Lewisham local elections

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The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough, in the United Kingdom, established in 1964. Elections are held every four years using a plurality bloc vote electoral system for the councillors and the supplementary vote electoral system for the elected mayor.

[edit] Civic Mayors and Chairs of the Council

[edit] Leaders of the Council

[edit] Election results 2002-2006

In 2002 the council was reduced to its smallest size ever: 18 wards of 3 councillors each, plus an Elected Mayor, an innovation introduced by the Government two years earlier in the Local Government Act 2000. Incumbent Dave Sullivan who was combining the roles of Civic Mayor and Leader of the Council, in preparation for the introduction of the new system lost an acrimonious Labour Party internal primary to Steve Bullock, who went on to win the position. However, local policy difficulties as well as the problems the Labour Party was experiencing nationally meant that the 2006 election turned out to be only the second time that Labour didn't win a majority of councillors.

Map showing the borders of the 18 wards of the London Borough of Lewisham, coloured to show the results of the 2006 local election results

2006 Council:
Labour 27*; Liberal Democrats 17; Green 6; Conservative 3; Socialist 2

2002 Council:
Labour 46*; Liberal Democrats 4; Conservative 2; Socialist 1; Green 1; Local Education Action for Parents (LEAP) 1

*including Elected Mayor

[edit] By-elections in the 2002 council

(winning party shown)

17 Mar 2005 - Forest Hill (Lib Dem)
17 Mar 2005 - Lee Green (Lib Dem)
10 Jun 2004 - Evelyn (Labour)
10 Jun 2004 - Lee Green (Labour)
4 Dec 2003 - Telegraph Hill (Socialist)
23 Oct 2003 - Lewisham Central (Lib Dem) [All postal ballot]
7 Nov 2002 - Downham (Lib Dem)
10 Oct 2002 - Lee Green (Lib Dem)

[edit] By-elections in the 2006 council

(winning party shown)

13 Sep 2007 - Whitefoot (Lib Dem)

[edit] Election results 1978-1998

In 1978 the council was increased to 67 seats as the ward boundaries were reviewed and changed. Also, the Government changed the law to extend Council terms everywhere from three to four years, so the 1974 council was given an extra year of life.

Wards used in the London Borough of Lewisham from 1978 to 1998

1998 Council:
Labour 61; Lib Dem 4; Conservative 2

1994 Council:
Labour 63; Lib Dem 3; Conservative 1

1990 Council:
Labour 58; Conservative 6; Lib Dem 3

1986 Council:
Labour 50; Conservative 17

1982 Council:
Labour 43; Conservative 24

1978 Council:
Labour 44; Conservative 23

[edit] By-elections in the 1998 council

(winning party shown)
8 Nov 2001 - Bellingham (Labour)
8 Feb 2001 - Marlowe (Labour)
23 Nov 2000 - Pepys (Socialist)
15 Jul 1999 - Churchdown (Labour)
10 Jun 1999 - Pepys (Socialist)
8 Apr 1999 - Downham (Lib Dem)
25 Nov 1998 - Grinling Gibbons (Labour)

[edit] Election results 1964-1974

Between 1964 and 1974 the council was elected on wards created before the borough was created: 18 councillors in 6 wards from the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford and 42 councillors in 17 wards from the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham. The election of the first council in 1964 constituted the practical creation of the London Borough of Lewisham. It operated in 'shadow' form and did not take over administration of services until a year later. Whilst the term of a council at that time was three years, the Government extended the life of all the London Boroughs in order to de-synchronize the timetabling of elections with those of the Greater London Council.

However, the 1968 council elections were a disaster for the Labour Party who were in national government at the time, and this was reflected in this borough - the three year period 1968-1971 remains the only time in the borough's existence that Labour has not formed the administration. Non-Labour governance didn't take - the 1971 election saw the Conservative Party unable to defend its gains, as - now in national government itself - it was crushed in turn.

1974 Council:
Labour 51; Conservative 9

1971 Council:
Labour 55; Conservative 5

1968 Council:
Conservative 41; Labour 19

1964 Council:
Labour 45; Conservative 15