2007 Hull City Council election

The 2007 Hull City Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Hull City Council in England. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats gained overall control of the council from no overall control.[1] Overall turnout was 27%.[2]

Map of the results of the 2007 Hull council election. Labour in red, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Uncontested in cream.

After the election, the composition of the council was

Campaign

Before the election the Liberal Democrats had run the council as a minority administration since the 2006 election.[4] However, by the time of the 2007 election they only had 24 seats on the council as compared to 25 for the Labour party; with 2 Conservatives, 6 in the independent group and 2 other independent councillors making up the council.[4] The Liberal Democrats generally received support from the Conservatives and one of the independent councillors, while Labour usually got support from the independent group.[4] As a result, the election was expected to be close with both main parties hopeful of forming the administration after the election.[4]

All three of the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservatives parties contested the 19 seats which were up for election.[5] There were also 11 independent, 6 Green, 3 British National Party and 3 United Kingdom Independence Party candidates.[5] An important issue in the election was poor housing in Hull,[5] with the council planning to spend £200 million on refurbishing council properties.[6] An important division between Labour and the Liberal Democrats was over free school meals, with Labour wanting to extend the 3-year long pilot scheme which saw all primary school pupils get free meals.[7] However the Liberal Democrats planned to reintroduce charges for lunches while keeping breakfasts free.[7]

As the Liberal Democrats were only defending 7 seats and had won the most votes in the 2006 election they were optimistic of making gains.[4] They pointed to the fact that the council had recently received a second star in the council performance ratings, and were also seen as likely to benefit due to the unpopularity of the national Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, with even the Labour leader on the council saying that "the sooner he goes, the better".[4] The Liberal Democrats targeted the Labour held wards of Drypool, Ings, Newington, Pickering and Sutton, as well as Derringham where the independent councillor Clare Page stood down at the election.[8][9]

Election result

The results saw the Liberal Democrats gain 6 seats, including 5 from Labour, to hold 30 seats and thus win a majority on the council.[10] The Liberal Democrat gains included all 6 wards which they had been targeting, with the results seen as a reflection on the Labour party nationally.[11][12] The result was welcomed by the national Liberal Democrat leader, Menzies Campbell, who described the result in Hull as "tremendous".[13]

This was the first time any party had a majority on the council since 2002 and also the first time that the Liberal Democrats had ever won a majority in Hull.[14] Meanwhile, Labour, on 20 seats after the election, were in their worst position on the council for nearly 40 years.[15] Following the election defeat the leader of the Labour group on the council, Ken Branson, stood down as leader and was succeeded by Steve Brady.[16]

Hull Local Election Result 2007
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 13 6 0 +6 68.4 46.1 19,220 +2.5%
  Labour 5 0 5 -5 26.3 36.0 15,011 +2.7%
  Independent 1 0 1 -1 5.3 5.4 2,262 -2.0%
  Conservative 0 0 0 0 0 7.8 3,251 -3.6%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 2.1 874 +2.1%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 1.3 556 -1.2%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 1.3 522 +1.0%

Ward results
Avenue[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Woods 1,267 43.6 -6.9
Labour Andrew Dorton 809 27.9 +3.7
Green Martin Deane 455 15.7 +15.7
Conservative Basil Bulmer 221 7.6 -0.4
Independent Haris Livas-Dawes 151 5.2 -1.1
Majority 458 15.7 -10.6
Turnout 2,903 32.4 +0.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Beverley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David McCobb 1,779 72.4 +12.9
Labour Josh Haringman 373 15.2 -8.3
Conservative Richard Bate 233 9.5 -7.5
Green Susan Harr 72 2.9 +2.9
Majority 1,406 57.2 +21.2
Turnout 2,457 36.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Boothferry[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Karen Woods 1,453 51.4 -6.2
Labour Mall Fields 866 30.6 +5.2
Conservative Karen Woods 336 11.9 -5.2
UKIP Robert Shepherd 173 6.1 +6.1
Majority 587 20.8 -11.4
Turnout 2,828 29.5 -0.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Bransholme East[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Nadene Burton 731 60.0 -4.2
Labour Liz Noble 336 27.6 +6.1
Liberal Democrats Ann Godden 86 7.1 -1.4
Conservative Ian Brown 66 5.4 +5.4
Majority 395 32.4 -10.3
Turnout 1,219 19.8 -2.6
Independent hold Swing
Bransholme West[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Wilson 663 48.6 -12.7
Liberal Democrats Karen Mathieson 646 47.4 +8.7
Conservative David Whellan 55 4.0 +4.0
Majority 17 1.2 -21.4
Turnout 1,364 23.2 +5.5
Labour hold Swing
Derringham[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Helena Woods 1,236 51.5 +9.2
Labour Simon Kelsey 506 21.1 +4.5
UKIP John Cornforth 277 11.5 +11.5
Independent Karen Rouse-Deane 198 8.3 -23.4
Conservative Peter Abraham 131 5.5 -0.3
Green James Russell 52 2.2 +2.2
Majority 730 30.4 +19.8
Turnout 2,400 27.1 -2.7
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Drypool[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Angela Wastling 1,642 52.1 -3.5
Labour Gary Wareing 1,234 39.1 +2.5
Independent Janet Toker 139 4.4 +4.4
Conservative James Parker 138 4.4 -3.4
Majority 408 13.0 -6.0
Turnout 3,153 31.2 +0.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Holderness[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Yvonne Uzzell 1,567 55.1 -9.8
Labour Martin Mancey 837 29.4 +4.1
Conservative Albert Greendale 243 8.5 -1.2
Independent Joe Matthews 197 6.9 +6.9
Majority 730 25.7 -13.9
Turnout 2,844 28.0 -2.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Ings[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Maureen Bristow 1,527 49.4 -11.6
Labour Phil Webster 1,212 39.2 +9.1
Conservative Andrew Forster 202 6.5 -0.3
Independent Mally Reeve 152 4.9 +2.8
Majority 315 10.2 -20.7
Turnout 3,093 31.6 -2.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Kings Park[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Carl Minns 917 60.5 +4.9
Labour John Nicholson 414 27.3 +6.7
Conservative Andrew Allison 150 9.9 +3.2
Independent Janet McCoid 34 2.2 +2.2
Majority 503 33.2 -1.8
Turnout 1,515 25.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Longhill[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Black 1,145 56.6 +4.4
Liberal Democrats Chris Gurevitch 383 18.9 -12.1
Independent Peter Martin 253 12.5 +12.5
Conservative Stephen Brown 243 12.0 -4.8
Majority 762 37.7 +16.5
Turnout 2,024 23.4 +0.3
Labour hold Swing
Marfleet[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brenda Petch 986 59.3 -1.2
Liberal Democrats James Morrell 298 17.9 -8.8
BNP Mike Cooper 208 12.5 +12.5
Conservative Wayne Hanson 172 10.3 -2.5
Majority 688 41.4 +7.6
Turnout 1,664 18.6 -0.8
Labour hold Swing
Myton[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rilba Jones 995 48.8 -3.5
Liberal Democrats Barbara Tress 271 13.3 -6.3
BNP David Orriss 214 10.5 -5.7
Independent Pat Penna 194 9.5 +9.5
Conservative Reg Britton 182 8.9 -3.0
Green Kate Bonella 112 5.5 +5.5
UKIP Karl Horden 72 3.5 +3.5
Majority 724 35.5 +3.8
Turnout 2,040 22.0 -0.3
Labour hold Swing
Newington[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Rick Welton 830 44.8 -7.5
Labour Lynn Petrini 754 40.7 +9.5
BNP Jonathan Mainprize 134 7.2 -4.1
Conservative Bob Cook 80 4.3 +0.4
Independent June Jones 56 3.0 +3.0
Majority 76 4.1 -17.0
Turnout 1,854 22.1 +0.7
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Newland[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Collinson 711 55.4 -9.9
Labour Iain Keers 329 25.6 +5.5
Green Ruth Nicol 135 10.5 +10.5
Conservative Martine Martin 108 8.4 +0.0
Majority 382 29.8 15.4
Turnout 1,283 21.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Orchard Park and Greenwood[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Trevor Larsen 1,152 70.7 +35.7
Liberal Democrats Craig Woolmer 305 18.7 +11.0
Conservative Sheila Airey 172 10.6 +5.8
Majority 847 52.0
Turnout 1,629 17.7 -4.8
Labour hold Swing
Pickering[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sarita Bush 1,411 52.8 +5.5
Labour Julie Lowery 1,037 38.8 +10.5
Conservative Robert Brown 225 8.4 +2.4
Majority 374 14.0 -5.0
Turnout 2,673 29.4 -4.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Sutton[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tracey Neal 1,930 63.1 -0.2
Labour Kenneth Turner 955 31.2 +3.3
Conservative Colin Percy 174 5.7 -3.1
Majority 975 31.9 -3.5
Turnout 3,059 31.8 +1.3
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
University[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christine Randall 961 56.7 -3.9
Labour Dan Durcan 408 24.1 -7.1
Independent June Johnson 157 9.3 +9.3
Conservative Gordon Dear 120 7.1 -1.1
Green Aaron Fitzpatrick 48 2.8 +2.8
Majority 553 32.6 +3.2
Turnout 1,694 28.9 -3.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

No elections were held in Bricknell, Southcoates East, Southcoates West and St Andrews wards.

References
  1. "Kingston-Upon-Hull". BBC News. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  2. "Local Elections: Lib Dems vow to make 'a fresh start'". Yorkshire Post. 5 May 2007. p. 1. ISSN 0963-1496.
  3. "Election 2007 Results". The Times. 4 May 2007. p. 8. ISSN 0140-0460.
  4. Mulholland, Hélène (20 April 2007). "Close race in Hull as turbulent council rebuilds reputation". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  5. Nikkah, Roya (29 April 2007). "Apathy rules as party leaders vie for barometer seat". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  6. "Why changes can't come soon enough". Hull Daily Mail. 12 April 2007. p. 4. ISSN 1741-3419.
  7. "Sowing seeds for a healthy future". Hull Daily Mail. 30 April 2007. p. 4. ISSN 1741-3419.
  8. "Seats of power in the balance". Hull Daily Mail. 10 April 2007. p. 10. ISSN 1741-3419.
  9. "The wards to watch in Hull". Hull Daily Mail. 2 May 2007. p. 10. ISSN 1741-3419.
  10. "Lib Dems take Hull with big swing". BBC News. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  11. "Historic victory for Lib Dems in Hull". Yorkshire Post. 4 May 2007. p. 1. ISSN 0963-1496.
  12. "The agony ...". Hull Daily Mail. 4 May 2007. p. 1. ISSN 1741-3419.
  13. Morris, Nigel (4 May 2007). "Blow to party in John Prescott's backyard". The Independent. p. 1. ISSN 0951-9467.
  14. "Now we're really in charge!". Hull Daily Mail. 4 May 2007. p. 1. ISSN 1741-3419.
  15. "'Majority won't go to our heads'". Hull Daily Mail. 5 May 2007. p. 10. ISSN 1741-3419.
  16. "Brady enters as Labour's leader". Hull Daily Mail. 15 May 2007. p. 21. ISSN 1741-3419.
  17. "Local elections results 2007". Hull City Council. Archived from the original on 5 September 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
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