# 2003 Rother District Council election

The 2003 Rother District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Rother District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election after boundary changes reduced the number of seats by 7. The Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

## Background

Originally a total of 81 candidates stood for the 37 seats that were to be elected after the boundary changes, comprising 37 Conservatives, 32 Liberal Democrats, 12 Labour and 3 independents. However the death of a Liberal Democrat candidate for Rother Levels meant the election in that ward was delayed until 12 June and so 75 candidates stood for the 35 seats that were contested on 1 May.
Both the Conservative leader of East Sussex County Council, Peter Jones, and the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Rother District Council, Stephen Hardy, stood down from the council at the election.

## Election result

The Conservatives continued to hold a strong majority on the council winning 13 of the 18 seats in Bexhill, compared to 2 each for the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties, and 1 independent. In the remaining rural areas of the council that were elected on 1 May, 9 Conservatives, 6 Liberal Democrats, 1 Labour and 1 independent councillors were elected.
The delayed election in Rother Levels on 12 June had the Conservatives win both seats.
Rother local election result 2003 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Conservative | 25 | -4 | 65.8 | 57.5 | 25,184 |
| Liberal Democrats | 8 | 0 | 21.1 | 30.2 | 13,205 |
| Labour | 3 | -1 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 3,497 |
| Independent | 2 | -2 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 1,883 |
The above totals include the delayed election in Rother Levels on 12 June 2003.

## Ward results

Battle Town (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Suzanne Williams | 668 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert White | 664 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Leicester | 599 | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Mitchell | 560 | |
| | Labour | John Gately | 182 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,673 | 37.3 |
Bexhill Central (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Eveline Armstrong | 634 | |
| | Conservative | Joyce Hughes | 608 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Francis | 484 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Doncaster | 451 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,177 | 32.0 |
Bexhill Collington (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ronald Dyason | 1,071 | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Starnes | 974 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Heather Morrey | 575 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,620 | 43.2 |
Bexhill Kewhurst (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Brian Kentfield | 1,199 | |
| | Conservative | Martin Horscroft | 1,180 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Zipperlen | 162 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,541 | 41.7 |
Bexhill Old Town (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Wood | 499 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eric Armstrong | 469 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Lendon | 373 | |
| | Labour | Nicholas Hollington | 195 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,536 | 32.3 |
Bexhill Sackville (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jean Hopkinson | 876 | |
| | Conservative | Deidre Williams | 775 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Storer | 411 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,062 | 33.6 |
Bexhill Sidley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Helen Bridger | 446 | |
| | Labour | Keith Bridger | 418 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Wheeler | 399 | |
| | Conservative | Irena Massarella | 395 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Kemp | 205 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,863 | 28.7 |
Bexhill St. Marks (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Stuart Earl | 1,236 | |
| | Conservative | Joanne Gadd | 1,106 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Callandine-Evans | 359 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,701 | 41.6 |
Bexhill St. Michaels (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Charles Clark | 631 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Fairhurst | 393 | |
| | Conservative | Martin Kenward | 373 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martyn Forster | 346 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,743 | 30.6 |
Bexhill St. Stephens (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Graham Gubby | 648 | |
| | Conservative | William Clements | 631 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hilary McCorry | 432 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trevor Smith | 339 | |
| | Labour | Dominic Coughlan | 235 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,285 | 38.8 |
Brede Valley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Richard Carroll | 775 | |
| | Conservative | Carl Maynard | 750 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rowan Fookes | 647 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,172 | 38.0 |
Crowhurst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Kemp | 486 | 55.5 |
| | Conservative | Ian Tomisson | 315 | 36.0 |
| | Labour | Timothy MacPherson | 74 | 8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 | 19.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 875 | 43.4 |
Darwell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David Vereker | 858 | |
| | Independent | Wendy Miers | 756 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trevor Seeman | 476 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,090 | 39.7 |
Eastern Rother (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Keith Glazier | 733 | |
| | Conservative | Charles Ramus | 707 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sonia Holmes | 427 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Cleveland-Stevens | 349 | |
| | Labour | Paul Carey | 311 | |
| | Labour | Keith Pike | 223 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,750 | 40.1 |
Ewhurst and Sedlescombe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Matthew Wilson | 602 | 67.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeremy Field | 290 | 32.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | 35.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 892 | 46.6 |
Marsham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robin Patten | 935 | |
| | Conservative | Roger Bird | 894 | |
| | Independent | Hugh Gallagher | 496 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joloyn Holden | 285 | |
| | Labour | Paola Dorigato | 138 | |
| | Labour | Shirley Wheeldon | 132 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,880 | 48.4 |
Rye (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Samuel Souster | 542 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Granville Bantick | 537 | |
| | Conservative | David Russell | 474 | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Arfwedson | 448 | |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Lyus | 443 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,444 | 44.3 |
Salehurst (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Prochak | 894 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Hearn | 828 | |
| | Conservative | Mary Barnes | 495 | |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Goodsell | 485 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,702 | 42.7 |
Ticehurst and Etchingham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ian Jenkins | 663 | |
| | Conservative | John Potter | 633 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Albert Barrass | 542 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Varrall | 542 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,380 | 38.6 |

### Rother Levels delayed election

The election in Rother Levels was delayed until 12 June 2003 after the death of a Liberal Democrat candidate Julian Emery.
Rother Levels (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Martin Mooney | 702 | |
| | Conservative | Ronald Parren | 685 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Als | 466 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Coote | 372 | |
| | Labour | Linda Whymark | 93 | |
| | Labour | Jean Parks | 65 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,383 | 34.5 |

## By-elections between 2003 and 2007
### Bexhill Sackville September 2004

A by-election took place in Bexhill Sackville on 9 September 2004 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Jean Hopkinson when she moved to New Zealand. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Graham Oliver with a majority of 184 votes over the Liberal Democrats.
Bexhill Sackville by-election 9 September 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Oliver | 468 | 51.7 | −16.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Francis | 284 | 31.3 | −0.6 |
| | UKIP | Dorothy Thomson | 154 | 17.0 | +17.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 184 | 20.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 906 | 25.1 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bexhill St Stephens

A by-election was held in Bexhill St Stephens on 29 September 2005 after the death of Conservative councillor William Clements. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Paul Lendon by a majority of 111 votes over the Liberal Democrats.
Bexhill St Stephens by-election 29 September 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Lendon | 470 | 46.6 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Molly Webb | 359 | 35.6 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | Dominic Coughlan | 180 | 17.8 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,009 | 30.2 | −8.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Ticehurst and Etchingham

A by-election was held in Ticehurst and Etchingham on 17 November 2005 after Conservative councillor John Potter moved away. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Robert Elliston with a majority of 367 votes over the Liberal Democrats.
Ticehurst and Etchingham by-election 17 November 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Elliston | 696 | 67.9 | +12.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Varrall | 329 | 32.1 | −12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 367 | 35.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,025 | 30.8 | −7.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bexhill Kewhurst

A by-election was held in Bexhill Kewhurst on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Martin Horscroft resigned from the council. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Martin Kenward with a majority of 616 votes over the Liberal Democrats.
Bexhill Kewhurst by-election 4 May 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Martin Kenward | 1,141 | 64.6 | −23.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Zipperlen | 525 | 29.7 | +17.8 |
| | Labour | Abdulla Khan | 99 | 5.6 | +5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 616 | 34.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,765 | 44 | +2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bexhill Sackville May 2006

A by-election was held in Bexhill Sackville on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Graham Oliver resigned from the council. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Keith Standring with a majority of 89 votes over the Liberal Democrats.
Bexhill Sackville by-election 4 May 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keith Standring | 655 | 48.3 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martyn Forster | 566 | 41.8 | +10.5 |
| | Labour | Philipa Coughlan | 134 | 9.9 | +9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 | 6.6 | −13.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,355 | 38 | +13 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bexhill St Marks

A by-election was held in Bexhill St Marks on 4 May 2006 after Conservative councillor Stuart Earl resigned from the council. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Patrick Douart with a majority of 325 votes over the Liberal Democrats.
Bexhill St Marks by-election 4 May 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Patrick Douart | 863 | 51.4 | −26.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rachel Hills | 538 | 32.1 | +6.8 |
| | UKIP | Tony Smith | 185 | 11.0 | +11.0 |
| | Labour | Stephanie Webb | 92 | 5.5 | +5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 325 | 19.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,678 | 45 | +3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |