After the2007 election the Conservative Party took control as a minority administration after oneLiberal Democratcouncillor, Norah Goss, broke with her party to support the Conservatives.[3] However, at the February 2008 budget meeting, theLabour and Liberal Democrats joined together to take control from the Conservatives.[3]
The results saw the Conservative Party win a majority on the council for the first time since 1984.[4] The Conservatives gained 8 seats, 4 from Labour, 3 from the Liberal Democrats and 1 from anindependent.[5] Two 18-year-olds were among the Conservative winners, David Fuller taking Bitterne by 460 votes and Matthew Jones gainingPeartree by over 500 votes.[6][7] Meanwhile, both the Labour leader of the council, June Bridle, in Sholing[3] and the Liberal Democrat group leader, Adrian Vinson, in Portswood were among those who lost seats.[8] The Conservative gains meant that they won 15 of the 17 seats contested to take a 4-seat majority[8] with 26 seats, compared to 14 seats for Labour and 8 for the Liberal Democrats.[9] Overallturnout in the election was 29.7%, down on the 30.3% in 2007 and varying between a low of 16.1% inBargate and a high of 36.9% in Shirley.[10]
The Conservative election success was put down to a combination of a rejection of the pact between the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, anger at plans to charge people for parking outside their homes and the national issue of the abolition of the 10p rate ofincome tax.[8] The results were also seen as indications for the next general election, with projections that the Conservatives could gainSouthampton Test andSouthampton Itchen constituencies from Labour on swings of 15.9% and 18.9% respectively, based on the local election results.[11]
Following the election, Alec Samuels became the new Conservative leader of the council,[12] Richard Williams became leader of the Labour group[12] and Jill Baston took charge of the Liberal Democrat group.[13]
^Watt, Nicholas (2 May 2008). "Local elections: From south to north, seats fall to Cameron: Prediction that Tories will claim 44% of council vote, with Labour down to 24%".The Guardian. p. 6.
^Morris, Nigel (2 May 2008). "A result that puts Cameron on course for Downing Street".The Independent. p. 2.
^"Teenagers take Southampton".The Independent. 3 May 2008. p. 6.
^Barney, Katharine (2 May 2008). "Teenage politicians help turn a city blue".Evening Standard. p. 6.
