Slough Council election, 2008

Elections to the Borough Council in Slough, England, were held on 1 May 2008. This was the 123rd Slough general local authority election (including both whole council elections and elections by thirds) since Slough became a local government unit in 1863.

The regular 2008 election was to fill fourteen seats, one from each ward, for the 2008-2012 term. These fourteen seats were last contested in the whole Council election of 2004, following the redrawing of the ward boundaries in the Borough.

The election also filled a casual vacancy, for the remaining three years of a 2007-2011 term. The vacancy was caused when Eshaq Khan (Conservative-Central ward) was removed from office, on 18 March 2008, following the hearing of an election petition (for more details see the external link to the judgment of the Election Commissioner below).

The remaining twenty-six Slough Councillors will continue in office, for seats which will be next contested in 2010 or 2011.

In an election where, in most parts of England, the Labour Party did badly; in Slough they regained control of the Council for the first time since 2004. Labour gained two seats from the Conservatives (and arguably a third by taking the vacant seat, last held by Eshaq Khan), one seat from the Liberal Democrats and one seat from the UK Independence Party. The Tories offset their losses by gaining one seat from Labour and another from The Slough Party. As a result of these changes the Council then had 23 Labour members and 18 opposition councillors.

Dissension within the Labour Party, within a few weeks of the election, led to three councillors defecting to the Conservative Party; producing a 21 non-Labour and 20 Labour split on the Council. Two of them returned to Labour later the same day, again reversing control of the Council.

Recent political history of Slough

Slough has an unusual balance of political forces. The council, between 2004 and 2008, had no party in overall control. A coalition of the Britwellian, Independent, Liberal and Liberal Democrats Group (BILLD) and the Conservative Group formed a coalition administration. In the 2007-2008 municipal year the Labour Group and the one councillor of The Slough Party were in opposition.

The BILLD Group is itself a local coalition, before the 2008 election containing members from five parties or groups of independents. The organisations represented in the group, as at April 2008, were the Slough Liberal Democrats, the Slough Liberals, the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), the Independent Britwellian Residents and Independents from Wexham Lea ward. The existing members of the Group had an electoral pact for the 2008 election, continuing electoral arrangements which started with the Slough Council election, 2001.

The Slough Party and a number of Independents, not affiliated to the BILLD group or the coalition administration, also contested the 2008 election.

In the previous election, in 2007, the Labour Party gained one seat from the Conservatives and one from the Liberal Democrats. However the Conservative Party defeated the then longest serving Labour Councillor and former Mayor, Lydia Simmons. This return was subsequently found, by an Election Commissioner, to have been obtained by corrupt and illegal means. Labour finished the 2007 count with a net gain of one, which left Slough Council still in a state of no overall control. The existing coalition administration (supported by all Councillors not in the Labour group, except for one) continued in office for the 2007-2008 municipal year.

During 2007-2008 the Conservative Party lost one seat following the hearing of an election petition. The casual vacancy, caused by the removal from office of former Councillor Eshaq Khan (Conservative-Central ward), was filled at the May election.

At the time of the 2008 election there were twenty councillors each supporting the administration and the opposition, with one vacancy. A single net gain by the opposition parties would have probably resulted in a change of administration. Two net gains for the Labour Party would ensure the first single party majority administration since the party lost control in 2004.

After the election count Labour secured four net gains, to give the party a 23:18 margin and a majority of five for the start of the 2008-2009 municipal year.

* * Member of the Britwellian, Independent, Liberal and Liberal Democrats Group (BILLD)

Ward Results

A candidate who was an incumbent Councillor for the ward being contested has an * following their name. An incumbent Councillor for another ward, has a + following the name.

Figures for the eligible electorate are given as at 3 March 2008. The Returning Officer has confirmed that the number of electors for each Ward has to be based on the current Register, plus any alterations made up to 3 March. The number given is derived from the full register, not the edited register available to the general public. The spoilt votes and turnout figures are taken from the Slough Council website.

The maximum election expenses for a candidate are calculated on the basis of £600 plus 5 pence for every entry in the register (as first published).

The change columns record alterations from the 2007 results. In Central Ward, where there were two seats up this year and only one last year, no attempt is made to calculate changes in party vote share. The problems with vote fraud in 2007 would, in any event, make any figures for changes in that ward largely meaningless.

Swing figures are only calculated when the same two parties shared the first two places in both the 2007 and 2008 elections. The swing given is two party or Butler swing, ignoring votes for other candidates. Swing is not calculated for Central Ward, for the same reasons why changes are not calculated. Contrary to the usual convention a positive swing figure is towards Labour and a negative swing towards Conservative (or other party as specified in the result).

Total eligible electorate for the Borough: 82,724

Baylis and Stoke (Labour gain from Liberal Democrats)

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Natasa Pantelic
votes = 1,413
percentage = 53.62
change = +1.47Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Sarfraz Khan
votes = 1,222
percentage = 46.38
change = +9.35Election box majority
votes = 191
percentage = 7.25
change = -7.87Election box turnout
votes = 2,662 (27 spoilt)
percentage = 37.86
change = +0.29Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing = -4.85 (LD to Lab)Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,737

Britwell (Independent Britwellian Residents hold)

Paul Janik is a former Independent Britwellian Residents Councillor for this ward, serving from 2003 to 2006.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Britwellian Residents
candidate = Sean Patrick Wright *
votes = 706
percentage = 46.94
change = +11.96Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Olly Isernia
votes = 423
percentage = 28.13
change = -0.25Election box candidate with party link
party = The Slough Party
candidate = Paul Janik
votes = 375
percentage = 24.93
change = +2.28Election box majority
votes = 283
percentage = 18.82
change = +12.22Election box turnout
votes = 1,513 (9 spoilt)
percentage = 26.63
change = -0.50Election box hold with party link
winner = Independent Britwellian Residents
swing = -7.33 (IBR to Lab)Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,609

Central (2008-2012 term: Labour gain from Conservative; 2008-2011 term: Labour gain from vacant)

As two seats were filled at the election, the bloc vote electoral system was used. Each elector was entitled to cast up to two votes. The candidate with most votes was elected to the four year term and the one in second place was returned for three years.

A local newspaper (the "Slough Observer") reported, in its edition of 18 April 2008, that Councillor Aziz (the current Deputy Mayor of Slough) had appeared at Slough Magistrates Court facing charges related to the election fraud scandal at last year's Central ward election. The councillor was suspended from the Conservative Party on Thursday 17 April 2008. As it was too late for a nominated candidate to withdraw from this year's election, Councillor Aziz will remain on the ballot as an official Conservative candidate. Former Councillor Eshaq Khan, one of the other defendants in the criminal case, had been expelled from the Conservative Party following the recent election court hearing.

Councillor Pervez Choudhry was an incumbent councillor for the Chalvey ward, at the time of the election. A.S. Dhaliwal had represented the ward from 2000 until the Slough Council election, 2004.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Pervez Choudhry +
votes = 1,214
percentage = 25.01
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Arvind Singh Dhaliwal
votes = 1,173
percentage = 24.17
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Mohammed Aziz *
votes = 1,037
percentage = 21.36
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Muhammad Umar Majeed
votes = 947
percentage = 19.51
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Gary James Griffin
votes = 272
percentage = 5.71
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Tejinder Dhaliwal
votes = 206
percentage = 4.24
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 4,865 (16 spoilt)
percentage = 36.77
change = -5.45Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,941

Chalvey (Conservative gain from Labour)

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Mohammad Basharat
votes = 1,008
percentage = 50.99
change = +13.55Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Karen Ann Lisa Muhammad
votes = 969
percentage = 49.01
change = -1.27Election box majority
votes = 39
percentage = 1.97
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 2,002 (25 spoilt)
percentage = 33.31
change = -3.53Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -8.30Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,801

Cippenham Green (Labour gain from UK Independence Party)

Geoff Howard is a former Slough Councillor for the Labour Party and then the Conservative Party. He ultimately joined UKIP in 2004, shortly before the parliamentary election of 2005 at which he contested the Slough seat for his new party. He was seeking re-election to the council seat which he last won as a Conservative candidate in 2004.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Roger Francis Davis
votes = 1,010
percentage = 56.87
change = +5.26Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Geoff Howard *
votes = 481
percentage = 27.08
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = The Slough Party
candidate = Derek Henry Canziani
votes = 159
percentage = 8.95
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Kenneth Wright
votes = 126
percentage = 7.09
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 529
percentage = 29.79
change = +17.13Election box turnout
votes = 1,795 (19 spoilt)
percentage = 30.20
change = -3.59Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = United Kingdom Independence Party
swing = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,916

Cippenham Meadows (Labour hold)

Kevin Pond is a former councillor, representing Upton ward between 2004 and 2006. He was nominated shortly before the close of nominations when the previous Conservative candidate proved to be ineligible.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = May Dodds *
votes = 974
percentage = 55.34
change = -0.58Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Kevin Charles Pond
votes = 617
percentage = 35.06
change = +1.01Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Nadeem Anwar Rana
votes = 169
percentage = 9.60
change = -0.43Election box majority
votes = 357
percentage = 20.28
change = -1.59Election box turnout
votes = 1,764 (4 spoilt)
percentage = 26.17
change = -4.22Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -0.93Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,641

Colnbrook with Poyle (Labour gain from Conservative)

Councillor Smith was, at the time of the election, the leader of the Conservative group on Slough Council.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = James Lawrence Walsh
votes = 699
percentage = 50.00
change = -0.62Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Dexter Smith *
votes = 640
percentage = 45.78
change = +17.66Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Kevin Christopher McCabe
votes = 59
percentage = 4.22
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 59
percentage = 4.22
change = -18.29Election box turnout
votes = 1,402 (4 spoilt)
percentage = 34.97
change = +1.84Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = -12.09Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 3,842

Farnham (Labour hold)

Councillor Anderson was the leader of the Labour group on Slough Council. Sumander Khan represented Central ward from 2004 to 2006.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Robert Anderson *
votes = 1,279
percentage = 64.92
change = +13.40Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sumander Khan
votes = 456
percentage = 23.15
change = -8.74Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Josephine Mary Hanney
votes = 235
percentage = 11.93
change = -4.66Election box majority
votes = 823
percentage = 41.78
change = +22.15Election box turnout
votes = 1,980 (10 spoilt)
percentage = 32.08
change = -0.47Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = 11.95Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,072

Foxborough (Liberal Democrats hold)

Duncan Buchanan served as a Councillor from Baylis & Stoke ward from 2004 to 2006.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Duncan Peter Buchanan
votes = 1,204
percentage = 70.45
change = +17.17Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Rani Bains
votes = 505
percentage = 29.55
change = -13.34Election box majority
votes = 699
percentage = 40.90
change = +30.51Election box turnout
votes = 1,728 (19 spoilt)
percentage = 32.17
change = -6.30Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing = -15.05 (LD to Lab)Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,332

Haymill (Liberal hold)

Councillor Stokes was the Leader of the Council (2004-2008) and of the BILLD group.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
candidate = Richard Stanley Stokes *
votes = 873
percentage = 51.78
change = +6.63Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Martin Frank Carter
votes = 597
percentage = 35.41
change = +4.62Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Liam Thomas Roche
votes = 216
percentage = 12.81
change = +8.84Election box majority
votes = 276
percentage = 16.37
change = +2.02Election box turnout
votes = 1,704 (18 spoilt)
percentage = 26.10
change = -3.24Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
swing = 0.07 (Lib to Lab)Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,431

Kedermister (Labour hold)

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Jagjit Singh Grewal *
votes = 1,028
percentage = 44.93
change = +1.06Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Wal Chahal
votes = 988
percentage = 43.18
change = +3.07Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Helen Edwards
votes = 272
percentage = 11.89
change = -2.59Election box majority
votes = 40
percentage = 1.75
change = -2.01Election box turnout
votes = 2,293 (5 spoilt)
percentage = 37.70
change = +0.85Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -1.25Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,962

Langley St Mary's (Conservative gain from The Slough Party)

Neil Arnold was elected in 2004 as an Independent Langley Residents candidate. He supported the coalition administration until he joined The Slough Party around the time of the 2007 council election.

Peter Dale-Gough is the husband of Diana Coad, another Councillor from this ward.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Peter Dale-Gough
votes = 899
percentage = 43.16
change = -7.09Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Rajinder Singh Sandhu
votes = 656
percentage = 31.49
change = +7.66Election box candidate with party link
party = The Slough Party
candidate = Neil James Arnold *
votes = 528
percentage = 25.35
change = -0.57Election box majority
votes = 243
percentage = 11.67
change = -12.66Election box turnout
votes = 2,085 (2 spoilt)
percentage = 37.42
change = +3.79Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = The Slough Party
swing = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,459

Upton (Conservative hold)

Julia Long is a former Mayor of Slough from 2004 - 2005

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Julia Thomson Long *
votes = 1,134
percentage = 57.13
change = +8.82Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Gurminder Singh Sall
votes = 723
percentage = 36.42
change = +1.67Election box candidate with party link
party = The Slough Party
candidate = Mervyn Alphonso Williams
votes = 128
percentage = 6.45
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 411
percentage = 20.71
change = +7.15Election box turnout
votes = 1,994 (9 spoilt)
percentage = 34.50
change = -5.03Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = -2.90Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,694

Wexham Lea (Independent hold)

Councillor Haines is a member of the BILLD group and a supporter of the former (2004-2008) coalition administration.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politics)
candidate = Tony Haines *
votes = 1,137
percentage = 49.76
change = -7.80Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Mohammed Shabir Khan
votes = 977
percentage = 42.76
change = +0.32Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Alan James Griffith
votes = 171
percentage = 7.45
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 160
percentage = 7.00
change = -8.11Election box turnout
votes = 2,300 (15 spoilt)
percentage = 35.20
change = -3.76Election box hold with party link
winner = Independent (politics)
swing = 3.77(Ind to Lab)Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,287

Members of Slough Borough Council May 2008

Notes:-
* * Member of the Britwellian, Independent, Liberal and Liberal Democrats Group (BILLD)
* (a) A.S. Dhaliwal: Formerly served 2000-2004
* (b) Parmar: Formerly served 1995-2000
* (c) Buchanan: Formerly served 2004-2006
* (d) Stokes: Formerly a Labour Councillor 1983-1986
* (e) Cryer: Formerly served 1967-1974
* (f) Long: Formerly served 1983-1990
* (g) Dhillon: Formerly Conservative 2004 and Independent Conservative 2004-2007.
* (h) Bains: Formerly served 2003-2004
* (i) Haines: Formerly a Labour Councillor 1987-1991 and 1992-1998
* (j) Khan: Formerly a Labour Councillor 1999-2002
* (k) Choudry: Defected from Labour to Conservative on 12 May 2008, after the election.
* (l) S.K. Dhaliwal, Rasib: Defected from Labour to Conservative on 13 May 2008, and re-defected back to Labour later the same day.

ee also

* Slough
* Slough local elections
* Slough Borough Council
* Slough (UK Parliament constituency)

External links

* [http://www.slough.gov.uk/services/10746.asp Official results 2006]
* [http://www.slough.gov.uk/services/12792.aspx Official results 2007]
* [http://www.slough.gov.uk/services/15234.aspx The Slough Council website coverage of the 2008 election]
* [http://www.slough.info/law/law41/law41.html The Election Commissioner's judgment in the case of Simmons v Khan]
* [http://www.lgce.gov.uk/your-area/slough.cfm] "The Boundary Committee for England page about Slough Unitary Authority, with links to pre and post 2004 ward maps"
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp?gid=3] "The Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire"
* [http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/slough Slough] , UKPollingReport

References

* "The History of Slough", by Miss Maxwell Fraser (Slough Corporation 1973)
* "A Short History of Slough", by Kathleen M. Jones (bound typescript volume in Slough Central Library)

sequence
prev=Slough Council election, 2007
list=Slough local elections 2008
next=Slough Council election, 2010