Guildford Borough Council elections

Guildford Borough Council in Surrey, England is elected every four years.

Council elections

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1973



1976



1979



1983



1987




1991



1995



1999



2003



2007




2011




2015



2019


2023



1973

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1973 Election[1]
Party Seats
Conservative 29
Labour 6
Liberal 5
Independent 2

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Artington, Compton, Puttenham, Seale and Tongham, Shackleford and Wanborough (2); Ash (5); Effingham (1); Merrow and Burpham (5); Normandy (1); Onslow (3); Pirbright (1); Ripley, Wisley and Ockham (1); Send (2); Shalford (1); Stoughton (2); Worplesdon (2)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Ward won by the Liberals – Friary and St Nicolas (3)

Ward won by Independents – Aldbury, Shere and St Martha's (2)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – East Clandon, West Clandon, East Horsley and West Horsley (3 – 2 Con; 1 Lib); Holy Trinity (2 – 1 Con, 1 Lib)

This was the first election of councillors for the new Guildford Borough Council formed as a successor to the Guildford Municipal Borough Council (the town council) and the Guildford Rural District Council.

There was a partial redrawing of ward boundaries and alteration of numbers of councillors elected per ward in the run up to the 1973 elections in Guildford. One example was Friary and St Nicolas which had been separate wards in the old Guildford Municipal Borough Council in 1972 but which were merged to form a new joint Friary and St Nicolas ward in time for these 1973 elections. A further redrawing of Guildford ward boundaries would occur in time for the next full council election in 1976.

1976

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1976 Election[2]
Party Seats
Conservative 35
Labour 6
Liberal 2
Independent 2

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash (3); Ash Vale (2); Christchurch (2); Clandon and Horsley (3); Effingham (1); Lovelace (1); Merrow and Burpham (3); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (2); Pirbright (1); Onslow (3); Send (2); Shalford (1); Stoughton (3); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Ward won by Independent Conservative – Tongham (1)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Friary and St Nicolas (3 – 2 Con, 1 Lib); Holy Trinity (2 – 1 Con, 1 Lib); Tillingbourne (2 – 1 Con, 1 Ind)

Guildford ward boundaries were redrawn in time for the 1976 council elections.[3] Changes included:

• Ash ward was split into two wards Ash plus Ash Vale;

• a new ward, Christchurch, was created from part of Stoke ward and part of Merrow and Burpham ward;

• Artington, Compton, Puttenham, Seale and Tongham, Shackleford and Wanborough ward was split into two wards Tongham plus Pilgrims;

• Aldbury, Shere and St Martha's ward was renamed Tillingbourne;

• East Clandon, West Clandon, East Horsley and West Horsley ward was renamed Clandon and Horsley; and

• Ripley, Wisley and Ockham ward was renamed Lovelace.

Both Pirbright and Lovelace wards had only one candidate who stood at the 1976 council elections. The respective candidate standing in each of these two wards was thus returned without the need for a vote.

1979

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1979 Election[4]
Party Seats
Conservative 34
Labour 6
Liberal 3
Independent 2

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash (3); Ash Vale (2); Christchurch (2); Clandon and Horsley (3); Effingham (1); Holy Trinity (2); Merrow and Burpham (3); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (2); Pirbright (1); Onslow (3); Send (2); Shalford (1); Tongham (1); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Ward won by Independent – Lovelace (1)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Friary and St Nicolas (3 – 2 Con, 1 Lib); Stoughton (3 – 1 Con, 2 Lib); Tillingbourne (2 – 1 Con, 1 Ind)

These 1979 council elections coincided with the general election resulting in a turnout of 74.8%. This contrasts with the turnout of 40–50% which occurred in every other full Guildford Borough Council election between 1973 and 1995.[5]

Send ward had only two candidates for the two council positions up for election in 1979. These two candidates were consequently returned without the need for a vote. This is the last time, to date (2015), that any ward in a full Guildford Borough Council election has returned councillors unopposed.

In 1979 Labour finished second in number of councillors and in percentage vote. In Guildford Borough Council elections following the 1979 one, Labour has, to date (2015), never again finished in the top two in either number of councillors or percentage vote.

1983

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1983 Election[6]
Party Seats
Conservative 31
Labour 6
SDP-Liberal Alliance 7
Independent 1

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash (3); Ash Vale (2); Christchurch (2); Clandon and Horsley (3); Effingham (1); Lovelace (1); Holy Trinity (2); Merrow and Burpham (3); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (2); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (1); Tongham (1); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Ward won by SDP-Liberal Alliance – Friary and St Nicolas (3)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Onslow (3 – 1 Con, 2 Alliance); Stoughton (3 – 1 Con, 2 Alliance); Tillingbourne (2 – 1 Con, 1 Ind)

The SDP was formed in 1981. The 1983 elections were the first full Guildford Borough Council elections fought by the new SDP-Liberal Alliance.

The 1983 elections saw every ward in Guildford contested by at least one Conservative candidate and at least one Labour candidate. The SDP-Liberal Alliance contested every ward in Guildford bar two Normandy and Tongham.

1987

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1987 Election[7]
Party Seats
Conservative 30
Labour 6
SDP-Liberal Alliance 9
Independent 0

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash (3); Ash Vale (2); Christchurch (2); Clandon and Horsley (3); Effingham (1); Lovelace (1); Holy Trinity (2); Merrow and Burpham (3); Pilgrims (2); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (1); Tillingbourne (2); Tongham (1); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Wards won by SDP-Liberal Alliance – Friary and St Nicolas (3); Normandy (1); Stoughton (3)

Ward electing councillors of more than one party – Onslow (3 – 1 Con, 2 Alliance)

In 1987, the Conservatives won their fifth successive Guildford Borough Council election.

1987 marked the low point for independents contesting Guildford Borough Council elections. There was only one independent candidate in any ward in Guildford. He stood in Worplesdon and finished in seventh place out of the ten candidates up for election in that ward; the top three getting elected.

Conservatives contested every ward in Guildford in this election. Labour contested every ward bar Shalford and the SDP-Liberal Alliance contested every ward except Tillingbourne.

Borough boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same.[8]

1991

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1991 Election[9]
Party Seats
Conservative 19
Labour 6
Liberal Democrats 19
Independent 1

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Clandon and Horsley (3); Effingham (1); Lovelace (1); Merrow and Burpham (3); Pilgrims (2); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (1); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Wards won by Liberal Democrats – Ash (3); Ash Vale (2); Friary and St Nicolas (3); Holy Trinity (2); Normandy (1); Onslow (3); Stoughton (3); Tongham (1)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Christchurch (2 – 1 Con, 1 LibD); Tillingbourne (2 – 1 Con, 1 Ind)

Between the 1987 and 1991 council elections the Liberals and SDP had merged. The new party was initially called the Social and Liberal Democrat Party, but was renamed the Liberal Democrat Party in the second half of 1989.

The 1991 council elections saw the Conservatives lose control of Guildford Borough Council for the first time since it was created in the early 1970s. Conservatives and Liberal Democrats ended up tied on 19 councillors each.

Each ward was contested by at least one Conservative and one Liberal Democrat candidate. Labour contested every ward bar two Lovelace and Pirbright. Ten wards, the eight town wards plus Shalford and Worplesdon, were contested by "All Night" candidates.

An independent was returned to the council representing Tillingbourne. At every full council election between 1973 and 2003, except 1987, Tillingbourne (and its predecessor Aldbury, Shere and St Martha's) returned at least one independent councillor. In 1987 no independent candidate had contested the election in Tillingbourne.

1995

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1995 Election[10]
Party Seats
Conservative 13
Labour 6
Liberal Democrats 23
Independent 3

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Clandon and Horsley (3); Effingham (1); Lovelace (1); Pilgrims (2); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (1)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Wards won by Liberal Democrats – Friary and St Nicolas (3); Holy Trinity (2); Merrow and Burpham (3); Normandy (1); Onslow (3); Stoughton (3); Tongham (1); Worplesdon (3)

Ward won by Putting Ash Vale First – Ash Vale (2)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Ash (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD); Christchurch (2 – 1 Con, 1 LibD); Tillingbourne (2 – 1 LibD, 1 Ind)

To date (2015), 1995 was the Conservatives worst ever electoral performance on Guildford Borough Council and the Liberal Democrats best. The Liberal Democrats won control of the council with a majority of 1.

In Ash Vale, a councillor who had been elected in 1991 as a Liberal Democrat, but had subsequently resigned from the party, stood and was elected along with another candidate under the banner "Putting Ash Vale First".

Borough boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same.[11]

1999

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1999 Election[12]
Party Seats
Conservative 17
Labour 6
Liberal Democrats 20
Independent 2

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash (3); Ash Vale (2); Clandon and Horsley (3); Effingham (1); Lovelace (1); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (2); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (1)

Wards won by Labour – Stoke (3); Westborough (3)

Wards won by Liberal Democrats – Friary and St Nicolas (3); Holy Trinity (2); Merrow and Burpham (3); Onslow (3); Stoughton (3); Worplesdon (3)

Ward won by independent – Tongham (1)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Christchurch (2 – 1 Con, 1 LibD); Tillingbourne (2 – 1 LibD, 1 Ind)

In 1999, for the first time the percentage turnout in a full Guildford Borough Council election fell below 40% as only 36.2% of people voted.[13]

1999 was the first election for Guildford Borough Council in which all three main political parties Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats each contested every ward.

The Liberal Democrats had lost majority control of Guildford Borough Council in February 1997 as a result of councillors resigning from the party.[14] Following the 1999 election the council remained no overall control with the Liberal Democrats as the largest group on the council.

2003

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2003 election Guildford Borough Council
2003 Election[15]
Party Seats
Conservative 26
Labour 2
Liberal Democrats 19
Independent 1

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash South & Tongham (3); Ash Vale (2); Ash Wharf (2); Clandon & Horsley (3); Lovelace (1); Merrow (3); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (1); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (2)

Ward won by Labour – Stoke (2)

Wards won by Liberal Democrats – Effingham (1); Friary and St Nicolas (3); Stoughton (3); Westborough (3); Worplesdon (3)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Burpham (2 – 1 Con, 1 LibD); Christchurch (2 – 1 Con, 1 LibD); Holy Trinity (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD); Onslow (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD); Tillingbourne (2 – 1 Con, 1 Ind)

The 2003 elections were conducted by an all postal ballot. Turnout at 53.4%[13] for the full council elections was above 50% for only the second time in Guildford Borough Council history, the other occasion being in 1979 when the elections were held on the same day as the general election.

Between 1976 and 1999 Guildford Borough Council had been divided into 21 wards with a total of 45 councillors. Rewarding, prior to the 2003 elections, saw the council divided into 22 wards with a total of 48 councillors.[16] Merrow and Burpham ward was divided into two wards Merrow ward and Burpham ward.

For only the second time all three main parties Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats each contested every ward in a full Guildford Borough Council election.

The Conservatives won control of the council with a majority of four.

Labour lost Westborough ward thus ending a period of continuous Labour representation for this ward since 1934.[17]

2007

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2007 election Guildford Borough Council
2007 Election[18]
Party Seats
Conservative 26
Labour 0
Liberal Democrats 22
Independent 0

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash South & Tongham (3); Ash Vale (2); Ash Wharf (2); Christchurch (2); Clandon & Horsley (3); Lovelace (1); Merrow (3); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (1); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (2); Tillingbourne (2)

Wards won by Liberal Democrats – Burpham (2); Effingham (1); Friary and St Nicolas (3); Onslow (3); Stoke (2); Stoughton (3); Westborough (3); Worplesdon (3)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Holy Trinity (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD)

The Conservatives retained control of the council in the 2007 elections with a majority of four over the Liberal Democrats; these being the only two groups with elected councillors in 2007. Labour lost their last two councillors. No independents were elected.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates contested every ward in Guildford. Labour did not contest seven wards Ash South & Tongham; Ash Vale; Ash Wharf; Effingham; Normandy; Pilgrims; and Pirbright.

2011

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2011 election Guildford Borough Council
2011 Election[19]
Party Seats
Conservative 34
Labour 2
Liberal Democrats 12
Independent 0

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash South & Tongham (3); Ash Vale (2); Ash Wharf (2); Burpham (2); Christchurch (2); Clandon & Horsley (3); Lovelace (1); Holy Trinity (3); Merrow (3); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (1); Pirbright (1); Send (2); Shalford (2); Tillingbourne (2); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won by Liberal Democrats – Effingham (1); Friary and St Nicolas (3); Stoughton (3)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Onslow (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD); Stoke (2 – 1Lab, 1LibD); Westborough (3 – 1Lab, 2LibD)

The Conservatives retained control of Guildford council with an increased majority of 20 seats. Labour returned to the council, after a four-year absence, with 2 seats.

Only the Conservatives contested every ward in Guildford, in 2011. The Liberal Democrats did not contest Ash South & Tongham or Ash Vale. Labour did not contest Ash Vale or Pirbright. A total of 9 candidates from the Peace Party contested wards in the west part of Guildford town. 5 wards were contested by UKIP candidates. 1 ward, Onslow, was contested by the Green Party. There was also one independent candidate, who stood in Normandy.

2015

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2015 election Guildford Borough Council
2015 Election[20]
Party Seats
Conservative 35
Labour 1
Liberal Democrats 9
Guildford Greenbelt 3
Independent 0

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won by the Conservatives – Ash South & Tongham (3); Ash Vale (2); Ash Wharf (2); Burpham (2); Christchurch (2); Holy Trinity (3); Merrow (3); Normandy (1); Pilgrims (1); Pirbright (1); Shalford (2); Tillingbourne (2); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won by Liberal Democrats – Effingham (1); Lovelace (1)

Wards won by Guildford Greenbelt Group - Send (2)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Clandon & Horsley (3 – 2 Con, 1 Guildford Greenbelt); Friary and St Nicolas (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD); Onslow (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD); Stoke (2 – 1 Con, 1 Lab); Stoughton (3 – 1 Con, 2 LibD), Westborough (3 – 2 Con, 1 LibD)

The 2015 council elections coincided with the United Kingdom general election.

The results saw the Conservatives retain control of Guildford Borough Council, narrowly increasing their majority.

The Guildford Greenbelt Group won 3 seats on the council, all in rural wards towards the north east and east of the borough.

The Conservatives gained a seat on Stoke ward and 2 seats on Westborough ward, the first time they had won seats on either of these wards since the creation of Guildford Borough Council in the early 1970s.

The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats were the only parties which contested all the wards in Guildford in the 2015 local elections.

2019

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2019 election Guildford Borough Council
2019 Election[20]
Party Seats
Liberal Democrats 17
R4GV 15
Conservative 9
GGG 4
Labour 2
Green 1

Number of councillors per ward is shown in brackets after the ward name.

Wards won solely by the Liberal Democrats – Burpham (2); Friary & St Nicolas (3); Effingham (1); Onslow (3); Stoughton (3); Westborough (3)

Wards won solely by Residents for Guildford and Villages (R4GV) – Christchurch (2); Holy Trinity (3); Lovelace (1); Pilgrims (1); Worplesdon (3)

Wards won solely by the Conservatives – Ash Vale (2); Ash Wharf (2); Pirbright (1); Normandy (1)

Wards won solely by Guildford Greenbelt Group – Send (2)

Wards won solely by Labour – Stoke (2)

Wards electing councillors of more than one party – Ash South & Tongham (3 – 2 Con, 1 R4GV); Clandon & Horsley (3 – 2 R4GV, 1 Guildford Greenbelt); Merrow (3 - 1 R4GV, 2 Lib Dem); Shalford (2 - 1 R4GV, 1 Guildford Greenbelt), Tillingbourne (2 - 1 Con, 1 Green)

The results saw the Conservatives lose control of Guildford Borough Council, falling from 31 seats to 9, making the Liberal Democrats the largest party on 17 seats.

Prior to the election, 3 councillors had defected from the Conservatives and 1 had defected from the Liberal Democrats to form the Independent Alliance on the council. The Independent Alliance registered Residents for Guildford and Villages as a political party to contest the 2019 elections and proceeded to win 15 seats.

The Guildford Greenbelt Group increased their representation to 4 seats whilst Labour maintained a by-election gain from the Conservatives to emerge with 2 seats.

The Green party also won their first seat on Guildford Borough Council in Tillingbourne ward. Following the election the Green councillor chose to sit on the council as part of the R4GV group.

After taking office, on 15 May 2019 councillors voted by 23 to 19 to elect the Liberal Democrat group leader, Caroline Reeves, as Leader of Guildford Borough Council over the leader of the R4GV group, Joss Bigmore. On 20 May 2019 Caroline Reeves announced that (including herself) the council's Cabinet would consist of 8 Liberal Democrats, 1 R4GV and 1 GGG councillor with an additional R4GV councillor attending cabinet as a non-voting deputy. This was the first Liberal Democrat-led administration of Guildford Borough Council since 2003.[21] In October 2020, Caroline Reeves handed the leadership to the R4GV party leader, Joss Bigmore, as part of a power sharing agreement. This was the first independent-led administration in Guildford Borough Council's history. Lib Dem group leader Julia McShane regained the council leadership back in October 2022, giving each party 2 years in control.[22][23]

By-election results

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1995–1999

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Worplesdon By-Election 20 February 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Terry King[24] 1,066 46.0
Conservative Dave Elms 1,001 43.2
Labour Alan Ritchie 249 10.8
Majority 65 2.8
Turnout 2,316 37.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Merrow & Burpham By-Election 1 May 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nick Brougham[25] 3,395 44.9 +11.5
Liberal Democrats Edward Mayne 3,171 41.9 −11.1
Labour 1,003 13.3 −0.3
Majority 224 3.0
Turnout 7,572
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing 11.3

1999–2003

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Ash By-Election 18 January 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Manning 1,027 58.1 +5.0
Liberal Democrats Denise Smith 740 41.9 +5.8
Majority 287 16.2
Turnout 1,767 23.1
Conservative hold Swing -0.4

2003–2007

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Merrow By-Election 24 July 2003[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Merilyn Spier 1,107 47.0 +4.2
Conservative David Carpenter 1,082 46.0 −1.2
Labour Michael Hassell 117 5.0 −5.1
Independent Beverley Thomas 48 2.0 +2.0
Majority 25 1.0
Turnout 2,354 40.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing 2.7
Friary and St Nicolas By-Election 25 March 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Rupert Sheard 1,419 53.1 −5.9
Conservative Marc Clancy 929 34.8 +12.9
Labour James Heaphy 158 5.9 −5.6
Independent Raschid Abdullah 85 3.2 +3.2
Peace John Morris 81 3.0 +3.0
Majority 490 18.3
Turnout 2,672 44.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -9.4
Friary and St Nicolas By-Election 24 November 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Caroline Reeves 1,123 61.0 +7.9
Conservative Katherine Lyons 602 32.7 −2.1
Labour Susan Gomm 74 4.0 −1.9
Independent Thomas May 43 2.3 −0.9
Majority 521 28.3
Turnout 1,799 29.3 −15.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing 5[27]
Ash South and Tongham By-Election 28 July 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Richards 1,245 64.5 +8.2
Liberal Democrats Denise Smith 684 35.5 +1.0
Majority 561 29.0
Turnout 1,929 32.8
Conservative hold Swing 3.6

2007–2011

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Holy Trinity By-Election 8 November 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Melanie Bright 1110 50.9 +3.9
Liberal Democrats Vivienne Johnson 944 43.3 −5.9
Labour Martin Phillips 83 3.8 +0.0
Peace John Morris 43 2.0 +2.0
Majority 166 7.6
Turnout 2181 37.0
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing 4.9
Stoke By-Election 11 September 2008[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Zöe Franklin 864 56.0 +3.0
Conservative Philip Hooper 410 26.6 +7.6
Labour Michael Hassell[29] 211 13.7 −14.4
UKIP Mazhar Manzoor 59 3.8 +3.8
Majority 454 29.3
Turnout 2,181 37.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing 8.7[30]
Pirbright By-election 15 July 2010[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gordon Ackroyd Jackson 364 64.3 −1.7
Liberal Democrats Philip Nicolas Douetil 199 35.2 1.6
Majority 165 29.2
Turnout 566
Conservative hold Swing -1.6

2011–2015

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Ash South & Tongham By-election 2 May 2013[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Michael Spooner unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
Ash Wharf By-election 2 May 2013
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Murray Grubb 687 50.3
Liberal Democrats Alan Richard Hilliar 420 30.7
Labour Joan Anne May O'Byrne 225 16.5
Majority 267 19.5
Turnout 1367
Conservative hold Swing
Stoughton By-election 2 May 2013
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Griffiths 999 47.3
Conservative Sharon Denise Stokes 768 36.3
Labour William Cooper 312 14.8
Majority 231 10.9
Turnout 2114
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Lovelace By-election 25 September 2014[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Colin George Cross 555 63.2
Conservative George Benjamin Paton 225 25.6
UKIP David Sheppard 63 7.2
Labour Robin Clifford Woof 32 3.6
Majority 330 37.6
Turnout 878
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

2015–2019

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Ash South & Tongham By-election 3 December 2015[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Francis Henry Gomm 540 43.2
Liberal Democrats Alan Hilliar 286 22.9
UKIP Kyle Greaves 153 12.2
Guildford Greenbelt Group Ramsey Nagaty 145 11.6
Labour George Dokimakis 125 10.0
Majority 254 20.3
Turnout 1250 20.8
Conservative hold Swing
Stoke By-election 5 May 2016[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Walsh 528 34.5 +6.7
Conservative Barry Keane 497 32.4 +1.9
Liberal Democrats Hannah Thompson 492 32.1 +8.0
Majority 31 2.1
Turnout 1532 27.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

2019–2023

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Friary and St Nicolas By-election 6 May 2021[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Cait Taylor 1,056 38.9
R4GV Dom Frazer 660 24.3
Conservative Sallie Anne Barker 548 20.2
Labour Co-op Jacob Darby Allen 430 15.9
Majority 396 14.6
Turnout 2712 39.6
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Pirbright By-election 6 May 2021[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Francis Witham 440 60.2
Green Claire Whitehouse 119 16.3
R4GV Gerry Lytle 109 14.9
Labour Ali Mirmak 56 7.7
Majority 321 43.9
Turnout 731 34.5
Conservative hold Swing
Send By-election 6 May 2021[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
GGG Guida Esteves 851 52.0
Conservative Justin Phillip Andrew Offord 500 30.6
Green Sam Elliot Cordero Peters 206 12.6
Labour Charlotte Ann Smith 68 4.2
Majority 351 21.5
Turnout 1635 47.9
GGG hold Swing
Tillingbourne By-election 20 October 2022[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Morris 636 46.5
Conservative Justin Offord 293 21.4
R4GV Clare Price 185 13.5
Green Sam Peters 168 12.3
Labour John Marsh 85 6.2
Majority 343 25
Turnout 1370 31
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Surrey County Council electoral divisions in Guildford

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Guildford is located in the county of Surrey. The number of seats (or electoral divisions) on Surrey County Council was increased from 76 to 80,[33] in time for the 2005 election. This resulted in an increase of one in the number of those seats located in the borough of Guildford; from 9 to 10 seats. A summary of the number of seats won by each political party, within the borough of Guildford, is shown below for the County Council elections from 1965 onwards.[34]

1965




1967





1970




1973




1977





1981




1985




1989




1993




1997




2001




2005




2009




2013




2017




2019




Seats changing hands in 1965

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The Conservatives gained the electoral division of Guildford East from an Independent. Labour gained the electoral divisions of Guildford North and Guildford West from the Conservatives.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Guildford South, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. Labour won Guildford North and Guildford West.

1965 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 7
Labour 2
Liberal 0

Seats changing hands in 1967

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The Conservatives gained the electoral divisions of Guildford North and Guildford West from Labour.

The Conservatives consequently won all nine of the electoral divisions in Guildford namely Ash, Guildford East, Guildford North, Guildford South, Guildford West, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon.

1967 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 9
Labour 0
Liberal 0

Seats changing hands in 1970

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Labour gained the electoral division of Guildford West from the Conservatives.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Guildford North, Guildford South, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. Labour won Guildford West.

1970 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 8
Labour 1
Liberal 0

Seats changing hands in 1973

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Labour gained the electoral division of Guildford North from the Conservatives. The Liberals gained the electoral division of Guildford South from the Conservatives.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. Labour won Guildford North and Guildford West. The Liberals won Guildford South.

1973 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 6
Labour 2
Liberal 1

Seats changing hands in 1977

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The Conservatives gained the electoral divisions of Guildford North and Guildford West from Labour, and gained the electoral division of Guildford South from the Liberals.

The Conservatives consequently won all nine of the electoral divisions in Guildford namely Ash, Guildford East, Guildford North, Guildford South, Guildford West, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon.

1977 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 9
Labour 0
Liberal 0

Seats changing hands in 1981

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Labour gained the electoral divisions of Guildford North and Guildford West from the Conservatives.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Guildford South, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. Labour won Guildford North and Guildford West.

1981 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 7
Labour 2
Liberal 0

Seats changing hands in 1985

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The SDP-Liberal Alliance gained the electoral division of Guildford South from the Conservatives. The SDP-Liberal Alliance retained the electoral division of Worplesdon which they had gained from the Conservatives in a by-election, in November 1984.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Horsleys, Shalford and Shere. The SDP-Liberal Alliance won Guildford South and Worplesdon. Labour won Guildford North and Guildford West.

1985 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 5
Labour 2
SDP-Liberal Alliance 2

Seats changing hands in 1989

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The Conservatives gained the electoral division of Worplesdon from the Social and Liberal Democrats.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. The Social and Liberal Democrats won Guildford South. Labour won Guildford North and Guildford West.

1989 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 6
Labour 2
Social & Liberal Democrats 1

Seats changing hands in 1993

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The Liberal Democrats gained the electoral division of Guildford North from Labour and the electoral division of Worplesdon from the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats retained the electoral division of Ash which they had gained from the Conservatives in a by-election, in 1990.

The Conservatives won Guildford East, Horsleys, Shalford, and Shere. The Liberal Democrats won Ash, Guildford North, Guildford South and Worplesdon. Labour won Guildford West.

1993 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 4
Labour 1
Liberal Democrats 4

Seats changing hands in 1997

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The Conservatives gained the electoral division of Ash from the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Horsleys, Shalford, and Shere. The Liberal Democrats won Guildford North, Guildford South and Worplesdon. Labour won Guildford West.

1997 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 5
Labour 1
Liberal Democrats 3

Seats changing hands in 2001

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None – all seats were retained by the party which held that seat going into the election.

The Conservatives retained Ash, Guildford East, Horsleys, Shalford, and Shere. The Liberal Democrats retained Guildford North, Guildford South and Worplesdon. Labour retained Guildford West.

2001 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 5
Labour 1
Liberal Democrats 3

Seats changing hands in 2005

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The Liberal Democrats gained the electoral division of Guildford West from Labour and the electoral division Guildford East from the Conservatives. The Conservatives gained the electoral division of Worplesdon from the Liberal Democrats.

In the 2005 election, the number of County Council electoral divisions in the borough of Guildford was increased from 9 to 10. This saw the disappearance of the division known as Guildford South and the creation of two new electoral divisions known as Guildford South East and Guildford South West. The Liberal Democrats, who prior to this election had held the old division of Guildford South, won both of the new divisions Guildford South East and Guildford South West.

The Conservatives won Ash, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. The Liberal Democrats won Guildford East, Guildford North, Guildford South East, Guildford South West and Guildford West.

2005 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 5
Labour 0
Liberal Democrats 5
Ash By-Election 28 July 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marsha Moseley 1,547 63.3 +12.2
Liberal Democrats Denise Smith 898 36.7 +3.5
Majority 649 26.6
Turnout 2,445 27.7
Conservative hold Swing 4.4

Seats changing hands in 2009

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The Conservatives gained two electoral divisions, Guildford East and Guildford South East, from the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservatives won Ash, Guildford East, Guildford South East, Horsleys, Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. The Liberal Democrats won Guildford North, Guildford South West and Guildford West.

2009 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 7
Liberal Democrats 3
Worplesdon By-Election 15 July 2010[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Sutcliffe 1844 53.5 5.3
Liberal Democrats Paul Ronald Cragg 1286 37.3 2.4
Labour Martin Phillips 193 5.6 1.5
UKIP Mazhar Manzoor 78 2.3 −9.8
Peace John Hugh Morris 39 1.1 1.1
Majority 558 16.2
Turnout 3448
Conservative hold Swing 1.4
Shalford By-Election 5 May 2011[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon George Stanford Gimson 3602 66.1 8.4
Liberal Democrats Andrew Howard Barnes 1087 20.0 −2.4
Labour Michael Stanley Jeram 701 12.9 7.8
Majority 2515 46.2
Turnout 5446
Conservative hold Swing 5.4
Worplesdon By-Election 3 May 2012[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Francis Witham 2022 53.3
Liberal Democrats Paul Ronald Cragg 1236 32.6
Labour Martin Phillips 517 13.6
Majority 786 20.7
Turnout 3794
Conservative hold Swing

Seats changing hands in 2013

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The Conservatives did not contest the electoral division of Shalford as they failed to submit candidate nomination papers by the deadline.[36] The United Kingdom Independence Party gained the electoral division of Shalford from the Conservatives.

The Conservatives retained Ash, Guildford East, Guildford South East, Horsleys, Shere and Worplesdon. The Liberal Democrats retained Guildford North, Guildford South West and Guildford West. UKIP won Shalford.

2013 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 6
Liberal Democrats 3
UKIP 1

Seats changing hands in 2017

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The Conservatives regained the electoral division of Shalford from the United Kingdom Independence Party. No other seats changed hands in the Guildford area in the 2017 Surrey County Council elections.[37]

The Conservatives retained Ash, Guildford East, Guildford South East, Horsleys, Shere and Worplesdon; and they gained Shalford. The Liberal Democrats retained Guildford North, Guildford South West and Guildford West.

2017 Election
Party Seats
Conservative 7
Liberal Democrats 3
UKIP 0

Seats changing hands in 2021

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In the 2021 Surrey County Council election the Liberal Democrats gained the electoral divisions of Ash and Guildford East from the Conservatives who also lost the electoral divisions of Guildford South East and Horsleys to Residents for Guildford and Villages (R4GV). The election saw an agreement between the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats where they did not stand against each other, resulting in the Green Party standing a candidate in the Shere division only, while the Liberal Democrats contested only the other nine divisions within Guildford borough.[38][39]

The Conservatives Shalford, Shere and Worplesdon. The Liberal Democrats retained Guildford North, Guildford South West and Guildford West; they gained Ash and Guildford East. R4GV, standing in the county council elections for the first time, gained Guildford South East and Horsleys.

2021 Election
Party Seats
Liberal Democrats 5
Conservative 3
Residents for Guildford and Villages 2
Horsleys By-Election 20 October 2023[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
R4GV Dennis Booth 1,095 39.3
Liberal Democrats Paul Kennedy 1,023 36.7
Conservative Alexander Stewart-Clark 569 20.4
Labour John Barnes 99 3.6
Majority 72
Turnout 28.25
R4GV hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ Twentieth Century Local Election Results Vol 5 Guildford Borough Council compiled by Roger Ottewill, published by University of Plymouth
  2. ^ Surrey Advertiser May 1976
  3. ^ The Borough of Guildford (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975
  4. ^ Surrey Advertiser May 1979
  5. ^ Local Elections in Britain A Statistical Digest edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher
  6. ^ Surrey Advertiser 13 May 1983
  7. ^ Surrey Advertiser 15 May 1987
  8. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Surrey (District Boundaries) Order 1986. Retrieved on 6 November 2015.
  9. ^ Surrey Advertiser 10 May 1991
  10. ^ Surrey Advertiser 12 May 1995
  11. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Hampshire and Surrey (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  12. ^ Surrey Advertiser 14 May 1999
  13. ^ a b para 2.3 of http://www.guildford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/40CE1851-7BB3-438B-A633-DAF9E954C275/4276/Item7AllPostalBallotReview2272004.pdf[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Leading Lib dem couple quit party". 21 February 1997.
  15. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ The Borough of Guildford (Electoral Changes) Order 1999, SI 1999 No. 2475
  17. ^ See: Twentieth Century Local Election Results Vol 5 Guildford Borough Council compiled by Roger Ottewill, published by University of Plymouth
  18. ^ http://www.guildford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BCB2A6C1-F163-4570-93E8-7AA80D22065E/0/FullCouncilResults07.pdf[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "Guildford Borough Council - Welcome". Archived from the original on 28 May 2003. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
  20. ^ a b "Guildford Borough Council election : Guildford Borough Council". Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  21. ^ "Lib Dem Leader Appoints Her New Team For Guildford Borough Council". Guildford Dragon. 20 May 2019.
  22. ^ "New Guildford Borough Council leader elected as independents accused of 'selling out' with power share". getsurrey.co.uk.
  23. ^ "New Guildford Borough Council Leader". Get Surrey. 8 October 2020.
  24. ^ Surrey Advertiser 28 February 1997
  25. ^ Surrey Advertiser 8 May 1997
  26. ^ http://www.guildford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/7ECD5CFB-9479-437D-A17B-5D1974A346A0/0/MerrowResults03.PDF[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ The percentage changes in vote, turnover and swing displayed here are the change from the 2004 by-election. The percentage swing from the 2003 council election is −4.4%.
  28. ^ "Stoke Ward by-election results". Guildford Borough. Retrieved 14 September 2008. [dead link]
  29. ^ http://www.guildford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/76683EFB-2F9A-41E5-BE17-B9FB0115FD32/0/statementofresults.pdf[permanent dead link]
  30. ^ This swing displayed is from the Labour Party to the Liberal Democrats, as the Labour Party candidate was second in the 2007 council election. The swing to Liberal Democrat from Conservative is −2.3%
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k See www.guildford.gov.uk
  32. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  33. ^ "Tories retain control of councils". BBC News. 6 May 2005.
  34. ^ See Surrey Advertiser 3 April 1965, April 1967, 17 April 1970, 13 April 1973, 9–10 May 1977, 15 May 1981, 10 May 1985, 14 May 1993; "Surrey County Council Election 2005". Archived from the original on 3 January 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2008. , "Surrey County Council Election Service : Home". Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2009. and http://news.surreycc.gov.uk/2013/05/03/election-results-special//
  35. ^ See www.surreycc.gov.uk
  36. ^ "Admin error sees Tory unable to stand in elections". 14 April 2013.
  37. ^ "Election results by Wards,4 May 2017". 4 May 2017.
  38. ^ "Election results by Wards,6 May 2021". 6 May 2021.
  39. ^ "Lib Dems and Greens make election pact to beat Tories in Guildford". 30 March 2021.
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