1995 Epping Forest District Council election

1995 Epping Forest District Council election
4 May 1995 (1995-05-04)
20 out of 59 seats to Epping Forest District Council
30 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election 15 seats, 33.2% 23 seats, 33.8% 6 seats, 17.0%
Seats before 15 23 7
Seats after 18 18 10
Seat change 3 5 4
Popular vote 9,585 7,447 5,185
Percentage 37.0% 28.2% 20.0%
Swing 3.8% 5.6% 3.0%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party Loughton Residents Epping Residents Independent
Last election 7 seats, 9.0% 3 seats, 4.5% 2 seats, N/A
Seats before 7 3 3
Seats after 7 3 3
Seat change 1
Popular vote 974 1,195 644
Percentage 3.7% 4.6% 2.4%
Swing 5.3% 0.1% N/A
  Seventh party Eighth party
 
Party Ind. Conservative SDP
Last election 1 seat, 1.8% 2 seats, 0.3%
Seats before 0 0 [a]
Seats after 0 0
Seat change 1 2
Popular vote 410 N/A
Percentage 1.5% N/A
Swing 0.3% N/A
Winner of each seat at the 1995 Epping Forest District Council election
Leader before election

Conservative minority administration

 Leader after election


No overall control

The 1995 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 4 May 1995 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. 20 members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex were elected. The council fell into no overall control with no party having control, though with Labour emerging with the most votes for the first ever time.

Background

The 1995 Epping Forest District Council election saw significant political shifts across the district. Labour achieved its highest share of the vote ever in Epping Forest and equalled the Conservatives in seats, who suffered their lowest ever share of the vote and number of seats, securing just 18 councillors and 28.2% of the vote overall. This marked a historic decline for the Conservatives in the district.

The Liberal Democrats made notable gains, winning four seats and overtaking the Loughton Residents Association (LRA), which maintained its presence with seven seats, as the third party. The SDP ceased to exist on the council following this election, with Cllr Dunseath of Buckhurst Hill East having defected to the Liberal Democrats prior to the vote and not standing again, while Cllr Croke defected to Labour earlier. This marked the final appearance of the SDP in the Council Chamber.

Independent representation also shifted, with Cllr Richard Morgan relinquishing his identity as an Independent Conservative to become an Independent, joining Cllr Easton of Roydon and newly elected Cllr Carr of Nazeing as a group of three independents, consolidating non-aligned representation on the council.

The British National Party (BNP) contested Epping Forest for the first time, gaining a minor share of the vote (approximately 0.5%) in Debden Green. While their early results were minimal, the BNP would later increase their presence significantly, winning six councillors and 9.0% of the vote across the district by the mid- to late-2010s.

Nationally, the election took place against a backdrop of economic and social developments. Early in the year, Daewoo announced plans to build a new car factory in the UK, while the Rover Group and MGF sports car launch dominated the automotive sector. High-profile events such as Eric Cantona’s suspension and the MORI polling data, showing the Conservatives trailing Labour, sometimes by over 43%, reflected broader political shifts that were echoed locally in Epping Forest’s dramatic council election results.

Results summary

[1]
1995 Epping Forest District Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Labour 7 3 35.0 11 18 30.5 9,585 37.0 3.8
  Conservative 3 5 15.0 15 18 30.5 7,447 28.2 5.6
  Liberal Democrats 6 4 30.0 4 10 16.9 5,185 20.0 3.0
  Loughton Residents 1 5.0 6 7 11.8 974 3.7 5.3
  Epping Residents 1 5.0 2 3 5.0 1,195 4.6 0.1
  Independent 2 1 10.0 1 3 5.0 644 2.4 N/A
  Ind. Conservative 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 410 1.5 0.3
  BNP 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 142 0.5 N/A
  Green 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 12 0.1 N/A
  SDP 0 2 0.0 0 0 0.0 N/A N/A N/A

[2]

Buckhurst Hill East

Buckhurst Hill East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats M. Heavens 836 64.6 5.6
Labour L. Baddock 231 17.9 7.1
Conservative R. Braybrook 227 17.5 2.4
Majority 605 46.8 8.3
Turnout 1,294 38.2 10.9
Registered electors 3,391
Liberal Democrats gain from SDP Swing

Buckhurst Hill West

Buckhurst Hill West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats M. Harding 1,023 57.5 3.7
Conservative A. Torgut 607 34.1 0.7
Labour D. Wing 150 8.4 4.5
Majority 416 23.4 N/A
Turnout 1,780 35.1 12.8
Registered electors 5,069
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Chipping Ongar

Chipping Ongar
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats K. Wright* 310 42.8 10.1
Conservative N. Deller 215 29.7 6.5
Labour P. Haseldine 187 25.8 14.9
Green L. Simon 12 1.7 N/A
Majority 95 13.1 3.6
Turnout 724 53.9 4.2
Registered electors 1,344
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Debden Green

Debden Green
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Huckle 1,013 72.4 1.8
Conservative L. Daniel 245 17.5 8.3
BNP I. Hernon 142 10.1 N/A
Majority 768 54.9 6.5
Turnout 1,400 35.9 3.6
Registered electors 3,900
Labour hold Swing

Epping Hemnall

Epping Hemnall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Collins* 608 31.2 2.1
Liberal Democrats J. Whitehouse 586 30.1 1.9
Epping Residents L. Barry 432 22.2 1.0
Labour B. Johns 321 16.5 0.7
Majority 22 1.1 1.8
Turnout 1,947 42.3 2.7
Registered electors 4,601
Conservative hold Swing

Epping Lindsey

Epping Lindsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Epping Residents A. O'Brien* 763 39.9 4.9
Labour T. Norris 495 25.9 6.8
Conservative J. Ashbridge 486 25.4 2.4
Liberal Democrats A. Moss 167 8.7 4.4
Majority 268 14.0 7.9
Turnout 1,911 39.9 5.0
Registered electors 4,793
Epping Residents Association hold Swing

Grange Hill

Grange Hill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats P. Spencer 826 51.1 11.0
Conservative E. Buttling 596 36.8 9.6
Labour S. Miller 196 12.1 1.4
Majority 230 14.3 N/A
Turnout 1,618 35.7
Registered electors 4,530
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Greensted & Marden Ash

Greensted & Marden Ash
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats D. Jacobs* 516 62.6 1.1
Labour R. Gross 155 18.8 11.8
Conservative C. Pithers 153 18.6 10.7
Majority 361 43.8 9.4
Turnout 824 44.5 7.5
Registered electors 1,852
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

High Beech

High Beech
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative N. Green 531 57.0 11.1
Labour P. Burling 230 24.7 7.2
Liberal Democrats C. Munday-Chanin 171 18.3 N/A
Majority 301 32.3 4.0
Turnout 932 43.5 0.8
Registered electors 2,158
Conservative hold Swing

Lambourne

Lambourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats K. Easlea 515 61.5 23.4
Conservative D. Pettitt 217 25.9 15.3
Labour D. Martin 105 12.5 8.3
Majority 298 35.6 N/A
Turnout 837 59.0 4.7
Registered electors 1,418
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Loughton Broadway

Loughton Broadway
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Davis* 1,380 86.7 4.6
Conservative I. Locks 212 13.3 4.6
Majority 1,168 73.4 9.2
Turnout 1,592 39.6 8.1
Registered electors 4,022
Labour hold Swing

Loughton Roding

Loughton Roding
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Humphreys* 1,047 62.2 12.2
Loughton Residents M. Rogers 328 19.5 3.5
Conservative J. Holland 209 12.4 3.0
Liberal Democrats L. Wells 98 5.8 5.7
Majority 719 42.7 15.7
Turnout 1,682 58.3 5.9
Registered electors 2,885
Labour hold Swing

Loughton St. Johns

Loughton St. Johns
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Loughton Residents B. Moore 646 47.1 4.3
Conservative S. Metcalfe 417 30.4 5.6
Labour R. Larner 309 22.5 2.8
Majority 229 16.7 5.4
Turnout 1,372 32.3 7.7
Registered electors 4,245
Loughton Residents hold Swing

Moreton & Matching

Moreton & Matching
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent R. Morgan* N/A N/A N/A
Majority N/A N/A N/A
Turnout N/A N/A N/A
Registered electors 1,595
Independent gain from Ind. Conservative Swing

Nazeing

Nazeing
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent J. Carr 441 30.4 N/A
Ind. Conservative D. Borton 410 28.3 7.6
Conservative E. Rowland 347 23.9 18.7
Labour D. Miller 253 17.4 4.1
Majority 31 2.1 N/A
Turnout 1,451 45.0 2.0
Registered electors 3,223
Independent gain from Independent Swing

North Weald Bassett

North Weald Bassett
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative I. Abbey 600 38.2 20.3
Labour D. Tetlow 520 33.1 8.4
North Weald Residents R. Wyness 249 15.8 N/A
Independent M. May 203 12.9 N/A
Majority 80 5.1 32.2
Turnout 1,572 35.6 1.7
Registered electors 4,416
Conservative hold Swing

Shelley

Shelley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Barnes* 539 87.8 24.7
Conservative J. Dean 75 12.2 0.7
Majority 464 75.6 38.0
Turnout 614 44.4 4.4
Registered electors 1,384
Labour hold Swing

Waltham Abbey East

Waltham Abbey East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Welton 930 51.8 5.7
Conservative D. Spinks* 728 40.6 1.9
Liberal Democrats C. Spence 137 7.6 N/A
Majority 202 11.2 N/A
Turnout 1,795 32.4 7.8
Registered electors 5,539
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Waltham Abbey Paternoster

Waltham Abbey Paternoster
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Harewood 700 58.6 5.8
Conservative L. Rowley 495 41.4 5.8
Majority 205 17.2 11.6
Turnout 1,195 33.6 5.5
Registered electors 3,554
Labour hold Swing

Waltham Abbey West

Waltham Abbey West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Denham 824 63.2 1.2
Conservative C. Pitman 479 36.8 1.2
Majority 345 26.5 2.4
Turnout 1,303 32.7 6.4
Registered electors 3,990
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

References

  1. ^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "Epping Forest District Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Plymouth University Election Centre. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Minutes of Annual Council dated 16-05-95". Epping Forest District Council. 16 May 1995. Retrieved 22 February 2026.

Notes

  1. ^ Buckhurst Hill East councillors, G. Dunseath defected from the SDP to the Liberal Democrats, while Cllr Croke defected to Labour.
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