2003 Bedford Borough Council election

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The 2003 Bedford Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Bedford Borough Council in England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections.

Prior to the election, five councillors - four from the Conservatives and one from the Liberal Democrats - left their respective groups and formed the Better Bedford Independent Party.

Summary[edit]

Election result[edit]

2003 Bedford Borough Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 5 Decrease 3 29.4 13 18 33.3 7,902 28.7 –9.1
  Labour 3 Decrease 1 17.6 10 13 24.1 5,170 18.8 –6.8
  Liberal Democrats 5 Increase 2 29.4 7 12 22.2 6,706 24.4 –2.5
  Better Bedford Party 2 Increase 1 11.8 4 6 11.1 5,163 18.8 N/A
  Independent 3 Increase 1 16.7 2 5 9.3 2,154 7.8 –1.7
  BNP 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 223 0.8 N/A
  Green 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 186 0.7 +0.4

Ward results[edit]

[2]

Brickhill[edit]

Brickhill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lynne Faulkner* 1,191 45.0 -1.8
Liberal Democrats Paul Whitehead 1,003 37.9 -2.0
Better Bedford Party Roberto Bosco 234 8.8 N/A
Labour Karl Sorembik 178 6.7 -3.6
Green Jennifer Foley 40 1.5 N/A
Majority 188 7.1
Turnout 2,646 40.3
Registered electors 6,586
Conservative hold Swing

Bromham[edit]

Bromham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Rigby* 1,181 70.2 -0.6
Liberal Democrats Stephen Rutherford 176 10.5 -3.0
Better Bedford Party Leslie Hunt 175 10.4 N/A
Labour Arun Muzhi 151 9.0 -3.3
Majority 1,005 59.7
Turnout 1,683 29.1
Registered electors 5,787
Conservative hold Swing

Carlton[edit]

Carlton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jim Brandon* 953 81.2 +5.0
Conservative Anthony Morris 108 9.2 -4.4
Liberal Democrats David Robertson 63 5.4 -4.8
Labour Stephen Poole 49 4.2 N/A
Majority 845 72.0
Turnout 1,173 50.3
Registered electors 2,342
Independent hold Swing

Castle[edit]

Castle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Better Bedford Party Margaret Davey* 994 46.2 +5.5
Labour Marilyn Leask 751 34.9 -2.0
Conservative Michael Williams 230 10.7 -30.0
Liberal Democrats Pierret Lob-Levyt 177 8.2 -3.0
Majority 243 11.3
Turnout 2,152 35.8
Registered electors 6,052
Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative Swing

Margaret Davey was the incumbent councillor, originally elected for the Conservatives, but defected to the Better Bedford Party. Because this seat is compared to the last time it was up for election it is shown as a Better Bedford Party gain.

Cauldwell[edit]

Cauldwell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christopher Black* 742 50.6 -7.8
Better Bedford Party Gurminder Dosanjh 352 24.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats Neal Bath 206 14.1 -1.1
Conservative Denise Coates 166 11.3 -0.7
Majority 390 26.6
Turnout 1,466 25.7
Registered electors 5,774
Labour hold Swing

Clapham[edit]

Clapham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Tom Foster 633 48.1 N/A
Conservative Judith Arnold* 310 23.6 -26.6
Independent John Creasey 196 14.9 -15.8
Labour Terence Carroll 119 9.0 -8.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Lawson 57 4.3 -4.0
Majority 323 24.6
Turnout 1,315 32.0
Registered electors 4,128
Independent gain from Conservative Swing

De Parys[edit]

De Parys
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Sawyer 559 38.6 -2.6
Conservative Tarsem Paul* 473 32.6 -11.2
Better Bedford Party Susannah Senior 242 16.7 N/A
Labour Jane Caldwell 140 9.7 -0.9
Green Mark Steinhardt 35 2.4 N/A
Majority 86 5.9
Turnout 1,449 35.1
Registered electors 4,126
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Goldington[edit]

Goldington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Smith* 975 54.6 -2.4
Better Bedford Party Stewart Lister 350 19.6 N/A
Labour David Lewis 293 16.4 -5.6
Conservative Valerie Fulford 169 9.5 -2.5
Majority 625 35.0
Turnout 1,787 29.0
Registered electors 6,201
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Great Barford[edit]

Great Barford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Carole Ellis* 787 53.4 +0.5
Better Bedford Party Elizabeth Ferguson 454 30.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Paul Stekelis 121 8.2 +0.6
Labour Pauline Curl 112 7.6 -8.7
Majority 333 22.6
Turnout 1,474 36.3
Registered electors 4,103
Conservative hold Swing

Harpur[edit]

Harpur
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian Nicholls* 777 46.3 +6.2
Conservative Michael Spavins 439 26.1 -7.9
Better Bedford Party Stuart Channon 214 12.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Rodney Cottrell 167 9.9 -1.1
Green Colin Grimley 82 4.9 -5.6
Majority 338 20.1
Turnout 1,679 27.6
Registered electors 6,128
Labour hold Swing

Kempston South[edit]

Kempston South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carl Meader 749 49.2 +11.7
Better Bedford Party David Merry 481 31.6 -0.8
Conservative Jagdish Singh 132 8.7 -5.4
Liberal Democrats Timothy Hill 132 8.7 -2.8
Green Neil Foley 29 1.9 N/A
Majority 268 17.6
Turnout 1,523 27.3
Registered electors 5,590
Labour hold Swing

Kingsbrook[edit]

Kingsbrook
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Anita Gerard 784 45.3 +6.3
Labour James Valentine 534 30.8 -9.8
Better Bedford Party Katherine Alder 255 14.7 N/A
Conservative Barbara Purbrick 158 9.1 -1.9
Majority 250 14.4
Turnout 1,731 27.2
Registered electors 6,419
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

Putnoe[edit]

Putnoe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Myrtle Stewardson* 1,250 49.2 +9.5
Better Bedford Party Glenn Farrar 477 18.8 N/A
Conservative Ralph Hall 427 16.8 -9.5
BNP Richard Green 223 8.8 N/A
Labour David Williams 166 6.5 -3.6
Majority 773 30.4
Turnout 2,543 38.5
Registered electors 6,618
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Roxton[edit]

Roxton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Clarke* 497 70.6 -0.3
Liberal Democrats Sophia Stow 132 18.8 +7.8
Labour Rosemary Roome 75 10.7 -0.2
Majority 365 51.8
Turnout 704 31.9
Registered electors 2,227
Conservative hold Swing

Sharnbrook[edit]

Sharnbrook
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Better Bedford Party Douglas McMurdo 491 54.2 N/A
Conservative Richard Davison-Francis* 338 37.3 -22.7
Liberal Democrats Michael Murphy 43 4.7 -0.6
Labour Yanina Jones 34 3.8 -3.4
Majority 153 16.9
Turnout 906 45.5
Registered electors 2,001
Better Bedford Party gain from Conservative Swing

Turvey[edit]

Turvey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Celia Hanbury* 560 70.4 -1.6
Better Bedford Party Eric Evans 84 10.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Gerald Elliott 77 9.7 -18.3
Labour Yvonne Anderson 74 9.3 N/A
Majority 479 59.9
Turnout 795 36.7
Registered electors 2,171
Conservative hold Swing

Wilshamstead[edit]

Wilshamstead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Anthony Hare* 372 30.3 -26.9
Conservative Victor Wilson-Maccormack 286 23.3 -33.9
Liberal Democrats Martin Parker 231 18.8 -15.1
Better Bedford Party Vivian Suter 221 18.0 N/A
Labour Francer Garrick 117 9.5 N/A
Majority 86 7.0
Turnout 1,227 34.0
Registered electors 3,629
Independent gain from Conservative Swing

Anthony Hare was the incumbent councillor, originally elected for the Conservatives, but defected to become an Independent. Because this seat is compared to the last time it was up for election it is shown as an Independent gain.

Wootton[edit]

Wootton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Gordon Willey* 553 44.2 +8.5
Conservative Roy Judge 450 36.0 +2.9
Better Bedford Party Leslie Walker 139 11.1 N/A
Labour Adrien Beardmore 109 8.7 -0.7
Majority 103 8.2
Turnout 1,251 30.8
Registered electors 4,078
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Results 1973 to 2012" (PDF). Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Borough Election Results 2003". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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