Elections to Redditch Borough Council were held on 1 May 2008. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control. Overall turnout was 33.2%.[1]
This was the first time in 26 years that the Conservative party had control of Redditch council.[2] This came after the Conservatives gained 4 seats from the Labour party, with local and national issues being said to be behind the results.[2] The results in Redditch were described as being representative of the mood of the electorate nationally.[3]
After the election, the composition of the council was:
Conservative 15
Labour 10
Liberal Democrat 3
British National Party 1
Election result
Redditch Local Election Result 2008
Party
Seats
Gains
Losses
Net gain/loss
Seats %
Votes %
Votes
+/−
Conservative
6
4
0
+4
66.7
48.0
7,815
+6.1%
Labour
2
0
4
-4
22.2
30.0
4,881
+0.7%
Liberal Democrats
1
0
0
0
11.1
13.9
2,263
-6.8%
Independent
0
0
0
0
0
4.7
768
+4.2%
BNP
0
0
0
0
0
3.4
549
-4.3%
Ward results
Batchley
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Jinny Pearce
968
51.4
+21.1
Labour
Diane Haywood
709
37.7
−2.0
Liberal Democrats
Christopher Hennessey
205
10.9
+2.6
Majority
259
13.7
Turnout
1,882
32.3
−3.8
Conservative gain from Labour
Swing
Central
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
R Farooqui
744
47.1
+11.1
Labour
Greg Chance
571
36.1
−13.3
Liberal Democrats
Simone Rudge
153
9.7
−5.0
Independent
Isabel Armstrong
113
7.1
+7.1
Majority
173
11.0
Turnout
1,581
34.5
−5.0
Conservative gain from Labour
Swing
Church Hill
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Bill Hartnett
733
39.3
−4.3
Conservative
James Swansborough
722
38.7
+2.2
Liberal Democrats
David Gee
233
12.5
−7.4
Independent
Dave Small
176
9.4
+9.4
Majority
11
0.6
−6.5
Turnout
1,864
30.3
−0.6
Labour hold
Swing
Greenlands
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
William Norton
702
41.1
+17.1
Labour
Patie Hill
626
36.6
−0.8
Liberal Democrats
Anthony Pitt
263
15.4
+1.4
Independent
Orion Moon
119
7.0
+7.0
Majority
76
4.5
Turnout
1,710
27.7
−5.4
Conservative gain from Labour
Swing
Headless Cross & Oakenshaw
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Peter Anderson
1,493
62.9
+5.1
Labour
Dot Dudley
550
23.2
−3.1
Liberal Democrats
Ronald Thompson
330
13.9
−1.9
Majority
943
39.7
+8.2
Turnout
2,373
34.7
−2.7
Conservative hold
Swing
Lodge Park
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Mark Shummer
556
41.4
−4.9
Conservative
Paul Swansborough
547
40.7
+5.2
Liberal Democrats
Ian Webster
147
10.9
−7.4
Independent
Richard Armstrong
94
7.0
+7.0
Majority
9
0.7
−10.1
Turnout
1,344
33.4
−0.7
Labour hold
Swing
Matchborough
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Anita Clayton
852
58.5
+2.3
Labour
Gareth Young
356
24.4
−4.8
Liberal Democrats
Fiona Hennessey
141
9.7
−4.9
Independent
Rod Mansell
108
7.4
+7.4
Majority
496
34.1
+7.1
Turnout
1,457
32.0
−1.8
Conservative gain from Labour
Swing
West
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Michael Braley
1,112
71.1
+6.4
Labour
John Fisher
294
18.8
−4.0
Independent
Helen Truman
158
10.1
+10.1
Majority
818
52.3
+10.4
Turnout
1,564
35.4
−2.5
Conservative hold
Swing
Winyates
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal Democrats
Malcolm Hall
791
31.6
+1.5
Conservative
John Russell
675
27.0
+9.4
BNP
Maurice Field
549
22.0
+0.4
Labour
Linda Hammond
486
19.4
−9.0
Majority
116
4.6
+2.9
Turnout
2,501
38.7
−4.1
Liberal Democrats hold
Swing
References
^"No appetite for elected mayor in Redditch". The Redditch Standard. 9 May 2008. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
^ ab"Tories take control in Redditch". Birmingham Post. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2008. [dead link]
^"Tories gain 'weathervane' council". BBC Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
2008 Redditch election result
Ward results
Redditch Archived 26 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine