Halton Borough Council election, 2004

The 2004 Halton Borough Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Halton Unitary Council in Cheshire, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2002.^[1] The Labour party stayed in overall control of the council.^[2]

Campaign

All 56 seats were being contested after boundary changes had taken place, with 119 candidates competing for election.^[3] Labour contested all 56 seats, compared to 32 for the Conservatives, 19 Liberal Democrats, 3 Green party, 2 British National Party, 1 Legalise Cannabis Alliance and 1 independent.^[3] There were also 4 candidates from the new Citizens Party of Halton, with 3 of them being former Labour councillors.^[3] The election in Halton, along with the rest of North West England, was held with all postal voting as part of an attempt to increase turnout.^[3]

Before the election Labour dominated the council with 47 of the 56 seats.^[4] As a result, the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives were aiming just to reduced Labour's majority to provide a better opposition, with the Conservatives standing in every ward.^[5]

A major issue in the election was the attempt by the council to secure funding for a second crossing over the River Mersey.^[4] The Labour party defended their record in control of the council, pointing to the regeneration of the town centres of Widnes and Runcorn and improvements in services.^[5]

Results

The results saw both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives make significant gains against Labour, but with Labour keeping a safe majority on the council.^[6] The Liberal Democrats made gains in Halton Brook, Norton North and Windmill Hill wards, while the Conservatives picked up seats in Birchfield and Farnworth wards.^[6] Windmill Hill required 2 recounts before the Liberal Democrat, Kelly Marlow, was declared the winner by a single vote over the Labour candidate.^[7] Labour councillors who failed to be re-elected included the deputy mayor, Dennis Middlemass, who lost in Mersey ward to the Liberal Democrats after 12 years on the council.^[8] Overall turnout in the election was 38%, almost double what was seen at the last election in 2002.^[6]

Labour's leader of the council, Tony McDermott, blamed national polices and mid term votes against the government for the losses, but was pleased at preserving a good majority which he said demonstrated "a welcome level of support".^[6]

Ward results

References

Council elections in Cheshire
Cheshire East Council	2008 2011 2015
Cheshire West and Chester Council	2008 2011 2015
Halton Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016
Warrington Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016
Cheshire County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 Abolished
Chester City Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 Abolished
Congleton Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 Abolished
Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 Abolished
Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 Abolished
Macclesfield Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 Abolished
Vale Royal Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes

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