Commons (ward)

Commons is a ward of Christchurch, Dorset. Since 2019, the ward has elected 2 councillors to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.^[1]

Commons
ward Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
Boundary of Commons in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Major settlements	Jumpers Common, Hurn, East Parley and Parley Common
Current ward
Created	2019 (2019)
Councillor	Margaret Phipps (Independent)
Councillor	Vanessa Ricketts (Independent)
Created from	St Catherine's and Hum Jumpers
UK Parliament constituency	Christchurch

History

The ward comprises the former Christchurch Borough Council wards of St Catherine's & Hum and Jumpers now defunct Jumpers ward formerly elected 2 councillors to Christchurch Borough Council.

Geography

The ward covers the Jumpers Common and Fairmile areas of Christchurch. The southern border of the ward follows the River Stour. Other rural parts of the ward include; Hurn, East Parley and Parley Common. The ward is the largest in the council. Commons ward includes Bournemouth International Airport.

Councillors

Commons

Election	Councillors
2019		Colin Bungey (Independent)		Margaret Phipps (Independent)
2021 by-election		Vanessa Ricketts (Christchurch Independents)
2023				Margaret Phipps (Christchurch Independents)

Former Wards

St Catherine's and Hurn Ward

Election	Councillors
2003		David Fox (Conservative)		Susan Spittle (Conservative)
2007
2011		Tavis Fox (Conservative)
2015		Margaret Phipps (Conservative)

Jumpers

Election	Councillors
2003		Colin Bungey (Independent)		Robert McArthur (Independent)
2005 by-election
2007
2011
2015

Election results

2023

Commons

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	CI	Margaret Phipps‡	1,757	59.5	+9.4
	CI	Vanessa Helen Ricketts‡[a]	1,574	53.3	+1.4
	Conservative	Tara Jane Fox	414	14.0	±0.0
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Stuart Davies	380	12.9	−1.8
	Independent	Robin Thomas Adamson	355	12.0	N/A
	Green	Carol Ann Gardiner	310	10.5	N/A
	Labour	Peter Stokes	294	9.9	+2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Cat Gold	226	7.6	−5.0
	Conservative	Lynda Price	226	7.6	−5.3
Majority
Turnout			2,955	37.13
	CI hold		Swing
	CI hold		Swing

2021 by-election

The seat was won by independent candidate Vanessa Helen Ricketts.^[2]

Commons (1 seat of 2)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Christchurch Independents	Vanessa Helen Ricketts	1,310	44.67
	Conservative	Lisle Carol Smith	822	28.03
	Independent	Fred Neale	296	10.09
	Liberal Democrats	Carol Ann Gardiner	242	8.25
	Labour	Peter Stokes	214	7.29
	UKIP	Peter James Bailey	48	1.6
Majority
Total votes

2019

2019 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council election: Commons (2 seats)^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Colin Bungey	1,623	51.9
	Independent	Margaret Phipps	1,567	50.1
	No party description	Jim Biggin	469	15.0
	Liberal Democrats	Carol Gardiner	458	14.7
	Conservative	Victoria Hallam	438	14.0
	Conservative	Lisle Smith	403	12.9
	Liberal Democrats	Fenella Vick	394	12.6
	Labour	Peter Stokes	223	7.1
	Labour	Antoinette Pearce	208	6.7
Majority
Turnout			3,125	40.53%
	Independent win (new seat)
	Independent win (new seat)

2015

2015 Christchurch Borough Council election: Jumpers (2 seats)^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Colin Bungey	1,014
	Independent	Fred Neale	982
	Conservative	Norma Fox	678
	Conservative	Will Edwards	652
	Labour	Robin Thorpe	270
	Green	Robert Staite	214
	Labour	Howard Wortley	211
	Green	Nigel Ware	174
Turnout			4,195	70.5	+24.2
	Independent hold		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing

Notes

1. Elected in a by-election in May 2021