2016 North Hertfordshire District Council election
# 2016 North Hertfordshire District Council election

The 2015 North Hertfordshire Council election was held on 5 May 2016, at the same time as other local elections across England. Of the 49 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council, 15 were up for election.

The Conservatives lost two seats, one to Labour and one to the Liberal Democrats, but retained their overall majority on the council.

## Overall results

The overall results were as follows:

2016 North Hertfordshire District Council election :

| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 7 | 2 | 46.7 | 27 | 34 | 69.4 | 10,383 | 40.1 | -7.7 |
| | Labour | 6 | 1 | 40.0 | 6 | 12 | 24.5 | 7,087 | 27.3 | +5.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2 | 1 | 13.3 | 1 | 3 | 6.1 | 3,893 | 15.0 | +3.5 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,224 | 8.6 | -0.9 |
| | UKIP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,035 | 7.9 | -1.6 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 291 | 1.1 | N/A |

## Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows. Where the previous incumbent was standing for re-election they are marked with an asterisk(*).

Baldock East ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Valentine Shanley | 471 | 45.9% | -1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard William Winter | 272 | 26.5% | -12.2 |
| | Labour | Gillian Anne Tyler | 121 | 11.8% | +3.3 |
| | UKIP | Brian George Alderton | 109 | 10.6% | +10.6 |
| | Green | Jane Louise Turner | 48 | 4.7% | -0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,027 | 45.2% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.6 | |

Baldock Town ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Michael Edwin Weeks* | 896 | 48.7% | -6.2 |
| | Labour | Geraldine Dobson | 377 | 20.5% | +0.2 |
| | UKIP | Brian Cyril Munnery | 251 | 13.6% | -0.4 |
| | Green | Emily Charlotte Beswarick | 169 | 9.2% | -1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marcus Eric Keighley | 138 | 7.5% | +7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,841 | 31.7% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.2 | |

Chesfield ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Terry Tyler | 668 | 42.3% | +26.4 |
| | Conservative | James Terence Henry | 545 | 34.5% | -12.8 |
| | Labour | John Hayes | 266 | 16.8% | -1.4 |
| | Green | Felicity Ann Power | 93 | 5.9% | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,581 | 30.6% | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +19.6 | |

Hitchin Bearton ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Ian Clive Albert | 1,036 | 48.1% | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Serena Farrow | 580 | 26.9% | -2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart Alder | 272 | 12.6% | +2.1 |
| | Green | William Barry Lavin | 243 | 11.3% | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,154 | 33.9% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.1 | |

Hitchin Highbury ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Clark | 1,144 | 44.8% | +14.0 |
| | Conservative | David Leal-Bennett* | 836 | 32.7% | -6.4 |
| | Labour | Martin Burke | 401 | 15.7% | +0.7 |
| | Green | Rosamund Brigid McGuire | 151 | 5.9% | -1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,556 | 41.2% | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +10.2 | |

Hitchin Oughton ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Simon Peter Watson | 505 | 48.8% | +9.4 |
| | Conservative | Pauline Anne Scully | 328 | 31.7% | +9.6 |
| | Green | George Winston Howe | 102 | 9.9% | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Peace | 89 | 8.6% | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,034 | 28.1% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.1 | |

Hitchin Priory ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Richard Arthur Charles Thake* | 684 | 44.1% | -4.7 |
| | Labour | David James Winstanley | 281 | 18.1% | +4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ewan Wilkie | 164 | 10.6% | +1.4 |
| | Independent | Jacqueline Mary McDonald | 155 | 10.0% | +10.0 |
| | Green | Des Stephens | 142 | 9.1% | -2.3 |
| | UKIP | Allan Newey | 119 | 7.7% | -8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,552 | 42.3% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.5 | |

Hitchin Walsworth ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Dennis | 806 | 38.5% | +7.5 |
| | Conservative | Ray Shakespeare-Smith* | 668 | 31.9% | -8.0 |
| | Green | Richard Alexander Cano | 278 | 13.3% | +0.9 |
| | UKIP | Peter Croft | 193 | 9.2% | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Ircha | 133 | 6.4% | -0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,091 | 34.6% | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -8.2 | |

Hitchwood, Offa and Hoo ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Claire Patricia Annette Strong* | 1,157 | 55.8% | -2.2 |
| | UKIP | Gary John Jones | 262 | 12.6% | 0.0 |
| | Labour | David Liam O'Brien | 251 | 12.1% | -0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Johnson | 212 | 10.2% | +2.2 |
| | Green | Alex Longmore | 186 | 9.0% | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,074 | 36.5% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |

Knebworth ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Stephen J. Deakin-Davies | 904 | 62.4% | +5.4 |
| | Labour | Ed Smith | 310 | 21.4% | +7.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlie Wilson | 142 | 9.8% | +9.8 |
| | Green | Claire Helen Taylor | 81 | 5.6% | -4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,448 | 36.4% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.2 | |

Letchworth East ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Ian Mantle* | 505 | 38.3% | -2.5 |
| | Conservative | David Peter John Wakelin | 347 | 26.3% | -0.2 |
| | Independent | Paul Ross | 136 | 10.3% | +10.3 |
| | Green | Rosemary Bland | 126 | 9.6% | -2.0 |
| | UKIP | Mark James Hughes | 111 | 8.4% | -12.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jane Fae | 86 | 6.5% | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,319 | 29.9% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.1 | |

Letchworth Grange ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Clare Billing* | 685 | 34.9% | +1.7 |
| | Conservative | Matthew Berman | 654 | 33.3% | -7.1 |
| | UKIP | Tyler James Davis | 334 | 17.0% | +4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Geoffrey Penny | 153 | 7.8% | +1.9 |
| | Green | Elizabeth Susan Hancock | 125 | 6.4% | -1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,963 | 34.9% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.4 | |

Letchworth South East ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | David Charles Levett* | 737 | 38.7% | -7.2 |
| | Labour | Martin Stears-Handscomb | 609 | 32.0% | +0.1 |
| | UKIP | Sidney Arthur Start | 309 | 16.2% | +1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry Peter Neale | 134 | 7.0% | +7.0 |
| | Green | Dean Lee Cartwright | 99 | 5.2% | -2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,902 | 34.2% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.7 | |

Letchworth South West ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Terry Hone* | 1,096 | 48.8% | +0.2 |
| | Labour | Jean Andrews | 441 | 19.6% | +1.9 |
| | Green | Mario May | 212 | 9.4% | -3.3 |
| | UKIP | Gemma Margaret Rosina Hughes | 198 | 8.8% | -1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ursula Winder | 86 | 3.8% | -6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,246 | 36.5% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.9 | |

Letchworth Wilbury ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Deepak Sangha* | 493 | 38.1% | -4.2 |
| | Conservative | Andy Frankland | 480 | 37.1% | +3.4 |
| | Green | Maryla Josephine Hart | 169 | 13.1% | +4.8 |
| | UKIP | Andrew Scuoler | 149 | 11.5% | -3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,295 | 32.1% | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.8 | |

## Changes 2016–2018

A by-election was held in Hitchin Oughton ward on 10 November 2016 following the resignation of Labour councillor Simon Watson. Labour retained the seat.

Hitchin Oughton ward by-election, 10 November 2016 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Martin Stears-Handscomb | 258 | 31.9% | -17.0 |
| | Independent | Jackie McDonald | 200 | 24.7% | +24.7 |
| | Conservative | Serena Elizabeth Farrow | 158 | 19.5% | -12.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Peace | 150 | 18.5% | +9.9 |
| | Green | George Winston Howe | 42 | 5.2% | -4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 810 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -20.8 | |

Two by-elections were held on 4 May 2017, at the same time as the 2017 Hertfordshire County Council election. The by-election in Royston Heath ward was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Peter Burt. The by-election in Hitchin Priory ward was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Allison Ashley. The Conservatives retained both seats.

Hitchin Priory ward by-election, 4 May 2017 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Raymond Shakespeare-Smith | 717 | 41.5% | -2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Hefford | 394 | 22.8% | +12.2 |
| | Independent | Jacqueline McDonald | 277 | 16.0% | +6.1 |
| | Labour | Dave Winstanley | 219 | 12.7% | -5.4 |
| | Green | Des Stephens | 114 | 6.6% | -2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,727 | 46.4% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.4 | |

Royston Heath ward by-election, 4 May 2017 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Sarah Dingley | 844 | 50.2% | -0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Stanier | 470 | 28.0% | +14.6 |
| | Labour | Vaughan West | 196 | 11.7% | -4.6 |
| | Green | Katherine Shann | 97 | 5.8% | -1.3 |
| | UKIP | Christopher Arquati | 68 | 4.0% | -8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,680 | 39.0% | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.6 | |
