2005 Essex County Council election explained

Election Name:	2005 Essex County Council election
Country:	Essex
Type:	Parliamentary
Ongoing:	no
Party Colour:	yes
Previous Election:	2001 Essex County Council election
Previous Year:	2001
Next Election:	2009 Essex County Council election
Next Year:	2009
Seats For Election:	All 75 seats to Essex County Council
Majority Seats:	38
Election Date:	9 May 2005
Leader1:	Paul White
Party1:	Conservative Party (UK)
Leader Since1:	>1998
Leaders Seat1:	Stock
Last Election1:	49 seats, 41.7%
Seats Before1:	48
Seats1:	52
Seat Change1:	4
Popular Vote1:	285,899
Percentage1:	44.5%
Swing1:	2.8%
Leader2:	Paul Sztumpf
Party2:	Labour Party (UK)
Leader Since2:	June 2001
Leaders Seat2:	Harlow North
Last Election2:	19 seats, 30.6%
Seats Before2:	18
Seats2:	13
Seat Change2:	5
Popular Vote2:	156,561
Percentage2:	24.3%
Swing2:	6.3%
Leader3:	Kenneth Jones
Party3:	Liberal Democrats (UK)
Leader Since3:	May 1997
Leaders Seat3:	Park
Last Election3:	10 seats, 24.3%
Seats Before3:	11
Seats3:	8
Seat Change3:	3
Popular Vote3:	147,561
Percentage3:	22.9%
Swing3:	1.4%
Leader4:	Roy Smith
Party4:	Community Representatives
Leader Since4:	2002^[1]
Leaders Seat4:	Clacton West
Last Election4:	0 seats, 0.6%
Seats Before4:	1
Seats4:	1
Seat Change4:	1
Popular Vote4:	6,003
Percentage4:	0.9%
Swing4:	0.3%
Leader5:	David Linnell
Party5:	Loughton Residents Association
Leader Since5:	June 2001
Leaders Seat5:	Loughton St Marys (Retiring)
Last Election5:	1 seats, 0.4%
Seats Before5:	1
Seats5:	1
Popular Vote5:	2,734
Percentage5:	0.4%
Leader6:	N/a
Party6:	Green Party of England and Wales
Leader Since6:	N/a
Leaders Seat6:	N/a
Last Election6:	0 seats, 1.9%
Seats Before6:	0
Seats6:	0
Popular Vote6:	35,696
Percentage6:	5.6%
Swing6:	3.7%
Map Size:	400px
Majority party
Posttitle:	Majority party after election
Before Election:	Conservative
After Election:	Conservative

An election to Essex County Council took place on 9 May 2005 as part of the 2005 United Kingdom local elections. 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 redrawn for this election.

The Conservative Party retained control with an increased majority, winning 52 of the 75 seats. Labour and the Liberal Democrats both lost seats.

Previous composition

2001 election

Party		Seats
	49
	19
	10
	1
Total		79

Composition of council seats before election

Party		Seats
	48
	18
	11
	1
	1
Total		79

Results

|-bgcolor=#F6F6F6| colspan=2 style="text-align: right; margin-right: 1em" | Total| style="text-align: right;" | 75| colspan=5 || style="text-align: right;" | | style="text-align: right;" | |-|}

Election of Group Leaders

Paul White (Stock) was re elected leader of the Conservative Group, Tom Smith-Hughes (Chelmsford North) was elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Group and Paul Kirkman (Pitsea) was elected leader of the Labour Group.

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.

Results by District

Basildon

District summary

Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
5		57,459	45.8	+2.8
4	1	39,537	31.5	−7.8
0		22,787	18.2	+0.8
0		5,101	4.1	+4.1
0		457	0.4	+0.4

Division results

Between 2001 and 2005, the seat was won by the Liberal Democrats candidate in a by-election, however it is shown as a hold as it is compared to the previous full council election.

Braintree

District summary

Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
6		29,212	43.2	+3.1
2	1	20,732	30.7	−5.1
0		11,808	17.5	+0.2
0		4,613	6.8
0		1,256	1.9	+1.9

Division results

Brentwood

District summary

Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
4		17,868	49.3	+7.8
0	1	10,750	29.6	−3.5
0		4,665	12.9	−3.4
0		1,930	5.3	+5.3
0		1,054	2.9	−0.2

Division results

Castle Point

District summary

Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
5	1	20,774	50.2	+1.4
0	2	14,185	34.3	−5.6
0		4,470	10.8	+0.3
0		1,936	4.7	+3.9

Division results

Chelmsford

District summary

	Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
	5	1	25,143	31.7	+0.4
	4		34,553	43.6	+3.4
	0	1	14,265	18.0	−6.6
	0		3,927	5.0	+1.1
SWFCTA	0		807	1.0	+1.0
	0		464	0.6	+0.6
	0		158	0.2	+0.2

Division results

Colchester

District summary

Seats	Votes	%	+/-
4	27,580	37.4	−1.0
3	23,089	31.3	−0.6
2	16,940	23.0	−5.4
0	4,845	6.6	+5.4
0	1,263	1.7	+1.7

Division results

Epping Forest

District summary

Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
6	1	28,519	49.1	+3.0
1		2,734	4.7	+0.4
0	2	13,167	22.7	−1.8
0		10,171	17.5	−7.5
0		1,712	2.9	+2.9
0		1,391	2.4	+2.4
0		368	0.6	+0.6

Division results

Harlow

District summary

Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
3	2	20,154	41.4	−3.5
1	1	18,094	37.2	+5.3
0		8,368	17.2	−6.0
0		2,011	4.1	+4.1

Division results

Maldon

District summary

Seats	Votes	%	+/-
3	15,622	51.3	+2.8
0	7,235	23.8	−5.1
0		5,233	17.2	+1.0
0	2,351	7.7	+1.2

Division results

Rochford

District summary

Seats	Votes	%	+/-
5	20,369	50.1	+3.0
0	9,504	23.4	−4.0
0	8,353	20.5	−1.8
0	2,463	6.1	+6.1

Division results

Tendring

District summary

	Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-
	5		28,408	40.9	+3.4
	2	1	18,857	27.2	−9.4
CRP	1	1	6,003	8.6	+3.2
	0		13,072	18.8	−0.9
	0		3,101	4.5	+4.1

Division results

Uttlesford

District summary

Seats	Votes	%	+/-
4	18,095	48.3	+0.4
0	12,724	34.0	+1.7
0	3,587	9.6	−8.8
0	2,582	6.9	+5.5
0	462	1.2	+1.2

Division results

By-elections

Brentwood Rural

No UKIP (6.4%) or Green (3.1%) candidates as previous.

Notes and References

Web site: Clacton: Councillor suspended from party . gazette-news.co.uk/ . Daily Gazette . 26 July 2024 . 26 February 2002.