2007 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election

The 2007 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Election result

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The results saw the Conservatives increase their majority after gaining 3 seats, which they described as an endorsement of their record in control of the council.[3] They gained 2 seats from Labour in Haldens and Hatfield South wards, while the Liberal Democrats failed to pick up any seats.[3] The third Conservative gain came in Howlands ward, where they defeated Green councillor Jill Weston,[3] who had defected from Labour in 2004.[4] Overall turnout in the election was 33.03%,[5] while dropping as low as 24% in some wards.[3]

Among the Conservative winners in the election were Hannah Berry and Paul Smith, who became the youngest councillors in the council's history at the ages of 18 and 20 respectively, after a recent change in the law had permitted under 21s to stand for election.[6]

Welwyn Hatfield Local Election Result 2007[5][7]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 13 3 0 +3 81.3 54.6 12,161 -1.2%
  Labour 3 0 2 -2 18.8 25.1 5,592 +2.6%
  Liberal Democrats 0 0 0 0 0 16.7 3,729 -4.4%
  Green 0 0 1 -1 0 3.6 805 +3.0%

One Conservative candidate was unopposed in the election.[5]

Ward results

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Brookmans Park & Little Heath[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Boulton 1,471 81.4 +1.0
Liberal Democrats Jenny Blumsom 125 6.9 −7.2
Green Kevin Pressland 114 6.3 +6.3
Labour Cathy Watson 98 5.4 −0.1
Majority 1,346 74.5 +8.2
Turnout 1,808 40.4 −5.1
Conservative hold Swing
Haldens[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jon Beckerman 693 46.4 +4.7
Labour Mike Larkins 578 38.7 +4.9
Liberal Democrats Louise Lotz 224 15.0 −9.5
Majority 115 7.7 −0.2
Turnout 1,495 33.9 −1.6
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Handside[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Helen Bromley 1,194 48.7 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Cowan 1,044 42.6 −2.4
Labour Sheila Jones 213 8.7 −2.2
Majority 150 6.1
Turnout 2,451 49.0 −1.0
Conservative hold Swing
Hatfield Central[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Maureen Cook 477 38.7 −2.4
Conservative Doug Berry 461 37.4 +3.9
Liberal Democrats Simon Archer 294 23.9 −1.5
Majority 16 1.3 −6.3
Turnout 1,232 29.4 −2.0
Labour hold Swing
Hatfield East[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mick Long 725 57.0 +0.9
Labour Constance Elliott 322 25.3 +3.4
Liberal Democrats Lis Meyland-Smith 225 17.7 −4.3
Majority 403 31.7 −2.4
Turnout 1,272 28.8 −8.3
Conservative hold Swing
Hatfield North[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Howard Morgan 920 56.2 +1.1
Labour Margaret White 454 27.7 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Neil Ross 263 16.1 −1.5
Majority 466 28.5 +0.7
Turnout 1,637 24.1 −8.3
Conservative hold Swing
Hatfield South[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Smith 296 43.2 +12.5
Labour Tony Wilder 294 42.9 −7.2
Liberal Democrats Nigel Bain 95 13.9 −5.4
Majority 2 0.3
Turnout 685 24.5 −5.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Hatfield West[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kim Morris 608 54.0 +4.3
Labour Sheila Wilder 341 30.3 −4.6
Liberal Democrats Sheila Archer 177 15.7 +0.3
Majority 267 23.7 +8.9
Turnout 1,126 25.8 −11.9
Conservative hold Swing
Hollybush[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lynn Chesterman 733 50.5 +5.7
Conservative Peter Knell 718 49.5 +11.7
Majority 15 1.0 −6.0
Turnout 1,451 29.7 −1.0
Labour hold Swing
Howlands[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hannah Berry 788 46.6 +0.9
Green Jill Weston 466 27.6 +17.9
Labour Alan Chesterman 437 25.8 −9.5
Majority 322 19.0 +8.6
Turnout 1,691 36.8 −4.3
Conservative gain from Green Swing
Northaw[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Mansfield unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
Panshanger[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Darren Bennett 829 55.3 −1.5
Labour Dean Milliken 416 27.7 +2.0
Liberal Democrats Shirley Shaw 175 11.7 −5.8
Green Liz Verlander 80 5.3 +5.3
Majority 413 27.6 −3.5
Turnout 1,500 31.4 −2.1
Conservative hold Swing
Peartree[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Steve Roberts 459 39.9 +3.4
Liberal Democrats Frank Marsh 361 31.4 −4.6
Conservative Christopher Hay 331 28.8 +1.3
Majority 98 8.5 +8.0
Turnout 1,151 24.1 −3.2
Labour hold Swing
Sherrards[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Burnapp 1,014 55.3 +0.8
Labour Tony Crump 427 23.3 −5.0
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Arch 249 13.6 −3.6
Green Berenice Dowlen 145 7.9 +7.9
Majority 587 32.0 +5.8
Turnout 1,835 43.1 −4.2
Conservative hold Swing
Welwyn North[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Julie Cragg 974 76.5 +4.2
Liberal Democrats John Blackburn 185 14.5 −3.1
Labour Bridgit Croft 114 9.0 −1.1
Majority 789 62.0 +7.3
Turnout 1,273 36.8 −2.7
Conservative hold Swing
Welwyn South[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Canter 1,139 67.8
Liberal Democrats Ian Skidmore 312 18.6
Labour Julia Henderson 229 13.6
Majority 827 49.2
Turnout 1,680 39.4 −2.6
Conservative hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ "Welwyn Hatfield". BBC News Online. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  2. ^ "National: Elections 2007: Town and country go to the polls". The Guardian. 4 May 2007. p. 6.
  3. ^ a b c d "Tories tighten grip in borough". St Albans & Harpenden Review. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  4. ^ "Councillor defects to Green Party". Watford Observer. 14 December 2004. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Election Results - 3 May 2007". Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  6. ^ "Record breaking councillors". St Albans & Harpenden Review. 14 May 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  7. ^ "Results". The Times. 5 May 2007. p. 83.