2008 Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council election explained

Elections to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 1 May 2008. One third of the council was up for election. The Liberal Democrats held overall control of the council.

The council is currently made up of;

Party		Seats^[1]	+/-	% votes
		36	0
		14	-1
		10	+1
		3	0

Summary

There were two main changes at this election. In the Cheadle & Gatley ward, incumbent councillor Paul Carter of the Liberal Democrats lost his seat to the Conservative candidate Mick Jones. Similarly in the Brinnington and Central Ward, Labour councillor Maureen Rowles lost her seat to the Liberal Democrat candidate Christian Walker.^[2]

The following summary indicates the number of seats which are being defended by each party.

Ward results

Brinnington and Central ward

A month after the election Councillor Chris Walker was charged with racist abuse of a police officer and suspended by the Liberal Democrats and served as an Independent councillor, he was found guilty in April 2010.^[3] Walker returned to the Lib Dems in November 2010.^[4] He declared himself Independent again in June 2011.^[5] He did not try to defend the seat at the May 2012 election.

Stepping Hill ward

Changes 2008–2010

• Christian Walker, elected as a Liberal Democrat, left the party shortly after the election and sat as an independent.^{[6] [7]} and then in 2011 declared himself independent again.^[8]

During 2009, which was a "fallow year" (one without scheduled elections), there were three by-elections following the deaths of serving councillors.^{[9] [10] [11]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Election Results. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. 5 April 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100410214804/http://www.stockport.gov.uk/services/councildemocracy/elections/electionresults. 10 April 2010. dead. dmy-all.
2. News: Morley . Victoria . It's alright on the night for Lib-Dems . . 7 May 2008 . 23 March 2018.
3. News: Manchester Evening News . Councillor guilty of race abuse . . 18 April 2010 . 24 March 2018.
4. News: Scapens . Alex . Race case councillor voted back into the party he quit . . 10 November 2010 . 24 March 2018.
5. News: Manchester Evening News . Defection number four from Stockport Lib Dems . . 16 June 2011 . 24 March 2018.
6. News: Manchester Evening News . Councillor guilty of race abuse . . 18 April 2010 . 23 March 2018.
7. News: Scapens . Alex . Race case councillor voted back into the party he quit . . 10 November 2010 . 23 March 2018.
8. News: Manchester Evening News . Defection number four from Stockport Lib Dems . . 16 June 2011 . 23 March 2018.
9. News: Williams . Jennifer . A sad goodbye to a 'Lib-Dem legend' . Manchester Evening News . 8 April 2009 . 23 March 2018.
10. News: Manchester Evening News . Labour hold onto North Reddish seat . Manchester Evening News . 24 July 2009 . 23 March 2018.
11. News: Devine . Peter . Tributes paid to 'true gentleman' . . 8 July 2009 . 23 March 2018.