News Archive - One seat changes hand in elections

The Conservative Party still control Thurrock Council - although their majority has slipped slightly.

They successfully defended all but one of the eight Conservative seats up for election on Thursday (4 May), while the Labour Party held all of theirs and gained one - West Thurrock and South Stifford ward.

Former council leader Andy Smith regained the ward for Labour and the Conservatives were knocked back into third place behind the British National Party (BNP) who were just 16 votes behind Cllr Smith.

The BNP also pushed the Conservatives into third place in Tilbury St Chad's and Belhus wards, although Labour's winning margin in each was in excess of 200 votes.

But the biggest cheer of the night came at 2.30am when the final result was announced.

Labour had gained a Conservative seat in The Homesteads ward in a by-election late last year. But in the early hours of Friday (5 May) John Everett successfully defended his seat for the Conservatives, securing his party an overall majority on the council of three seats.

The closest fight of the night came in the Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park ward where all three candidates were separated by just 57 votes, Labour's Bukky Okunade holding on to the seat from Independent (and former Labour man) Rick Southam.

The Conservatives now have 26 seats on Thurrock Council, Labour have 21 and Independents hold two.

The full results from Thursday's poll in Thurrock were:

Aveley & Uplands Ward
Wendy Herd* (Conservative)941
Martin Healy (Labour) 509
Dean Hall (Green Party) 202
John Livermore (Liberal Democrat) 173
Majority432
Turnout29%

Belhus Ward
Peter Maynard* (Labour) 726
John Cotter (British National Party) 524
Edward Woods (Conservative) 499
Majority202
Turnout26.60%

Chadwell St. Mary Ward
Marion Canavon* (Labour) 928
Amanda Redsell (Conservative) 648
Dave Strickson (British National Party) 598
Peter Saunders (Liberal Democrat) 237
Majority280
Turnout28%

Grays Riverside Ward
Carl Morris* (Labour) 765
Allan Edwards (Conservative) 501
Emma Colgate (British National Party) 487
Majority264
Turnout25%

Grays Thurrock Ward
Peter Harris* (Labour) 987
Sharon Ponder (Conservative) 876
Bryn Robinson (British National Party) 411
Danbir Bhullar (Independent) 77
Majority111
Turnout37%

Little Thurrock Blackshots Ward
Benjamin Maney* (Conservative) 1081
Clinton Sear(Labour) 363
David Coward (Liberal Democrat) 224
Majority 718
Turnout37.70%

Little Thurrock Rectory Ward
Robert Gledhill* (Conservative) 978
Gabriel Olufemi (Labour) 454
Majority524
Turnout28%

Ockendon Ward
Barrie Lawrence* (Labour) 916
Susan Sibthorpe (Conservative) 791
Ian Burgess (Green Party) 321
Majority125
Turnout30%

Orsett Ward
Michael Revell* (Conservative) 1379
Julian Norris (Labour) 297
John Tunbridge (Liberal Democrat) 204
Majority1082
Turnout44%

South Chafford Ward
Tunde Ojetola* (Conservative) 539
Earnshaw Palmer (Liberal Democrat) 354
Oliver Gerrish (Labour) 268
Majority185
Turnout25%

Stanford East & Corringham Town Ward
Phillip Smith* (Labour) 939
Kay Mangion (Conservative) 847
Christopher Roberts (British National Party) 548
Majority 92
Turnout36%

Stifford Clays Ward
Maureen Pearce* (Conservative) 829
Gerard Rice (Labour) 795
Derrick Harris (Liberal Democrat) 296
Majority 34
Turnout41%

The Homesteads Ward
John Everett* (Conservative) 1061
Anthony Sharp (Labour) 860
Paul Riley (Liberal Democrat) 561
Majority 201
Turnout37.30%

Tilbury Riverside & Thurrock Park Ward
Bukky Okunade* (Labour) 392
Rick Southam (Independent) 345
Paul Coutts (Conservative) 335
Majority 47
Turnout25%

Tilbury St Chad's Ward
Richard Bingley* (Labour) 558
Nicholas Geri (British National Party) 316
Lee Dove (Conservative) 157
John-Paul Garner (Independent) 139
Majority242
Turnout28.80%

West Thurrock & South Stifford Ward
Andy Smith** (Labour) 608
Michael White (British National Party)592
Stuart St Clair-Haslam (Conservative) 471
Majority 16
Turnout28.8%

Key: * seat held for party; ** seat gained