Fareham Borough Council election results: Relief for the Conservatives as they retain control

Following the 2024 local elections, the new make-up of Fareham Borough Council is the Conservative Party with 22 seats, Liberal Democrats with eight seats and one Independent candidate. And on top of that for the first time in more than two decades, there will be a Labour councillor as Gemma Furnivall was elected to represent Fort Fareham.

She said: “Labour is back. I believe that councillors work for the people that vote for them and I’m going to work really, really hard, Fort Fareham are my people.”

The Liberal Democrats doubled their numbers with two married couples joining their ranks in different wards, the Wiltshires and the Whittles, and independent candidate Jack Englefield said he was delighted to be re-elected representing Titchfield Common. Overall, 99 candidates were vying for two seats in 16 wards with between four and eight candidates in each.

Chris Milburn was one of six independents and was philosophical about not winning, saying he felt he had to stand because, even though he is right-wing, the Conservative Party was not a viable option. Roger Bird (Con, Avenue) is delighted to be re-elected into a newly named ward and wants to bring to bear his accountancy expertise to help with the cost of living.

There were tears of relief from Malcolm Daniells (Con, Locks Heath) and Joanne Burton (Con, Sarisbury and Whiteley) who were very happy to keep their seats on the council. Conservative Joanne Burton was all smiles when she also won her seat in a Hampshire County Council by-election for Fareham Sarisbury division.

Former Conservative councillor Sean Woodward has stepped down at this election after 35 years. While there is no news of who will be the new Conservative leader yet, he said he was relieved as, nationally, his party has suffered big losses.

“I’m elated to have 22 seats on the council with all that is going on nationally with our party,” he said. “I am absolutely thrilled that the people of Fareham have yet again put their trust in Fareham Conservatives. I am absolutely delighted. I am very sad to have lost two long-standing councillors, Nick and Sue Walker (Portchester Castle).”

Harry Davies also lost his seat but Andrew Murphy joined the Conservative ranks.

Fareham Borough also had boundary changes with new ward names leaving only six of the old names, Hill Head, Locks Heath, Park Gate, Stubbington, Titchfield and Titchfield Common – creating 16 wards up from 15 but only one more seat from 31 to 32.

The winning candidates are as follows:

AvenueRoger Nicholas Bird – Conservative Party

Tina Lesley Ellis – Conservative Party

Fareham ParkFred Birkett – Conservative Party

Lisa Margaret Birkett – Conservative Party (New)

Fareham Town

Lisa Jane Whittle – Liberal Democrats (New)

Kirsten Wiltshire – Liberal Democrats (New)

Fort FarehamGemma Furnivall – Labour Party (New)

Stephen Paul Ingram – Conservative Party

Hill Head

Steve Dugan – Conservative Party

Kay Mandry – Conservative Party

Hook-with-Warsash

Frair Louise Burgess – Conservative Party

Mike Ford – Conservative Party

Locks Heath

Susan Marie Bayford – Conservative Party

Malcolm Roy Daniells – Conservative Party

Park Gate

Ian John Bastable – Conservative Party

Simon David Martin – Conservative Party

Portchester Castle

Chrissie Bainbridge – Liberal Democrats

David Peter Wiltshire – Liberal Democrats ( New)

Portchester Wicor

Paul Michael Nother – Liberal Democrats

Paul William Whittle – Liberal Democrats ( New)

Sarisbury and Whiteley

Joanne Burton – Conservative Party

David George Foot – Conservative Party

Stubbington

Pal Kaur Hayre – Conservative Party

Jacquie Needham – Conservative Party

Titchfield

Tiffany Georgina Harper – Conservative Party

Connie Hockley – Conservative Party

Titchfield Common

Jack Englefield – Independent

Andrew Michael John Murphy – Conservative Party (New)

Uplands and Funtley

Pamela Mary Bryant – Conservative Party

Louise Elizabeth Clubley – Conservative Party

Wallington and Downend

David Hamilton – Liberal Democrats

Alison West – Liberal Democrats (New)