The City Council elections for the City of Preston, Lancashire were held on 4 May 2006 on the same day as other 2006 United Kingdom local elections. Nineteen electoral wards were fought. The only change was that Labour gained one seat from the Liberal Democrats, continuing to be the largest party, but the Council remained under no overall control
Candidates
The number of candidates fielded, by party, were:
Labour - 19
Conservative - 19
Liberal Democrats - 18
BNP - 1
Respect Party - 5
Green Party - 3
Summary results
New composition
As of May 2006, Labour have 24 councillors, Conservative 17, LibDems 12, Respect 2 and there are two Independent councillors. Preston City Council remains under no overall control.
Ward results
Preston Council is elected in thirds, which means there is an all out election in one year followed by single-member elections in all three-member wards and selected two-member wards. All changes in percentage share of the vote are from the corresponding 2003 or 2004 elections in the respective wards. Any "gain" or "loss" compares this year's elections with the 2002 "all out" vote because the councilors in this election are defending that year's result.
Brookfield
In the north east of the city, the predominantly low income housing of Brookfield is a three-member ward. Buttressed up against Ribbleton and the rural east, and wedge-shaped to the south of Fulwood, the ward has been troubled by increasing levels of crime in recent years. Parts of the ward were formerly within the Fulwood district council and maintain the look of the affluent northern quarters of the city.
Cadley
The central ward of Cadley is positioned between Fulwood and Preston, with the main Lytham Road and Cadley Causeway used as the boundary between it and the nearby College and Ashton wards. Cadley is almost entirely suburban housing with a heavy commuter population.
College
Created in the last round of local boundary reviews, the two-member College ward centres on two Fulwood employers. Preston College has a catchment area far beyond the city itself, whilst the recently closed Sharoe Green hospital has had many of its services re-directed to the Royal Preston Hospital. There are a mix of commuter and student housing and an increasing Muslim population.
The last election for a councillor in College ward was in 2003; the change of vote in this table is based on the 2003 figures.
Fishwick
Fishwick is a ward in the southwest of the city, at the border with South Ribble, spreading north into Ribbleton. The ward has a sizable percentage of comfortable housing but has in recent years been more infamous for the troubled Callon housing estate. The ward has higher than average unemployment and continuing issues with crime and drugs. In the 2004 elections, for the first time since local government restructuring in the 1970s, Fishwick elected a Conservative candidate to Town Hall. This accounts for the large changes in vote in this results table.
Councillor Harold Parker resigned due to health issues in August 2009 triggering a by-election on 1 October which was won by the Labour Party's Jennifer Mein.
Garrison
Centred on Fulwood Barracks, this is a three-member ward created by the last round of boundary reviews. It is set in a heavily small "c" conservative part of Preston with a number of schools and small employment centres. In April 2006 Marie Milne changed party from Conservative to Liberal Democrat.
Greyfriars
Its name coming from a large private estate within its boundaries, Greyfriars is one of the oldest names connected to Preston's history. It includes the Pius X Preparatory school and Fulwood's leisure centre. An increasing number of comfortable suburban houses has been built on the fringes of the ward, which also borders Ingol Golf Course.
Ingol
Ingol ward is in the north west of the city, bordered by Greyfriars and to the south of the M55 motorway. The ward contains two main population areas, Ingol and Tanterton. The latter has had problems with drugs and crime over recent years but this is beginning to improve. Parts of the ward are comfortable with some commuter areas and houses neighbouring the Lancaster canal. There are still pockets of troubled communities.
Ingol is a three-member ward. Two councillors were elected in 2003 following the expulsion from Town Hall of a Liberal Democrat councillor.