As can be seen from the map above, Waltham Forest is an elongated shape running north-south, from Chingford in the far north of the borough, down through Highams Hill and Highams Park, then through Walthamstow, down to Leyton and Leytonstone in the south. Socially it is very diverse. Chingford has more in common with the Essex stockbroker belt than with the south of the borough, which is often described as having the same kinds of problems as London's inner city. This underlies the political character of the borough, which can broadly be divided into three parts.
The north of the borough splits into two parts. The five northernmost wards are very safe Conservative territory. The Tory vote here exceeds all the other parties put together. Two of the next three wards heading south are fairly safe for the Liberal Democrats; the third has just changed hands from the Tories to the Lib Dems, making a block of three Lib Dem wards. The south of the borough is different. Here all the wards are in more or less close contention between Labour and the Lib Dems. The Conservatives have little chance of victory here.
The overall result is that the Conervatives remain a substantial minority on the Council with 15 councillors; while neither Labour nor the Lib Dems can achieve a majority on their own (Labour have 26 councillors, and the Lib Dems 19). So in practice, the Council is run by a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition.
I have already posted an overall analysis here. The purpose of this post is to look at the results ward by ward. I will set out the results heading from the far north of the borough heading south.
Total votes per party,and percentages, in 2006 are followed by the 2002 results, percentage only (in brackets). [The data for 2002 was taken from the London Strategic Voter website].
1 The Conservative safe wards
1) Chingford Green - NO CHANGE - 3 Conservatives elected
Cons: 6,766 - 70% (2002 - 55%) / Lib Dem: 1,800 - 19% (20%) /
Lab: 1,061 - 11% (15%) Turnout: 43%
2) Endlebury - NO CHANGE - 3 Conservatives elected
Cons: 6,346 - 72% (c. 67%) / Lab: 1,076 - 12% (18%) /
Lib Dem: 1,046 - 12% (15%) / Green: 398 - 4% (n/a) Turnout: 40.4%
3) Hatch Lane - NO CHANGE - 3 Conservatives elected
Cons: 4,677 - 57% (55%) / Lab: 1,461 - 18% (27%) /
Lib Dem: 1,101 - 14% (11%) / BNP: 509 - 6% (n/a) /
Green: 380 - 5% (8%) Turnout: 37.9%
4) Valley - NO CHANGE - 3 Conservatives elected
Cons: 4,887 - 61% (c. 54%) / Lib Dem: 1,624 - 20% (12%) /
Lab: 1,529 - 19% (34%) Turnout: 37.1%
5) Larkswood - NO CHANGE - 3 Conservatives elected
Cons: 4,849 - 62% (c. 63%) / Lab: 1,402 - 18% (22%) /
Lib Dem: 993 - 13% (15%) / Green: 294 - 3.8% (n/a) /
UKIP: 270 - 3% (n/k) Turnout: 34.5%
2 The Liberal Democrat (fairly) safe wards
6) Higham Hill - NO CHANGE - 3 Lib Dems elected
Lib Dem: 3,762 - 49% (48%) / Lab: 2,773 - 37% (42%) /
Cons: 781 - 10% (c. 10%) / Green: 327 - 4% (n/a)
Turnout: 34.7%
7) Chapel End - NO CHANGE - 3 Lib Dems elected
Lib Dem: 4,610 - 56% (54%) / Lab: 1,911 - 23% (28%) /
Cons: 1,261 - 16% (18%) / Green: 419 - 5% (n/a)
Turnout: 35.7%
8) Hale End & Highams Park - CHANGED - 3 Lib Dems elected
(formerly 3 Cons)
Lib Dem: 4,532 - 44% (37%) / Cons: 4,143 - 41% (46%) /
Lab: 1,168 - 11% (17%) / Green: 367 - 4% (n/a)
Turnout: 46.7%
3 The southern half of the borough
9) High Street - CHANGED - 2 Lib Dems, 1 Lab elected
(formerly 3 Lab)
Lib Dem: 4,293 - 43% (36%) / Lab: 4,045 - 40% (43%) /
Cons: 846 - 9% (7%) / Green: 604 - 6% (10%) /
Soc Alt: 245 - 2% (n/k) / Turnout: 43.1%
10) William Morris - NO CHANGE (from byelection) -
2 Lab, 1 Lib Dem elected (2002 3 Lab)
Lab: 4,083 - 45% (51%) / Lib Dem: 3,649 - 40% (25%) /
Cons: 934 - 10% (15%) / Green: 496 - 5% (n/a)
Turnout: 40.4%
11) Markhouse - NO CHANGE - 3 Lab elected
Lab: 3,600 - 46% (39%) / Lib Dem: 1,493 - 19% (16%) /
Cons: 1,129 - 15% (21%) / Respect: 1,004 - 13% (n/a) /
Green: 570 - 7% (16%) / Turnout: 36.3%
12) Lea Bridge - NO CHANGE - 3 Lab elected
Lab: 3,942 - 56% (52%) / Lib Dem: 1,497 - 21% (23%) /
Cons: 1,131 - 16% (20%) / Green: 429 - 6% (n/a)
Turnout: 27.1%
13) Hoe Street - NO CHANGE - 3 Lab elected
Lab: 3,951 - 51% (41%) / Lib Dem: 1,596 - 21% (16%) /
Cons: 1,474 - 19% (20%) / Green - 785 - 10% (17%)
Turnout: 34.7%
14) Wood Street - NO CHANGE - 3 Lab elected
Lab: 4,143 - 44% (43%) / Cons: 2,878 - 31% (15%) /
Lib Dem: 1,822 - 19% (32%) / Green: 557 - 6% (8%)
Turnout: 40.2%
15) Forest - CHANGED - 2 Lib Dem, 1 Lab elected
(formerly 3 Lab)
Lib Dem: 4,263 - 44% (28%) / Lab: 3,477 - 36% (38%) /
Cons: 1,321 - 14% (11%) / Green: 534 - 6% (12%)
Turnout: 41.5%
16) Leyton - CHANGED - 2 Lib Dem, 1 Lab elected
(formerly 3 Lib Dem)
Lib Dem: 4,266 - 47% (60%) / Lab: 3,914 - 44% (33%) /
Cons: 559 - 6% (7%) / Green: 253 - 3% (n/a)
Turnout: 37.6%
17) Grove Green - CHANGED - 3 Lab elected
(formerly 2 Lab, 1 Lib Dem)
Lab: 4,303 - 47% (40%) / Lib Dem: 3,630 - 40% (38%) /
Cons: 770 - 8% (8%) / Green: 480 - 5% (9%)
Turnout: 38.4%
18) Leytonstone - NO CHANGE - 3 Lab elected
Lab: 4,057 - 46% (38%) / Lib Dem: 2,323 - 26% (34%) /
Cons: 1,097 - 12% (7%) / Respect: 771 - 9% (n/a) /
Green: 594 - 7% (15%) / Turnout: 38.8%
19) Cathall - NO CHANGE - 3 Lab elected
Lab: 3,171 - 46% (65%) / Lib Dem: 2,828 - 41% (19%) /
Cons: 484 - 7% (16%) / Green: 270 - 4% (n/a) /
2 Independents: 178 - 2% (n/a) / Turnout: 34%
20) Cann Hall - NO CHANGE - 3 Lib Dem elected
Lib Dem: 3,862 - 50% (66%) / Lab: 2,892 - 37% (29%) /
Cons: 648 - 8% (c.5%) / Green: 337 - 4% (n/a)
Turnout: 34.5%
When I have the time I intend to put up a further post drawing some conclusions from these statistics about the support for the various parties within the borough.
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