2004 Fareham Borough Council election

← 2002 10 June 2004 2006 →
15 of 31 seats toFareham Borough Council 16 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Seats before 17 13 Seats won 12 3 Seat change 4 3 Popular vote 18,885 11,185 Percentage 55.4% 32.8% Swing 7.2% 4.6%
Council control before election Conservatives Council control after election Conservatives

The2004 Fareham Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members ofFarehamBorough Council inHampshire, England. Half of the council was up for election, with theConservative Party increasing their majority.^[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

• Conservative 22
• Liberal Democrat 9^[2]

Before the election there were 18 Conservative and 12Liberal Democratcouncillors, with 15 of the 31 seats being contested.^[3] One of the 15 seats, inFareham Southward, was vacant after anindependent, former Liberal Democrat, councillor had stepped down, after being fined for false housing andcouncil tax benefit claims.^[3] Fareham South was among a number of wards which were reported as being vulnerable to a change in party control including Fareham East, Fareham North,Portchester West,Stubbington andTitchfield Common.^[3] A couple of former councillors who had been defeated in the2002 election stood again, formerLabour group leader Mick Prior in Fareham North-West and Conservative Nick Walker in Portchester West.^[3]

Issues in the election included council tax levels and plans by the government to build 1,000 houses nearSarisbury.^[3] The national issue of theIraq War was also seen as being likely to sway votes in the election.^[3]

The results saw the Conservatives increase their majority on the council after gaining 3 seats from the Liberal Democrats.^[4] Conservative gains included Stubbington where they won by only 8 votes over the Liberal Democrats after a recount and in Portchester West where Nick Walker returned to the council.^[5] The Conservatives also gained a seat in Fareham South from an independent in a seat which had previously been seen as strongly Liberal Democrat.^[5] The Liberal Democrats partly blamed their defeats on the election being held at the same time as theEuropean elections, while a defeated Labour candidate said their failure to win any seats was in line with the national performance by the party.^[5]

Overallturnout increased to 40.3% with a rise inpostal votes to 6,000 contributing to the increase.^[6]

• Fareham Borough Council elections
• 2004 English local elections
• 2000s in Hampshire

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
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