2007 Preston City Council election

Elections to the Preston City Council took place on 3 May 2007.

Map of the results of the 2007 Preston council election. Conservatives in blue, Labour in red, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Respect Party in light red and independent in light grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2007.

Preston council is elected "in thirds" which means one councillor from each three-member ward, and councillors from selected two-member wards, are elected each year, with one year free from all elections to ensure all councillors serve a full term.

Due to the "in thirds" system, these election results are compared to the 2003 Preston Council election. Councillors elected this year will defend their seats four years later in 2011.

For further information, see Preston local elections

Preston Local Election Result 2007
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 8 1 0 +1 42.1 40.0 11,826 +2.0%
  Labour 7 0 1 -1 36.8 30.0 8,659 +2.4%
  Liberal Democrats 2 1 1 0 10.5 21.9 6,536 -4.3%
  Respect 1 0 0 0 5.3 6.5 1,941 +0.4%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 63 -0.9%
  Independent 1 0 0 0 5.3 2.8 840 N/A

Ashton

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The two-member Ashton division is a suburban ward in the north-west of the city. It has a number of schools in its borders. The ward is predominantly used as a commuting hub although recent increases in student numbers has seen the terraces used for multi-occupancy housing.

Preston City Council Elections: Ashton ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William (Bill) Tyson 550 45.6 −8.7
Labour Phil Crowe 480 39.8 −5.8
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Buxton 176 14.6 N/A
Majority 70 −26
Rejected ballots 6
Turnout 1,212 39.0 +6.0
Conservative hold Swing

Brookfield

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In the north east of the city, the predominantly low income housing of Brookfield is a three-member ward. Buttressed up against Ribbleton and the rural east, and wedge-shaped to the south of Fulwood, the ward has been troubled by increasing levels of crime in recent years. Parts of the ward were formerly within the Fulwood district council and maintain the look of the affluent northern quarters of the city.

Preston City Council Elections: Brookfield ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nerys Eaves 691 53.2 −0.5
Conservative Hussain Mulla 309 23.8 −22.5
Liberal Democrats Ruth McPheat 300 23.1 N/A
Majority 382 +294
Rejected ballots 13
Turnout 1,306 24.9
Labour hold Swing

College

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Created in the last round of local boundary reviews, the two-member College ward centres on two Fulwood employers. Preston College has a catchment area far beyond the city itself, whilst the recently closed Sharoe Green hospital has had many of its services re-directed to the Royal Preston Hospital. There are a mix of commuter and student housing and an increasing Muslim population.

Preston City Council Elections: College ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jill Truby 830 61.8 +6.6
Liberal Democrats Stephen Wilkinson 307 22.9 −7.9
Labour Bert Williams 205 15.3 +1.3
Majority 523
Rejected ballots 9
Turnout 1,351 48.8
Conservative hold Swing

Deepdale

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Two member Deepdale was once reportedly the most deprived in England, and remains a ward of notable problems in health and housing. The ward contains Preston North End's Deepdale stadium and some of the oldest terraced housing in the city.

Preston City Council Elections: Deepdale ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Joyce Cartwright 840 52.1 −12.8
Labour Anis Faruki 565 35.0 +12.2
Conservative Jane Balshaw 121 7.5 −4.8
Liberal Democrats John Potter 85 5.3 N/A
Majority 275
Rejected ballots 8
Turnout 1,619 42.4
Independent hold Swing

Garrison

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Centred on Fulwood Barracks, this is a three-member ward created by the last round of boundary reviews. It is set in a heavily small "c" conservative part of Preston with a number of schools and small employment centres.

Preston City Council Elections: Garrison ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christine Thomas 1,114 58.5 −4.4
Liberal Democrats Marie Milne 455 23.9 +5.4
Labour William Burke 336 17.6 −0.9
Majority 659
Rejected ballots 7
Turnout 1,912 36.1
Conservative hold Swing

Greyfriars

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Its name coming from a large private estate within its boundaries, Greyfriars is one of the oldest names connected to Preston's history. It includes the Pius X Preparatory school and Fulwood's leisure centre. An increasing number of comfortable suburban houses has been built on the fringes of the ward, which also borders Ingol Golf Course.

Preston City Council Elections: Greyfriars ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Thompson 1,532 66.8 +3.9
Liberal Democrats John Porter 502 21.9 +3.4
Labour Alan Woods 260 11.3 −7.2
Majority 1,030
Rejected ballots 10
Turnout 2,304 44.0
Conservative hold Swing

Ingol

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Ingol ward is in the north west of the city, bordered by Greyfriars and to the south of the M55 motorway. The ward contains two main population areas, Ingol and Tanterton. The latter has had problems with drugs and crime over recent years but this is beginning to improve. Parts of the ward are comfortable with some commuter areas and houses neighbouring the Lancaster canal. There are still pockets of troubled communities.

With two councillors elected in the 2003 elections, there can be no direct comparison between results.

Preston City Council Elections: Ingol ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Pringle 919 57.7
Conservative Michael Chadha 450 28.2
Labour Shahzad Malik 224 14.0
Majority 469
Rejected ballots 6
Turnout 1,599 30.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Larches

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In the west of the city, around 30 minutes from the city centre, Larches is a box-shaped ward from the Riversway dual-carriageway into Blackpool to Haslam Park. It contains two post-war housing estates, Larches and Savick, and an area of suburban sprawl moved in from Ashton following boundary changes. The ward contains the whole of Ashton Park.

Preston City Council Elections: Larches ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Rob Osinski 805 44.6 +9.2
Labour Martyn Rawlinson 688 38.1 −0.4
Conservative Christine Sharpe 312 17.3 −8.8
Majority 117
Rejected ballots 9
Turnout 1,814 33.1
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

The three member ward of Lea contains the small Fylde border town of Lea Town, the urban Lea community and the sprawling green-belt community of Cottam. The ward follows the parish council boundary of Lea & Cottam Parish Council. Cottam has grown from a small farming community to a large private housing development populated by young families and business people.

Preston City Council Elections: Lea ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Julie Buttle 1,009 56.7 +19.7
Liberal Democrats Pauline Brown 580 32.6 −16.3
Labour Drew Gale 192 10.8 −3.4
Majority 429
Turnout 1,781 38.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

Moor Park

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Based on the Plungington community and bordering both the neat suburban terraces of southern Fulwood and the University of Central Lancashire campus, the Moor Park ward has a high number of student housing in converted Victorian housing and neater family houses. Moor Park itself is included in this ward, in the shadow of Deepdale football stadium.

Preston City Council Elections: Moor Park ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank de Molfetta 594 59.2 −12.2
Conservative Julian Sedgewick 234 23.3 −5.3
Liberal Democrats Lydia Livingston 176 17.5 N/A
Majority 360
Rejected ballots 7
Turnout 1,011 28.9
Labour hold Swing

Preston Rural East

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The large Rural East wards contains the Amounderness, Broughton and Grimsargh communities in the north and east of the city.

Preston City Council Elections: Rural East ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Cartwright 994 72.8 −6.0
Labour John Houghton 208 15.2 −6.0
Liberal Democrats Julie Voges 164 12.0 N/A
Majority 786
Rejected ballots 5
Turnout 1,371 38.3
Conservative hold Swing

Preston Rural North

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Over reaching across the city of Preston is the large Preston Rural North ward, which includes the M6 and M55 motorways and acres of market towns, farming communities and rural areas. The boroughs of Fylde and Wyre border this northern ward, which is a three-member ward.

Preston City Council Elections: Rural North ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kate Calder 1,799 76.9
Liberal Democrats Bill Parkinson 355 15.2
Labour Pauline Jackson 185 7.9
Majority 1,444
Rejected ballots 9
Turnout 2,348 44.3
Conservative hold Swing

Ribbleton

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Ribbleton, in the east of the city, grew massively as council housing was built around former mill worker terraces; now the ward is one of the largest in area in size{ and shows all the expected issues of high level crime and deprivation. Ribbleton, in common with the neighbouring Brookfield ward, is overwhelmingly white working class.

Preston City Council Elections: Ribbleton ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brian Rollo 731 56.3 −8.9
Conservative Paul Henry Balshaw 337 26.0 −8.8
Liberal Democrats Christine Billington 230 17.7 N/A
Majority 394
Rejected ballots 5
Turnout 1,303 24.2
Labour hold Swing

Riversway

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The Riversway ward has three distinct elements. Broadgate, a comfortable estate of Victorian housing with a high percentage of student housing; new build housing on the former British Aerospace site; and the redeveloped marina. The former Preston Port, one of the largest in its time, has been redeveloped to feature shopping units and new build housing of some considerable expense. The Preston Docks and surrounding area has a sizable area of Development including new Supermarkets, Car dealers and trade outlets.

A Hindu temple, Lancashire County Council's headquarters and Preston's railway station are in the Riversway ward.

Preston City Council Elections: Riversway ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bhikhu Patel 577 41.2 −6.4
Respect Elaine Abbott 386 27.6 N/A
Conservative Ronnie Smith 242 17.3 −7.8
Liberal Democrats Wilf Gavin 194 13.9 −13.4
Majority 191
Rejected ballots 7
Turnout 1,406 34.0
Labour hold Swing

Sharoe Green

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Lodged in the south-central area of Fulwood, the Sharoe Green ward is based on the former hospital and surrounding commuter belt environs.

Preston City Council Elections: Sharoe Green ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eric Fazackerley 1,129 58.9 −0.8
Liberal Democrats Fiona Wren 490 25.5 +4.0
Labour Terry Mattinson 299 15.6 −3.1
Majority 639
Rejected ballots 5
Turnout 1,923 37.7
Conservative hold Swing

St Matthews

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A wedge-shaped ward in between the streets of Ribbleton and the city centre, this ward contains some deprived housing in the process of renewal, and in the recent months expensive new-build conversions.

Preston City Council Elections: St Matthews ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Javed Iqbal 675 50.0 −22.5
Respect Sumera Mir Rizwan 339 25.1 N/A
Conservative Peter McElhone 170 12.6 −14.9
Liberal Democrats Tracey Singleton 166 12.3 N/A
Majority 336
Rejected ballots 10
Turnout 1,360 28.3
Labour hold Swing

Town Centre

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Formed by boundary changes prior to Preston being awarded city status, Town Centre is the largest non-rural ward in the borough. There are three distinct parts to this central seat, namely Avenham, Frenchwood and the city centre itself.

The ward includes student developments and converted student homes in Avenham; expensive new build developments around the historic Winckley Square; and the Frenchwood area on the banks of the River Ribble. Avenham was notorious for high levels of crime and deprivation, but this is turning around with the establishment of community groups and private housing associations funding renewal. There is a sizable Muslim population in Avenham and Frenchwood.

Preston City Council Elections: Town Centre ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Respect Michael Lavalette 1,179 52.3 +14.2
Labour Salim Desai 717 31.8 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Helen Greaves 206 9.2 −6.1
Conservative Susan Horn 87 3.9 −12.0
Green Rupert Wadsworth 63 2.8 N/A
Majority 462 20.45 +19.11
Rejected ballots 7
Turnout 2,259 46.4
Respect hold Swing

Tulketh

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Tulketh ward is a central and entirely urban ward north of the University complex, and to the east of Ashton. Its main population areas are traditional terrace housing, which mixes families with small shops including the Lane Ends shopping village and student housing.

Preston City Council Elections: Tulketh ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Boswell 753 48.9 −2.0
Conservative Harry Landless 523 34.0 −15.1
Liberal Democrats Liam Pennington 263 17.1 N/A
Majority 230
Rejected ballots 11
Turnout 1,550 30.6
Labour hold Swing

University

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Shaped around the outskirts of the city centre, this butterfly-wing shaped ward was formed following the recent boundary changes. It took from the oversized Riversway ward electors from the St Pauls and Maudland areas as well as the University campus itself. It is a two-member ward. It is populated by a mixture of student halls and terrace houses, with just less than half of the population being students. 2001 Census Information

Preston City Council Elections: University ward 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Swindells 279 49.6 −9.4
Liberal Democrats Rick Seymour 163 29.0 N/A
Conservative Samir Vohra 84 14.9 −26.1
Respect Dave Orr 37 6.6 N/A
Majority 116
Rejected ballots 1
Turnout 564 24.2
Labour hold Swing

References

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See also

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