2017 Essex County Council election explained

Election Name:2017 Essex County Council election
Country:Essex
Type:Parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Party Colour:yes
Turnout:31.1% (3.3%[1])
Previous Election:2013 Essex County Council election
Previous Year:2013
Next Election:2021 Essex County Council election
Next Year:2021
Seats For Election:All 75 seats to Essex County Council
Majority Seats:38
Election Date:4 May 2017
Leader1:David Finch
Party1:Conservative Party (UK)
Leader Since1:May 2013
Leaders Seat1:Hedingham
Last Election1:42 seats, 34.2%
Seats Before1:44
Seats1:56
Seat Change1:14
Popular Vote1:184,901
Percentage1:49.3%
Swing1:15.0%
Leader2:Michael Mackrory
Party2:Liberal Democrats (UK)
Leader Since2:May 2012
Leaders Seat2:Springfield
Last Election2:9 seats, 10.9%
Seats Before2:9
Seats2:7
Seat Change2:2
Popular Vote2:51,524
Percentage2:13.7%
Swing2:2.8%
Leader3:Ivan Henderson
Party3:Labour Party (UK)
Leader Since3:June 2016
Leaders Seat3:Harwich
Last Election3:9 seats, 17.4%
Seats Before3:8
Seats3:6
Seat Change3:3
Popular Vote3:63,470
Percentage3:16.9%
Swing3:0.5%
Leader4:Dave Blackwell
Party4:Canvey Island Independent Party
Leader Since4:May 2013
Leaders Seat4:Canvey Island East
Last Election4:1 seat, 0.9%
Seats Before4:1
Seats4:2
Seat Change4:1
Popular Vote4:3,654
Percentage4:1.3%
Swing4:0.1%
Leader5:James Abbott
Party5:Green Party of England and Wales
Leader Since5:May 2013
Leaders Seat5:Witham Northern
Last Election5:2 seats, 4.8%
Seats Before5:2
Seats5:1
Seat Change5:1
Popular Vote5:16,074
Percentage5:4.3%
Swing5:0.3%
Leader6:Chris Pond
Party6:Loughton Residents Association
Leader Since6:May 2005
Leaders Seat6:Loughton Central
Last Election6:1 seat, 1.1%
Seats Before6:1
Seats6:1
Popular Vote6:2,824
Percentage6:0.8%
Swing6:0.3%
Leader7:Nigel Le Gresley
Party7:UK Independence Party
Leader Since7:April 2016
Leaders Seat7:Wickford Crouch (defeated)
Last Election7:9 seats, 27.6%
Seats Before7:6
Seats7:0
Seat Change7:9
Popular Vote7:29,796
Percentage7:7.9%
Swing7:19.7%
Map Size:300px
Council control
Posttitle:Council control after election
Before Election:Conservative
After Election:Conservative

Elections to Essex County Council took place on 4 May 2017 as part of the 2017 local elections.[2] All 75 councillors were elected from 70 electoral divisions, which each returned either one or two councillors by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office.

The electoral divisions were the same as those used at the previous elections in 2009 and 2013. No elections were held in Thurrock or Southend-on-Sea, which are unitary authorities outside the area covered by the County Council.

Previous composition

2013 election

PartySeats
42
9
9
9
2
1
1
1
1
Total75

Composition of council seats before election

PartySeats
44
9
8
6
2
1
1
1
1
1
Vacant1
Total75

Changes between elections

In between the 2013 election and the 2017 election, the following council seats changed hands:

DivisionDatePrevious Party New Party CauseResulting Council Composition
ConUKIPLabLDemGrnTFLResCIndIndR4UHRA
Brightlingsea9 October 2014[3] UKIP incumbent resigned. Conservatives won by-election. 43 8 9 9 2 1 1 1 1 0 0
Saffron Walden14 October 2014New Party Formed.43 8 9 9 2 1 1 1 0 1 0
Basildon Westley Heights16 December 2014[4] Councillor quit party to sit as an independent member.43 7 9 9 2 1 1 1 1 1 0
Bocking5 March 2015[5] Sitting councillor died. Conservatives won by-election. 44 6 9 9 2 1 1 1 1 1 0
Tendring Rural East23 March 2016 [6] Councillor quit party to sit as an independent member.44 5 9 9 2 1 1 1 2 1 0
Clacton East31 March 2016[7] Tendring First incumbent resigned. Holland-on-Sea Residents won by-election. 44 5 9 9 2 0 1 1 2 1 1
Laindon Park and Fryerns9 June 2016 [8] Sitting councillor died. UKIP won by-election. 44 6 8 9 2 0 1 1 2 1 1
Tendring Rural East28 July 2016 [9] Sitting councillor joined Conservatives.45 6 8 9 2 0 1 1 1 1 1
Halstead5 December 2016 [10] Sitting councillor died.[11] 44 6 8 9 2 0 1 1 1 1 1

Summary

The election saw the Conservative Party retained overall control of the council, with an increased majority.

Results summary

|-bgcolor=#F6F6F6| colspan=2 style="text-align: right; margin-right: 1em" | Total| style="text-align: right;" | 75| colspan=5 || style="text-align: right;" | 372,834| style="text-align: right;" | |-

Election of Group Leaders

David Finch (Hedingham) was re elected leader of the Conservative Group, with Kevin Bentley (Stanway and Pyefleet) as his deputy.

Michael Mackrory (Springfield) was re elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Group, with Anne Turrell (Mile End and Highwoods) as his deputy.

Ivan Henderson (Harwich) was re elected leader of the Labour Group, with Julie Young (Wivenhoe St Andrew) as his deputy.

Chris Pond (Loughton Central) was elected leader of the Non-Aligned Group with James Abbott (Witham Northern) as his deputy.

Election of Leader of the Council

David Finch the leader of the conservative group was duly elected leader of the council and formed a conservative administration.

Results by District

Basildon

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
6 3 31,454 49.0 +16.8
2 1 13,569 21.1 −2.5
1 16,299 9.8 +7.8
0 3 8,327 13.0 −20.4
0 2,562 5.5 +0.3
0 701 1.1−1.6

Division Results

Between 2013 and 2017, UKIP gained the Labour seat in a by-election, however it is shown as a hold as the comparison is made to the last full council election.

Braintree

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
7 1 18,704 54.8 +17.0
1 3,527 10.3+2.2
0 6,264 18.3 −3.4
0 1 2,851 8.3 −19.0
0 2,792 8.2 +3.7

Division Results

Brentwood

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
2 10,303 53.0 +16.3
2 6,042 31.1 +5.7
0 1,690 8.7 −0.4
0 713 3.7+0.7
0 694 3.6 −22.1

Division Results

Castle Point

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
3 110,990 54.2 +20.8
2 13,654 18.0 +3.5
0 2,635 13.0 −0.4
0 2 2,286 11.3 −22.4
0 506 2.5 +0.9
0 214 1.1−0.2

Division Results

Chelmsford

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
6 20,220 44.0 +11.4
3 11,817 25.7 +6.4
0 4,058 8.8 −1.6
0 2,235 4.9 −18.5
0 1,786 3.9+2.0
0 1,372 3.0style="color:red" -0.7

Division Results

Colchester

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
4 18,568 42.3 +12.8
3 1 9,078 20.7 +0.8
2 1 10,646 24.2 +2.7
0 2,402 5.5 −1.2
0 1,869 4.3 −16.2
0 1,373 3.1 span style="color:grey"New

Division Results

Epping Forest

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
6 1 15,695 55.1 +19.1
1 2,8249.9 −3.4
0 1 4,44515.6 +5.7
0 3,071 10.8 +2.3
0 1,418 5.0 +0.7
0 994 3.5 −23.2
0 58 0.2 −0.2

Division Results

Harlow

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
4 3 12,722 50.5 +23.9
0 310,30340.9+4.4
0 1,2174.8+1.2
0 9663.8+0.9

Division Results

Maldon

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
3 8,400 53.7 +9.2
0 1,75311.2−3.6
0 1,5149.7−19.8
Independent01,4989.6New
0 1,2107.7New
0 7314.7−3.8
0 5373.4+0.6

Division Results

Rochford

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
5 210,07346.7+11.7
0 12,70012.5−15.7
0 2,31810.7−2.4
0 2,27510.5−0.8
0 11,9969.2+0.4
0 1,4006.5New
Rayleigh Independents06553.0New
Independent01730.8New

Division Results

Tendring

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
6 2 16,888 46.2 +15.7
1 7,024 19.2 +2.8
1 1 1,906 5.2 New
0 2 5,361 14.7 −14.3
0 2,734 7.5 −0.4
0 1 1,332 3.6 −8.5
0 1,272 3.5 +0.3

Division Results

Between 2013 and 2017, the seat was won by the Independent candidate in a by-election, however it is shown as a gain as it is compared to the previous full council election.

The Conservative candidate was elected previously as a UKIP candidate and subsequently switched their party affiliation. The seat is therefore shown as a gain.

Uttlesford

District Summary

PartySeats+/-Votes%+/-
4 1 10,884 45.6 +2.9
0 1 5,231 21.9 +11.9
0 4,278 17.9 +1.3
0 1,707 7.1 −1.1
0 965 4.0 −14.0
0 815 3.4 −1.0

Division Results

By-elections

Results

Clacton East

Stephenson's vote share change is compared to the 2017 result when he stood as a UKIP candidate.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Local Elections in England, May 2017 . October 2017 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210719152351/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf_file/May-2017-England-locals-electoral-data-report.pdf . 19 July 2021.
  2. Web site: Upcoming elections & referendums. Electoral Commission. 15 September 2016. 5 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180505140550/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/upcoming-elections-and-referendums. dead.
  3. News: By-election for new Brightlingsea county councillor to take place next month. Clacton Gazette. 5 September 2014. 19 April 2021.
  4. News: Kerry Smith quits UKIP over 'internal backstabbers'. BBC News. 16 December 2014. 19 April 2021.
  5. News: Youngest councillor defeats UKIP to win Bocking by-election. BBC News. 6 March 2015. 19 April 2021.
  6. News: Ukip group deputy leader on Essex County Council quits party after getting 'squeezed' between rival EU campaigns. Harwich and Manningtree Standard. James Dwan. 30 March 2016. 19 April 2021.
  7. News: Councillor Pierre Oxley from Clacton admits fraud by false representation after misusing grant funds. Clacton Gazette. 14 December 2015. 19 April 2021.
  8. News: Ukip councillor, Frank Ferguson, wins Essex County Council by-election in Laindon Park and Fryerns. Echo News. Maurice Richmond. 10 June 2016. 19 April 2021.
  9. News: Ex-UKIP county council deputy leader and Harwich town councillor Andy Erskine has joined the Conservatives. Clacton and Frinton Gazette. 25 July 2016. 19 April 2021.
  10. News: Funeral for dedicated councillor Joe Pike to take place next month. Halstead Gazette. 17 December 2016. 19 April 2021.
  11. No by-election was held as the death was sufficiently close to the upcoming County election.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2017 Essex County Council election".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.