Hertsmere Council election, 2004
Encyclopedia
The 2004 Hertsmere Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Hertsmere
District
Council in Hertfordshire
, England
. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party
stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
s, compared to 8 for Labour
and 6 Liberal Democrats
. 39 candidates stood for the 13 seats being contested, with 13 each from the Conservative and Labour parties, 12 Liberal Democrats and 1 from the Socialist Labour Party
.
The Conservatives gains from Labour came in Borehamwood
Hillside where they won by 235 votes and in the former Labour stronghold of Borehamwood Brookmeadow. Labour did take one seat back from the Conservatives in Borehamwood Cowley Hill by 87 votes, after the sitting Conservative councillor for Cowley Hill, Martin Heywood, contested and held Potters Bar
Oakmere instead with a 709 vote majority for the Conservatives. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats picked up a seat from the Conservatives in Bushey
St James by 59 votes.
Following the the election Labour and Liberal Democrat parties shared the main opposition role as both parties were on the same number of seats. Meanwhile Labour chose a new leader, Leon Reefe, after Len Silverstone stood down as leader of the group.
Hertsmere
Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other towns in the borough include Bushey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar.-History:...
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 Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, 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 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.
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...
25 - 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...
7 - Liberal Democrat 7
Background
Before the election the Conservatives controlled the council with 25 councillorCouncillor
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, compared to 8 for 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 6 Liberal Democrats
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...
. 39 candidates stood for the 13 seats being contested, with 13 each from the Conservative and Labour parties, 12 Liberal Democrats and 1 from the Socialist Labour Party
Socialist Labour Party (UK)
The Socialist Labour Party is a far left socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party...
.
Election result
The Conservatives party remained on 25 seats, after both gaining and losing 2 seats. Labour finished 1 down on 7 seats, to be level with the Liberal Democrats for the fist time, after the Liberal Democrats picked up a seat.The Conservatives gains from Labour came in Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
Hillside where they won by 235 votes and in the former Labour stronghold of Borehamwood Brookmeadow. Labour did take one seat back from the Conservatives in Borehamwood Cowley Hill by 87 votes, after the sitting Conservative councillor for Cowley Hill, Martin Heywood, contested and held Potters Bar
Potters Bar
Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located north of Central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
Oakmere instead with a 709 vote majority for the Conservatives. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats picked up a seat from the Conservatives in Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
St James by 59 votes.
Following the the election Labour and Liberal Democrat parties shared the main opposition role as both parties were on the same number of seats. Meanwhile Labour chose a new leader, Leon Reefe, after Len Silverstone stood down as leader of the group.