North Somerset Council election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The 2011 North Somerset Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of North Somerset
Unitary
Council in Somerset
, England
. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party
stayed in overall control of the council.
the Conservatives gained control of the council with 46 seats. This was compared to 6 independents
, 5 Liberal Democrats, 3 Labour
and 1 Green Party
councillor
s.
In February 2011 Liberal Democrat councillor for Nailsea
East Andy Cole said he would be standing in the election as an independent. Cole was one of a total of 182 candidates who stood in the election for the 61 seats on the council. These were 58 Conservatives, 53 Labour, 42 Liberal Democrats, 20 independents, 5 Green Party, 3 United Kingdom Independence Party
and 1 from the All The South Party. The most candidates were in Weston-super-Mare
West ward
, where 12 people contested the seats.
The Conservative administration of the previous 4 years was attacked over the cost moving the council offices to Castlewood in Clevedon
and over the refurbishment of the town hall in Weston-super-Mare. However the Conservatives said they had been able to make savings and therefore not had to make as big cuts as other councils.
The Liberal Democrats took 2 seats from the Conservatives in Weston-super-Mare Central and 3 seats from them in Weston-super-Mare West, but lost 3 seats back to the Conservatives in Weston-super-Mare South Worle
. Meanwhile Labour also gained 2 seats from the Conservatives in Weston-super-Mare East. Long time councillor and independent Nan Kirsen lost her seat in Pill to another independent Don Davies, standing for the Sustainable Pill and District Party, by 17 votes, while Andy Cole won his seat in Nailsea East as an independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats.
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
Unitary
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
Council in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
stayed in overall control of the council.
Background
At the last election in 2007North Somerset Council election, 2007
The 2007 North Somerset Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of North Somerset Unitary Council in Somerset, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.-Background:Since the 2003...
the Conservatives gained control of the council with 46 seats. This was compared to 6 independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
, 5 Liberal Democrats, 3 Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and 1 Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s.
In February 2011 Liberal Democrat councillor for Nailsea
Nailsea
Nailsea is a town in the unitary authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, approximately to the southwest of Bristol and about to the northeast of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. The nearest village is Backwell, which lies south of Nailsea on the...
East Andy Cole said he would be standing in the election as an independent. Cole was one of a total of 182 candidates who stood in the election for the 61 seats on the council. These were 58 Conservatives, 53 Labour, 42 Liberal Democrats, 20 independents, 5 Green Party, 3 United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
and 1 from the All The South Party. The most candidates were in Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
West ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
, where 12 people contested the seats.
The Conservative administration of the previous 4 years was attacked over the cost moving the council offices to Castlewood in Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
and over the refurbishment of the town hall in Weston-super-Mare. However the Conservatives said they had been able to make savings and therefore not had to make as big cuts as other councils.
Election result
The results saw the Conservatives remain in control of the council after winning 42 of the 61 seats. Independents won 7 seats, the Liberal Democrats 6, Labour 5 and the Green Party 1 seat.The Liberal Democrats took 2 seats from the Conservatives in Weston-super-Mare Central and 3 seats from them in Weston-super-Mare West, but lost 3 seats back to the Conservatives in Weston-super-Mare South Worle
Worle
Worle is a village in North Somerset that is now totally absorbed by the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Despite this, Worle pre-dates Weston and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the book, it is said that Worle was owned by Walter of Douai, and consisted of and valued at 6.5...
. Meanwhile Labour also gained 2 seats from the Conservatives in Weston-super-Mare East. Long time councillor and independent Nan Kirsen lost her seat in Pill to another independent Don Davies, standing for the Sustainable Pill and District Party, by 17 votes, while Andy Cole won his seat in Nailsea East as an independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats.