2007 St Albans City and District Council election
# 2007 St Albans City and District Council election

The 2007 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of St Albans District Council in Hertfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats lost overall control of the council to no overall control.

After the election, the composition of the council was:

* Liberal Democrats 29
* Conservative 19
* Labour 8
* Independent 2

## Campaign

A total of 83 candidates from the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour and Green Party stood in the election. Each party contested every ward, apart from in London Colney where the Green candidate was disqualified due to an incorrect nomination. Each ward had one seat up for election apart from in Harpenden West where two seats were contested as a Conservative councillor stood down early due to illness. The other parties needed to gain 3 seats from the Liberal Democrats to remove them from power, with a 2-seat drop meaning the Liberal Democrats would depend on the mayor's casting vote to remain in power.

After the Conservatives won the most votes in the previous 2006 election they were hoping to make gains, with Harpenden East, Marshalswick South, Verulam and Wheathampstead seen as being possible gains. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats defended their record in running the council during the election. They called for St Albans to be Hertfordshire's "premier community" and pointed to the Audit Commission rating the council as one of the 10 most improving in the country.

6 sitting councillors stood down at the election including a former Conservative cabinet member Chris Whiteside and a former Labour mayor Malcolm MacMillan.

## Election result

The Liberal Democrats lost their overall majority after losing 2 seats to the Conservatives, dropping to exactly half of the council with 29 councillors. The 2 Conservative gains from the Liberal Democrats came in Harpenden East and Redbourn wards to lift the party to 19 seats and the Conservatives received around 2,000 votes more than the Liberal Democrats. There was no change elsewhere on the council, with Labour staying on 8 seats, despite dropping to fourth place in several wards and there also remained 2 independent councillors. Overall turnout at the election was 43.6%.

Following the election the Liberal Democrats remained in control of the council after one of the independent councillors, Tony Swendell, abstained on the vote to decide the composition of the cabinet.

St Albans local election result 2007 :

| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Liberal Democrats | 10 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 47.6 | 37.8 | 16,643 | +2.1% |
| Conservative | 8 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 38.1 | 42.6 | 18,759 | +0.9% |
| Labour | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.3 | 12.9 | 5,669 | -1.7% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.8 | 3,015 | -1.3% |

## Ward results

Ashley :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Iqbal Zia | 793 | 41.3 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | Rafat Khan | 466 | 24.3 | -0.6 |
| | Labour | Alistair Cooper | 390 | 20.3 | -6.6 |
| | Green | Sasha Bradbury | 270 | 14.1 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 327 | 17.0 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,919 | 36.2 | -7.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Batchwood :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Martin Leach | 695 | 34.6 | -4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allan Witherick | 603 | 30.1 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Sara Cadish | 515 | 25.7 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Gillian Mills | 193 | 9.6 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 4.5 | -6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,006 | 38.6 | -3.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

Clarence :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sheila Burton | 1,070 | 53.9 | +11.2 |
| | Conservative | Indranil Chakravorty | 433 | 21.8 | -5.9 |
| | Green | Peter Eggleston | 255 | 12.8 | -1.1 |
| | Labour | Christine Pearce | 229 | 11.5 | -4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 637 | 32.1 | +17.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,987 | 42.8 | -4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Colney Heath :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Brazier | 1,114 | 67.3 | +18.0 |
| | Conservative | Joanne Vessey | 403 | 24.3 | -12.6 |
| | Labour | Richard Bruckdorfer | 77 | 4.6 | -4.1 |
| | Green | Rosalind Hardy | 62 | 3.7 | -1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 711 | 43.0 | +30.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,656 | 40.2 | -1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Cunningham :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Donald | 1,114 | 53.9 | +12.4 |
| | Conservative | James Vessey | 578 | 27.9 | -2.3 |
| | Labour | John Paton | 226 | 10.9 | -8.2 |
| | Green | Jack Easton | 150 | 7.3 | -1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 536 | 26.0 | -14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,068 | 43.9 | -2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Harpenden East :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Michael Wakely | 1,183 | 50.3 | +8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeff Phillips | 890 | 37.8 | -7.8 |
| | Labour | David Crew | 170 | 7.2 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Denise Taylor-Roome | 109 | 4.6 | -1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 293 | 12.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,352 | 45.3 | -2.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

Harpenden North :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Bert Pawle | 1,260 | 63.7 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon Burrow | 420 | 21.2 | -6.0 |
| | Labour | Rosemary Ross | 167 | 8.4 | +0.6 |
| | Green | Annett Tate | 132 | 6.7 | -0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 840 | 42.5 | +11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,979 | 39.1 | -3.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

Harpenden South :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Paul Foster | 1,582 | 74.2 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Carden | 256 | 12.0 | -2.0 |
| | Labour | Linda Spiri | 172 | 8.1 | +0.9 |
| | Green | Lorna Hann | 123 | 5.8 | -0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,326 | 62.2 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,133 | 41.0 | -3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

Harpenden West (2 seats) :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Daniel Chicester-Miles | 1,549 | 65.6 | -1.9 |
| | Conservative | Julian Daly | 1,533 | 64.9 | -2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Albert Moses | 448 | 19.0 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Addiscott | 438 | 18.5 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Marc Scheimann | 238 | 10.1 | +1.4 |
| | Labour | Benjamin Dearman | 196 | 8.3 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Rayner | 183 | 7.7 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,362 | 43.6 | -1.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

London Colney :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Katherine Gardner | 889 | 45.3 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | David Winstone | 854 | 43.5 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Prowse | 221 | 11.3 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 1.8 | -6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,964 | 30.4 | -4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

Marshalswick North :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoff Churchard | 1,200 | 54.6 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | John Foster | 744 | 33.8 | -0.8 |
| | Labour | Ruairi Mccourt | 138 | 6.3 | -1.3 |
| | Green | Rosalind Paul | 117 | 5.3 | -1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 456 | 20.8 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,199 | 45.9 | -4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Marshalswick South :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Morris | 1,177 | 47.8 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative | Jeffrey Groman | 843 | 34.2 | -4.7 |
| | Labour | Anthony Nicholson | 270 | 11.0 | -2.5 |
| | Green | Tim Blackwell | 172 | 7.0 | -2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 334 | 13.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,462 | 48.3 | -2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Park Street :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicola Mcalistair-Baillie | 1,042 | 49.5 | -2.5 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Griffiths | 809 | 38.5 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | Laurence Chester | 160 | 7.6 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Stephen Clough | 93 | 4.4 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 233 | 11.0 | -4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,104 | 40.6 | -5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Redbourn :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Maxine Crawley | 1,007 | 46.4 | -4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin O'Donovan | 991 | 45.6 | +9.2 |
| | Labour | Gavin Ross | 95 | 4.4 | -2.3 |
| | Green | Kate Metcalf | 79 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 0.8 | -13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,172 | 47.1 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

Sandridge :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Frances Leonard | 854 | 57.8 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Churchard | 329 | 22.3 | -3.3 |
| | Labour | Jane Cloke | 162 | 11.0 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Naomi Love | 133 | 9.0 | -0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 525 | 35.5 | +5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,478 | 39.4 | -3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

Sopwell :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Eileen Harris | 704 | 37.0 | +7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Axworthy | 612 | 32.2 | -1.0 |
| | Conservative | Heather Rench | 393 | 20.7 | -4.8 |
| | Green | Thomas Hardy | 193 | 10.1 | -1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 4.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,902 | 38.1 | -2.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

St Peters :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Pia | 770 | 40.0 | -5.4 |
| | Conservative | Debashis Mukherjee | 419 | 21.7 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | Mick Jewitt | 375 | 19.5 | -3.5 |
| | Green | Simon Grover | 363 | 18.8 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 351 | 18.3 | -4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,927 | 36.8 | -2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

St Stephen :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Gordon Myland | 1,244 | 59.1 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Allum | 600 | 28.5 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Janet Blackwell | 171 | 8.1 | -0.7 |
| | Green | Lydia El-Khouri | 90 | 4.3 | -2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 644 | 30.6 | -1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,105 | 41.9 | -4.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

Verulam :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Frearson | 1,357 | 51.9 | +9.6 |
| | Conservative | Keith Cotton | 987 | 37.7 | -6.5 |
| | Green | Margaret Grover | 149 | 5.7 | -2.3 |
| | Labour | Jill Gipps | 122 | 4.7 | -0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 370 | 14.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,615 | 52.3 | -1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Wheathampstead :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Oxley | 1,198 | 48.4 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | Keith Stammers | 1,103 | 44.6 | -1.2 |
| | Green | Meg Davis | 94 | 3.8 | -0.9 |
| | Labour | Peter Woodhams | 78 | 3.2 | -0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 95 | 3.8 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,473 | 54.1 | 0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
