Wear Valley District Council elections

Wear Valley District Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. Wear Valley 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

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 1974 until its abolition in 2009 was as follows:[1]

Party in control Years
Labour 1974–1976
No overall control 1976–1979
Labour 1979–1991
Liberal Democrats 1991–1995
Labour 1995–2007
No overall control 2007–2009

Leadership

The leaders of the council from 1995 until its abolition in 2009 were:

Councillor Party From To
Olive Brown[2][3] Labour 1995 4 May 2005
Neil Stonehouse[3][4] Labour 4 May 2005 7 May 2008
Tommy Taylor[5][6] Liberal Democrats 7 May 2008 7 Jul 2008
Neil Harrison[7][8] Liberal Democrats 7 Jul 2008 31 Mar 2009

Council elections

Election Labour Liberal Democrat[a] Conservative Independent Total Notes
1973[9] 21 9 0 11[b] 41
1976[10] 17 11 2 11[c] 41
1979[11] 25 5 3 8 41
1983[12] 28 2[d] 3 7[e] 40 New ward boundaries[13]
1987[14] 26 3[f] 3 8 40
1991[15] 8 28 0 4 40
1995[16] 35 2 0 3 40
1999[17] 30 5 0 5 40
2003[18] 25 9 0 6 40 New ward boundaries[19]
2007[20] 19 16 0 5 40

Results maps

  • 2003 results map
  • 2007 results map

By-election results

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

1999-2003

Bishop Auckland Town By-Election 30 March 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 359 49.0 +4.0
Liberal Democrats 249 34.0 −14.0
Conservative 125 17.1 +10.0
Majority 110 15.0
Turnout 733 22.9
Labour hold Swing
Howden Le Wear By-Election 30 March 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 208 52.1 −1.8
Liberal Democrats 191 47.9 +1.8
Majority 17 4.2
Turnout 399 23.1
Labour hold Swing

2003-2007

Woodhouse Close By-Election 26 February 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 713 56.0 −2.5
Liberal Democrats Kenneth Bowser 287 22.5 −11.7
Independent 273 21.4 +21.4
Majority 426 33.5
Turnout 1,273 36.5
Labour hold Swing
Wheatbottom & Helmington Row By-Election 20 January 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rose Seabury 328 59.6 −10.0
Liberal Democrats John Bailey 180 32.7 +2.3
BNP Stuart Neil 42 0.7 +0.7
Majority 148 26.9
Turnout 550 21.8
Labour hold Swing
Bishop Auckland Town By-Election 3 March 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Samuel Zair 181 36.7 +11.6
Labour Robert Yorke 161 32.7 −4.9
Conservative James Tague 135 27.3 +27.3
UKIP Margaret Hopson 16 3.2 +3.2
Majority 20 4.0
Turnout 493 21.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Howden By-Election 27 October 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Bailey 157 50.5 +6.0
Labour Jay Smith 154 49.5 −6.0
Majority 3 1.0
Turnout 311 24.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Coundon By-Election 3 September 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norman Strongman 360 52.1 −2.1
Liberal Democrats Diane Hardaker 331 47.9 +2.1
Majority 29 4.2
Turnout 691 21.6
Labour hold Swing

Notes

  1. ^ Liberal Party prior to 1983, SDP-Liberal Alliance in 1983 and 1987.
  2. ^ Includes one People's Rep.
  3. ^ Includes five of other parties.
  4. ^ 2 Liberal, 0 SDP
  5. ^ Includes 1 People's Rep. and 1 People before pol.
  6. ^ 3 Liberal, 0 SDP

References

  1. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Wear Valley" in search box to see specific results.)
  2. ^ Robinson, Fred; Shaw, Keith; Dutton, Jill; Grainger, Paul; Hopwood, Bill; Williams, Sarah (2000). Who runs the North East... now? (PDF). University of Durham. p. 48. ISBN 0 903593 16 5. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Council minutes, 4 May 2005" (PDF). Wear Valley District Council. p. 26. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  4. ^ Robinson, Bessie (8 May 2008). "Parties unite to oust Labour from control". Northern Echo. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Council minutes, 7 May 2008" (PDF). Wear Valley District Council. p. 16. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  6. ^ King, Dan (2 July 2008). "Ill health forces leader in 'bits of stuff' row to quit". Northern Echo. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Council minutes, 7 July 2008" (PDF). Wear Valley District Council. p. 19. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Council honours loyal staff at final ordinary meeting". Northern Echo. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Liberals capture Eastbourne and exceed ambition to win 1,000 local government seats". The Times. 9 June 1973.
  10. ^ "Heavy Labour losses in district polls". The Times. 8 May 1976.
  11. ^ Local elections in Britain: a statistical digest, edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. 1993
  12. ^ "How votes were cast in local government elections". The Times. 7 May 1983. p. 4.
  13. ^ The District of Wear Valley (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1979
  14. ^ "Results in Thursday's local elections". The Times. 9 May 1987.
  15. ^ "Complete round-up of results from Thursday's local council elections". The Times. 4 May 1991.
  16. ^ "Complete list of results from Thursday's council elections". The Times. 6 May 1995. p. 10.
  17. ^ "Wear Valley". BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  18. ^ "Wear Valley". BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  19. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Wear Valley (Electoral Changes) Order 1999. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Wear Valley". BBC News. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
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