2011 Carlisle City Council election

The 2011 Carlisle City Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Carlisle District Council in Cumbria, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]

Map of the results of the 2011 Carlisle City Council election. Labour in red and Conservatives in blue. Wards in grey were not contested in 2011.

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Background

Before the election Labour were the largest party on the council with 23 seats, compared to 22 Conservatives, 5 Liberal Democrats and 2 independents.[3] However the Conservatives ran the council in alliance with the Liberal Democrats.[3] At the election one councillor stood down, Labour's Mary Styth, who had held Belle Vue ward.[3]

18 seats were contested at the election, with Labour standing in all 18 seats, the Conservatives in 17, the Green Party in 8, Liberal Democrats 7, UK Independence Party 4, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 4, British National Party 2 and the Communist Party in 1 seat.[3] The candidates in Morton ward included Conservative Judith Pattinson, who was attempting to return to the council she had left in 2004, and the former Labour mayor John Metcalfe, who was standing as a Communist.[3]

There were also going to be 6 independent candidates,[3] however the former Conservative councillor for Belah, Alan Toole, withdrew on 5 April.[4] The other independents included Andrew Hill, a campaigner against the redevelopment of the Sands Centre in Carlisle, and husband and wife Jonathan and Julia Devlin.[3] Jonathan Devlin had been Conservative councillor for Lyne since 2007, but stood as an independent after the Conservatives began looking for other candidates to stand for the seat.[3]

Campaign

A big issue at the election were the cuts being made by the national Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition, with Labour saying the Liberal Democrats in particular would suffer as a result.[5] Other local issues included a redevelopment at Carlisle Lake District Airport and a proposed new housing estate in Crindledyke.[5]

Labour targeted Castle ward, which the Liberal Democrats held, and where Labour had come close at the 2010 election.[5] However the Conservatives hoped to challenge Labour in Belle Vue and Yewdale wards.[5]

Election result

Only one seat changed parties, with Labour gaining the only seat the Liberal Democrats had been defending, in Castle ward.[2] This meant that Labour remained the largest party on the council with 24 councillors, but without a majority as the Conservatives remained on 22 seats, the Liberal Democrats had 4 and there were 2 independents.[2]

The Liberal Democrats suffered a substantial drop in the share of the vote, with the party coming fifth in Currock ward and third in Morton, a seat the party had previously held.[2] The Liberal Democrats said they had suffered as a result of entering the coalition government nationally, while the Labour group leader, Reg Watson, saw the results as giving Labour "a good chance" to take control at the 2012 election.[2]

Following the election, Conservative Mike Mitchelson was re-elected as leader of the council by 26 votes to 25.[6] Meanwhile, Joe Hendry became the new leader of the Labour group on the council taking over from Reg Watson,[7] while the 2 independent councillors joined in an Independent group.[8]

Carlisle local election result 2011[1][9]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 10 1 0 +1 55.6 43.3 12,102 +6.9%
  Conservative 8 0 0 0 44.4 37.9 10,586 -1.6%
  Liberal Democrats 0 0 1 -1 0 6.0 1,671 -7.5%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 4.5 1,251 +2.2%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 3.8 1,074 +0.6%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 2.0 563 +1.3%
  TUSC 0 0 0 0 0 1.2 347 -0.3%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 1.1 299 -1.8%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 51 +0.2%

Ward results
Belah[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Trish Vasey 1,033 49.2 -8.5
Labour Karen Gallagher 664 31.6 -10.7
Independent Andrew Hill 401 19.1 +19.1
Majority 369 17.6 +2.2
Turnout 2,098 42.2 -28.3
Conservative hold Swing
Belle Vue[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jackie Franklin 912 55.4 +12.5
Conservative Stephen Higgs 734 44.6 +10.2
Majority 178 10.8 +2.3
Turnout 1,646 34.2 -25.9
Labour hold Swing
Botcherby[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Terry Scarborough 720 50.0 +17.4
Independent Mike Middlemore 432 30.0 -14.4
Conservative Shaidat Danmole-Ellis 287 19.9 +2.3
Majority 288 20.0
Turnout 1,439 30.5 -24.5
Labour hold Swing
Burgh[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Collier 556 57.5 -16.8
Labour Robin Pearson 222 23.0 -2.7
Liberal Democrats Michael Gee 114 11.8 +11.8
Green Dallas Brewis 75 7.8 +7.8
Majority 334 34.5 -14.1
Turnout 967 55.7 +12.7
Conservative hold Swing
Castle[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Willie Whalen 549 42.4 +8.0
Liberal Democrats Colin Farmer 438 33.8 -1.2
Green Neil Boothman 135 10.4 +3.5
TUSC Joanne Beaty 90 6.9 +6.9
BNP Ben Whittingham 84 6.5 +6.5
Majority 111 8.6
Turnout 1,296 29.3 -24.5
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Currock[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Abdul Harid 829 57.1 +7.1
Conservative Kevin Reynolds 325 22.4 -2.8
BNP Mike Ward 123 8.5 +1.9
TUSC Brent Kennedy 104 7.2 +3.7
Liberal Democrats Terence Jones 71 4.9 -9.8
Majority 504 34.7 +9.8
Turnout 1,452 31.2 -24.0
Labour hold Swing
Dalston[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicola Clarke 1,108 49.1 +1.6
Liberal Democrats William Wyllie 500 22.2 -12.1
Labour Grant Warwick 478 21.2 +3.0
UKIP Robert Dickinson 170 7.5 +7.5
Majority 608 27.0 +13.9
Turnout 2,256 47.2 -27.5
Conservative hold Swing
Denton Holme[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hugh McDevitt 913 57.9 +2.4
Conservative Barbara Eden 332 21.1 -9.4
UKIP Michael Owen 101 6.4 +6.4
Liberal Democrats David Wood 96 6.1 +6.1
Green Lynn Bates 75 4.8 +4.8
TUSC Amanda Jefferies 60 3.8 -5.4
Majority 581 36.8 +11.9
Turnout 1,577 32.4 -26.1
Labour hold Swing
Harraby[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Cyril Weber 1,125 66.8 +16.5
Conservative Hannah Dolan 558 33.2 +0.7
Majority 567 33.7 +15.9
Turnout 1,683 33.9 -27.6
Labour hold Swing
Irthing[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Syd Bowman 444 55.6 -2.5
Independent Julia Devlin 177 22.2 +22.2
Labour Beth Furneaux 177 22.2 +5.3
Majority 267 33.5 +0.4
Turnout 798 48.8 -26.8
Conservative hold Swing
Longtown and Rockliffe[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Mallinson 637 55.2 +11.5
Labour Robert Dodds 323 28.0 +14.9
UKIP Elizabeth Parker 147 12.7 +12.7
Green Ian Brewis 46 4.0 +4.0
Majority 314 27.2 +20.9
Turnout 1,153 33.8 -30.2
Conservative hold Swing
Lyne[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Judy Prest 496 63.1 -20.6
Independent Jonathan Devlin 158 20.1 +20.1
Labour Gerard Champney 132 16.8 +0.5
Majority 338 43.0 -24.4
Turnout 786 48.5 +7.5
Conservative hold Swing
Morton[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Bell 1,104 59.5 +22.0
Conservative Judith Pattinson 337 18.2 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Deborah Clode 219 11.8 -23.3
BNP Gillian Forrester 92 5.0 -0.2
Green Elaine Bromley 51 2.8 +2.8
Communist John Metcalfe 51 2.8 +2.8
Majority 767 41.4 +39.0
Turnout 1,854 39.3 -27.0
Labour hold Swing
St. Aidans[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Reg Watson 704 43.3 -1.1
Conservative Stewart Blake 471 29.0 -0.5
Green John Reardon 368 22.6 +2.1
Independent Tony Carvell 83 5.1 +5.1
Majority 233 14.3 -0.6
Turnout 1,626 34.5 -23.7
Labour hold Swing
Stanwix Rural[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Bainbridge 1,010 64.0 +3.3
Labour Lee Sherriff 306 19.4 +1.1
UKIP Carol Weaver 145 9.4 +9.4
Green Charmian McCutcheon 116 7.4 +7.4
Majority 704 44.6 +5.0
Turnout 1,577 42.6 -29.0
Conservative hold Swing
Stanwix Urban[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jacquelyne Geddes 1,156 50.0 -3.5
Labour Kevin Parker 947 41.0 +7.0
Green Richard Hunt 208 9.0 -3.5
Majority 209 9.0 -10.5
Turnout 2,311 48.2 -27.9
Conservative hold Swing
Upperby[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Warwick 743 56.0 +5.1
Conservative Georgina Clarke 257 19.4 -2.1
Liberal Democrats James Osler 233 17.6 -3.0
TUSC Daniel Thorburn 93 7.0 +7.0
Majority 486 36.7 +7.3
Turnout 1,326 32.5 -23.8
Labour hold Swing
Yewdale[2][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Hendry 1,254 59.7 +10.4
Conservative Michael Randall 845 40.3 +0.0
Majority 409 19.5 +10.6
Turnout 2,099 43.5 -26.4
Labour hold Swing

References
  1. "England council elections". BBC News Online. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  2. "Carlisle City Council elections: Conservatives stay in power". News and Star. 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  3. Whittle, Julian (5 April 2011). "Carlisle City elections: Tory pair to stand against Conservative party". News and Star. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  4. "Tory rebel decides not to stand in Carlisle Council elections". Cumbria Life. 6 April 2011. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  5. Whittle, Julian (29 April 2011). "Spending cuts crucial issue as Cumbrian politicians bid to woo voters". Cumberland News. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  6. Whittle, Julian (24 May 2011). "Barry Earp selected as 425th Carlisle mayor". News and Star. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  7. Whittle, Julian (18 May 2011). "New leader for Labour group on Carlisle Council". News and Star. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  8. Whittle, Julian (12 May 2011). "Independents to team up on Carlisle Council". News and Star. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  9. "Elections 2011". Carlisle City Council. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
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