Map of the results of the 2008 Swale Borough Council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Labour in red and Sheppey First in grey. Wards in dark grey were not contested in 2008.
The 2008 Swale Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Swale Borough Council in Kent, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was:
16 of the 47 seats on the council were contested in 2008,[3] with the Conservatives defending 9 seats, the Liberal Democrats 4 seats and Labour 3 seats.[4] A total of 53 people contested the election and as well as candidates from the main political parties, there were also 2 candidates from Sheppey First standing on the Isle of Sheppey and 2 candidates from Faversham First contesting wards in Faversham.[4]
Election result
The Conservative majority on the council was increased by one seat after gaining three seats, but also losing two seats.[5] Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats had a net loss of one seat, while Sheppey First gained a seat.[5]
The Conservatives picked up two seats from the Liberal Democrats in Minster Cliffs and St Michaels and one seat from Labour in Queenborough and Halfway.[6] However the Liberal Democrats took one seat from the Conservatives in Davington Priory, while Sheppey First also gained a seat from the Conservatives in Sheppey Central.[6]
A by-election was held in Minster Cliffs on 25 September 2008 after the resignation of Sheppey First councillor Chris Boden.[9] The seat was gained for the Conservatives by Andy Booth with a majority of 221 votes over Sheppey First candidate Ray Adams.[9]
A by-election was held in Sheerness East on 25 September 2008 after the resignation of Sheppey First councillor Gemma Wray.[9] The seat was gained by Labour candidate David Sargent with a majority of 149 votes over Liberal Democrat Colin Howe.[9]
A by-election was held in Teynham and Lynsted on 2 October 2008 after the death of Conservative councillor John Disney.[10] The seat was held by Conservative Trevor Fentiman with a majority of 274 votes over Labour candidate Ken Rowles.[10]
Teynham and Lynsted by-election 2 October 2008[10]
^"Candidates fight for council seats". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank. 9 April 2008. p. 9.
^ abWaite, Stephen (16 April 2008). "Race nears its end for council control". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank.
^ abc"Tories gain in local elections in Swale". kentnews.co.uk. 2 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
^ abChandler, Danny (7 May 2008). "Tories ride high on a blue wave". East Kent Gazette. NewsBank.
^"Local elections 08 nationwide results". The Times. NewsBank. 3 May 2008. p. 14.
^ abcdefghijklmnop"Swale Borough Council: Election results". Kent Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
^ abcdef"By-election results for two wards". Kent Online. 26 September 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
^ abc"Tories strengthen their control of Swale council". kentnews.co.uk. 3 October 2008. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.