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    1999 local elections handbook

    Final edition

    Scheduled council elections held between April and June 1999, from our ward results. This is the final edition. Where our results for a council are incomplete, its figures will be too low.

    Councils
    414
    Wards
    7,200
    Seats
    6,501
    Candidates
    25,261
    Votes
    12,747,511

    Seats won by party

    PartySeatsCandidatesVotesVote share*
    Labour
    2,3987,6164,462,64035.1%
    Conservative
    1,7936,9203,669,31628.8%
    Liberal Democrats
    1,2805,7562,693,05721.2%
    Independent
    7332,582931,2117.3%
    SNP
    96772489,3893.8%
    PC
    76326161,4311.3%
    RES
    407950,4480.4%
    RATE
    296734,9410.3%
    Green
    14560114,2320.9%
    Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    9174,4440.0%
    Ind Lab
    811542,0700.3%
    DAW
    5145,9920.0%
    LIB
    56115,7620.1%
    RC
    382,6010.0%
    Ind Con
    2195,5020.0%

    *Note on vote share: this is each party's share of the votes cast in the wards we hold for 1999. It is not an estimate for the whole country: many councils did not vote this year, some of our results may be missing, and in wards with several seats each voter had several votes.

    National Equivalent Vote — our estimate

    What each party's share might have been if the whole of Great Britain had voted in 1999. Built from 6,401 wards that did vote, compared like-for-like with the last time each ward voted, then carried across the places that didn't vote using the change in their region. Shown beside the Elections Centre's published figure where we hold it.

    PartyOur estimateElections Centre
    CON
    32.5%34%
    LAB
    31.9%36%
    LD
    23.2%25%
    IND
    6.7%—
    SNP
    2.8%—
    GRN
    0.9%—
    PC
    0.6%—

    How far to trust this: it is an estimate, not a count. It uses each party's best-placed candidate in each ward, so multi-seat wards don't inflate anyone. Parties that stand in only a few places stay in those places. Where our ward records are incomplete for a year, the estimate is less reliable — compare it with the Elections Centre column.

    Councils changing hands (99)

    CouncilBeforeAfter
    AdurLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Aylesbury ValeLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Barrow-in-FurnessLabourNo overall control
    Berwick-upon-TweedNo overall controlLiberal Democrats
    BlabyNo overall controlConservative
    BrecklandNo overall controlConservative
    BroadlandNo overall controlConservative
    BromsgroveLabourConservative
    CaerphillyLabourPlaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    CalderdaleLabourNo overall control
    CarlisleLabourConservative
    CarrickNo overall controlLiberal Democrats
    CeredigionOtherNo overall control
    CharnwoodLabourNo overall control
    ChelmsfordLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    CheltenhamLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    ChichesterNo overall controlConservative
    ChilternNo overall controlConservative
    ClackmannanshireLabourNo overall control
    CotswoldOtherNo overall control
    CravenNo overall controlConservative
    CumberlandNo overall controlConservative
    DacorumLabourConservative
    DaventryNo overall controlConservative
    Derbyshire DalesNo overall controlConservative
    DoverLabourNo overall control
    DundeeLabourNo overall control
    East CambridgeshireOtherLiberal Democrats
    East DorsetLiberal DemocratsConservative
    East DunbartonshireLabourNo overall control
    East HampshireLiberal DemocratsConservative
    East HertfordshireNo overall controlConservative
    East NorthamptonshireLabourConservative
    EastbourneLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    FalkirkLabourNo overall control
    FarehamNo overall controlConservative
    FenlandNo overall controlConservative
    Forest HeathNo overall controlConservative
    GedlingLabourConservative
    HambletonNo overall controlConservative
    HertsmereLabourConservative
    KetteringLabourNo overall control
    King's Lynn And West NorfolkLabourNo overall control
    KirkleesLabourNo overall control
    LancasterLabourNo overall control
    LichfieldLabourConservative
    MaldonNo overall controlConservative
    Merthyr TydfilLabourNo overall control
    Mid DevonLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Mid SussexNo overall controlConservative
    MonmouthshireLabourNo overall control
    MoraySNPOther
    New ForestLiberal DemocratsConservative
    Newark And SherwoodLabourNo overall control
    North DorsetLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    North HertfordshireLabourConservative
    North SomersetLiberal DemocratsConservative
    North WiltshireLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    PembrokeshireOtherPlaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    Perth and KinrossSNPNo overall control
    PrestonLabourNo overall control
    PurbeckNo overall controlConservative
    RestormelLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Rhondda Cynon TafLabourPlaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    RotherNo overall controlConservative
    RushcliffeNo overall controlConservative
    RutlandNo overall controlOther
    SalisburyLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Scottish BordersOtherNo overall control
    SedgemoorNo overall controlConservative
    SelbyLabourNo overall control
    SevenoaksNo overall controlConservative
    SheffieldLabourLiberal Democrats
    ShepwayNo overall controlConservative
    South GloucestershireNo overall controlLiberal Democrats
    South HamsNo overall controlConservative
    South HollandNo overall controlConservative
    South NorthamptonshireNo overall controlConservative
    South RibbleLabourNo overall control
    St EdmundsburyNo overall controlConservative
    StaffordLabourNo overall control
    StirlingLabourNo overall control
    StockportNo overall controlLiberal Democrats
    Taunton DeaneLiberal DemocratsNo overall control
    TendringLabourNo overall control
    Test ValleyLiberal DemocratsConservative
    TewkesburyOtherNo overall control
    Three RiversNo overall controlLiberal Democrats
    TorridgeNo overall controlOther
    Vale of GlamorganLabourNo overall control
    WalsallNo overall controlLabour
    WaverleyLiberal DemocratsConservative
    WellingboroughNo overall controlLabour
    WorthingLiberal DemocratsConservative
    WrexhamLabourNo overall control
    WychavonNo overall controlConservative
    WycombeNo overall controlConservative
    WyreLabourConservative
    Wyre ForestLabourNo overall control

    Every council (414)

    CouncilWardsSeatsBeforeAfter
    Aberdeen4343LabourLabour
    Aberdeenshire260No overall controlNo overall control
    Adur1315Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Allerdale3156LabourLabour
    Alnwick1629No overall controlNo overall control
    Amber Valley55LabourLabour
    Amber Valley1010——
    Angus2929SNPSNP
    Argyll and Bute3636OtherOther
    Arun2755ConservativeConservative
    Ashfield1533LabourLabour
    Ashford360No overall controlNo overall control
    Aylesbury Vale220Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Babergh220No overall controlNo overall control
    Barnet11No overall controlNo overall control
    Barnsley2221LabourLabour
    Barrow-in-Furness50LabourNo overall control
    Basildon120LabourLabour
    Basingstoke and Deane150No overall controlNo overall control
    Bassetlaw120——
    Bath & North East Somerset120No overall controlNo overall control
    Bedford120——
    Berwick-upon-Tweed80No overall controlLiberal Democrats
    Birmingham3939LabourLabour
    Blaby50No overall controlConservative
    Blackburn1111LabourLabour
    Blackburn109——
    Blaenau Gwent24LabourLabour
    Blaenau Gwent1538——
    Blyth Valley80LabourLabour
    Bolsover220LabourLabour
    Bolton2020LabourLabour
    Boston80No overall controlNo overall control
    Bournemouth1957No overall controlNo overall control
    Bradford3029LabourLabour
    Braintree100LabourLabour
    Breckland240No overall controlConservative
    Brentwood110Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Bridgend3954LabourLabour
    Bridgnorth180OtherOther
    Brighton & Hove2678LabourLabour
    Bristol, City of3570LabourLabour
    Broadland140No overall controlConservative
    Bromsgrove120LabourConservative
    Broxbourne70ConservativeConservative
    Broxtowe1021LabourLabour
    Broxtowe1128——
    Buckinghamshire3056ConservativeConservative
    Burnley1617LabourLabour
    Bury1716LabourLabour
    Caerphilly10LabourPlaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    Caerphilly190——
    Calderdale1818LabourNo overall control
    Cambridge1616No overall controlNo overall control
    Cannock Chase1414LabourLabour
    Canterbury410No overall controlNo overall control
    Canterbury2241——
    Caradon2939No overall controlNo overall control
    Cardiff2975LabourLabour
    Carlisle10LabourConservative
    Carlisle2237——
    Carmarthenshire520No overall controlNo overall control
    Carrick2045No overall controlLiberal Democrats
    Castle Morpeth2033No overall controlNo overall control
    Castle Point1430——
    Castle Point26LabourLabour
    Ceredigion3644OtherNo overall control
    Charnwood2951LabourNo overall control
    Chelmsford90Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Cheltenham1419Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Cherwell1818No overall controlNo overall control
    Chester47No overall controlNo overall control
    Chester-le-Street130LabourLabour
    Chesterfield916LabourLabour
    Chesterfield1326——
    Chichester3450No overall controlConservative
    Chiltern2949No overall controlConservative
    Chorley1616LabourLabour
    Christchurch30——
    City of Chester3153——
    Clackmannanshire1818LabourNo overall control
    Colchester10No overall controlNo overall control
    Colchester140——
    Congleton130——
    Conwy3859No overall controlNo overall control
    Copeland Borough Council100——
    Corby80LabourLabour
    Cotswold280OtherNo overall control
    Coventry1818LabourLabour
    Craven40——
    Craven10No overall controlConservative
    Crawley40LabourLabour
    Crewe and Nantwich130LabourLabour
    Cumberland915No overall controlConservative
    Cynon Valley10——
    Dacorum160LabourConservative
    Darlington2552LabourLabour
    Dartford130LabourLabour
    Daventry130No overall controlConservative
    Denbighshire3047No overall controlNo overall control
    Derby119LabourLabour
    Derbyshire65LabourLabour
    Derbyshire Dales60No overall controlConservative
    Derwentside80LabourLabour
    Doncaster2122LabourLabour
    Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council80——
    Dover70LabourNo overall control
    Dudley2425LabourLabour
    Dumfries and Galloway1414No overall controlNo overall control
    Dumfries and Galloway3333——
    Dundee2929LabourNo overall control
    Durham10——
    Easington210——
    East Ayrshire190LabourLabour
    East Cambridgeshire130OtherLiberal Democrats
    East Devon160——
    East Dorset170Liberal DemocratsConservative
    East Dunbartonshire30LabourNo overall control
    East Dunbartonshire140——
    East Hampshire3142Liberal DemocratsConservative
    East Hertfordshire3050No overall controlConservative
    East Lindsey4861OtherOther
    East Lothian80LabourLabour
    East Northamptonshire2036LabourConservative
    East Renfrewshire100——
    East Renfrewshire10No overall controlNo overall control
    East Staffordshire2544LabourLabour
    East Suffolk66LabourLabour
    Eastbourne1010Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Eastleigh66Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Eastleigh119——
    Eden3138OtherOther
    Edinburgh220LabourLabour
    Ellesmere Port and Neston1943LabourLabour
    Elmbridge2020No overall controlNo overall control
    Epping Forest2022No overall controlNo overall control
    Epsom And Ewell1339OtherOther
    Erewash2552LabourLabour
    Exeter1212LabourLabour
    Falkirk3232LabourNo overall control
    Fareham1414No overall controlConservative
    Fenland2540No overall controlConservative
    Fife240LabourLabour
    Flintshire490LabourLabour
    Forest Heath1525No overall controlConservative
    Forest Of Dean202LabourLabour
    Fylde1530——
    Fylde1113No overall controlNo overall control
    Gateshead10LabourLabour
    Gateshead200——
    Gedling70LabourConservative
    Glasgow10——
    Glasgow7777LabourLabour
    Gloucester70——
    Gosport80No overall controlNo overall control
    Gravesham30LabourLabour
    Great Yarmouth140——
    Guildford50——
    Gwynedd6983Plaid Cymru - The Party of WalesPlaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    Halton1511LabourLabour
    Hambleton210No overall controlConservative
    Harborough140No overall controlNo overall control
    Harlow70LabourLabour
    Harrogate150Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Hart110No overall controlNo overall control
    Hartlepool11LabourLabour
    Hartlepool1619——
    Hastings50LabourLabour
    Havant50No overall controlNo overall control
    Hertsmere50LabourConservative
    High Peak100LabourLabour
    Highland9081OtherOther
    Hinckley And Bosworth50No overall controlNo overall control
    Horsham50——
    Huntingdonshire160ConservativeConservative
    Hyndburn120——
    Inverclyde2020LabourLabour
    Ipswich160LabourLabour
    Isle of Anglesey3939OtherOther
    Kennet240No overall controlNo overall control
    Kerrier2244No overall controlNo overall control
    Kettering12LabourNo overall control
    Kettering2034——
    King's Lynn And West Norfolk4059LabourNo overall control
    Kingston Upon Hull, City of170LabourLabour
    Kirklees180LabourNo overall control
    Knowsley170LabourLabour
    Lancaster2960LabourNo overall control
    Leeds250LabourLabour
    Lewes2549Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Lichfield716LabourConservative
    Lichfield2245——
    Lincoln1235LabourLabour
    Liverpool160Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Luton10LabourLabour
    Macclesfield1525ConservativeConservative
    Macclesfield2334——
    Maidstone1819No overall controlNo overall control
    Maldon2030No overall controlConservative
    Manchester240LabourLabour
    Mansfield39——
    Mansfield820LabourLabour
    Mansfield District Council910——
    Melton1724No overall controlNo overall control
    Mendip3546No overall controlNo overall control
    Merthyr Tydfil70LabourNo overall control
    Mid Bedfordshire150——
    Mid Devon2840Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Mid Suffolk3542No overall controlNo overall control
    Mid Sussex1020——
    Mid Sussex2034No overall controlConservative
    Middlesbrough30——
    Midlothian60——
    Milton Keynes140LabourLabour
    Mole Valley99——
    Mole Valley55No overall controlNo overall control
    Monmouthshire3846LabourNo overall control
    Moray50SNPOther
    Moray160——
    Neath Port Talbot300LabourLabour
    New Forest3358Liberal DemocratsConservative
    Newark And Sherwood3054LabourNo overall control
    Newcastle Upon Tyne220LabourLabour
    Newcastle-under-Lyme160LabourLabour
    Newport2047LabourLabour
    North Ayrshire270LabourLabour
    North Cornwall170OtherOther
    North Devon10Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    North Devon150——
    North Dorset140——
    North Dorset20Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    North East Derbyshire190LabourLabour
    North East Lincolnshire50LabourLabour
    North Hertfordshire150LabourConservative
    North Kesteven230No overall controlNo overall control
    North Lanarkshire450LabourLabour
    North Lincolnshire30LabourLabour
    North Norfolk170——
    North Shropshire240——
    North Somerset10Liberal DemocratsConservative
    North Somerset60——
    North Tyneside140——
    North Warwickshire170LabourLabour
    North West Leicestershire120——
    North Wiltshire170Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Northampton110LabourLabour
    Norwich160LabourLabour
    Nuneaton and Bedworth120LabourLabour
    Oldham170LabourLabour
    Orkney Islands200OtherOther
    Oswestry120OtherOther
    Oxford110LabourLabour
    Pembrokeshire510OtherPlaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    Pendle120——
    Penwith100No overall controlNo overall control
    Perth and Kinross80SNPNo overall control
    Peterborough160No overall controlNo overall control
    Portsmouth110LabourLabour
    Powys660OtherOther
    Preston1922LabourNo overall control
    Purbeck1424No overall controlConservative
    Reading1515LabourLabour
    Redcar & Cleveland70LabourLabour
    Redditch1010LabourLabour
    Reigate & Banstead1717No overall controlNo overall control
    Renfrewshire300LabourLabour
    Restormel1844Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Rhondda Cynon Taf370LabourPlaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
    Ribble Valley1114——
    Ribble Valley1625No overall controlNo overall control
    Richmondshire2634OtherOther
    Rochdale90LabourLabour
    Rochford1313No overall controlNo overall control
    Rossendale1212LabourLabour
    Rother2542No overall controlConservative
    Rotherham76LabourLabour
    Rotherham1515——
    Rugby1112——
    Rugby55No overall controlNo overall control
    Runnymede1414ConservativeConservative
    Rushcliffe1425——
    Rushcliffe1324No overall controlConservative
    Rushmoor1519No overall controlNo overall control
    Rutland1620No overall controlOther
    Ryedale1824No overall controlNo overall control
    Salford1818——
    Salford32LabourLabour
    Salisbury3659Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Sandwell2427LabourLabour
    Scarborough2248No overall controlNo overall control
    Scottish Borders3333OtherNo overall control
    Sedgefield2349LabourLabour
    Sedgemoor2550No overall controlConservative
    Sefton2323No overall controlNo overall control
    Selby3042LabourNo overall control
    Sevenoaks150——
    Sevenoaks10No overall controlConservative
    Sheffield2929LabourLiberal Democrats
    Shepway60No overall controlConservative
    Shetland Islands10——
    Shetland Islands200——
    Shrewsbury and Atcham150No overall controlNo overall control
    Slough1314LabourLabour
    Solihull22No overall controlNo overall control
    Solihull1716——
    South Ayrshire150LabourLabour
    South Bedfordshire150No overall controlNo overall control
    South Cambridgeshire180No overall controlNo overall control
    South Derbyshire140——
    South Gloucestershire3570No overall controlLiberal Democrats
    South Hams190No overall controlConservative
    South Holland180No overall controlConservative
    South Kesteven210No overall controlNo overall control
    South Lakeland420No overall controlNo overall control
    South Lanarkshire510LabourLabour
    South Norfolk250——
    South Northamptonshire200No overall controlConservative
    South Oxfordshire150No overall controlNo overall control
    South Ribble40LabourNo overall control
    South Shropshire180OtherOther
    South Somerset240Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    South Staffordshire120ConservativeConservative
    South Tyneside2020LabourLabour
    Southampton1515LabourLabour
    Southend-On-Sea120No overall controlNo overall control
    Southwark11LabourLabour
    Spelthorne20——
    St Edmundsbury240No overall controlConservative
    St. Helens1918LabourLabour
    Stafford3058LabourNo overall control
    Staffordshire Moorlands2856No overall controlNo overall control
    Stevenage1136——
    Stirling1918——
    Stirling33LabourNo overall control
    Stockport2120——
    Stockport21No overall controlLiberal Democrats
    Stockton-on-Tees3055LabourLabour
    Stoke On Trent150LabourLabour
    Stratford-On-Avon150No overall controlNo overall control
    Stroud1923No overall controlNo overall control
    Suffolk Coastal240——
    Sunderland2529LabourLabour
    Surrey Heath13ConservativeConservative
    Surrey Heath1328——
    Swale1919No overall controlNo overall control
    Swansea140LabourLabour
    Swindon1920LabourLabour
    Taff-Ely20——
    Tameside1919LabourLabour
    Tamworth1010——
    Tandridge1414No overall controlNo overall control
    Taunton Deane2754Liberal DemocratsNo overall control
    Teesdale1931OtherOther
    Teignbridge3358No overall controlNo overall control
    Tendring3463LabourNo overall control
    Test Valley2344Liberal DemocratsConservative
    Tewkesbury2736OtherNo overall control
    Thanet2653LabourLabour
    Three Rivers2148No overall controlLiberal Democrats
    Thurrock34LabourLabour
    Thurrock1513——
    Tonbridge and Malling1531——
    Tonbridge And Malling1325No overall controlNo overall control
    Torfaen200——
    Torridge2735No overall controlOther
    Trafford2222LabourLabour
    Tunbridge Wells66ConservativeConservative
    Tunbridge Wells1210——
    Tynedale3152No overall controlNo overall control
    Uttlesford3142No overall controlNo overall control
    Vale of Glamorgan10LabourNo overall control
    Vale of Glamorgan60——
    Vale Of White Horse90Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Vale Royal2857LabourLabour
    Wakefield2121LabourLabour
    Walsall2121No overall controlLabour
    Wansbeck1645LabourLabour
    Warrington2020LabourLabour
    Warwick1942No overall controlNo overall control
    Watford1236LabourLabour
    Waveney1710——
    Waverley70Liberal DemocratsConservative
    Wealden130ConservativeConservative
    Wear Valley100LabourLabour
    Wellingborough60No overall controlLabour
    Welwyn Hatfield50——
    West Devon140No overall controlNo overall control
    West Dorset260No overall controlNo overall control
    West Dunbartonshire2222LabourLabour
    West Lancashire170LabourLabour
    West Lindsey160No overall controlNo overall control
    West Lothian3231LabourLabour
    West Oxfordshire160No overall controlNo overall control
    West Somerset1831No overall controlNo overall control
    West Wiltshire2843Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Weymouth and Portland1314No overall controlNo overall control
    Wigan2424LabourLabour
    Winchester1211Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
    Winchester95——
    Wirral2222LabourLabour
    Woking1215No overall controlNo overall control
    Wokingham2021ConservativeConservative
    Wolverhampton2020LabourLabour
    Worcester1213LabourLabour
    Worthing1214Liberal DemocratsConservative
    Wrexham10LabourNo overall control
    Wrexham370——
    Wychavon3649No overall controlConservative
    Wycombe100No overall controlConservative
    Wycombe224——
    Wyre150LabourConservative
    Wyre Forest1412——
    Wyre Forest22LabourNo overall control
    York2953LabourLabour

    See also Election Health for 1999's competitiveness figures and Council Control.