2016 Exeter City Council election

The 2016 Exeter City Council election took place on 5 May 2016, to elect members of Exeter City Council in England.[1] Following boundary changes, the entire council was up for election, and all 13 wards were contested, each electing three councillors. The election was held concurrently with other local elections held in England on the 5 May.

2016 Exeter City Council election
5 May 2016
All 39 seats to Exeter City Council
20 seats needed for a majority
Turnout39.14%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election 29 10 1
Seats won 30 8 1
Seat change 1 2
Map showing the results the 2016 Exeter City Council elections by ward. Red shows Labour seats, blue shows the Conservatives, and yellow shows the Liberal Democrats. Striped wards indicate seats shared between parties.
Council control before election

Labour

 Council control after election

Labour

The council had been controlled by the Labour Party since 1990, which had held an outright majority since 2012. Labour won the Exeter election, extending their control to 30 seats, their highest ever share of the vote. The Conservatives came in second place with eight seats, losing four to Labour, while the Liberal Democrats won a single seat.

The election for the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner was also scheduled for the 5 May. Voters in Exeter would cast a separate ballot for the office, in conjunction with the residents of the rest of the Devon and Cornwall police area.

Background

The elections to Exeter City Council were the first to be held since the Local Government Boundary Commission for England conducted a review into the electoral arrangements in Exeter. The review was prompted by the previous council that had a high level of electoral inequality, with some councillors representing many more voters than others.[2] The old council consisted of 40 councillors from 18 wards, each of two or three councillors, which were elected by thirds over a four-year cycle, with elections to Devon County Council on the fourth year. This resulted in some wards having elections every year, while others would have one year in the cycle with no elections. The review resulted in the number of councillors being reduced to 39 and the number of wards reduced to 13, with each ward returning three councillors.[3] The ward changes equalised the ratio of voters to councillors, and provided for the entire city being able to vote in local elections every year.[2]

As a result of the review, for 2016 all seats on the council were up for election. The election used the plurality-at-large voting system; each voter was able to cast up to three votes, with the three candidates with the highest number of votes being elected.[4] As the council would revert to electing by thirds in 2018, a number of councillors would serve partial terms in the interim. In each ward, the councillor who received the highest number of votes would serve a four-year term, the councillor with the second highest number a three-year term, and the councillor with the third-highest votes would have a two-year term.[4] In future elections, each councillor would serve a full four-year term.

Before 5 May 2016 the council was controlled by the Labour Party which had held a majority on the council since the 2012 election, and had traditionally been the largest party in the city.[5] After the previous election, which was held in 2015 for a third of the councillors, the council consisted of 29 Labour members, 10 Conservatives, and one Liberal Democrat.[6]

  • Boundaries before
  • And after

Campaign

A total of 138 candidates stood for election across the city. Four parties stood in every ward in the city, with both the Labour and Conservative parties putting up candidates for all 39 seats. The Green Party had the next highest number of candidates with 27, and the Liberal Democrats stood 20 candidates across the city. The UK Independence Party had 12 candidates standing in nine wards, and one person represented the Independence from Europe party.[7]

The Labour Party were standing on their record in office and their key redevelopment plans for the former bus station, which would include the St Sidwell's Point leisure complex in the centre of the city.[8] Labour also aimed to reduce traffic congestion, add a food waste collection, and reduce homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. The Conservatives campaigned against the St Sidwell's Point project on cost grounds, instead promising to invest in affordable housing, cultural venues, and producing a new transport plan for Exeter.[8] The party aimed to improve on its low number of seats on the council. The Liberal Democrats planned to rebuild their former presence in Exeter, focusing on improving the quality of public services. The Green Party proposed a more environmentally sound city, focusing on improving the quality of life for residents, a sustainable development plan, and reducing waste from the city. They also planned to make the council more democratic and accountable to the people of Exeter.[8] UKIP had a national plan for local councils, which included devolution of power to local authorities, attempting to end funding and projects from the European Union and prioritising locals in service provision.[8]

Results

The election was won by the Labour Party, who won 30 of the 39 seats on the council. The Conservative Party came second, winning eight seats, and the Liberal Democrats had one councillor elected.[9] The overall turnout was 39.14%. Labour extended its majority to 10 councillors – the party's largest ever majority on the council – by gaining three seats from the Conservatives.[10] Labour won all three seats in eight wards, and won at least one seat in every ward except the suburban Topsham, won by the Conservatives. The Conservatives also won five other seats across the city. One ward, Duryard & St James, was split three ways between the parties.[10]

Ward results

An asterisk (*) denotes an incumbent councillor seeking re-election.

Alphington
Alphington
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Steve Warwick 1,096 41.0
Labour Chris Musgrave 1,063 39.8
Labour Bob Foale 1,044 39.1
Conservative John Harvey* 982 36.8
Conservative Emily Croft 807 30.2
Conservative Aric Gilinsky 669 25.0
UKIP Robert Ball 349 13.1
UKIP Dutch Dudgeon 331 12.4
Liberal Democrats Rod Ruffle 312 11.7
Green Andrew Wallace Bell 259 9.7
Green Audaye Khalid Elesedy 157 5.9
Green Isabel Castle 154 5.8
Registered electors 6,375
Turnout 2,672 41.91%

Duryard & St James
Duryard & St James
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Keith Owen* 851 34.9
Conservative Percy Prowse* 773 31.7
Liberal Democrats Kevin John Mitchell 770 31.5
Labour Tristan Charles Leonard Harris 720 29.5
Labour Robin Edward William Hughes-Chamberlain 674 27.6
Conservative Richard William Elliott 601 24.6
Liberal Democrats Michael Norman Mitchell 583 23.9
Conservative Lee William Mottram* 561 23.0
Liberal Democrats Nicholas George Sutton 458 18.8
Green Bethany Payne 303 12.4
Green Rouben Scott Freeman 253 10.4
Green Jenny Steer 245 10.0
UKIP Sallie Cherie Waters 141 5.8
Registered electors 6,848
Turnout 2,441 35.65%

Exwick
Exwick
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Philip Michael Bialyk* 1,362 57.6
Labour Ollie Pearson* 1,277 54.0
Labour Rachel Helen Sutton* 1,245 52.7
UKIP Lawrence Simon Harper 473 20.0
Conservative Steve Hawkins 462 19.6
Conservative Benjamin Tomos Lewis 394 16.7
Conservative Patricia White 362 15.3
Green Stephen Leslie Porter 309 13.1
Liberal Democrats Caroline Emily Gwyneth Nottle 268 11.3
Registered electors 7,197
Turnout 2,363 32.83%

Heavitree
Heavitree
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Olwen Margaret Foggin* 1,677 55.3
Labour Rosie Clare Denham* 1,653 54.6
Labour Greg Sheldon* 1,394 46.0
Conservative Guy Steven Frank Richards 620 20.5
Green Gill Baker 607 20.0
Conservative Azhar-Jamal Chaudhry 560 18.5
Conservative Sam Morfey 558 18.4
UKIP Diana Beasley 336 11.1
Liberal Democrats Sheila Muriel Hobden 305 10.1
Green Steve Jones 297 9.8
Green Rob Davies 262 8.6
Registered electors 6,783
Turnout 3,030 44.67%

Mincinglake & Whipton
Mincinglake & Whipton
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Emma Anita Morse* 1,337 55.8
Labour Peter William Edwards* 1,209 50.5
Labour Stephen Alexander Brimble* 1,183 49.4
UKIP Alison Jane Sheridan 472 19.7
UKIP Anne Patricia Back 418 17.5
Conservative David Thompson 397 16.6
Conservative George Thomas Livesey 372 15.5
UKIP Eddie Higgins 367 15.3
Conservative Paul Robert Geoffrey Rota 339 14.2
Green Bridget Catherine Oliver 218 9.1
Liberal Democrats Andrew Matthew Soper 167 7.0
Registered electors 6,688
Turnout 2,394 35.80%

Newtown & St Leonards
Newtown & St Leonards
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Richard Arthur Branston* 1,725 57.0
Labour Natalie Jane Vizard* 1,562 51.6
Labour Roger David Spackman* 1,448 47.8
Conservative Norman Shiel 816 26.9
Conservative John Murphy 755 24.9
Conservative Stephanie Warner 676 22.3
Green Tom Milburn 416 13.7
Green Andrew Cheesewright 371 12.3
Green Joe Powell 276 9.1
Liberal Democrats James Landymore 244 8.1
UKIP Jacqueline Barbara Holdstock 172 5.7
Independence from Europe Dave Smith 104 3.4
Registered electors 6,893
Turnout 3,028 43.93%

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Rachel Clare Lyons* 1,307 41.3
Labour Daniel Ryan Gottschalk 1,254 39.6
Conservative Peter Holland* 1,196 37.8
Labour Christine Elizabeth Raybould-Gooding 1,146 36.2
Conservative Alan Jones 1,094 34.6
Conservative Anne Jobson 1,092 34.5
Green Lizzie Woodman 538 17.0
Green David Barker-Hahlo 450 14.2
Green Alysa Freeman 409 12.9
Liberal Democrats Kimberley Lauren Stansfield 309 9.8
Registered electors 7,514
Turnout 3,166 42.13%

Pinhoe
Pinhoe
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour David James Harvey 1,046 45.5
Conservative Cynthia Thompson 981 42.7
Labour Duncan Wood 953 41.4
Conservative Ruth Smith 926 40.3
Conservative John Rogers 894 38.9
Labour Laura Charis Adelaide Wright 869 37.8
Green Diana Patricia Jones 224 9.7
Liberal Democrats Mike Payne 163 7.1
Registered electors 5,052
Turnout 2,300 45.53%

Priory
Priory
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Kate Hannan* 1,372 56.5
Labour Lesley Sara Robson* 1,207 49.7
Labour Tony Wardle* 1,141 47.0
Conservative Lucille Baker 601 24.8
Conservative Nicola Guagliardo 537 22.1
Conservative Mario Trabucco 517 21.3
UKIP Robert James Sheridan 337 13.9
Green Lynn Susan Wetenhall 301 12.4
Liberal Democrats Ellen McDonnell 215 8.9
Registered electors 6,256
Turnout 2,428 38.81%

St Davids
St Davids
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Robert Lamb 1,063 40.3
Labour Lewis Peter Griffiths Keen 1,002 38.0
Labour Luke Sean Sills 875 33.2
Liberal Democrats Stella Rose Brock* 768 29.1
Green Diana Frances Moore 655 24.8
Liberal Democrats Philip John Brock 612 23.2
Liberal Democrats Kevin Martin Chun 526 19.9
Conservative Catherine Pierce 473 17.9
Conservative Louis Ten-Holter 453 17.2
Conservative Jeremy White 438 16.6
Green Kay Powell 413 15.7
Green Mark Shorto 321 12.2
Registered electors 6,981
Turnout 2,637 37.77%

St Loyes
St Loyes
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative David John Henson* 923 44.7
Conservative Yolonda Anne Cullis Henson 901 43.6
Labour Rose Leinwen Ashford 692 33.5
Conservative James Ali Taghdissian 616 29.8
Labour Calum Gabriel John Craig 581 28.1
Labour David Charles Coughlin 549 26.6
UKIP Valerie Angus 333 16.1
Green Ben Head 306 14.8
Liberal Democrats David William Roberts 304 14.7
Registered electors 6,597
Turnout 2,066 31.32%

St Thomas
St Thomas
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Rob Hannaford* 1,502 49.8
Labour Hannah Louise Packham* 1,314 43.6
Labour Paul David Bull* 1,219 40.4
Liberal Democrats Adrian Alan Fullam 978 32.4
Liberal Democrats Vanessa Newcombe 730 24.2
Liberal Democrats Sandy Chenore 670 22.2
Conservative Charles Arthur Michael Beaty 383 12.7
UKIP Brian Jeffrey 307 10.2
Green Samuel Charles Bolitho 260 8.6
Conservative Elliott Latif Malik 258 8.6
Green Joe Levy 241 8.0
Conservative Nabila Roukhamieh-Mckinna 210 7.0
Green Cheryl Jacqueline Freeman 203 6.7
Registered electors 7,329
Turnout 3,017 41.17%

Topsham
Topsham
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Andrew Robert Leadbetter* 1,277 52.1
Conservative Rob Newby* 1,188 48.4
Conservative Margaret Anne Baldwin* 1,135 46.3
Labour Eliot Paul Wright 882 36.0
Labour Elizabeth Oxburgh 736 30.0
Labour Tom Stephenson 635 25.9
Green John Moreman 420 17.1
Liberal Democrats William Vasey 247 10.1
Registered electors 6,334
Turnout 2,453 38.73%

References
  1. "Guide to May 2016 elections in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland". BBC News. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  2. "Final recommendation on the new electoral arrangements for Exeter City Council: Summary report" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  3. "Where will you live? Map shows final recommendations for Exeter's boundary changes". Exeter Express and Echo. Local World. 29 September 2015. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  4. "2016 Local Elections". Exeter City Council. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  5. "Labour win control of Exeter and Plymouth councils". BBC News. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. "Full list: Who is standing in the 2016 Exeter City Council elections?". Exeter Express and Echo. Local World. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  8. "Exeter Elections 2016: We take a look at the party manifestos". Exeter Express and Echo. Local World. 30 April 2016. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  9. "Exeter City Council: Labour strengthen control". ITV Westcountry. ITV. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  10. "Mapped: Exeter election results as Labour gain seats in the city". ITV Westcountry. ITV. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
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