Basingstoke and Deane Council election, 2004
Encyclopedia
The 2004 Basingstoke and Deane Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Basingstoke and Deane
Borough
Council in Hampshire
, England
. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control
.
After the election, the composition of the council was
gain 2 seats to hold 28 seats, level with the Labour
and Liberal Democrat parties combined and leaving 4 independents
holding the balance on the council. The Conservatives increased their share of the vote and picked up Burghclere
from a former Conservative turned independent, and Winklebury
from Labour. Labour lost votes with the Labour leader of the council Rob Donnelly losing his seat in Popley East and the Liberal Democrats taking a seat from Labour in Brighton Hill
South. Overall turnout
in the election was 38.24%, in increase from the 31.33% in 2003, and put down to the European elections
being held at the same time as the council election.
Following the election the Liberal Democrat and Labour alliance continued to run the council, after winning a 1 vote majority over the Conservatives at the annual council meeting. Independent Martin Biermann became chairman of the environment committee and a further 2 independents became vice-chairmen of committees, leading to accusations by the Conservatives that a deal had been done with the independents, but this was denied.
Basingstoke and Deane
Basingstoke and Deane is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England. Its primary settlement is Basingstoke. Other settlements include Bramley, Tadley, Kingsclere, Overton, Oakley, Whitchurch and the hamlet of Deane, some from Basingstoke....
Borough
Borough status in the United Kingdom
Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district...
Council in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control
No overall control
Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament...
.
After the election, the composition of the council was
- ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
28 - Liberal Democrats 16
- LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
12 - IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
4
Election result
The results saw the ConservativesConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
gain 2 seats to hold 28 seats, level with the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and Liberal Democrat parties combined and leaving 4 independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
holding the balance on the council. The Conservatives increased their share of the vote and picked up Burghclere
Burghclere
Burghclere is a village and civil parish in the Basingstoke and Deane district of Hampshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,138...
from a former Conservative turned independent, and Winklebury
Winklebury
Winklebury is a large suburb located two miles north-west of central Basingstoke in the UK. Up until the late 1960s Winklebury was a collection of small holdings but Basingstoke's growth as a London Overspill town saw the area developed for housing.-History:...
from Labour. Labour lost votes with the Labour leader of the council Rob Donnelly losing his seat in Popley East and the Liberal Democrats taking a seat from Labour in Brighton Hill
Brighton Hill
Brighton Hill is a district of Basingstoke, England, that was formed around 1970 as part of the Town Centre Development Plan. The area is bounded to the west by the newer housing estate of Hatch Warren and by the A30. To the east of Brighton Hill, the Viables Industrial Estate and Cranbourne...
South. Overall turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
in the election was 38.24%, in increase from the 31.33% in 2003, and put down to the European elections
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
being held at the same time as the council election.
Following the election the Liberal Democrat and Labour alliance continued to run the council, after winning a 1 vote majority over the Conservatives at the annual council meeting. Independent Martin Biermann became chairman of the environment committee and a further 2 independents became vice-chairmen of committees, leading to accusations by the Conservatives that a deal had been done with the independents, but this was denied.