# 2019 Wokingham Borough Council election

The 2019 Wokingham Borough Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2019. That was the same day as other United Kingdom local elections in order to elect members of Wokingham Unitary Council in Berkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election.
Before the election, the composition of the council was:
* Conservative 41
* Liberal Democrat 8
* Labour 3
* Independent 2

## Background

Since the previous round of elections in 2018, there had been 1 by-election, in Evendons in February 2019, which had been won by the Liberal Democrats. Richard Dolinski resigned from the Conservative Party to sit as an independent as a result of an internal vote of no confidence being put forward and subsequently passed against Cllr Charlotte Haitham-Taylor which led to her resignation as the Leader of the Council
The composition of the council before the election was as follows:
| 41 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| CON | LD | LAB | IND |
After the election, the composition of the council became:
| 31 | 16 | 4 | 3 |
| CON | LD | LAB | IND |

## Election result

2019 Wokingham 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 % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 8 | 10 | 44.4 | 23 | 31 | 57.4 | 14,625 | 37.3 | –7.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 8 | 8 | 44.4 | 8 | 16 | 29.6 | 15,444 | 39.4 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | 1 | 1 | 5.6 | 3 | 4 | 7.4 | 6,449 | 16.4 | –2.4 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 | 5.6 | 2 | 3 | 5.5 | 1,529 | 3.9 | +3.3 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 955 | 2.4 | +1.8 |
| | Women's Equality | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 156 | 0.3 | New |
A total of 39,148 votes were cast for candidates.

## Ward results

Barkham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Kaiser | 457 | 49.6 | 16.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Tuck | 391 | 42.4 | 27.9 |
| | Labour | Peyman Jahromi | 74 | 8.0 | 3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 66 | 7.2 | 44.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 922 | 33.0 | 38.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 17 spoiled ballots.
Bulmershe and Whitegates :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Shirley Boyt | 1,227 | 42.4 | 13.4 |
| | Conservative | Mohammed Younis | 1,096 | 37.9 | 0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Harman | 570 | 19.7 | 5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 131 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,893 | 42.0 | 28.0 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 49 spoiled ballot papers.
Coronation :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alison Swaddle | 1,076 | 59.9 | 2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Barton | 331 | 18.4 | 3.2 |
| | Labour | Ian Hills | 194 | 10.8 | 1.4 |
| | Green | Kathy Smith | 194 | 10.8 | 5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 745 | 41.5 | 0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,795 | 42.0 | 33.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 21 spoiled ballot papers.
Emmbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rachel Bishop-Firth | 1,827 | 61.6 | 26.9 |
| | Conservative | Philip Mirfin | 923 | 31.1 | 12.1 |
| | Labour | Brent Lees | 216 | 10.8 | 1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 904 | 30.5 | 22.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,966 | 44.0 | 31.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 16 spoiled ballot papers.
Evendons :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Mather | 1,259 | 48.5 | 28.0 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Hinton | 644 | 24.8 | 26.0 |
| | Independent | Lynn Forbes | 388 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| | Women's Equality | Louise Timlin | 156 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| | Labour | Tim Lloyd | 147 | 5.7 | 5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 615 | 23.7 | 6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,594 | 37.0 | 35.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 16 spoiled ballots.
Hawkedon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Mickleburgh | 1,353 | 56.4 | 25.3 |
| | Conservative | Tim Holton | 764 | 31.8 | 13.7 |
| | Labour | Doreen Osborne | 282 | 11.8 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 589 | 24.6 | 10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,399 | 36.0 | 32.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 25 spoiled ballots.
Hillside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Caroline Smith | 1,425 | 51.2 | 28.5 |
| | Conservative | Norman Jorgensen | 1,046 | 37.6 | 12.9 |
| | Labour | Hari Sarasan | 310 | 11.1 | 2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 379 | 13.6 | 14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,781 | 44.0 | 28.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 44 spoiled ballots.
Loddon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Abdul Loyes | 1,124 | 47.9 | 1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Jewell | 807 | 34.4 | 16.6 |
| | Labour | Mary Young | 418 | 17.8 | 0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 317 | 13.5 | 17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,349 | 33.0 | 36.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 42 spoiled ballots.
Maiden Erlegh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tahir Maher | 1,056 | 37.0 | 19.0 |
| | Conservative | David Chopping | 968 | 33.9 | 13.7 |
| | Labour | Andrew Gray | 830 | 29.1 | 10.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 88 | 3.1 | 26.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,854 | 46.0 | 25.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 49 spoiled ballots.
Norreys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gregor Murray | 1,116 | 40.5 | 11.2 |
| | Labour | Nick Fox | 1,081 | 39.2 | 27.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Bishop | 561 | 20.3 | 3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 1.3 | 33.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,758 | 37.0 | 32.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 59 spoiled ballots.
Shinfield North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Parry Batth | 300 | 41.8 | 1.3 |
| | Labour | James Reid | 280 | 39.0 | 5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Newton | 138 | 19.2 | 12.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 2.8 | 4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 718 | 30.0 | 30.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 11 spoiled ballots.
Shinfield South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jim Frewin | 1,141 | 49.5 | 49.5 |
| | Conservative | Anthony Pollock | 709 | 30.8 | 26.4 |
| | Labour | Marcus McDowell | 229 | 9.9 | 2.4 |
| | Green | Hilary Murdoch | 226 | 9.8 | 2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 432 | 18.7 | 25.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,305 | 34.0 | 35.0 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 11 spoiled ballots.
Sonning :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Firmager | 587 | 58.8 | 7.0 |
| | Green | Brian O'Callaghan | 190 | 19.0 | 8.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom McCann | 128 | 12.8 | 12.8 |
| | Labour | Philippa Hills | 94 | 9.4 | 4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 397 | 39.8 | 12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 999 | 40.0 | 33.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 12 spoiled ballots.
South Lake :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Laura Blumenthal | 798 | 44.2 | 3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Beth Rowland | 757 | 42.0 | 11.6 |
| | Labour | Tony Skuse | 249 | 13.8 | 1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 | 2.2 | 8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,804 | 41.0 | 33.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 27 spoiled ballots.
Twyford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Conway | 1,584 | 73.0 | 34.0 |
| | Conservative | John Jarvis | 493 | 22.7 | 18.3 |
| | Labour | Charles Wickeden | 94 | 4.3 | 43.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,091 | 50.3 | 48.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,171 | 48.0 | 28.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 19 spoiled ballots.
Wescott :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maria Gee | 755 | 35.1 | 17.3 |
| | Conservative | Julian McGhee-Sumner | 723 | 33.6 | 17.3 |
| | Labour | James Box | 503 | 23.4 | 11.9 |
| | Green | Rema Heffernan | 173 | 8.0 | 2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32 | 1.5 | 31.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,154 | 42.0 | 30.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 27 spoiled ballots.
Winnersh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Fishwick | 1,609 | 64.7 | 31.6 |
| | Conservative | Philip Houldsworth | 567 | 22.8 | 18.8 |
| | Green | Stephen Lloyd | 172 | 6.9 | 2.9 |
| | Labour | Steve Stanton | 140 | 5.6 | 4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,042 | 41.9 | 33.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,488 | 34.0 | 33.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
There were 24 spoiled ballots.
Wokingham Without :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Christopher Bowring | 1,184 | 52.1 | 8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jordan Montgomery | 893 | 39.3 | 27.7 |
| | Labour | Jayne Donnelly | 297 | 8.7 | 4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 291 | 12.8 | 35.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,274 | 37.0 | 37.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
There were 55 spoiled ballots.