Purbeck Council election, 2008

Elections to Purbeck Council were held on 1 May, 2008. Nine of the twenty-four seats on the council were up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.cite web| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7378991.stm | title = Tories gain seats and Labour lose | accessdate = 2008-05-02 | date = 2008-05-02| publisher = "BBC Online"] Overall turnout was 44.86%.cite web| url = http://www.purbeck-dc.gov.uk/ | title = Purbeck District council | accessdate = 2008-05-02 | publisher = "Purbeck District Council"]

A big issue in the election was housing with much criticism of plans to build over five thousand homes in the district by 2026.cite web| url = http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/display.var.2244960.0.purbeck_no_control.php | title = Purbeck: no control | accessdate = 2008-05-02 | date = 2008-05-02| publisher = "Bournemouth Daily Echo"] The nominations for the election saw an unusual event when Liberal Democrat candidate Alexandra Brenton signed the nomination papers for her friend and Labour party candidate Selby Bennett.cite web| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7373434.stm | title = Lib Dem signs for Labour 'friend' | accessdate = 2008-05-02 | date = 2008-04-29| publisher = "BBC Online"] Two seats were contested in Lytchett Matravers after Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Peacock stood down in February.cite web| url = http://www.thisisdorset.net/display.var.2233283.0.housing_the_big_issue_for_purbeck_electors.php | title = Housing the big issue for Purbeck electors | accessdate = 2008-05-02 | date = 2008-04-29| publisher = "Bournemouth Daily Echo"]

The results saw the Liberal Democrat party gained Wareham and Wool wards from the Conservative party to pull level on the Council. The Conservative party took Swanage South from Liberal Democrat Colin Bright who had defected from the Conservatives the previous month.cite web| url = http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/display.var.2243148.0.tories_lose_purbeck_council.php | title = Tories lose Purbeck council | accessdate = 2008-05-02 | date = 2008-05-02| publisher = "Bournemouth Daily Echo"]

After the election, the composition of the council was
*Conservative 11
*Liberal Democrat 11
*Independent 2

Election result

Election Summary Party
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
seats = 5
gain = 2
loss = 1
net = +1
seats % = 55.6
votes % = 45.6
votes = 6,174
plus/minus = +3.8%Election Summary Party
party = Conservative Party (UK)
seats = 4
gain = 1
loss = 2
net = -1
seats % = 44.4
votes % = 47.3
votes = 6,399
plus/minus = +8.7%Election Summary Party
party = Labour Party (UK)
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
seats % = 0
votes % = 4.8
votes = 653
plus/minus = -2.3%Election Summary Party
party = Independent (politician)
seats = 0
gain = 0
loss = 0
net = 0
seats % = 0
votes % = 2.2
votes = 304
plus/minus = -3.2%

Ward results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Martyn Colvey
votes = 785
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = David Cross
votes = 729
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Alexandra Brenton
votes = 715
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Colin Gibb
votes = 692
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = James Selby Bennett
votes = 50
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes = 2,971
percentage = 52.7
change = +0.4Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Wendy Starr
votes = 692
percentage = 57.6
change = -4.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Simon Williams
votes = 509
percentage = 42.4
change = +4.1Election box majority
votes = 183
percentage = 15.2
change = -8.2Election box turnout
votes = 1,201
percentage = 39.1
change = -0.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Paul Johns
votes = 829
percentage = 65.3
change = +15.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Mark Howlett
votes = 391
percentage = 30.8
change = -19.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Ruth Cade
votes = 50
percentage = 3.9
change = +3.9Election box majority
votes = 438
percentage = 24.5
change = Election box turnout
votes = 1,270
percentage = 42.6
change = -6.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Beryl Ezzard
votes = 563
percentage = 56.2
change = -0.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Jane Thomas
votes = 438
percentage = 43.8
change = +10.3Election box majority
votes = 125
percentage = 12.4
change = -11.2Election box turnout
votes = 1,001
percentage = 46.5
change = +0.9Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Gloria Marsh
votes = 917
percentage = 59.3
change = +8.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Philippa Keeling
votes = 497
percentage = 32.1
change = +7.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Margaret Storey
votes = 132
percentage = 8.5
change = -2.3Election box majority
votes = 420
percentage = 27.2
change = +1.1Election box turnout
votes = 1,546
percentage = 46.2
change = -3.4Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Alison Patrick
votes = 932
percentage = 50.6
change = +10.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Colin Bright
votes = 561
percentage = 30.5
change = +1.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Marilyn Larthe de Langladure
votes = 348
percentage = 18.9
change = +0.6Election box majority
votes = 371
percentage = 20.1
change = +9.5Election box turnout
votes = 1,841
percentage = 38.5
change = +0.0Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Liberal Democrats (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Keith Critchley
votes = 1,245
percentage = 57.6
change = -4.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Roy Anderson
votes = 915
percentage = 42.4
change = +4.6Election box majority
votes = 330
percentage = 15.2
change = -9.2Election box turnout
votes = 2,160
percentage = 47.0
change = +4.1Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Graham Holmes
votes = 725
percentage = 47.1
change = +0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Malcolm Shakesby
votes = 438
percentage = 28.4
change = -6.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Rosemary Grey-Hodder
votes = 304
percentage = 19.7
change = +19.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Rosemary Phillips
votes = 73
percentage = 4.7
change = -2.6Election box majority
votes = 287
percentage = 18.7
change = +6.8Election box turnout
votes = 1,540
percentage = 46.5
change = +2.9Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

References

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/local_council/08/html/19ug.stm 2008 Purbeck election result]
* [http://www.purbeck-dc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=10817 Declaration of Results of Polls - District and Town Council Elections held on 1st May 2008]

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