An election to Essex County Council took place on 4 June 2009 as part of the 2009 United Kingdom local elections. The elections had been delayed from 7 May, to coincide with elections to the European Parliament. 75 councillors were elected from various electoral divisions, which returned either one or two county councillors each by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office. The electoral divisions were the same as those used at the previous election in 2005.
All locally registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) who were aged 18 or over on Thursday 2 May 2013 were entitled to vote in the local elections. Those who were temporarily away from their ordinary address (for example, away working, on holiday, in student accommodation or in hospital) were also entitled to vote in the local elections, although those who had moved abroad and registered as overseas electors cannot vote in the local elections. It is possible to register to vote at more than one address (such as a university student who had a term-time address and lives at home during holidays) at the discretion of the local Electoral Register Office, but it remains an offence to vote more than once in the same local government election.
Previous composition 2005 election Party Seats 52 13 8 1 1Total75
Composition of council seats before election Party Seats 49 13 8 3 1 1Total75
Summary The Conservatives were re-elected with an increased majority. As in several other Tory councils, the Liberal Democrats replaced Labour as the main opposition party as Labour lost all but one seat, reflecting the Labour Party's declining national popularity at that time.
A notable feature of this election was the number of minor parties and local groups. These included right wing and anti-European parties, that appear to have siphoned support from the main parties and, in some divisions, out-polled them. Local groups enjoyed strong local support, challenging the successful candidates and winning seats.
Results summary In summaries, Labour and Labour Co-operative results are amalgamated. In multi-member divisions, the "majority" is the number of votes by which the loser with the highest number of votes fell short of being elected.
Election of Group Leaders
Paul White (Stock) was re elected leader of the Conservative Group and Tom Smith-Hughes (Chelmsford North) was re elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Group.
In April 2012, Smith-Hughes died after a long battle with cancer. Deputy leader Michael Mackrory (Springfield) was elected to replace him.
Election of Leader of the Council
Paul White the leader of the Conservative group was duly elected leader of the council and formed a conservative administration.
White was forced to resign after being charged with false accounting as part of the ongoing expenses scandal. Peter Martin (Chelmer) was elected as his successor, with David Finch (Hedingham) as his deputy.
Results by District
Basildon
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 9 4 31,648 43.4 −2.4Labour 0 4 11,640 16.0 −15.5Liberal Democrat 0 11,009 15.1 −3.1BNP 0 10,114 13.9 +13.9UKIP 0 7,648 10.5 +10.5English Democrats 0 795 1.1 +0.7
Division Results
Braintree
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 8 2 18,199 44.0 +0.8Labour 0 2 5,675 13.7 −17.0Liberal Democrat 0 5,266 12.7 −4.8Green 0 4,613 11.1 +4.3UKIP 0 3,052 7.4 +5.5BNP 0 2,779 6.7 +6.7English Democrats 0 1,814 4.4 +4.4
Division Results
Brentwood
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 2 2 11,668 49.3 ±0.0Liberal Democrat 2 2 7,081 29.9 +0.3Labour 0 1,739 7.3 −5.6BNP 0 1,691 7.1 +7.1UKIP 0 1,300 5.5 +0.2English Democrats 0 198 0.8 +0.8
Division Results
Castle Point
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 4 1 11,303 47.0 −3.2CIIP 1 1 3,437 14.3 +14.3Labour 0 2,789 11.6 −22.7BNP 0 2,760 11.5 +11.5Liberal Democrat 0 1,678 7.0 −3.8Green 0 1,168 4.9 +0.2UKIP 0 916 3.8 +3.8
Division Results
Chelmsford
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrat 5 15,366 31.6 −0.1Conservative 4 21,470 44.1 +0.5Green 0 3,493 7.1 +2.2Labour 0 3,272 6.7 −11.3BNP 0 3,203 6.6 +6.6SWFCTA 0 1,076 2.2 +1.2UKIP 0 785 1.6 +1.0
Division Results
Colchester
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 5 16,442 36.1 −1.3Liberal Democrat 4 1 15,282 33.6 +2.3Labour 1 1 5,498 12.1 −10.9Green 0 4,683 10.3 +3.7BNP 0 2,616 5.7 +5.7UKIP 0 880 1.9 +1.9Independent 0 107 0.2 −1.5
Division Results
Epping Forest
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 5 1 16,009 43.9 −5.2Liberal Democrat 1 1 6,921 19.0 −3.7Loughton Residents 1 2,764 7.6 +2.9BNP 0 3,809 10.4 +8.0Labour 0 2,548 7.0 −10.5Green 0 2,194 6.0 +3.1UKIP 0 1,535 1.9 +4.2English Democrat 0 505 1.4 +1.4Independent 0 177 0.5 +0.5
Division Results
Harlow
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 4 3 9,968 35.3 −1.9Labour 0 3 7,363 26.1 −15.3Liberal Democrat 0 4,939 17.5 +0.3BNP 0 4,092 14.5 +14.5Green 0 1,858 6.6 +2.5
Division Results
Maldon
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 3 8,518 46.9 −4.4Liberal Democrat 0 2,227 12.3 −4.9Green 0 1,843 10.2 +2.5Labour 0 1,539 8.5 −15.3BNP 0 1,466 8.1 +8.1UKIP 0 1,376 7.6 +7.6Independent 0 1,180 6.5 +6.5
Division Results
Rochford
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 5 11,718 49.1 −1.0Liberal Democrat 0 4,449 18.6 −1.9BNP 0 2,751 11.5 +11.5Labour 0 1,823 7.6 −15.8English Democrats 0 1,565 6.6 +6.6Green 0 1,135 4.8 −1.3UKIP 0 416 1.7 +1.7
Division Results
Tendring
District Summary
PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 8 3 17,020 41.1 +0.2Tendring First 0 5,866 14.2 +14.2Liberal Democrat 0 4,758 11.5 −7.3Labour 0 2 4,652 11.2 −16.0BNP 0 3,974 9.6 +9.6Green 0 2,972 7.2 +2.7CRP 0 1 1,523 3.7 −5.5UKIP 0 892 2.2 +2.2
Division Results
Uttlesford
District Summary PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 4 12,921 52.6 +4.3Liberal Democrat 0 6,031 24.6−9.4Green 0 2,588 10.5+3.6BNP 0 1,383 5.6+5.6Labour 0 1,301 5.3−4.3English Democrat 0 335 1.4 +1.4
Division Results
By-elections
Harlow West
A by-election was held following the disqualification of Cllr Lee Dangerfield (Conservative) for non-attendance.
No BNP (14.2%) or Green (11.0%) candidates as previous.
Chelmsford Central
A by-election was called following the death of Cllr Margaret Hutcheon (Liberal Democrat).
No Green (8.2%) or BNP (6.1%) candidates as previous.
Stock
A by-election was called due to the disqualification of Cllr Paul White, Lord Hanningfield (Conservative) after he was sentenced to nine months in prison for false accounting.
No BNP candidate as previous (7.8%).
Chelmsford North
A by-election was called due to the death of Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes (Liberal Democrat).
No BNP candidate as previous (6.2%).
External links Essex County Council election results, 2009
References