. 2006 2009
lab 38% 26% -12%
con 18% 16% -2%
lib 21% 14% -7%
green 12% 18% +6%
others 11% 26% +15% (including BNP 0% to 4%)
Reduction in number of voters = 10%
This does suggest voters switching away from the parties at Westminster, but I shall not try to interpret the party results further as I try very hard not to show any party political bias publicly (other than a strong dislike for the BNP).
One other point I would make is comparing these numbers to the petition to Keep Swimming in Forst Hill, a petition that got around 5,800 signatures mainly around 3 wards (out of 54 wards in Lewisham - or 5% of the population).
Apart from representing more people than any of the parties other than the 4 big parties. This is taken across a small part of Lewisham. In fact the number of signatures represents 10% of the total electorate in Lewisham from 2009, in an area 5% of the size. Or to put it in simple terms, approximately 3000-4000 people voted across three ward - less than the signatures on the petition. This would suggest that the petition is more representative of the local community than ALL POLITICAL PARTIES COMBINED.
Of course I would like to think that turnout in Forest Hill, Perry Vale, and Sydenham is higher than in other wards. Even so this shows just how strong feeling is in the local area regarding the location of the pools.