Abbey Ward (5 seats)
Candidate | Party | Votes |
*Ann Blacklock | Liberal Democrats | 1121 |
*Michael Francis Coker | Conservative Party | 1055 |
*John Edmond Hatfield | Conservative Party | 1006 |
Patrick Joseph Ryan | Liberal Democrats | 920 |
George Reginald Illingworth | Conservative Party | 907 |
Alan Rickers | Conservative Party | 876 |
Lois Darley | Liberal Democrats | 821 |
Kevin Holt | Liberal Democrats | 807 |
John Richard Whitehouse | Liberal Democrats | 798 |
Dave Skinner | Conservative Party | 774 |
Jacky Smith | Labour Party | 296 |
Dave Peggs | Labour Party | 285 |
Chris Gallon | Labour Party | 271 |
Jacqui Jones | Labour Party | 258 |
Andrew Keith Roadnight | Labour Party | 231 |
Turnout 41.4%
Park Hill Ward (6 seats)
Candidate | Party | Votes |
*Dave John Shilton | Liberal Democrats | 1161 |
*Felicity Gena Bunker | Conservative Party | 1030 |
Dominic Coker | Conservative Party | 985 |
*Douglas Alan Golby | Liberal Democrats | 927 |
Spencer Charlton Harrison | Conservative Party | 922 |
Ursula Stella Durrant | Conservative Party | 921 |
Daphne Rose Harrison | Conservative Party | 917 |
John Sheehan (aka Tony Walsh) | Conservative Party | 893 |
Richard Sweeney | Liberal Democrats | 845 |
Alison Rita Margaret Tyler | Liberal Democrats | 817 |
Adrian Sellars | Liberal Democrats | 782 |
Alec Would | Liberal Democrats | 705 |
Maureen Teresa Hazelwood | Labour Party | 356 |
Peter Hodgkinson | Labour Party | 350 |
Henry Scarborough | Labour Party | 327 |
Peter Joseph Shiels | Labour Party | 315 |
Robin Rain Winn | Labour Party | 303 |
Elizabeth Saxon | Labour Party | 299 |
Turnout 38.5%
St John’s Ward (6 seats)
Candidate | Party | Votes |
*Pauline Winifred Edwards | Conservative Party | 1198 |
*Alan James Lancaster Cockburn | Conservative Party | 1172 |
Trevor Martin | Kenilworth Regeneration | 1157 |
*Leslie Graham Windybank | Conservative Party | 1102 |
Richard Ivor Graham Davies | Conservative Party | 1065 |
Norman John Vincent | Conservative Party | 958 |
*Paul Spillman | Conservative Party | 942 |
Shirley Beatrice Shilton | Liberal Democrats | 736 |
Mary Latham Harrison | Liberal Democrats | 609 |
*Judith Rawson | Liberal Democrats | 582 |
Michael Collier | Labour Party | 563 |
Alan Ainsworth | Labour Party | 556 |
Jan Ford | Labour Party | 556 |
Ruth Tennant | Labour Party | 468 |
Kieth Thompson | Labour Party | 456 |
Caryll Green | Green Party | 417 |
Christopher Edgerton | 24/7 Care For The Elderly | 409 |
Pippa Austin | Green Party | 402 |
Turnout 44.8%
TORIES GAIN MASSIVE MAJORITY
There was a bit of a shake-up in this year’s election, not only in the overall result but the restructuring of the wards. One extra seat was allocated to the town, which now has a total of 17 members. Abbey ward was down to five seats, while Park Hill was increased from four to six. St John’s remained the same on 6 seats.
At the last poll in 1999, the Conservatives had a slendor majority of just two (9-7), but that was vastly increased to a 12-5 majority. New to the Tory ranks are George Illingworth, Dominic Coker, Richard Davies, Norman Vincent, Ursula Durrant and veteran, Spencer Harrision. He has admitted that he would have preferred a younger person to stand in his place. He said that he would be quite happy to have become a ‘has-been’. But we can’t get any 40 year-olds to stand, local government loses out by not having young councillors, who are willing and able to give up their time. Mr Harrision refuses to reveal his age but he confesses being at Leamington Town Hall when the votes were being counted, 72 years-ago!
The Liberal Democrats were slowly fading away in Kenilworth, being down to only four members. The ‘big guns’ of Jack Bastock, Haydn Thomas and Helen Pavier, did not stand for re-election and Judith Rawson, was un-successful in St. John’s. However, Ann Blacklock topped the poll in Abbey with 1121 and Dave Shilton was well clear in Park Hill with 1161. Former Kenilworth Weekly News editor, Doug Golby was also returned for the third time since 1995. Stalwart Pat Ryan, was back on the council after the lost nomination papers fiasco of 1999, came fourth in Abbey ward.
Kenilworth Regeneration Shock
The biggest shock of the election was Independent candidate, Trevor Martin, who stood on a ticket of ‘Kenilworth Regeneration’, coming third in St John’s with 1157 votes . Mr Martin, of Bullimore Grove, did not expect to be elected and it was not only a shock to himself but to many others as well. He admitted that his legs were a bit wobbly when he heard the results come through. He was the first ever Independent candidate to be elected to the town council. The last time any Independent sat in Kenilworth was way back in 1964, when it was the old KUDC.
During his campaign, Mr. Martin wasted several days taking down posters that were later found to be legal. He was informed that his leaflets that he had placed in shop windows were not allowed, as ‘fly-posting’ was an offence. It later transpired that it was legal for him to display his posters in shop windows. Gillian Friar, from the election office at Warwick District Council said; “The Electoral Commission said that it was not infact an offence, because the businesses were private premises and he had asked personally to display the leaflets”. She added; “You can’t fly-post and the other parties thought this was unfair, but the commission said Mr. Martin wasn’t breaking any rules”.
But Mr. Martin’s initial elation then turned to frustration after only one council meeting. The meeting was only to decide on planning applications and who serves on the various committees. Mr. Martin left the meeting feeling very angry and disappointed. He believes that procedure and red-tape is already preventing him from starting work on the regeneration of Kenilworth town centre.
From Labour to the Elderly
One other Independent who stood in St John’s was Chris Edgerton, a former Abbey High school pupil, who ran on a ticket of ’24/7 Care for The Elderly’. This was due to him becoming a full-time carer for his mother and all the issues that come along with it. He is a familar name in Kenilworth town elections, normally as a Labour candidate. But he had resigned his membership in protest of the Iraq war. He said “Many people have left the Labour party but its difficult to say how I would have done if I was still a member”.
The Green’s Arrive in Kenilworth
The Green Party stood for the very first time in a Town Council election with two candidates, Pippa Austin and Caryll Green, but both came near the bottom of the pile in St John’s. But who knows what the future may bring for the party. Maybe in 20 years time, they could even be in control of the council?
Kenilworth Town Councillors
12 Conservatives (M. Coker, D. Coker, A. Cockburn, S. Harrison, F. Bunker, P. Edwards, R. Davies, N. Vincent, G. Windybank, U. Durrant, J. Hatfield, G. Illingworth)
4 Liberal Democrats (P. Ryan, A. Blacklock, D. Shilton, D. Golby)
1 Independent (T. Martin)
Mayors
2003-04 Douglas Golby
2004-05 Pauline Edwards
2005-06 Norman Vincent
2006-07 Michael Coker
Town Clerk – Susan Howell