Politics of Colchester

Colchester Politics: Colchester is a historic town located in Essex, England. It served as the first capital of Roman Britain and makes a claim to be the oldest town in Britain.

Local Political Parties

Five national parties (Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats, the UK Independence Party and the Green Party) are represented locally by constituency or borough parties. Three of these have representation on the council (Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat). In addition, there are 4 independents whom form the Highwoods & Stanway group on the council. The last three borough council elections have seen every seat contested by the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party.

Colchester Borough Council

Colchester Borough Council is the local authority. Control of the borough council has passed between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in recent years. The political composition of the council (as of the 2015 election) is:^[1]

• Conservative – 27 seats
• Liberal Democrats – 20 seats
• Labour – 9 seats
• Highwoods & Stanway Independents – 4 seats

Electoral wards

For the purposes for elections and local administration, Colchester is divided into electoral wards. There are currently 27 wards.

• Berechurch
• Birch & Winstree
• Castle
• Christ Church
• Dedham & Langham
• East Donyland
• Fordham & Stour
• Highwoods
• Lexden
• Marks Tey
• Mile End
• New Town
• Old Heath (formally "Harbour")
• Prettygate
• Pyefleet
• Shrub End
• Stanway
• St. Andrews
• St. Annes
• St. Johns
• West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green
• West Mersea
• Wivenhoe Cross
• Wivenhoe Quay

Leaders Of The Council

• 2015–present Paul Smith (Liberal Democrat)
• 2008-2015 Anne Turrell (Liberal Democrat)
• 2006-2008 Robert Davidson (Conservative)
• 2004-2006 John Jowers (Conservative)
• 2002-2004 Colin Sykes (Liberal Democrat)
• 2000-2002 Bill Frame (Liberal Democrat)

Mayor of Colchester

The current Mayor of Colchester is Councillor Theresa Higgins (Liberal Democrat) from New Town ward.

Parliamentary Politics

Colchester was covered by two separate constituencies (Colchester North and Colchester South and Maldon) until the 1997 general election, when it returned to one seat of representation.

List of MPs for Colchester, Colchester North (N) and Colchester South & Maldon (S) constituencies (since 1910):

• Laming Worthington-Evans (Conservative, 1910–1929)
• Oswald Lewis (Conservative, 1929–1945)
• Charles Smith (Labour, 1945–1950)
• Cuthbert Alport (Conservative, 1950–1961)
• Antony Buck (N-Conservative, 1961–1992)
• John Wakeham (S-Conservative, 1979–1992)
• Bernard Jenkin* (N-Conservative, 1992–1997)
• John Whittingdale (S-Conservative, 1992–1997)
• Sir Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat, 1997–2015)
• Will Quince (Conservative, 2015–present)

*Jenkins also sat as an MP for North Essex (1997–2010) and Harwich & North Essex (2010–present)

References

External links

• Colchester Borough Council, list of borough councillors
• Colchester Conservative Association
• Colchester Constituency Labour Party
• Colchester Liberal Democrats
• Colchester Green Party
• Colchester UK Independence Party