2003 Harrogate Borough Council election

2003 UK local government election September 2019 December 2013 thumb|Map of the results The 2003 Harrogate Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Harrogate Borough Council in North Yorkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/vote2003/locals/html/126.stm Local elections 15 January 2011 BBC News Online After the election, the composition of the council was: Conservative 27 Liberal Democrat 25 Independent 2 Election results Financial Times 4 2 May 2003 Campaign Before the election the Liberal Democrats had 27 seats on the council, the Conservatives 26 and there was 1 independent. Tories to take on 'key issues' Harrogate Advertiser 9 May 2003 The campaign saw the national leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, Iain Duncan Smith and Charles Kennedy, visit Harrogate to support their parties. Party big guns join poll battle Harrogate Advertiser 11 April 2003 The Liberal Democrats defended their record in control of the council, pointing to an improvement in the council finances, providing new facilities for the area, keeping Harrogates portion of the council tax rises low and tackling anti-social behaviour. Council leader and Tory leader go head-to-head on election trail Harrogate Advertiser 4 April 2003 However the Conservatives attacked "over intensive housing development" for causing traffic congestion, said they were the only party opposed to congestion charging, proposed to provide an hours free parking for residents and to work with police to tackle anti-social behaviour. Election result The results saw no party win a majority on the council, but the Conservatives became the largest party with 27 seats, compared to 25 for the Liberal Democrats and 2 independents. Mark Foster Conservatives 'delighted' by poll results The Northern Echo 6 3 May 2003 The Conservatives gained Bilton and High Harrogate wards from the Liberal Democrats, the latter by 656 votes to 610 after a recount. Tories back in charge Harrogate Advertiser 2 May 2003 These gains came despite the Liberal Democrats winning slightly more votes overall in the election, 46.5% compared to 44.7% for the Conservatives. However the Conservatives did lose one seat in Ripon Moorside, which was taken by independent Charles Powell. Meanwhile, Labour failed to win any seats and only came second in Woodfield ward. Overall turnout in the election was 34.7%. Following the election the Conservatives took control of the council, with Conservative Mike Gardner becoming council leader, replacing Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber. Meanwhile, the outgoing mayor of Harrogate Alan Skidmore quit the Liberal Democrats after the election to become an independent, criticising the party both nationally and locally. Ex-Mayor quits Lib Dems shock Harrogate Advertiser 16 May 2003 Harrogate local election result 2003 http://www.harrogate.gov.uk/pdf/DIST%20RESULTS%202003.PDF District Council election 15 January 2011 Harrogate Borough Council October 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes English councils The Times 47 3 May 2003 Liberal Democrats (UK) 10 0 2 -2 52.6 46.5 12,557 +0.2% Conservative Party (UK) 8 2 1 +1 42.1 44.7 12,079 -0.3% Independent (politician) 1 1 0 +1 5.3 4.0 1,077 +1.1% Labour Party (UK) 0 0 0 0 0 4.9 1,314 -0.9% Ward results Bilton Results in full Harrogate Advertiser 2 May 2003 Conservative Party (UK) Robin Adderley 864 50.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) Morris Lightfoot 770 45.3 Labour Party (UK) Norman Dobell 66 3.9 94 5.5 1,700 40.8 +2.3 Conservative Party (UK) Liberal Democrats (UK) Granby Liberal Democrats (UK) Margaret-Ann De Courcey-Bayley 683 66.2 Conservative Party (UK) Paul Needham 261 25.3 Labour Party (UK) David King 87 8.4 422 40.9 1,031 23.8 -2.7 Liberal Democrats (UK) Harlow Moor Conservative Party (UK) Simon Theakston 1,040 64.4 Liberal Democrats (UK) Michael Kaye 504 31.2 Labour Party (UK) Christopher France 71 4.4 536 33.2 1,615 38.6 -7.4 Conservative Party (UK) High Harrogate Conservative Party (UK) Andrew Jones 656 48.6 Liberal Democrats (UK) Matthew Webber 610 45.2 Labour Party (UK) Eric Cunningham 83 6.2 46 3.4 1,349 32.1 +4.0 Conservative Party (UK) Liberal Democrats (UK) Hookstone Liberal Democrats (UK) Reginald Marsh 945 56.4 Conservative Party (UK) Michael Laycock 671 40.0 Labour Party (UK) Robert Swithinbank 60 3.6 274 16.3 1,676 38.8 -2.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) Knaresborough East Liberal Democrats (UK) Keith Rothwell 677 61.9 Conservative Party (UK) Malcolm Jackson 416 38.1 261 23.9 1,093 28.7 -5.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) Knaresborough King James Conservative Party (UK) Diana Smith 751 47.9 Liberal Democrats (UK) Richard Hall 719 45.9 Labour Party (UK) Simon Hutchings 97 6.2 32 2.0 1,567 40.9 -1.6 Conservative Party (UK) Knaresborough Scriven Park Liberal Democrats (UK) Kevin Hawkins 530 37.4 Conservative Party (UK) Robert Aspin 516 36.4 Independent (politician) Andrew Wright 373 26.3 14 1.0 1,419 37.1 -0.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) Low Harrogate Conservative Party (UK) Jean Butterfield 835 65.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) Michael Paszkowski 371 29.1 Labour Party (UK) Christine Colman 69 5.4 464 36.4 1,275 30.9 -5.7 Conservative Party (UK) New Park Liberal Democrats (UK) Wendy Richards 692 65.7 Conservative Party (UK) David Pearson 283 26.9 Labour Party (UK) Mark France 79 7.5 409 38.8 1,054 26.5 -1.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) Pannal Conservative Party (UK) Michael Gardner 1,287 64.0 Liberal Democrats (UK) Yvonne Jones 649 32.3 Labour Party (UK) Cynthia Coltman 76 3.8 638 31.7 2,012 46.9 -7.3 Conservative Party (UK) Ripon Minster Liberal Democrats (UK) Sidney Hawke 751 68.0 Conservative Party (UK) Andrew Collyer 354 32.0 397 35.9 1,105 29.1 +1.7 Liberal Democrats (UK) Ripon Moorside Independent (politician) Charles Powell 704 51.5 Conservative Party (UK) Anthony Simpson 361 26.4 Liberal Democrats (UK) Stephen Jones 303 22.1 343 25.1 1,368 35.8 -3.1 Independent (politician) Conservative Party (UK) Ripon Spa Liberal Democrats (UK) Paul Freeman 683 53.2 Conservative Party (UK) Rosemarie Curlewis 602 46.8 81 6.3 1,285 34.8 -4.1 Liberal Democrats (UK) Rossett Conservative Party (UK) James Clark 1,170 57.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) Leslie Parkes 799 39.3 Labour Party (UK) Deborah Havercroft 66 3.2 371 18.2 2,035 45.8 +0.8 Conservative Party (UK) Saltergate Liberal Democrats (UK) Geoffrey Webber 593 53.2 Conservative Party (UK) Michael Harrison 521 46.8 72 6.5 1,114 26.3 +1.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) Starbeck Liberal Democrats (UK) Granville Ward 752 68.1 Conservative Party (UK) Phillip Dixon 242 21.9 Labour Party (UK) Patricia Foxall 111 10.0 510 46.2 1,105 26.3 -3.4 Liberal Democrats (UK) Stray Conservative Party (UK) Patricia Jones 1,030 52.6 Liberal Democrats (UK) Claudia Hartley 869 44.4 Labour Party (UK) Roger Newby 59 3.0 161 8.2 1,958 46.3 -1.3 Conservative Party (UK) Woodfield Liberal Democrats (UK) John Wren 657 51.9 Labour Party (UK) Peter Caunt 390 30.8 Conservative Party (UK) Denis Muldoon 219 17.3 267 21.1 1,266 30.8 -4.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) References 2003 Category:2003 English local elections Category:2000s in North Yorkshire