Hertsmere Council election, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Hertsmere Council election took place on 3 May 2007 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
were the main oppostion with 6 seats. 15 of the 39 seats were being contested at the election.
The election in Borehamwood
Kenilworth ward
saw the sitting Labour
councillor
for the previous 24 years, Frank Ward, stand as an independent
against Conservative and Labour candidates. This came after Ward was deselected by the local Labour party, with Ward accusing local Labour party members of a conspiracy and religious discrimination. However this was denied by Labour, with Labour saying he had "failed to meet the required standards to be considered as a Labour Party candidate".
St James from the Conservatives to rise to 7 seats, but the Conservatives also gained a seat from Labour in Borehamwood Kenilworth, meaning that Labour was reduced to 4 councillors.
Conservative Penelope Swallow won in Borehamwood Kenilworth with a 49 vote majority over Labour, with independent Frank Ward having taken 216 votes. Ward said he was pleased with the result as he "was only determined that I would split the Labour vote, so to some extent I did win." However the retiring Labour group leader Leon Reefe said they felt "betrayed" by Ward.
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...
28 - Liberal Democrat 7
- 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...
4
Background
Before the election the Conservatives controlled the council with 28 seats, while the Liberal DemocratsLiberal 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...
were the main oppostion with 6 seats. 15 of the 39 seats were being contested at the election.
The election 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"...
Kenilworth 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:...
saw the sitting 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...
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:...
for the previous 24 years, Frank Ward, stand as 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...
against Conservative and Labour candidates. This came after Ward was deselected by the local Labour party, with Ward accusing local Labour party members of a conspiracy and religious discrimination. However this was denied by Labour, with Labour saying he had "failed to meet the required standards to be considered as a Labour Party candidate".
Election result
The Conservatives maintained their majority on the council, staying on 28 seats after both gaining and losing a seat. The Liberal Democrats gained BusheyBushey
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 from the Conservatives to rise to 7 seats, but the Conservatives also gained a seat from Labour in Borehamwood Kenilworth, meaning that Labour was reduced to 4 councillors.
Conservative Penelope Swallow won in Borehamwood Kenilworth with a 49 vote majority over Labour, with independent Frank Ward having taken 216 votes. Ward said he was pleased with the result as he "was only determined that I would split the Labour vote, so to some extent I did win." However the retiring Labour group leader Leon Reefe said they felt "betrayed" by Ward.