The 2011 Fenland District Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]
| Election Name: | 2011 Fenland District Council election |
| Country: | England |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Party Colour: | yes |
| Previous Election: | 2007 Fenland District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2007 |
| Next Election: | 2015 Fenland District Council election |
| Next Year: | 2015 |
| Seats For Election: | All 40 seats to Fenland District Council |
| Election Date: | 5 May 2011 |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 39 seats, 97.5% |
| Seats Before1: | 38 |
| Seats1: | 34 |
| Seat Change1: | -4 |
| Party2: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 0 seats, 0% |
| Seats Before2: | 1 |
| Seats2: | 2 |
| Seat Change2: | +1 |
| Seats Needed2: | 19 |
| Leader3: | N/A |
| Party3: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Leader Since3: | N/A |
| Leaders Seat3: | N/A |
| Last Election3: | 0 seats, % |
| Seats Before3: | 0 |
| Seats3: | 0 |
| Seat Change3: | 0 |
| Seats Needed3: | 21 |
| Party4: | Independent (politician) |
| Colour4: | 6EFFC5 |
| Last Election4: | 1 |
| Seats4: | 4 |
| Seat Change4: | +3 |
| Party5: | United Kingdom Independence Party |
| Last Election5: | 0 seats, % |
| Seats Before5: | 0 |
| Seats5: | 0 |
| Seat Change5: | 0 |
| Percentage5: | % |
| Swing5: | % |
| Party6: | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Last Election6: | 0 seats, % |
| Seats Before6: | 0 |
| Seats6: | 0 |
| Percentage6: | % |
| Swing6: | % |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Election: | Conservative |
| After Election: | Conservative |
In the 2007 election, the Conservatives won 39 of the 40 seats, with the only other seat being won by an independent.[2] However, in April 2010 Liberal Democrat Dave Patrick gained a seat at a by-election from the Conservatives in Kirkgate ward.[3]
A total of 96 candidates stood in the election for the 40 seats on the council.[4] 2 Conservatives candidates were unopposed at the election, Martin Curtis in Kingsmoor and Pop Jolley in Wimblington, a substantial drop from the number at the 2007 election.[4] For the other 38 seats the candidates were 38 Conservatives, 20 Labour, 19 Liberal Democrats, 10 independents, 4 United Kingdom Independence Party and 3 Green Party.[5] The most candidates were in Waterlees ward in Wisbech, where 9 candidates stood for 2 seats on the council.[5]
The Conservatives retained control of the council, but their majority was reduced slightly.[6] They won 34 of the 40 seats on the council, after losing 4 seats, 3 to independents and 1 to the Liberal Democrats.[6] [7] The wins for the Conservatives included Will Sutton in Elm and Christchurch, where he defeated the former Conservative member of the cabinet Phil Webb, who been deselected before the election and stood as an independent.[7] Conservative leader of the council Alan Melton, who comfortably held his own seat in Birch ward in Chatteris, said he was "ecstatic" at the results, which he said showed support for his party's policies.[7]
The Conservatives losses came in Waterlees, where independents Michael and Virginia Bucknor gained both seats from the Conservatives, and in March West where independent Rob Skoulding took one of the three seats.[7] Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat Gavin Booth gained one of the two seats in Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary from the Conservatives.[7] After independent Mark Archer and Liberal Democrat Dave Patrick held their seats, this meant the opposition on the council was 4 independent and 2 Liberal Democrat councillors.[7]
The Mills