2003 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election

Background

Four councillors stood down at the election, Michael Blaney, Patricia Martinez-Williams, John Mealor and Bill Noctor, from Marshalls Cross, Windle, Haydock and West Sutton wards respectively. In Marshalls Cross two seats were contested in 2003, after the death of councillor Valerie Beirne on 7 January 2003 in Whiston Hospital.

Both the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties contested all 19 seats that were up for election, while the Conservatives had 18 candidates and there was 1 Socialist Alliance and 1 independent candidate. The Conservatives targeted gaining a seat in Windle, where the party had taken a seat from Labour for the last two election, while the Liberal Democrats aimed to make progress in Grange Park and Haydock wards.

For the 2003 election, St Helens had a trial of all postal voting across the whole council in an attempt to double the 26% turnout at the last election in 2002. with the final turnout being 48% and with a high of 57% in Eccleston.

Election result

Labour retained control of the council with 33 councillors after gaining one seat from Socialist Labour, but losing one to the Conservatives. The Labour gain came in Grange Park ward, while the Conservatives took an extra seat in Windle. This meant the Liberal Democrats remained on 15 seats, while the Conservative gain took them to 6 councillors.

|seats % = 57.9 |votes % = 48.5 |plus/minus = +0.9% |seats % = 31.6 |votes % = 33.4 |plus/minus = -1.0% |seats % = 10.5 |votes % = 17.0 |plus/minus = -0.6% |seats % = 0 |votes % = 0.9 |plus/minus = +0.8% |seats % = 0 |votes % = 0.3 |plus/minus = +0.3% |seats % = 0 |votes % = 0 |plus/minus = -0.3%

Ward results

References

References

1. "Local elections". BBC News.
2. (2 May 2003). "Local Elections 2003: Sefton battle remains in the balance". [[Liverpool Echo]].
3. Neild, Larry. (4 April 2003). "Local elections 2003: Final bow for the last 'fortyniner'". [[Liverpool Daily Post]].
4. Kelly, Andy. (28 April 2003). "Local elections 2003: It's stick or twist for town hall voters". [[Liverpool Daily Post]].
5. Kilmurray, Andrew. (30 April 2003). "Voting turnout reaches 42 per cent". Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications.
6. Harker, Sarah. (8 May 2003). "Take a bow Mr Postie". Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications.
7. (2 May 2003). "Local elections 2003: St Helens". [[Liverpool Daily Post]].
8. "Latest Releases". Political Science Resources.