The 2011 Eastbourne Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of EastbourneBorough Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats stayed in overall control of the council.[1]
Background
Before the election the Liberal Democrats controlled the council with 20 seats, compared to 7 for the Conservatives, after taking control at the 2007 election.[2] A total of 94 candidates stood for the 27 seats on the council being contested, while 10 sitting councillors stood down at the election, 8 Liberal Democrats and 2 Conservatives.[2] Important seats for control of the council were expected to be Old Town and Sovereign, as well as Hampden Park and Upperton.[2]
Local issues at the election included plans for the redevelopment of the town centre, which was supported across parties, and calls to improve Eastbourne's transport links.[3] However, with the Liberal Democrats in government nationally together with the Conservatives, national government decisions, such as the increase in tuition fees, were also an issue during the election.[3]
Election result
The Liberal Democrats remained in control of the council with 15 seats, but lost 5 seats to the Conservatives.[4][5] The Conservatives gained all 3 seats in Sovereign ward and also took the 2 seats the Liberal Democrats had been defending in Upperton.[5] This took the Conservatives to 12 councillors,[6] but the Liberal Democrats held on to all 3 seats in Old Town ward after a recount, to keep a 3-seat council majority.[5] Overall turnout at the election was 44.17%,[7] compared to 42.26% in 2007.[8]
A by-election was held in Meads on 31 May 2012 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Nigel Goodyear.[10] The seat was held for the Conservatives by Caroline Ansell with a majority of 1,318 votes over Liberal Democrat Gerard Thompson.[10]