The 2003 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was:
Before the election the council was composed of 21 Health Concern, 7 Conservative, 5 Labour, 5 Liberal, 2 Liberal Democrats and 2 independent councillors.[3] 15 seats were up for election with Health Concern needing to gain one seat to win a majority but the other parties predicted they could make gains instead.[3] [4] The seats being defended in the election were 6 Health Concern, 3 Conservative, 3 Labour, 1 Liberal, 1 Liberal Democrat and 1 independent, which included 2 seats in Oldington and Foley Park ward where a Conservative councillor had stood down.[5]
Health Concern suffered a net loss of 2 councillors after losing 3 seats and only gaining 1 in Oldington and Foley Park.[6] [7] Despite the losses Health Concern said that it would continue as a minority administration on the council.[8] The Conservatives strengthened their position as the main opposition on the council after increasing their number of seats to 9 including a shock gain from Labour in Wolverley.[7] They put their gains down to a focus on "community issues" including crime, tax and health and disillusionment with Health Concern.[9]
Meanwhile, Labour dropped to only holding 4 seats, their lowest number of seats on the council since the late 1970s and their joint lowest ever.[10] Other changes included 2 gains for the Liberals in Broadwaters and Habberley and Blakebrook, while the Liberal Democrats lost 1 seat but gained another in Aggborough and Spennells.[8]
Voter turnout in the election was down to below 31%, the lowest since 1998, with only 2 wards seeing a turnout of over 35%.[11] This was attributed to the lack of strong issues during the campaign compared to previous elections where controversy over Kidderminster hospital and a planned incinerator increased interest.[11]