Fenland District Council elections

Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2023, the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 18 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors.^[1]

Fenland rejected the introduction of a directly elected mayor by 17,296 votes to 5,509, on a turnout of just under 34%, in a referendum held in July 2005.^[2]

Council elections

Election	Conservative	Labour	Liberal Democrat^[a]	Green	Others	Total
Election						Total
1973^[3]^[4]	20	8	0	0	12	40
1976^[3]^[5]	27	8	1	0	4	40^[b]
1979^[3]	24	6	3	0	7	40
1983^[3]^[6]	22	8	6	0	4	40
1987^[3]^[7]	25	4	6	0	5	40
1991^[3]^[8]	27	6	2	0	5	40^[c]
1995^[9]	14	21	2	0	3	40
1999^[10]^[11]	28	7	1	0	3	40^[d]
2003^[12]	36	3	0	0	1	40^[e]
2007^[13]	39	0	0	0	1	40
2011^[14]	34	0	2	0	4	40
2015	34	0	2	0	3	39^[f]
2019^[15]	26	0	2	1	10	39
2023^[16]	35	0	2	0	6	43^[g]

Composition since 1973

1973

1976

1979

1983

1987

1991

1995

1999

2003

2007

2011

2015

2019

2023

Notes:

^ Liberal Party prior to 1982, SDP-Liberal Alliance from 1982 to 1988.
^ New ward boundaries: The District of Fenland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975.
^ Minor alterations to district boundaries: The Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire (County Boundaries) Order 1989 and The Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk (County Boundaries) Order 1990.
^ One seat was left vacant at this election.
^ New ward boundaries: The District of Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2002.
^ New ward boundaries: The Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2014.
^ New ward boundaries: The Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2023.

District result maps

2003 results map
2007 results map
2011 results map
2015 results map
2019 results map
2023 results map

By-election results

1995-1999

Manea By-Election 6 March 1997
Party		Votes	%
	Conservative	278	50.1
	Labour	133	24.0
	Independent	98	17.6
	Liberal Democrats	46	8.2
Majority		145	26.1
Turnout		555	50.6
	Conservative gain from Labour	Swing

Leverington By-Election 31 July 1997
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	434	56.7	+10.8
	Labour	252	32.9	−21.2
	Independent	79	10.3	+10.3
Majority		182	23.8
Turnout		765	24.4
	Conservative gain from Labour	Swing

March West By-Election 31 July 1997
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Labour	574	50.6	−0.3
	Conservative	561	49.4	+0.3
Majority		13	1.2
Turnout		1,135	27.7
	Labour hold	Swing

March East By-Election 30 October 1997
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Labour	707	59.4	+8.2
	Conservative	483	40.6	+10.0
Majority		224	18.8
Turnout		1,190
	Labour hold	Swing

1999-2003

Manea By-Election 24 June 1999
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	298	71.8	+71.8
	Labour	57	13.7	−37.3
	Liberal Democrats	42	10.1	−38.9
	Independent Labour	18	4.3	+4.3
Majority		241	58.1
Turnout		415	37.6
	Conservative gain from Labour	Swing

March East By-Election 7 June 2001
Party		Votes	%
	Labour	1,596	49.6
	Conservative	1,366	42.4
	Liberal Democrats	258	8.0
Majority		230	7.2
Turnout		3,220
	Labour gain from Conservative	Swing

Whittlesey Bassenhally By-Election 12 July 2001
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	402	49.2	+2.0
	Liberal Democrats	343	42.0	−0.8
	Labour	72	8.8	−1.2
Majority		59	7.2
Turnout		817	25.7
	Conservative hold	Swing

Wisbech South West By-Election 26 July 2001
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	546	65.4	+20.5
	Labour	289	34.6	+10.1
Majority		257	30.8
Turnout		835	16.5
	Conservative hold	Swing

2003-2007

Roman Bank By-Election 30 September 2004
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Hatton	501	50.2	−21.9
	Liberal Democrats	Maddy Forster	254	25.5	+25.5
	Independent		155	15.5	+15.5
	Labour		88	8.8	−19.1
Majority			247	24.7
Turnout			998	21.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Manea By-Election 2 February 2006^[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Robert Sears	264	45.0
	Liberal Democrats	Christopher Howes	136	23.2
	Independent	Mark Archer	136	23.2
	Independent	Stephen Wilson	39	6.6
	Labour	Richard Hibbert	12	2.0
Majority			128	21.8
Turnout			587	42.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Slade Lode By-Election 13 July 2006^[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Florence Newell	259	57.2	+17.8
	Liberal Democrats	Christopher Howes	194	42.8	+12.0
Majority			65	14.4
Turnout			453	26.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

2007-2011

Parsons Drove and Wisbech St Mary By-Election 3 April 2008^[19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Phil Wait	646	61.8
	Labour	Dave Goode	191	18.3
	Independent	Paul Carpenter	119	11.4
	UKIP	Paul Clapp	55	5.3
	Liberal Democrats	Chris Howes	35	3.3
Majority			455	43.5
Turnout			1,046
	Conservative hold		Swing

Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary By-Election 11 December 2008^[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Robert Scrimshaw	512	50.6
	Liberal Democrats	Gavin Booth	208	20.6
	Labour	Dave Goode	190	18.8
	Green	Paul Carpenter	101	10.0
Majority			304	30.0
Turnout			1,011
	Conservative hold		Swing

March West By-Election 8 October 2009^[21]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Count	803	53.9	−5.2
	Labour	Martin Field	460	29.9	+29.9
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Elliott	250	16.2	−24.7
Majority			370	24.0
Turnout			1,540	28
	Conservative hold		Swing

The Mills By-Election 4 March 2010^[22]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Chambers	301	45.9	−11.2
	Liberal Democrats	Christopher Howes	264	40.2	−2.7
	UKIP	Sandra Rylance	58	8.8	+8.8
	Labour	Max Kelly	33	5.0	+5.0
Majority			37	5.7
Turnout			656	31.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wisbech Kirkgate By-Election 15 April 2010^[23]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	Dave Patrick	287	51.3
	Conservative	Steve Tierney	145	25.9
	Labour	Barry Diggle	74	13.2
	UKIP	Paul Clapp	54	9.6
Majority			142	25.4
Turnout			560	31.1
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing

2011-2015

Staithe By-Election 22 September 2011^[24]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Hodgson	228	42.0	−13.1
	Labour	John White	166	30.6	+1.8
	Liberal Democrats	Robert McLaren	90	16.6	+16.6
	UKIP	Will Schooling	39	7.2	−8.9
	Independent	Phil Webb	20	3.7	+3.7
Majority			62	11.4
Turnout			543	28.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

St Marys By-Election 25 October 2012^[25]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gary Swan	397	62.5	+16.5
	Independent	Roy Gerstner	160	25.2	−15.7
	Labour	Colin Gale	78	12.3	+12.3
Majority			237	37.3
Turnout			635
	Conservative hold		Swing

Hill By-Election 17 January 2013^[26]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Samantha Hoy	319	59.7	+1.3
	Labour	Dean Reeves	110	20.6	−6.2
	Independent	John White	105	19.7	+19.7
Majority			209	39.1
Turnout			534
	Conservative hold		Swing

Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary By-Election 28 March 2013^[27]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Broker	384	44.1	−3.0
	Liberal Democrats	Mary Lane	240	27.6	−8.5
	UKIP	Alan Lay	214	24.6	+24.6
	English Democrat	Maria Goldspink	33	3.8	+3.8
Majority			144	16.5
Turnout			871
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elm and Christchurch By-Election 9 December 2013^[28]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michelle Tanfield	301	43.9	−13.1
	UKIP	Alan Burbridge	234	34.1	+34.1
	Independent	Phil Webb	73	10.6	+10.6
	Labour	Dean Reeves	51	7.4	−10.3
	Liberal Democrats	Trevor Brookman	27	3.9	−5.6
Majority			67	9.8
Turnout			686
	Conservative hold		Swing

Roman Bank By-Election 8 May 2014^[29]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Samantha Clark	763	48.1	−8.8
	UKIP	Alan Lay	537	33.8	+33.8
	Labour	Barry Diggle	193	12.2	−14.5
	Independent	Erbie Murat	70	4.4	+4.4
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Court	24	1.5	−14.9
Majority			226	14.2
Turnout			1,587
	Conservative hold		Swing

Medworth By-Election 16 October 2014^[30]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Steve Tierney	257	44.6	−14.5
	UKIP	Andrew Hunt	201	34.9	+34.9
	Labour	Kathy Dougall	79	13.7	−17.8
	Liberal Democrats	Josie Ratcliffe	24	4.2	−5.2
	Independent	Erbie Murat	15	2.6	+2.6
Majority			56	9.7
Turnout			576
	Conservative hold		Swing

2015-2019

Birch By-Election 21 June 2018^[31]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ian Benney	326	62.1	+5.9
	Liberal Democrats	Helena Minton	113	21.5	+6.9
	Independent	Steve Nicholson	86	16.4	+16.4
Majority			213	40.6
Turnout			525
	Conservative hold		Swing

2019-2023

Lattersey By-Election 6 May 2021^[32]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jason Mockett	449	62.7	−3.6
	Labour	Jes Hibbert	267	37.3	+3.6
Majority			182	25.4
Turnout			716
	Conservative hold		Swing

2023-2027

Whittlesey South By-Election 4 July 2024^[33]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Gurninder Singh Gill	988	47.0
	Independent	Martin Curtis	841	40.0
	Workers Party	Clayton Payne	274	13.0
Majority			147	7.0
Turnout			2,103
	Conservative hold		Swing

References

^ "The Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/48, retrieved 15 June 2023
^ "Result: Mayoral Referendum". Fenland Citizen. 18 July 2005. Retrieved 13 September 2011.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Local elections in Britain: a statistical digest, edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. 1993
^ The Times reported this election result as Conservative 18, Labour 8, Independent 14. "Liberals capture Eastbourne and exceed ambition to win 1,000 loval government seats". The Times. 9 June 1973.
^ "Heavy Labour losses in district polls". The Times. 8 May 1976.
^ The Times reported this election result as Conservative 19, Labour 8, Liberal 4, SDP 2, Independent 7. "How votes were cast in local government elections". The Times. 7 May 1983.
^ "Results in Thursday's local elections". The Times. 9 May 1987.
^ The Times reported this election result as Conservative 28, Labour 6, Liberal Democrat 2, Independent 4. "Complete round-up of results from Thursday's local council elections". The Times. 4 May 1991.
^ "Complete list of results from Thursday's council elections". The Times. 6 May 1995. p. 10.
^ "How the Nations Voted". The Times. 8 May 1999.
^ "Fenland". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
^ "Fenland". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
^ "Fenland". BBC News. 5 May 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
^ "Fenland". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
^ "Fenland". BBC News. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
^ "Fenland". BBC News. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
^ "Comfortable winner Sears". Cambs Times. 10 February 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
^ Rory, Carroll (19 July 2006). "Election: Florence back on council". Fenland Citizen.
^ "Convincing win for Conservatives". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. 12 April 2008.
^ "Result of Poll Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary Ward". Fenland District Council. Archived from the original on 26 April 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
^ "Tories keep it 39 out of 40 with decisive by election contest for Fenland District Council". The Cambs Times. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Declaration of Result - The Mills Ward of Fenland District Council". Fenland District Council. Retrieved 5 March 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Dave Patrick stuns Tories and wins Wisbech seat on Fenland District Council for Lib Dems". Wisbech Standard. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Tories retain Staithe seat on Fenland Council despite 7% swing towards Labour". Wisbech Standard. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — St Marys Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Hill Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Elm and Christchurch Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Roman Bank Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Medworth Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Birch Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Lattersey Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Whittlesey South Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2024.

By-election results Archived 29 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Fenland District Council

[3] Liberal Party prior to 1982, SDP-Liberal Alliance from 1982 to 1988.

[7] New ward boundaries: The District of Fenland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975.

[11] Minor alterations to district boundaries: The Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire (County Boundaries) Order 1989 and The Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk (County Boundaries) Order 1990.

[15] One seat was left vacant at this election.

[17] New ward boundaries: The District of Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2002.

[20] New ward boundaries: The Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2014.

[23] New ward boundaries: The Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2023.

[1] "The Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/48, retrieved 15 June 2023

[referendum-2] "Result: Mayoral Referendum". Fenland Citizen. 18 July 2005. Retrieved 13 September 2011.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[rallings-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Local elections in Britain: a statistical digest, edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. 1993

[5] The Times reported this election result as Conservative 18, Labour 8, Independent 14. "Liberals capture Eastbourne and exceed ambition to win 1,000 loval government seats". The Times. 9 June 1973.

[6] "Heavy Labour losses in district polls". The Times. 8 May 1976.

[8] The Times reported this election result as Conservative 19, Labour 8, Liberal 4, SDP 2, Independent 7. "How votes were cast in local government elections". The Times. 7 May 1983.

[9] "Results in Thursday's local elections". The Times. 9 May 1987.

[10] The Times reported this election result as Conservative 28, Labour 6, Liberal Democrat 2, Independent 4. "Complete round-up of results from Thursday's local council elections". The Times. 4 May 1991.

[12] "Complete list of results from Thursday's council elections". The Times. 6 May 1995. p. 10.

[13] "How the Nations Voted". The Times. 8 May 1999.

[14] "Fenland". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2017.

[16] "Fenland". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2017.

[18] "Fenland". BBC News. 5 May 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2017.

[19] "Fenland". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2017.

[21] "Fenland". BBC News. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.

[22] "Fenland". BBC News. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.

[sears-24] "Comfortable winner Sears". Cambs Times. 10 February 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2011.

[florence-25] Rory, Carroll (19 July 2006). "Election: Florence back on council". Fenland Citizen.

[convincing-26] "Convincing win for Conservatives". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. 12 April 2008.

[parson-27] "Result of Poll Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary Ward". Fenland District Council. Archived from the original on 26 April 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2009.

[march-28] "Tories keep it 39 out of 40 with decisive by election contest for Fenland District Council". The Cambs Times. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[mills-29] "Declaration of Result - The Mills Ward of Fenland District Council". Fenland District Council. Retrieved 5 March 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[stuns-30] "Dave Patrick stuns Tories and wins Wisbech seat on Fenland District Council for Lib Dems". Wisbech Standard. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[staithe-31] "Tories retain Staithe seat on Fenland Council despite 7% swing towards Labour". Wisbech Standard. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.

[32] "Local Elections Archive Project — St Marys Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[33] "Local Elections Archive Project — Hill Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[34] "Local Elections Archive Project — Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[35] "Local Elections Archive Project — Elm and Christchurch Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[36] "Local Elections Archive Project — Roman Bank Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[37] "Local Elections Archive Project — Medworth Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[38] "Local Elections Archive Project — Birch Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[39] "Local Elections Archive Project — Lattersey Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

[40] "Local Elections Archive Project — Whittlesey South Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2024.

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v t e Council elections in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021
Peterborough City Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1973 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
Cambridge City Council	1973 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
East Cambridgeshire District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Fenland District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Huntingdonshire District Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1973 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2022
South Cambridgeshire District Council	1973 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2022
Isle of Ely County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964
Huntingdon & Peterborough County Council	1967 1970 Abolished
Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough	2017 2021
See also: Wards Boundary changes