1998 Waveney District Council election

The 1998 Waveney Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Waveney District Council in Suffolk, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council.^[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

• Labour 41
• Conservative 3
• Liberal Democrat 2
• Independent 2^[1]

1998 Waveney District Council election
Party		This election			Full council			This election
		Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Labour	11	3	68.8	30	41	85.4	10,466	51.3	-10.1
	Conservative	2	1	12.5	1	3	6.3	5,360	26.3	+2.8
	Liberal Democrats	1		6.3	1	2	4.2	2,464	12.1	+0.4
	Independent	2	2	2	0	2	4.2	2,101	10.3	+6.9

Carlton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D. Gower*	939	56.0	−6.8
	Conservative	R. Bell	596	35.5	+8.4
	Liberal Democrats	A. Thomas	142	8.5	−1.6
Majority			343	20.5	−15.1
Turnout			1,677	25.6	−9.4
	Labour hold		Swing	7.6

Gunton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Devereaux*	709	48.8	−1.8
	Conservative	A. Choveaux	602	41.4	+17.8
	Liberal Democrats	J. Woolley	142	9.8	+2.6
Majority			107	7.4	−19.6
Turnout			1,453	28.5	−8.6
	Labour hold		Swing	9.8

Harbour

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	K. Patience	588	67.2	−12.0
	Conservative	P. Biggs	154	17.6	+5.4
	Liberal Democrats	L. Batchelor	133	15.2	+6.6
Majority			434	49.6	−17.4
Turnout			875	21.9	−6.4
	Labour hold		Swing	8.7

Kessingland

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	I. Graham	530	57.9	−7.9
	Conservative	A. Mylan	210	23.0	−0.2
	Liberal Democrats	C. Faith	175	19.1	+8.1
Majority			320	35.0	−7.7
Turnout			915	25.4	−6.9
	Labour hold		Swing	3.9

Kirkley

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	D. Young	715	48.6	+8.3
	Labour	J. Bellham	619	42.1	−9.7
	Conservative	M. Reader	138	9.4	+1.5
Majority			96	6.5	N/A
Turnout			1,472	33.6	−9.2
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	9.0

Lothingland

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	B. Hunter*	890	60.5	+7.8
	Conservative	S. Ames	459	31.2	+6.6
	Liberal Democrats	A. Tibbitt	122	8.3	−14.5
Majority			391	29.3	+1.0
Turnout			1,471	30.5	−17.0
	Labour hold		Swing	0.6

Mutford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Taylor*	327	57.8	+4.4
	Conservative	B. Reader	202	35.7	+8.8
	Liberal Democrats	A. Howe	37	6.5	−13.2
Majority			125	22.1	−4.4
Turnout			566	38.8	−10.0
	Labour hold		Swing	2.2

Normanston

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	E. Leverett*	787	77.4	+1.3
	Conservative	F. Gaimster	135	13.3	+0.9
	Liberal Democrats	B. Batchelder	95	9.3	−2.2
Majority			652	64.1	+0.3
Turnout			1,017	23.9	−9.8
	Labour hold		Swing	0.2

Oulton Broad

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M. Rodgers*	817	56.1	−5.0
	Conservative	R. Wallington	462	31.7	+3.7
	Liberal Democrats	A. Martin	178	12.2	+1.4
Majority			355	24.4	−8.7
Turnout			1,455	27.3	−9.2
	Labour hold		Swing	4.4

Pakefield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T. Kelly*	1,043	66.9	−4.0
	Conservative	E. Tarlot	349	22.4	+2.1
	Liberal Democrats	A. Shepherd	167	10.7	+2.0
Majority			694	44.5	−6.1
Turnout			1,559	28.5	−10.9
	Labour hold		Swing	3.1

South Elmham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M. Rose	368	61.7	+15.0
	Labour	A. Fisher	168	28.2	+3.5
	Liberal Democrats	J. Morgan	60	10.1	−18.5
Majority			200	33.6	+15.5
Turnout			596	39.6	−14.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	5.8

St. Margaret's

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Coward	958	71.0	−5.9
	Conservative	P. Pulford	238	17.6	+3.6
	Liberal Democrats	G. Haworth	154	11.4	+2.3
Majority			720	53.3	−9.6
Turnout			1,350	24.5	−6.2
	Labour hold		Swing	4.8

Wainford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M. Bee	208	47.5	+2.7
	Labour	S. Robbins	164	37.4	−17.8
	Liberal Democrats	S. May	66	15.1	N/A
Majority			44	10.0	N/A
Turnout			438	32.6	−17.9
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	10.3

Whitton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T. Carter*	919	78.7	−5.9
	Conservative	B. Bee	148	12.7	+4.6
	Liberal Democrats	S. Tonge	100	8.8	+1.3
Majority			771	66.1	−10.3
Turnout			1,167	26.9	−8.7
	Labour hold		Swing	5.3