# 2008 Huntingdonshire District Council election

The 2008 Huntingdonshire District Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Huntingdonshire District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Conservative 38
* Liberal Democrats 12
* Independent 2

## Background

Before the election the Conservatives controlled the council with 39 seats, compared to 11 Liberal Democrats and 2 independents. 18 seats were contested at the election by a total of 69 candidates, with the Conservatives defending 14 of the seats.
Among the councillors who were defending seats were the Conservative leader of the council, Ian Bates, in The Hemingfords ward, and the leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council, Peter Downes in Brampton. Ian Bates was challenged by an independent candidate, Maxine Hay, who had become a road safety campaigner after her son was killed after being hit by a car, with the Liberal Democrat candidate for the seat withdrawing in her favour.

## Election result

The Liberal Democrats made a net gain of 1 seat to move to 12 councillors at the expense of the Conservatives who remained in control of the council with 38 seats. The Liberal Democrats gained seats in Buckden and Huntingdon East from the Conservatives, but lost a seat back to them in St Neots Eaton Socon.
Huntingdonshire local election result 2008 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 13 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 72.2 | 52.7 | 16,920 | -5.2% |
| Liberal Democrats | 4 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 22.2 | 29.9 | 9,593 | -1.5% |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 1,681 | +5.2% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.1 | 1,948 | -2.0% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.6 | 1,796 | +5.0% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 181 | -0.4% |

## Ward results

Brampton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Downes | 1,415 | 57.3 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | Keith Stukins | 1,007 | 40.8 | −5.3 |
| | Labour | Patrick Kadewere | 49 | 2.0 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 408 | 16.5 | +11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,471 | 52.2 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Buckden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Terry Clough | 795 | 59.4 | +20.1 |
| | Conservative | Alan Barber | 514 | 38.4 | −18.4 |
| | Labour | Thelma Lomax | 30 | 2.2 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 281 | 21.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,339 | 52.9 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Godmanchester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Godley | 872 | 46.7 | −3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Wilson | 841 | 45.0 | +2.2 |
| | UKIP | Shirley Reeve | 79 | 4.2 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Ann Beevor | 76 | 4.1 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31 | 1.7 | −6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,868 | 40.9 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Huntingdon East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Shellens | 1,239 | 47.3 | +9.6 |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Lyons | 1,016 | 38.8 | −10.3 |
| | Labour | Ruth Pugh | 154 | 5.9 | −2.0 |
| | UKIP | Derek Norman | 145 | 5.5 | +5.5 |
| | Green | Angela Mander-Jones | 64 | 2.4 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 223 | 8.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,618 | 38.9 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Huntingdon North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeff Dutton | 473 | 47.2 | +11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Morgan | 300 | 29.9 | −7.8 |
| | Labour | David King | 147 | 14.7 | −5.6 |
| | UKIP | Peter Ashcroft | 83 | 8.3 | +8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 173 | 17.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,003 | 26.1 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Little Paxton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Churchill | 806 | 69.1 | −0.9 |
| | Independent | Frank Owens | 196 | 16.8 | +16.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Cummings | 65 | 5.6 | −17.9 |
| | Labour | Chrissy Ellarby | 51 | 4.4 | −2.1 |
| | Green | Sarah Boulton | 49 | 4.2 | +4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 610 | 52.3 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,167 | 48.0 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ramsey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip Swales | 957 | 46.2 | −11.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Malcolm Hollis | 564 | 27.2 | −7.1 |
| | UKIP | Peter Reeve | 452 | 21.8 | +21.8 |
| | Labour | Susan Coomey | 100 | 4.8 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 393 | 19.0 | −4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,073 | 32.5 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Sawtry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Dick Tuplin | 1,023 | 53.1 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Vivienne McGuire | 824 | 42.8 | +7.9 |
| | Labour | Kevin Goddard | 79 | 4.1 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 199 | 10.3 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,926 | 38.8 | +0.9 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Somersham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Criswell | 1,123 | 63.4 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Hulme | 502 | 28.3 | +0.3 |
| | UKIP | Julian Fairweather | 80 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | Mary Howell | 66 | 3.7 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 621 | 35.1 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,771 | 39.3 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
St Ives East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jason Ablewhite | 864 | 55.2 | −3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robin Waters | 321 | 20.5 | −9.7 |
| | UKIP | Michael Horwood | 276 | 17.6 | +17.6 |
| | Labour | Angela Richards | 105 | 6.7 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 543 | 34.7 | +6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,566 | 31.3 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
St Ives South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Davies | 1,231 | 65.8 | +10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Hodge | 483 | 25.8 | −10.2 |
| | Labour | John Watson | 156 | 8.3 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 748 | 40.0 | +20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,870 | 40.0 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
St Ives West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julie Dew | 464 | 43.1 | −7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Saunderson | 381 | 35.4 | −6.3 |
| | UKIP | Margaret King | 168 | 15.6 | +15.6 |
| | Labour | Ros Trayner | 63 | 5.9 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 7.7 | −0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,076 | 49.0 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
St Neots Eaton Ford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bob Farrer | 1,132 | 61.1 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Franks | 562 | 30.3 | −8.1 |
| | Labour | David Brown | 92 | 5.0 | −0.6 |
| | Green | Karen How | 68 | 3.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 570 | 30.7 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,854 | 34.8 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
St Neots Eaton Socon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mandy Thomas | 911 | 57.5 | +10.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek Giles | 620 | 39.2 | −8.3 |
| | Labour | Carole Hitchings | 52 | 3.3 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 291 | 18.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,583 | 37.8 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
St Neots Eynesbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Hansard | 1,031 | 54.9 | +13.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diana Collins | 666 | 35.4 | −0.6 |
| | Labour | William O'Connor | 182 | 9.7 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 365 | 19.4 | +14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,879 | 25.5 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The Hemingfords :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Bates | 1,412 | 69.1 | +3.3 |
| | Independent | Maxine Hay | 462 | 22.6 | +22.6 |
| | Labour | Jacqueline Gilbert | 168 | 8.2 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 950 | 46.5 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,042 | 43.8 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Warboys and Bury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Ward | 839 | 46.0 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | Jill Travener | 787 | 43.2 | −14.8 |
| | UKIP | Lisa Duffy | 138 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| | Labour | Graeme Watkins | 59 | 3.2 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 52 | 2.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,823 | 38.7 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Yaxley and Farcet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Watt | 1,496 | 68.3 | −6.6 |
| | UKIP | Robert Brown | 375 | 17.1 | +17.1 |
| | Labour | Margaret Cochrane | 319 | 14.6 | −10.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,121 | 51.2 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,190 | 28.5 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2008 and 2010
### Ramsey April 2009

A by-election was held in Ramsey on 2 April 2009 after the death of Conservative councillor Ross Muir. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Andy Monk with a majority of 106 votes over Peter Reeve of the UK Independence Party.
Ramsey by-election 2 April 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andy Monk | 626 | 38.1 | −8.1 |
| | UKIP | Peter Reeve | 520 | 31.6 | +9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Mumford | 432 | 26.3 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Graham Watkins | 67 | 4.1 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 106 | 6.4 | −12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,645 | 25.8 | −6.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Ramsey July 2009

A by-election was held in Ramsey on 23 July 2009 after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Ray Powell. The seat was gained for the UK Independence Party by Peter Reeve with a majority of 184 votes over the Conservative Angela Curtis.
Ramsey by-election 23 July 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UKIP | Peter Reeve | 753 | 39.2 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | Angela Curtis | 569 | 29.6 | −8.5 |
| | Independent | Jeffrey Clarke | 303 | 15.8 | +15.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Melanie Allgood | 295 | 15.4 | −10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 184 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,920 | 30.1 | +4.3 |
| | UKIP gain from Liberal Democrats | UKIP gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Huntingdon North

A by-election was held in Huntingdon North on 29 October 2009 after Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Kemp resigned from the council. The seat was held for the Liberal Democrats by Trish Shrapnel with a majority of 30 votes over Conservative Laine Kadic, in a seat won by the Conservatives at the last council election in 2008.
Huntingdon North by-election 29 October 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trish Shrapnel | 243 | 32.6 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Laine Kadic | 213 | 28.6 | −18.6 |
| | UKIP | Peter Ashcroft | 167 | 22.4 | +14.1 |
| | Labour | Ann Beevor | 123 | 16.5 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 4.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 746 | 19.0 | −7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Fenstanton

A by-election was held in Fenstanton on 25 February 2010 after Conservative councillor Paul Dakers resigned from the council saying that all political parties were hopeless. The seat was gained by Liberal Democrat Colin Saunderson from the Conservatives, with a majority of 54 votes.
Fenstanton by-election 25 February 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Saunderson | 391 | 51.1 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | David O'Neill | 337 | 44.1 | −4.1 |
| | Labour | Angela Richards | 37 | 4.8 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 54 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 765 | 31.0 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |