United Kingdom local elections, 2003
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Local elections took place in various parts of the United Kingdom on May 1, 2003, on the same day as the Scottish Parliamentary and the Welsh Assembly elections. There were local elections for all councils in Scotland and in most of England. There were no elections in Wales, Northern Ireland or London.
The ruling Labour Party lost a considerable 833 seats, while both the main opposition parties, Conservative and Liberal Democrat, polled strongly.
Fifty nine councils held electoral pilot schemes to try and boost turnout figures. Schemes included all postal voting, mobile polling stations, alterations to voting hours and various kinds of Electronic voting. The most successful in raising turnout was all-postal voting which saw turnout rise to an average of 50%. In comparison turnout across the whole of England was only 33%
Contents |
[edit] The Results
The Labour party lost a considerable 833 seats, losing control of councils such as Birmingham and Coventry, both of which the party had controlled for 20 years.
The Conservative party extended its lead over the Labour party by 1,399 councillors, however their celebrations were tempered by the resignation of Conservative front bencher Crispin Blunt, who described the party leader, Ian Duncan Smith as a "handicap" and called for him to be replaced.[1]
The Liberal Democrat party gained its highest ever share of the vote ever at 30% only one percent behind the Labour party.
| Party | Councillors | Councils | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +/- | Total | +/- | Total | ||
| Conservative Party | +566 | 4,423 | +31 | 110 | |
| Labour Party | -833 | 3,001 | -28 | 66 | |
| Liberal Democrat | +193 | 2,624 | +5 | 28 | |
| Independents | -42 | 1,142 | -2 | 10 | |
| Scottish National Party | -21 | 182 | -1 | 1 | |
| Residents | 0 | 84 | 0 | 2 | |
| Green Party | +9 | 34 | 0 | 0 | |
| British National Party | +11 | 13 | 0 | 0 | |
| Liberal Party | -2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | |
| Health Concern | -2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Scottish Socialist Party | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Other | -24 | 107 | 0 | 0 | |
| No overall control | n/a | n/a | -5 | 123 | |
[edit] Scottish local elections
All 32 Scottish unitary authorities held elections. They were held at the same time as the Scottish Parliamentary Election, 2003.
| Council | Former control | New control | Type | Link to Council election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Aberdeenshire | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Angus | Scottish National Party | Scottish National Party | Unitary | |
| Argyll and Bute | Independent | Independent | Unitary | |
| Clackmannanshire | Scottish National Party | Labour | Unitary | |
| Dumfries and Galloway | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Dundee | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| East Ayrshire | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| East Dunbartonshire | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| East Lothian | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| East Renfrewshire | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Edinburgh | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Falkirk | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Fife | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Glasgow | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Highland | Independent | Independent | Unitary | Highland |
| Inverclyde | NOC | Liberal Democrat | Unitary | |
| Midlothian | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Moray | Independent | Independent | Unitary | |
| North Ayrshire | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| North Lanarkshire | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Orkney | Independent | Independent | Unitary | |
| Perth and Kinross | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Renfrewshire | NOC | Labour | Unitary | |
| Scottish Borders | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Shetland | Independent | Independent | Unitary | |
| South Ayrshire | Labour | NOC | Unitary | |
| South Lanarkshire | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Stirling | NOC | Labour | Unitary | |
| West Dunbartonshire | NOC | Labour | Unitary | |
| West Lothian | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Western Isles | Independent | Independent | Unitary |
[edit] Metropolitan boroughs
All 36 English Metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.
| Council | Former control | New control | Type | Link to Council election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Birmingham | Labour | NOC | Metropolitan | |
| Bolton | Labour | NOC | Metropolitan | Bolton |
| Bradford | NOC | NOC | Metropolitan | |
| Bury | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Calderdale | NOC | NOC | Metropolitan | |
| Coventry | Labour | NOC | Metropolitan | |
| Doncaster | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Dudley | Labour | NOC | Metropolitan | |
| Gateshead | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Kirklees | NOC | NOC | Metropolitan | |
| Knowsley | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | Knowsley |
| Leeds | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Liverpool | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats | Metropolitan | Liverpool |
| Manchester | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| North Tyneside | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | North Tyneside |
| Oldham | NOC | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Rochdale | Labour | NOC | Metropolitan | Rochdale |
| Rotherham | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Salford | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | Salford |
| Sandwell | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Sefton | NOC | NOC | Metropolitan | Sefton |
| Sheffield | NOC | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Solihull | Conservative | Conservative | Metropolitan | |
| South Tyneside | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| St Helens | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | St Helens |
| Stockport | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | Metropolitan | |
| Sunderland | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Tameside | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Trafford | Labour | NOC | Metropolitan | Trafford |
| Wakefield | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | |
| Walsall | NOC | NOC | Metropolitan | |
| Wigan | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | Wigan |
| Wirral | NOC | NOC | Metropolitan | Wirral |
| Wolverhampton | Labour | Labour | Metropolitan | Wolverhampton |
[edit] Unitary Authorities
[edit] Whole council
In 27 English Unitary authorities the whole council was up for election.
| Council | Former control | New control | Type | Link to Council election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath and North East Somerset | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Blackpool | Labour | Labour | Unitary | Blackpool |
| Bournemouth | NOC | Liberal Democrat | Unitary | |
| Bracknell Forest | Conservative | Conservative | Unitary | |
| Brighton & Hove | Labour | NOC | Unitary | Results on council's website |
| Darlington | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Herefordshire | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Leicester | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Luton | Labour | NOC | Unitary | Politics in Luton |
| Medway | NOC | Conservative | Unitary | |
| Middlesbrough | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| North East Lincolnshire | Labour | NOC | Unitary | |
| North Lincolnshire | Labour | Conservative | Unitary | North Lincolnshire |
| North Somerset | Conservative | NOC | Unitary | |
| Nottingham | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Plymouth | Conservative | Labour | Unitary | |
| Poole | NOC | Conservative | Unitary | |
| Redcar and Cleveland | Labour | NOC | Unitary | |
| Rutland | Independent | Conservative | Unitary | |
| South Gloucestershire | Liberal Democrat | NOC | Unitary | |
| Stockton-on-Tees | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Telford and Wrekin | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Torbay | Conservative | Liberal Democrat | Unitary | |
| West Berkshire | Liberal Democrat | NOC | Unitary | |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | NOC | Liberal Democrat | Unitary | |
| York | NOC | Liberal Democrat | Unitary |
[edit] One third of council
In 13 English Unitary authorities one third of the council was up for election.
| Council | Former control | New control | Type | Link to Council election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | Labour | NOC | Unitary | |
| Derby | Labour | NOC | Unitary | |
| Hartlepool | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Kingston upon Hull | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Milton Keynes | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | Unitary | |
| Portsmouth | NOC | NOC | Unitary | Portsmouth |
| Reading | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Slough | Labour | Labour | Unitary | |
| Southampton | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Southend-on-Sea | Conservative | Conservative | Unitary | |
| Stoke-on-Trent | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Swindon | NOC | NOC | Unitary | |
| Wokingham | Conservative | Conservative | Unitary |
[edit] District councils
[edit] Whole council
In 150 English district authorities the whole council was up for election.
| Council | Former control | New control | Type | Link to Council election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allerdale | Labour | NOC | District | Allerdale |
| Alnwick | NOC | NOC | District | Alnwick |
| Arun | Conservative | Conservative | District | Arun |
| Ashfield | Labour | NOC | District | Ashfield |
| Ashford | NOC | Conservative | District | Ashford |
| Aylesbury Vale | NOC | Conservative | District | Aylesbury Vale |
| Babergh | NOC | NOC | District | Babergh |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | Liberal Democrat | NOC | District | |
| Blaby | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Blyth Valley | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Bolsover | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Boston | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Braintree | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Breckland | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Bridgnorth | Independent | NOC | District | |
| Bromsgrove | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Broxtowe | Labour | NOC | District | |
| Canterbury | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Caradon | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Carrick | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Castle Morpeth | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Castle Point | Labour | Conservative | District | |
| Charnwood | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Chelmsford | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Chester-le-Street | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Chesterfield | Labour | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Chichester | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Chiltern | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Christchurch | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Copeland | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Corby | Labour | Labour | District | Corby |
| Cotswold | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Dacorum | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Dartford | Labour | NOC | District | Dartford |
| Derbyshire Dales | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Derwentside | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Dover | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Durham | Labour | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Easington | Labour | Labour | District | |
| East Cambridgeshire | Liberal Democrat | NOC | District | |
| East Devon | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| East Dorset | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| East Hampshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| East Hertfordshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| East Lindsey | Independent | NOC | District | |
| East Northamptonshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| East Staffordshire | Labour | Conservative | District | |
| Eden | Independent | Independent | District | |
| Epsom and Ewell | Residents | Residents | District | |
| Erewash | Labour | Conservative | District | |
| Fenland | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Forest Heath | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Forest of Dean | Labour | NOC | District | |
| Fylde | NOC | Conservative | District | Fylde |
| Gedling | Conservative | NOC | District | |
| Gravesham | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Guildford | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Hambleton | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Harborough | NOC | NOC | District | |
| High Peak | Labour | NOC | District | |
| Hinckley and Bosworth | NOC | Conservative | District | Hinckley and Bosworth |
| Horsham | Conservative | NOC | District | |
| Kennet | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Kerrier | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Kettering | Labour | Conservative | District | Kettering |
| King's Lynn and West Norfolk | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Lancaster | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Lewes | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Lichfield | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Maldon | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Malvern Hills | Conservative | NOC | District | |
| Mansfield | Labour | Independent | District | |
| Melton | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Mendip | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Mid Bedfordshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Mid Devon | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Mid Suffolk | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Mid Sussex | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| New Forest | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Newark and Sherwood | NOC | NOC | District | |
| North Cornwall | Independent | Independent | District | |
| North Devon | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| North Dorset | NOC | NOC | District | |
| North East Derbyshire | Labour | Labour | District | |
| North Kesteven | NOC | NOC | District | |
| North Norfolk | NOC | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| North Shropshire | Independent | NOC | District | |
| North Warwickshire | Labour | NOC | District | |
| North West Leicestershire | Labour | Labour | District | |
| North Wiltshire | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Northampton | Labour | NOC | District | Northampton |
| Oadby and Wigston | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Oswestry | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Restormel | NOC | NOC | District | Restormel |
| Ribble Valley | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Richmondshire | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Rother | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Rushcliffe | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Ryedale | NOC | NOC | District | Ryedale |
| Salisbury | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Scarborough | NOC | Conservative | District | Scarborough |
| Sedgefield | Labour | Labour | District | Sedgefield |
| Sedgemoor | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Selby | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Sevenoaks | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Shepway | Conservative | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| South Bucks | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| South Derbyshire | Labour | Labour | District | |
| South Hams | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| South Holland | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| South Kesteven | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| South Norfolk | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| South Northamptonshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| South Oxfordshire | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| South Ribble | NOC | NOC | District | South Ribble |
| South Shropshire | NOC | NOC | District | |
| South Somerset | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| South Staffordshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Spelthorne | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| St Edmundsbury | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Stafford | NOC | Conservative | District | Stafford |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Suffolk Coastal | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Surrey Heath | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Taunton Deane | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Teesdale | NOC | Independent | District | |
| Teignbridge | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Tendring | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Test Valley | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Tewkesbury | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Thanet | Labour | Conservative | District | |
| Tonbridge and Malling | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Torridge | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Tynedale | NOC | Conservative | District | Tynedale |
| Uttlesford | NOC | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Vale of White Horse | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | Vale of White Horse |
| Vale Royal | Labour | NOC | District | |
| Wansbeck | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Warwick | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Waverley | Conservative | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Wealden | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Wear Valley | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Wellingborough | Labour | Conservative | District | |
| West Devon | NOC | NOC | District | |
| West Dorset | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| West Somerset | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| West Wiltshire | Liberal Democrat | NOC | District | West Wiltshire |
| Wychavon | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Wycombe | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Wyre | Conservative | Conservative | District |
[edit] One third of council
In 82 English district authorities one third of the council was up for election.
| Council | Former control | New control | Type | Link to Council election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adur | Conservative | Conservative | District | Adur |
| Amber Valley | Conservative | Conservative | District | Amber Valley |
| Barrow-in-Furness | NOC | Labour | District | Barrow-in-Furness |
| Basildon | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Basingstoke and Deane | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Bassetlaw | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Bedford | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Brentwood | Liberal Democrat | NOC | District | Brentwood |
| Broadland | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Broxbourne | Conservative | Conservative | District | Broxbourne |
| Burnley | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Cambridge | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Cannock Chase | Labour | NOC | District | |
| Carlisle | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Cherwell | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Chester | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Chorley | NOC | NOC | District | Chorley |
| Colchester | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Congleton | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Craven | NOC | NOC | District | Craven |
| Crawley | Labour | Labour | District | |
| Crewe and Nantwich | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Daventry | Conservative | Conservative | District | Daventry |
| Eastbourne | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Eastleigh | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | Eastleigh |
| Ellesmere Port and Neston | Labour | Labour | District | Ellesmere Port and Neston |
| Elmbridge | Residents | Residents | District | |
| Epping Forest | NOC | NOC | District | Epping Forest |
| Exeter | Labour | NOC | District | |
| Gloucester | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Great Yarmouth | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Harlow | NOC | NOC | District | Harlow |
| Harrogate | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Hart | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Havant | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Hertsmere | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Huntingdonshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Hyndburn | Labour | Conservative | District | Hyndburn |
| Ipswich | Labour | Labour | District | Ipswich |
| Lincoln | Labour | Labour | District | Lincoln |
| Macclesfield | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Maidstone | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Mole Valley | NOC | NOC | District | Mole Valley |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | NOC | NOC | District | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| North Hertfordshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Norwich | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Pendle | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Penwith | NOC | NOC | District | Penwith |
| Preston | NOC | NOC | District | Preston |
| Purbeck | Conservative | Conservative | District | Purbeck |
| Redditch | NOC | NOC | District | Redditch |
| Reigate and Banstead | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Rochford | Conservative | Conservative | District | Rochford |
| Rossendale | Labour | NOC | District | Rossendale |
| Rugby | NOC | NOC | District | Rugby |
| Runnymede | Conservative | Conservative | District | Runnymede |
| Rushmoor | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Shrewsbury and Atcham | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| South Bedfordshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| South Cambridgeshire | NOC | NOC | District | |
| South Lakeland | NOC | NOC | District | South Lakeland |
| St Albans | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Stevenage | Labour | Labour | District | Stevenage |
| Stratford-on-Avon | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Stroud | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Swale | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Tamworth | Labour | Labour | District | Tamworth |
| Tandridge | Conservative | Conservative | District | Tandridge |
| Three Rivers | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | Three Rivers |
| Tunbridge Wells | Conservative | Conservative | District | Tunbridge Wells |
| Watford | NOC | Liberal Democrat | District | Watford |
| Waveney | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Welwyn Hatfield | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| West Lancashire | Conservative | Conservative | District | West Lancashire |
| West Lindsey | NOC | NOC | District | West Lindsey |
| West Oxfordshire | Conservative | Conservative | District | |
| Weymouth and Portland | NOC | NOC | District | Weymouth and Portland |
| Winchester | Liberal Democrat | Liberal Democrat | District | |
| Woking | NOC | NOC | District | |
| Worcester | NOC | Conservative | District | |
| Worthing | Liberal Democrat | NOC | District | |
| Wyre Forest | NOC | NOC | District |
| Preceded by United Kingdom local elections, 2002 |
United Kingdom local elections | Succeeded by United Kingdom local elections, 2004 |
