1997 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election

The 1997 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election took place on 1 May 1997, to elect all 40 members in 19 wards for Bracknell Forest Borough Council in England. The election was held on the same day as both the 1997 United Kingdom general election and other local elections in England as part of the 1997 United Kingdom local elections, resulting in a much higher turnout of 75% compared to 1995. With the planned abolition of Berkshire County Council, Bracknell Forest would see itself transition from a district council to a unitary authority a year into the new term. Despite the landslide victory of the Labour Party in the general election, Bracknell Forest emerged as the only council in the United Kingdom to switch from outright Labour control to outright Conservative control, with the Conservative Party gaining a majority of 6. The Liberal Democrats were wiped out.

1997 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election

← 1995 1 May 1997 (1997-05-01) 2000 →
All 40 seats to Bracknell Forest Borough Council 21 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	75%[1]
First party Second party Third party   Con Lab LD Leader Paul Bettison Austin McCormack David Neighbour[2] Party Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats Leader's seat Little Sandhurst Wildridings College Town (lost re-election) Last election 12 22 6 Seats won 23 17 0 Seat change 11 5 6 Popular vote 25,438 17,751 11,857 Percentage 44.7% 31.2% 20.8% Swing 7.1% 7.6% 1.6%
Council control before election Labour Council control after election Conservative

Part of the reason for such a dramatic switch was ascribed to the presence of a 'New Labour' slate of candidates.^[3][4] Irrespective of its name, it was not connected to the New Labour movement, but was led by former Labour group leader John Tompkins. In two wards, where the Conservatives gained 3 councillors from Labour, the margin of victory was smaller than the vote share of the 'New Labour' candidates. The local Labour Party argued that the similarity of the 'New Labour' name amounted to an attempt at confusing voters and investigated legal action. Former Conservative council leader Alan Ward, who won re-election in Central Sandhurst, surmised that the national Labour Party - both euphoric and preoccupied by its win of government - was not interested in pursuing the case, and the election results were allowed to stand.^[5] This would be the start of a 26-year Conservative reign, headed by Paul Bettison, that would only end in 2023.

Results summary

1997 Bracknell Forest Borough Council election

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Conservative	23	11	0	11	57.5	44.7	25,438
	Labour	17	0	5	5	42.5	31.2	17,751
	Liberal Democrats	0	0	6	6	0.0	20.8	11,857
	New Labour	0	0	0	0	0.0	2.2	1,251
	Independent	0	0	0	0	0.0	1.1	642

Ward results

An asterisk (*) denotes an incumbent councillor standing for re-election

Ascot

Ascot (3)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Anne Kay Haydon	2,955	51.3	+17.4
	Conservative	Hilary Doyle*	2,928
	Conservative	Dorothy Andrea Susan Hayes*	2,893
	Liberal Democrats	Frances Sophia Farrelly	1,433	24.9	−8.1
	Labour	Lucy Mary Norman	1,376	23.9	−9.2
	Liberal Democrats	Susan Jane Simmonds	1,358
	Liberal Democrats	Anthony Francis Harradine	1,343
	Labour	John James Harding	1,295
	Labour	John Kenneth Wright	1,206
Turnout				69.7	+38.7
Registered electors			8,267
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing

Binfield

Binfield (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Terry Mills	2,059	50.7	+2.9
	Conservative	John Bruce Harrison	1,996
	Labour	Robert Martin Woodrow	915	22.5	−9.8
	Labour	Edwin Lloyd Glasson	877
	Liberal Democrats	Bernard Walter Yoxall	721	17.8	−2.1
	Independent	Kenneth Charles Bennett	363	8.9	New
	Independent	Geoffrey Howard Taylor*[n 1]	281
Turnout				76.3	+40.4
Registered electors			5,384
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bullbrook

Bullbrook (3)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Patrick Joseph Ryan*	1,267	36.1	−8.4
	Conservative	Gareth Michael Barnard	1,233	35.1	+3.4
	Conservative	James Michael Barry Egan*	1,225
	Labour	Robert Edward Draper*	1,214
	Labour	Michael John Salter	1,144
	Conservative	Jones A. Ms.	1,135
	Liberal Democrats	Lesley Marion Boyd	807	23.0	−0.8
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Hedley Barker	770
	Liberal Democrats	Ronald Henry Hanson	690
	New Labour	Carole Ann Hall	204	5.8	New
	New Labour	Neil Albert Tomkins	170
	New Labour	Peter John Hall	166
Turnout				72.6	+30.9
Registered electors			5,105
	Labour hold		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Central Sandhurst

Central Sandhurst (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Laurie North*	1,368	56.5	+12.4
	Conservative	Alan Frederick Ward*	1,245
	Liberal Democrats	Raymond William Earwicker	608	25.1	−16.5
	Liberal Democrats	John Mark Nicholson	596
	Labour	Jillian Irene Ryan	348	14.4	+0.1
	Labour	Edward Geary	286
	New Labour	Peter John Woodburn Darke	97	4.0	New
Turnout				76.8	+29.9
Registered electors			3,159
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

College Town

College Town (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Andrew (Andy) Duncan Blatchford	1,219	46.7	+15.9
	Conservative	Raymond Simonds	1,142
	Liberal Democrats	Veronica Anne Sullivan*	993	38.1	−14.6
	Liberal Democrats	David Alan Neighbour*	982
	Labour	Ian Plested	397	15.2	−1.3
	Labour	Alexandra Denise Tidd	381
Turnout				69.7	+36.0
Registered electors			4,138
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing

Cranbourne

Cranbourne

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Mary Patricia Ballin*	503	67.2	+8.7
	Labour	Anthony Malcolm House	246	32.8	−8.7
Turnout				70.0	+35.3
Registered electors			1,089
	Conservative hold		Swing

Crowthorne

Crowthorne (3)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	James George Finnie*	1,461	46.8	+8.1
	Conservative	Robert Hugh Wade	1,228
	Conservative	John (Cliff) Clifton Thompson	1,172
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Pope*	949	30.4	−12.8
	Liberal Democrats	Christopher Robin Sexton	908
	Liberal Democrats	David James Maxwell*	890
	Labour	Roy John Bailey	712	22.8	+4.7
	Labour	Daphne Elizabeth Sandiford	647
	Labour	Sylvia Maria Ruth Trevis	588
Turnout				75.6	+34.0
Registered electors			4,175
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Garth

Garth (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Dennis Rueben Good*	1,027	47.1	−8.8
	Labour	Steven Paul Taylor*	999
	Conservative	Jacqueline Doris Sylvia Ryder	786	36.1	+1.9
	Conservative	Beatrice Helen Brown	683
	Liberal Democrats	Robert David Maxwell	269	12.3	+2.4
	New Labour	Janette Mary Tompkins	97	4.5	New
	New Labour	Jean Oxenbury	64
Turnout				76.4	+25.7
Registered electors			2,929
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Great Hollands North

Great Hollands North (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Jeananne Margaret Shillcock*	1,168	45.3	−17.2
	Labour	Langdon Richard Jones*	1,160
	Conservative	Betty Anne Nicholls	961	37.2	−0.3
	Conservative	Marilyn Denise Edmeades	910
	Liberal Democrats	Polly Martin	452	17.5	New
Turnout				73.8	+30.4
Registered electors			3,628
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Great Hollands South

Great Hollands South (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Michael John Adams*	1,063	43.3	−3.1
	Conservative	Robert Angell	991	40.4	+0.6
	Labour	Stephen William King*	975
	Conservative	Janice Ann Angell	948
	Liberal Democrats	John Alexander Shepherd	399	16.3	+2.5
Turnout				69.9	+28.4
Registered electors			3,599
	Labour hold		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Hanworth

Hanworth (3)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George William Bayle	1,953	44.9	−6.4
	Labour	Janet Hazel Keene*	1,869
	Labour	Tom Wheaton*	1,853
	Conservative	Martin William Wallace	1,585	36.4	+3.8
	Conservative	Alan Sydney Browne	1,581
	Conservative	Diana Simone Olivia Henfrey	1,524
	Liberal Democrats	Geoffrey Noel Le-Patourel	816	18.7	+2.7
Turnout				74.2	+32.2
Registered electors			6,168
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Harmans Water

Harmans Water (3)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William James Ernest Onions*	2,033	39.5	−11.8
	Conservative	Shelagh Rosemary Pile	1,801	35.0	−0.3
	Conservative	Jean Amy Sutcliffe	1,721
	Labour	Stanley Charles Simmonds*	1,667
	Conservative	Alexander John Wood	1,607
	Labour	Graham Edward Stuart Vertigen	1,584
	Liberal Democrats	Alan Edward Cocks	847	16.5	+3.1
	New Labour	Deborah Rose Simmonds	461	9.0	New
	New Labour	Kevin Anthony Philip Simmonds	367
Turnout				72.9	+32.6
Registered electors			6,351
	Labour hold		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Little Sandhurst

Little Sandhurst (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Paul David Bettison*	1,291	55.0	+7.0
	Conservative	Dale Philip Birch*	1,220
	Liberal Democrats	John Richard Score	618	26.3	−0.4
	Liberal Democrats	Nicholas Beresford Taylor	574
	Labour	Clive Urquhart	439	18.7	−6.6
	Labour	Susan Dorothy Gurran	415
Turnout				77.8	+35.4
Registered electors			3,186
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Old Bracknell

Old Bracknell (3)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Michael John Beadsley	1,368	43.9	−16.4
	Labour	Hirst B. Ms.*	1,309
	Labour	Donald Anthony Veakins*	1,196
	Conservative	Elizabeth Regina Mary Ashcroft	1,055	33.8	+6.9
	Conservative	Isabel Margaret Mattick	1,034
	Conservative	Christopher Richard Martin Turrell	950
	Liberal Democrats	John Edward Roffey	520	16.7	+3.9
	New Labour	John Lewis	174	5.6	New
	New Labour	Roderick Alan Lewis	170
	New Labour	Nicola Metcalfe	169
Turnout				75.1	+29.6
Registered electors			4,055
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Owlsmoor

Owlsmoor

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David James Worrall	1,480	49.7	+12.2
	Liberal Democrats	Reginald Peter John Hodge*	948	31.8	−14.5
	Labour	Andrew Douglas Annette	551	18.5	+2.3
Turnout				73.6	+36.3
Registered electors			4,152
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing

Priestwood

Priestwood (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Juliet Mary Clifford*	930	43.9	+2.5
	Labour	David John Fawcett*	798
	Conservative	Veronica Carol Lewin	544	25.7	−0.2
	Conservative	Arthur George Thomson	469
	Independent	Raymond Frederick Ackary	279	13.2	New
	Liberal Democrats	Stanley James Southgate	228	10.8	+3.5
	New Labour	John William Tomkins	136	6.4	New
	New Labour	John Joseph Oxenbury	98
Turnout				76.4	+27.9
Registered electors			2,929
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

St. Marys

St. Marys

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Anthony Flood*	962	70.5	+3.3
	Liberal Democrats	Muriel Evelyn Holburn	252	18.5	New
	Labour	Carol Ann Draper	151	11.1	−21.7
Turnout				79.4	+46.3
Registered electors			1,733
	Conservative hold		Swing

Warfield

Warfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Michael Sargeant*	2,572	59.8	+4.1
	Labour	Patricia Eira Brown	986	22.9	+2.6
	Liberal Democrats	Martyn Jon Towle	744	17.3	−6.6
Turnout				77.4	+45.2
Registered electors			5,657
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wildridings

Wildridings (2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Austin John McCormack*	821	46.4	−8.6
	Labour	Philip Grayson*	754
	Conservative	Margaret Rose Wreglesworth	612	34.6	+1.1
	Conservative	Noel William Wreglesworth	553
	Liberal Democrats	Laurence Gerard John Gallagher	253	14.3	+2.8
	New Labour	Jonathan Paul Tompkins	82	4.6	New
	New Labour	Simon Peter Brooks	52
Turnout				77.9	+25.9
Registered electors			2,203
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

By-elections

Harmans Water

Harmans Water By-Election 25 February 1999^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Roy John Bailey	876	50.2	+10.7
	Conservative	Christopher Richard Martin Turrell	765	43.9	+8.9
	Liberal Democrats	Alan Edward Cocks	103	5.9	−10.6
Majority			111	6.3
Turnout			1,744
Registered electors
	Labour hold		Swing

Great Hollands South

Great Hollands South By-Election 19 November 1998^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Stefan Piasecki	638	62.2	+18.9
	Conservative	Diana Simone Olivia Henfrey	329	32.1	−8.3
	Liberal Democrats	David James Maxwell	58	5.7	−10.6
Majority			309	30.1
Turnout			1,025
Registered electors
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+13.6

Footnotes

1. Taylor was elected as a Conservative Party candidate in 1995.