Fenland Council election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Fenland Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Fenland
District
Council in Cambridgeshire
, England
. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party
stayed in overall control of the council.
, the Conservatives won 39 of the 40 seats, with the only other seat being won by an independent
. However in April 2010 Liberal Democrat
Dave Patrick gained a seat at a by-election
from the Conservatives in Kirkgate ward
.
A total of 96 candidates stood in the election for the 40 seats on the council. 2 Conservatives candidates were unopposed at the election, Martin Curtis in Kingsmoor and Pop Jolley in Wimblington
, a substantial drop from the number at the 2007 election. For the other 38 seats the candidates were 38 Conservatives, 20 Labour
, 19 Liberal Democrats, 10 independents, 4 United Kingdom Independence Party
and 3 Green Party
. The most candidates were in Waterlees ward in Wisbech
, where 9 candidates stood for 2 seats on the council.
and 1 to the Liberal Democrats. The wins for the Conservatives included Will Sutton in Elm
and Christchurch
, where he defeated the former Conservative member of the cabinet
Phil Webb, who been deselected before the election and stood as an independent. Conservative leader of the council Alan Melton, who comfortably held his own seat in Birch ward in Chatteris
, said he was "ecstatic" at the results, which he said showed support for his party's policies.
The Conservatives losses came in Waterlees, where independents Michael and Virginia Bucknor gained both seats from the Conservatives, and in March
West where independent Rob Skoulding took one of the three seats. Meanwhile Liberal Democrat Gavin Booth gained one of the two seats in Parson Drove
and Wisbech St Mary from the Conservatives. After independent Mark Archer and Liberal Democrat Dave Patrick held their seats, this meant the opposition on the council was 4 independent and 2 Liberal Democrat councillor
s.
Fenland
Fenland is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England. Its council is based in March, and covers the neighbouring market towns of Chatteris, Whittlesey, and Wisbech, often called the "capital of the fens"...
District
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
Council in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, 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...
. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party
Conservative 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...
stayed in overall control of the council.
Background
In the 2007 electionFenland Council election, 2007
The 2007 Fenland Council election took place on 4 May 2007 to elect members of Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.-Election result:...
, the Conservatives won 39 of the 40 seats, with the only other seat being won by an independent
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...
. However in April 2010 Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Dave Patrick gained a seat at a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
from the Conservatives in Kirkgate ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
.
A total of 96 candidates stood in the election for the 40 seats on the council. 2 Conservatives candidates were unopposed at the election, Martin Curtis in Kingsmoor and Pop Jolley in Wimblington
Wimblington
Wimblington is a village in Cambridgeshire, England, with a population of 1700 as of the 2001 census.-History:Formerly a hamlet of the large Doddington parish, in 1874 it became a separate parish and a new church, St...
, a substantial drop from the number at the 2007 election. For the other 38 seats the candidates were 38 Conservatives, 20 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...
, 19 Liberal Democrats, 10 independents, 4 United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
and 3 Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. The most candidates were in Waterlees ward in Wisbech
Wisbech
Wisbech is a market town, inland port and civil parish with a population of 20,200 in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. The tidal River Nene runs through the centre of the town and is spanned by two bridges...
, where 9 candidates stood for 2 seats on the council.
Election result
The Conservatives retained control of the council, but their majority was reduced slightly. They won 34 of the 40 seats on the council, after losing 4 seats, 3 to independentsIndependent (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...
and 1 to the Liberal Democrats. The wins for the Conservatives included Will Sutton in Elm
Elm, Cambridgeshire
Elm is a Fenland village in Cambridgeshire, England. The civic parish of Elm, had a resident population of 3,295, as recorded during the 2001 United Kingdom census. It is located alongside the county boundary with Norfolk,on the outskirts of the market town of Wisbech. The northern end of Elm,...
and Christchurch
Christchurch, Cambridgeshire
Christchurch is a village in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, England sited on the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border. Village facilities include a small village school and preschool which is sited in the school grounds. There is also a public house, The Dun Cow, which is tithed to Elgoods and...
, where he defeated the former Conservative member of the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
Phil Webb, who been deselected before the election and stood as an independent. Conservative leader of the council Alan Melton, who comfortably held his own seat in Birch ward in Chatteris
Chatteris
Chatteris is a civil parish and one of four market towns in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, England, situated in The Fens between Huntingdon, March and Ely...
, said he was "ecstatic" at the results, which he said showed support for his party's policies.
The Conservatives losses came in Waterlees, where independents Michael and Virginia Bucknor gained both seats from the Conservatives, and in March
March, Cambridgeshire
March is a Fenland market town and civil parish in the Isle of Ely area of Cambridgeshire, England. March was the county town of the Isle of Ely, a separate administrative county between 1889 and 1965, and is now the administrative centre of Fenland District Council.The town was an important...
West where independent Rob Skoulding took one of the three seats. Meanwhile Liberal Democrat Gavin Booth gained one of the two seats in Parson Drove
Parson Drove
Parson Drove is a village in the Fens, in Cambridgeshire, England. Located approximately west of Wisbech, the nearest town, the village is named after the central road around which the village developed, formerly a green drove wider than it is now....
and Wisbech St Mary from the Conservatives. After independent Mark Archer and Liberal Democrat Dave Patrick held their seats, this meant the opposition on the council was 4 independent and 2 Liberal Democrat councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s.