivenhoe

Wivenhoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Richardson* | 1,329 | 47.5 | +14.0 |
| | Conservative | J. Woodcock | 943 | 33.7 | −14.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | I. O'Mahoney | 374 | 13.4 | ±0.0 |
| | Green | P. Samphire | 149 | 5.3 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 386 | 13.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,795 | 44.4 | +5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,298 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 14.4 | |