# 2018 Plymouth City Council election

The 2018 Plymouth City Council election took place on 3 May 2018 to elect members of Plymouth City Council in England. The election was won by the Labour Party, who gained enough seats to achieve an overall majority and took control of the council.
A coalition of Conservative and UK Independence Party (UKIP) councillors had taken control of the council after the 2016 election, with thirty members in total and a working majority. The three UKIP councillors defected to the Conservative Party in September 2017, giving the Conservatives overall control of the council. The Conservative Party defended twelve seats and Labour defended seven.

## Background

Plymouth City Council held local elections on 3 May 2018 along with councils across England as part of the 2018 local elections. The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. Councillors defending their seats in this election were previously elected in 2014. In that election, nine Conservative candidates, seven Labour candidates and three UKIP candidates were elected.
In September 2017, the three councillors elected as UKIP candidates defected to the Conservative Party. Following the 2016 Plymouth City Council election, the council had been controlled by a coalition of Conservative and UKIP councillors, with thirty members between them. Following the defections of the UKIP councillors, the Conservative Party held an overall majority, with thirty councillors compared to Labour's twenty-seven.
The Local Government Chronicle described Labour as 'well placed to regain control' by winning the seats won by UKIP councillors in 2014. Rob Ford in the Guardian wrote that a Labour victory in Plymouth would help the party 'demonstrate strength in critical English swing areas'. The election was the first in which the Liberal Democrats fielded a candidate in every ward in Plymouth since 2010.

## Overall results

2018 Plymouth City Council Election :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 11 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 57.9 | 44.0 | 28,554 | 13.2 |
| Conservative | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 42.1 | 44.7 | 29,005 | 13.9 |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 5.3 | 3,418 | 4.4 |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1,359 | 29.0 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1,178 | 2.1 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.6 | 1,016 | 0.6 |
| TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.5 | 319 | 1.3 |
| Vivamus | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.0 | 24 | 0.0 |
| For Britain Movement | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.0 | 24 | New |
Note: All changes in vote share are in comparison to the corresponding 2014 election.
The Labour Party won an overall majority on the council, with 31 of the council's 57 councillors. The party had last had a majority on the council in 2015. Plymouth was the only council Labour gained control of from the Conservatives in the 2018 local elections.
After the previous election, the composition of the council was:
| 27 | 27 | 3 |
| Labour | Conservative | UKIP |
Before this election, the composition of the council was:
| 27 | 30 |
| Labour | Conservative |
After this election, the composition of the council was:
| 31 | 26 |
| Labour | Conservative |

## Ward results

Asterisks denote sitting councillors seeking re-election.

### Budshead

Budshead 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dave Downie* | 1,731 | 51.7 | 16.6 |
| | Labour | Jill Narin | 1,307 | 39.0 | 7.6 |
| | UKIP | John Smith | 188 | 5.6 | 26.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Radmore | 122 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 424 | 12.7 | 9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,348 | 34.6 | 3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.5 | |

### Compton

Compton 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrea Johnson | 1,935 | 50.4 | 10.8 |
| | Labour Co-op | Paul McNamara | 1,507 | 39.3 | 15.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Guy Steven | 202 | 5.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Graham Epstein | 193 | 5.0 | 7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 428 | 11.2 | 4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,837 | 41.3 | 1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.2 | |

### Devonport

Devonport 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Stevens* | 1,893 | 57.2 | 20.9 |
| | Conservative | Sandy Borthwick | 934 | 28.2 | 10.7 |
| | UKIP | Richard Ellison | 159 | 4.8 | 28.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Fleur Ball | 116 | 3.5 | 1.0 |
| | Green | Andrew Pratt | 99 | 3.0 | 3.5 |
| | Independent | Scott Wardle | 84 | 2.5 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Roxy Castell | 22 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 959 | 29.0 | 26.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,307 | 30.0 | 3.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.1 | |

### Drake

Drake 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Corvid | 954 | 51.8 | 25.5 |
| | Conservative | Steve Ricketts* | 789 | 42.8 | 1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlotte Radmore | 76 | 4.1 | 0.4 |
| | For Britain | Iuliu Popescu | 24 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 165 | 9.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,843 | 29.4 | 4.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 13.5 | |

### Efford and Lipson

Efford and Lipson 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Neil Hendy* | 1,940 | 60.0 | 20.4 |
| | Conservative | Jake Donovan | 996 | 30.8 | 14.0 |
| | Green | Benjamin Smith | 158 | 4.9 | 3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex Primmer | 97 | 3.0 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Sam Taylor-Wickenden | 40 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 944 | 29.2 | 22.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,231 | 32.3 | 2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.2 | |

### Eggbuckland

Eggbuckland 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Bowyer* | 2,313 | 60.8 | 18.0 |
| | Labour Co-op | Andrew Wade | 1,094 | 28.8 | 2.1 |
| | UKIP | Wendy Noble | 220 | 5.8 | 23.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Simpson | 176 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,219 | 32.1 | 18.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,803 | 37.4 | 4.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.0 | |

### Ham

Ham 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gareth Derrick | 1,914 | 56.6 | 17.5 |
| | Conservative | Chris Storer* | 1,129 | 33.4 | 14.6 |
| | UKIP | Alan Skuse | 198 | 5.9 | 33.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Lawrie | 140 | 4.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 785 | 23.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,381 | 32.9 | 0.8 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 1.5 | |

### Honicknowle

Honicknowle 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pamela Buchan | 1,724 | 52.3 | 16.0 |
| | Conservative | John Riley* | 1,280 | 38.9 | 25.2 |
| | UKIP | Ivor Lucas | 209 | 6.3 | 41.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Gillbard | 81 | 2.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 444 | 13.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,294 | 32.2 | 1.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.6 | |

### Moor View

Moor View 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Maddi Bridgeman* | 1,832 | 49.5 | 14.0 |
| | Labour | Jemima Laing | 1,474 | 39.8 | 15.4 |
| | UKIP | John Baddeley | 242 | 6.5 | 32.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Spencer | 156 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 358 | 9.7 | 6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,704 | 37.4 | 2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.7 | |

### Peverell

Peverell 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeremy Goslin | 2,324 | 47.6 | 19.1 |
| | Conservative | Martin Leaves* | 2,081 | 42.6 | 3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Maunder | 284 | 5.8 | 1.0 |
| | Green | Nicholas Casley | 173 | 3.5 | 4.7 |
| | Vivamus | Bernard Toolan | 24 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 243 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,886 | 46.9 | 2.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 7.9 | |

### Plympton Chaddlewood

Plympton Chaddlewood 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Glenn Jordan* | 1,051 | 61.3 | 21.9 |
| | Labour | Janet Wise | 532 | 31.0 | 10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Ayres | 132 | 7.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 519 | 30.3 | 27.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,715 | 28.4 | 3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.8 | |

### Plympton St Mary

Plympton St Mary 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David James* | 2,649 | 70.8 | 22.4 |
| | Labour | Rob de Jong | 850 | 22.7 | 4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeffrey Hall | 241 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,799 | 48.1 | 27.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,740 | 37.0 | 2.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.2 | |

### Plymstock Dunstone

Plymstock Dunstone 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Vivien Pengelly* | 2,411 | 64.5 | 20.6 |
| | Labour | David Owen | 905 | 24.2 | 3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sima Davarian-Dehsorkhe | 424 | 11.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,506 | 40.3 | 33.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,740 | 38.6 | 3.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.7 | |

### Plymstock Radford

Plymstock Radford 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Rebecca Smith | 1,964 | 48.7 | 9.6 |
| | Labour Co-op | Vince Barry | 842 | 20.9 | 0.1 |
| | Independent | John Wheeler | 453 | 11.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Gordon Miller | 314 | 7.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roy Plumley | 247 | 6.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Matthew Faith | 212 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,122 | 27.8 | 26.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,032 | 37.5 | 3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.9 | |

### Southway

Southway 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jonny Morris* | 1,838 | 52.6 | 18.0 |
| | Conservative | Tim Velkavrh-Blazevic | 1,359 | 38.9 | 15.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jacqui Spencer | 217 | 6.2 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Nik Brookson | 79 | 2.3 | 1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 479 | 13.7 | 11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,493 | 30.2 | 9.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.3 | |

### St Budeaux

St Budeaux 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sally Bowie* | 1,458 | 49.2 | 10.3 |
| | Conservative | Pat Patel | 1,189 | 40.1 | 20.4 |
| | Independent | Margaret Bennett Jones | 165 | 5.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart Spicer | 93 | 3.1 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Andrew White | 57 | 1.9 | 1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 269 | 9.1 | 8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,962 | 30.2 | 2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.1 | |

### St Peter and the Waterfront

St Peter and the Waterfront 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sue McDonald* | 1,981 | 54.5 | 18.7 |
| | Conservative | Mark Thompson | 1,232 | 33.9 | 11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Janes | 221 | 6.1 | 1.0 |
| | Green | Brian Banks | 157 | 4.3 | 3.8 |
| | TUSC | Ian Groeber | 41 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 749 | 20.6 | 9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,632 | 31.8 | 2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.7 | |

### Stoke

Stoke 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Neil | 1,915 | 52.5 | 15.6 |
| | Conservative | Kathy Watkin | 1,219 | 33.4 | 10.9 |
| | Green | Daniel Sheaff | 186 | 5.1 | 4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Guy | 184 | 5.0 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Michael Arthur | 143 | 3.9 | 18.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 696 | 19.1 | 4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,647 | 36.0 | 4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.4 | |

### Sutton and Mount Gould

Sutton and Mount Gould 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mary Aspinall* | 2,102 | 63.7 | 22.4 |
| | Conservative | Chip Tofan | 910 | 27.6 | 8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter York | 209 | 6.3 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Ryan Aldred | 80 | 2.4 | 0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,192 | 36.1 | 20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,301 | 33.5 | 2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.2 | |

## Aftermath

Following this election, the Labour group had a majority of councillors. This meant that Labour group leader Tudor Evans became the new leader of Plymouth City Council. Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn visited Plymouth to celebrate the result. Outgoing council leader Ian Bowyer remained leader of the Conservative group.
Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View Johnny Mercer said that the result was due to Plymouth voters believing that defence funding was reducing under the Conservatives. Defeated Drake councillor Steve Ricketts wrote that his defeat was due to students voting Labour.
The Herald described the election as voters deserting UKIP, with Plymouth returning to a two-party political system. The newspaper also emphasised Sima Davarian-Dehsorkhe as the best-performing Liberal Democrat candidate, winning more than 10% of the vote in Plymstock Dunstone.
Labour held its seat in a subsequent by-election in Stoke ward, which took place in July 2018.