Derwentside District Council elections

Derwentside District Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. Derwentside was a non-metropolitan district in County Durham, England. On 1 April 2009 the council's functions passed to Durham County Council, which became a unitary authority.

Political control

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The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1973 until its abolition in 2009 was held by the following parties:[1]

Party in control Years
Labour 1973–2009

Leadership

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The last leader of the council was:[2]

Councillor Party From To
Alex Watson Labour 1991 31 Mar 2009

Council elections

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Election Labour Liberal Democrat[a] Conservative Independent Total Notes
1973[3] 45 3 1 6[b] 55
1976[4] 39 5 2 9 55
1979[5] 30 3 6 16 55 New ward boundaries[6]
1983[7] 36 3[c] 4 12 55
1987[8] 43 0 3 9 55
1991[9] 38 0 2 15 55
1995[10] 50 0 0 5 55 District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same[11]
1999[12] 47 0 0 8 55
2003[13] 38 1 0 16 55 New ward boundaries[14]
2007[15] 29 2 0 24 55

By-election results

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The following is an incomplete list of by-elections to Derwentside District Council.

1995-1999

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Annfield Plain By-Election 20 February 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 525 79.3
Independent Labour 137 20.7
Majority 388 58.6
Turnout 662 20.8
Labour hold Swing
Stanley Hall By-Election 25 September 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 414 83.6 +8.8
Liberal Democrats 81 16.4 +16.4
Majority 333 67.2
Turnout 495
Labour hold Swing
Arnfield Plain By-Election 7 May 1998
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 549 74.7 +5.0
Independent Labour 131 17.8 +17.8
Liberal Democrats 55 7.5 +7.5
Majority 418 66.9
Turnout 735
Labour hold Swing

1999-2003

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Tanfield By-Election 22 June 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent 468 53.7 +7.4
Labour 404 46.3 −7.4
Majority 64 7.4
Turnout 872 26.5
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Consett South By-Election 15 March 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 419 58.4 +0.8
Independent 157 21.9 −20.5
Independent 110 15.3 +15.3
Conservative 32 4.5 +4.5
Majority 262 36.5
Turnout 718 22.3
Labour hold Swing
Arnfield Plain By-Election 23 August 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 416 70.3 −0.8
Liberal Democrats 111 18.8 +18.8
Green 65 11.0 +11.0
Majority 305 51.5
Turnout 592 19.2
Labour hold Swing
Craghead By-Election 15 November 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 240 54.4 −13.8
Independent 201 45.6 +13.8
Majority 39 8.8
Turnout 441 21.2
Labour hold Swing
Consett South By-Election 17 January 2002
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 319 63.0 +5.4
Independent 93 18.4 −24.0
Liberal Democrats 72 14.2 +14.2
Conservative 22 4.3 +4.3
Majority 226 44.6
Turnout 506 15.6
Labour hold Swing
Benfieldside By-Election 2 May 2002
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Clark 469 32.5 −0.3
Liberal Democrats Keith English 467 32.3 +11.4
Independent Donald Love 404 28.0 +0.0
Conservative Peter Carr 104 7.2 −5.3
Majority 2 0.2
Turnout 1,444 31.9
Labour hold Swing

2003-2007

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Stanley Hall By-Election 29 September 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carl Marshall 599 65.4 +0.0
Liberal Democrats David Rolfe 199 21.7 +1.1
BNP Dean McAdam 118 12.9 +12.9
Majority 400 43.7
Turnout 916 24.5
Labour hold Swing
Cornsay By-Election 16 February 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Barbara Armstrong 239 75.4 +44.7
Conservative Peter Carr 78 24.6 +24.6
Majority 161 50.8
Turnout 317 25.7
Labour gain from Independent Swing

2007-2009

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Castleside By-Election 17 July 2008[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Marion Wotherspoon 297 82.3 +8.3
Conservative Michael Carr 64 17.7 +3.7
Majority 233 64.6
Turnout 361 27.5
Independent hold Swing

Notes

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  1. ^ Liberal Party prior to 1983, SDP-Liberal Alliance in 1983 and 1987.
  2. ^ Including three of other parties.
  3. ^ 2 Liberal, 1 SDP

References

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  1. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Council minutes". Durham County Council. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Liberals capture Eastbourne and exceed ambition to win 1,000 loval government seats". The Times. 9 June 1973.
  4. ^ "Heavy Labour losses in district polls". The Times. 8 May 1976.
  5. ^ Local elections in Britain: a statistical digest, edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. 1993
  6. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Derwentside (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
  7. ^ "How votes were cast in local government elections". The Times. 7 May 1983. p. 4.
  8. ^ "Results in Thursday's local elections". The Times. 9 May 1987.
  9. ^ "Complete round-up of results from Thursday's local council elections". The Times. 4 May 1991.
  10. ^ "Complete list of results from Thursday's council elections". The Times. 6 May 1995. p. 10.
  11. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear (County and District Boundaries) Order 1992. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  12. ^ "Derwentside". BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  13. ^ "Derwentside". BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  14. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Derwentside (Electoral Changes) Order 1999. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Derwentside". BBC News. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  16. ^ "Castleside Ward By-election results". Derwentside district council. Archived from the original on 17 March 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2008.