2003 New Forest District Council election

The 2003 New Forest District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members to the New Forest District Council, on the same day as other local elections. The 2003 election saw new ward boundaries used which increased the number of seats by 2 to 60.[1][2] The election saw the Conservatives win 32 seats out of the 31 required for a majority, with the Liberal Democrats winning 27 seats and one independent win.[3][4][5]

2003 New Forest District Council election

← 1999 1 May 2003 2007 →

All 60 seats to New Forest District Council
31 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Independent
Seats before 29 26 3
Seats won 32 27 1
Seat change Increase3 Increase1 Decrease2
Popular vote 23,803 18,712 2,723

Results by Ward

Council control before election

Conservative

Council control after election

Conservative

Election Summary

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New ward boundaries came into effect for the election, which increased the number of seats by two. Prior to the election, a by-election took place in Pennington, which saw the Liberal Democrats gaining the seat from the Conservatives, meaning that prior to the election the Conservatives held 29 seats (50.00%), the Liberal Democrats held 36 seats (44.82%) and three independents held seats (5.17%). After the election, the Conservatives held 32 seats (53.33%) and the Liberal Democrats held 27 (45.00%), with only one independent hold (1.66%)

The Liberal Democrats performed best in the East of the district, as well as the North West, taking eight out of ten Totton seats, all six Hythe and Dibden seats, and all four seats in the Fawley, Blackfield and Holbury area.[4] The Conservatives meanwhile performed well across the rest of the district.

The table below only tallies the votes of the highest polling candidate for each party within each ward. This is known as the top candidate method and is often used for multi-member plurality elections.

New Forest local election result 2003
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 32 17 1  3 53.33 51.49 23,803
  Liberal Democrats 27 22 0  1 45.00 40.48 18,712
  Independent 1 0 2  2 1.66 5.89 2,723
  Labour 0 0 0   0 1.61 745
  Green 0 0 0   0 0.26 124
  UKIP 0 0 0   0 0.25 117

Ward Results

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Ashurst, Copythorne South and Netley Marsh

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Ashurst, Copythorne South and Netley Marsh (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Tipp 829 45.64
Conservative Leslie Puttock 827
Liberal Democrats Anthony Gray 421 23.18
Liberal Democrats Peter Keeley 412
Labour Peter Sopowski 290 15.96
Independent Jeannette Brownsea 276 15.19
Majority 408 22.46
Turnout 1,816
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Barton

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Barton (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenneth Austin 1,261 73.61
Conservative John Hutchins 1,255
Liberal Democrats Paul Chatfield 452 26.38
Liberal Democrats Nicholas McGeorge 378
Majority 809 47.22
Turnout 1,713
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Bashley

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Bashley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Rice 710 79.32
Liberal Democrats Anne Jenks 120 13.40
Independent Ken Duffy 65 7.26
Majority 590 65.92
Turnout 895
Conservative win (new seat)

Becton

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Becton (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Godfrey Beck 922 72.31
Conservative Paul Woods 894
Liberal Democrats John Burton 353 27.68
Liberal Democrats Margaret Newlands 344
Majority 569 44.62
Turnout 1,275
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Boldre and Sway

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Boldre and Sway (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Barry Rickman 1,343 71.81
Conservative Colin Wise 1,154
Liberal Democrats Susan Lewis 388 20.74
Liberal Democrats Freda Angelou 276
Labour Peter Dance 139 7.43
Majority 955 51.06
Turnout 1,870
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Bramshaw, Copythorne North and Minstead

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Bramshaw, Copythorne North and Minstead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Scott 579 73.10
Liberal Democrats Judith Baker 213 26.89
Majority 366 46.21
Turnout 792
Conservative win (new seat)

Bransgore and Burley

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Bransgore and Burley (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Penwarden 961 38.15
Conservative Peter Greenfield 886
Independent Sally Owen 880 34.93
Liberal Democrats Gwenneth Rickus 678 26.91
Majority 81 3.21
Turnout 2,519
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Brockenhurst and Forest South East

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Brockenhurst and Forest South East (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Maureen Holding 1,262 73.80
Conservative Roger Neath 1,155
Liberal Democrats Rachel Kalis 448 26.19
Liberal Democrats Frank Jenks 330
Majority 814 47.60
Turnout 1,710
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Buckland

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Buckland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Brenda Vincent 360 48.45
Conservative Michael Beggs 266 35.80
UKIP Alexander Neill 117 15.74
Majority 94 12.65
Turnout 743
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Butts Ash and Dibden Purlieu

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Butts Ash and Dibden Purlieu (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Brenda Smith 1,081 64.61
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Wade 1,012
Conservative Brian Uglow 592 35.38
Majority 489 29.22
Turnout 1,673
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Dibden and Hythe East

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Dibden and Hythe East (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christopher Harrison 898 68.03
Liberal Democrats Stanley Wade 893
Conservative Beverley Thorne 422 31.96
Conservative Penelope Rose 410
Majority 476 36.06
Turnout 1,320
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Downlands and Forest

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Downlands and Forest
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Miranda Whitehead 560 47.29
Conservative Kathy Heron 500 42.22
Green Janet Richards 124 10.47
Majority 60 5.06
Turnout 1,184
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Fawley, Blackfield and Langley

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Fawley, Blackfield and Langley (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Barbara Maynard 1,011 59.78
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Fidler 921
Conservative Alexis McEvoy 680 40.21
Conservative Barry Brooks 584
Majority 331 19.57
Turnout 1,691
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Fernhill

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Fernhill (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jill Cleary 802 64.52
Conservative Sheila Snowden 752
Liberal Democrats Beverly Scott-Johns 441 35.47
Liberal Democrats Wendy Hedge 411
Majority 814 29.04
Turnout 1,243
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Fordingbridge

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Fordingbridge (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Robert Hale 1,481 68.12
Liberal Democrats Michael Shand 1,376
Conservative Roger Kernan 693 31.87
Majority 788 36.24
Turnout 2,174
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Forest North West

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Forest North West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Dow 565 60.75
Liberal Democrats John Stokes 365 39.24
Majority 200 21.50
Turnout 930
Conservative win (new seat)

Furzedown and Hardley

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Furzedown and Hardley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Graham Parkes 565 72.30
Conservative Michael Curry 167 27.69
Majority 269 44.61
Turnout 603
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Holbury and North Blackfield

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Holbury and North Blackfield (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Coles 802 71.67
Liberal Democrats Colin Baker 754
Conservative Olivia Foster 317 28.32
Conservative Robert Wappet 295
Majority 331 19.57
Turnout 1,691
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Hordle

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Hordle (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Hoy 953 50.18
Conservative Andrew Tinsley 699
Independent Ernest Bowring 685 36.07
Liberal Democrats Penelope Senior 261 13.74
Liberal Democrats Jacqueline Szwaczka 203
Majority 268 14.11
Turnout 1,899
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Hythe West and Langdown

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Hythe West and Langdown (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Maureen McLean 1,173 71.52
Liberal Democrats Maureen Robinson 1,172
Conservative John Hall-Say 467 28.47
Conservative Martin Wood 443
Majority 706 43.04
Turnout 1,640
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Lymington Town

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Lymington Town (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kevin Ault 1,264 70.85
Conservative Thomas Russell 1,153
Liberal Democrats Sally May 520 29.14
Liberal Democrats Edward Jearrad 480
Majority 744 41.70
Turnout 1,784
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Lyndhurst

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Lyndhurst
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patricia Wyeth 630 70.62
Liberal Democrats William Croydon 159 17.82
Labour Kenneth Kershaw 103 11.54
Majority 471 52.80
Turnout 892
Conservative win (new seat)

Marchwood

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Marchwood (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Graham Walmsley 701 58.07
Liberal Democrats Linda Snashall 586
Conservative Frakn Vickers 506 41.92
Conservative Alan Shotter 502
Majority 195 16.15
Turnout 1,207
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Milford

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Milford (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Melville Kendal 1,371 75.91
Conservative Brian Pemberton 1,274
Liberal Democrats Roger Hedge 435 24.08
Liberal Democrats Clifford Lewis 354
Majority 936 51.82
Turnout 1,806
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Milton

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Milton (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ben Rule 1,073 63.52
Conservative John Ward 1,033
Liberal Democrats Benjamin Earwicker 616 36.47
Liberal Democrats Wynford Davies 570
Majority 467 27.64
Turnout 1,689
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Pennington

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Pennington (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Hickman 848 52.34
Liberal Democrats Martina Humber 814
Conservative Penelope Beasley 509 31.41
Conservative Jacci Rhodes-Jury 378
Independent Michael Thorp 263 16.23
Majority 339 20.92
Turnout 1,620
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Ringwood East and Sopley

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Ringwood East and Sopley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patricia Drake 472 76.00
Liberal Democrats Peter Newlands 149 23.99
Majority 323 52.01
Turnout 621
Conservative win (new seat)

Ringwood North

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Ringwood North (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Thierry 602 62.38
Conservative Lorna Ford 600
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Connolly 363 37.61
Liberal Democrats Peter Kinnison 341
Majority 239 24.76
Turnout 965
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Ringwood South

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Ringwood South (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jeremy Heron 615 44.11
Independent Daniel Cracknell 554 39.74
Independent Belinda Charlton 356
Liberal Democrats Peter Chambers 225 16.14
Liberal Democrats Veronica Sullivan 218
Majority 408 22.46
Turnout 1,816
Conservative win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Totton Central

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Totton Central (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Shepherd 497 43.52
Liberal Democrats George Dart 492
Conservative Ronnie Belfitt 432 37.82
Conservative Christopher Lagdon 428
Labour Alan Goodfellow 213 18.65
Majority 65 5.69
Turnout 1,142
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Totton East

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Totton East (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Frank Harrison 657 51.04
Liberal Democrats Graham Abbott 643
Conservative Frank Bright 630 48.95
Conservative Diana Brooks 602
Majority 27 2.09
Turnout 1,287
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Totton North

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Totton North (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Neal Scott 424 51.14
Conservative Melvyn Molyneux 405 48.85
Conservative Marion Emery 377
Liberal Democrats Pauline Watkins 377
Turnout 829
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Totton South

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Totton South (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Harrison 759 58.11
Liberal Democrats Alan Weeks 678
Conservative William Catt 547 41.88
Conservative George Kilford 511
Majority 212 16.23
Turnout 1306,
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Totton West

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Totton West (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Hibbert 456 52.23
Liberal Democrats David Russell 417 47.76
Liberal Democrats Leonard Harris 414 47.42
Conservative Christopher Webb 403
Turnout 873
Conservative win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

References

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  1. ^ "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2003 | New Forest". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  2. ^ "The District of New Forest (Parishes and Electoral Changes) Order 2001".
  3. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2003 - New Forest". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Local Elections: How New Forest voted". Daily Echo. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  5. ^ Rallings, Collin; Thrasher, Michael. "New Forest District Council Election Results 1973-2011" (PDF). Plymouth University.