2001 local elections handbook
Scheduled council elections held between April and June 2001, from our ward results. This is the final edition. Where our results for a council are incomplete, its figures will be too low.
Partial coverage: we only hold 654 seats across 278 councils for 2001, so many ward results are missing. Totals and seat counts on this page are incomplete and should not be quoted as the full result.
- Councils
- 278
- Wards
- 2,044
- Seats
- 654
- Candidates
- 6,391
- Votes
- 9,756,876
Seats won by party
| Party | Seats | Candidates | Votes | Vote share* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 292 | 1,999 | 3,840,131 | 40.0% | |
| Labour | 227 | 1,853 | 3,025,025 | 31.5% | |
| Liberal Democrats | 109 | 1,706 | 2,430,483 | 25.3% | |
| Independent | 22 | 337 | 278,764 | 2.9% | |
| LIB | 3 | 33 | 20,837 | 0.2% | |
| RATE | 1 | 1 | 1,867 | 0.0% |
*Note on vote share: this is each party's share of the votes cast in the wards we hold for 2001. 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 2001. Built from 2,020 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.
| Party | Our estimate | Elections Centre | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CON | 35.5% | 31% | |
| LAB | 32.9% | 39% | |
| LD | 23.0% | 25% | |
| IND | 3.8% | — | |
| SNP | 2.0% | — | |
| GRN | 1.1% | — | |
| PC | 0.5% | — |
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 (3)
| Council | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Cotswold | No overall control | Other |
| Craven | Conservative | No overall control |
| Dorset | No overall control | Conservative |
Every council (278)
| Council | Wards | Seats | Before | After |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adur | 5 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Allerdale | 13 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Alnwick | 3 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Amber Valley | 9 | 0 | — | — |
| Arun | 12 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Ashfield | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Ashford | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Aylesbury Vale | 13 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Babergh | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Barrow-in-Furness | 12 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Basildon | 8 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Basingstoke and Deane | 7 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Bassetlaw | 1 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Bassetlaw | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Bedford | 12 | 0 | — | — |
| Bedford | 1 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | 4 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Blaby | 4 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 18 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Blyth Valley | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Bolsover | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Bolton | 1 | 1 | Labour | Labour |
| Boston | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Braintree | 5 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Breckland | 8 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Brentwood | 5 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Bridgnorth | 7 | 0 | Other | Other |
| Bristol, City of | 23 | 24 | Labour | Labour |
| Broadland | 12 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Bromsgrove | 9 | 8 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Broxbourne | 6 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Broxtowe | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Burnley | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Cambridge | 4 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Cannock Chase | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Canterbury | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Caradon | 11 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Carlisle | 13 | 11 | — | — |
| Carlisle | 4 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Carrick | 10 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Castle Morpeth | 11 | 11 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Castle Point | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| Charnwood | 14 | 14 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Chelmsford | 7 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Cheltenham | 11 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Cherwell | 12 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Cheshire | 1 | 1 | — | Labour |
| Chester-le-Street | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Chesterfield | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Chichester | 10 | 10 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Chiltern | 11 | 11 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Chorley | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Christchurch | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| City of Chester | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Colchester | 1 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Colchester | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| Congleton | 4 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Congleton | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| Copeland | 12 | 12 | Labour | Labour |
| Copeland Borough Council | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| Corby | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Cotswold | 4 | 0 | No overall control | Other |
| Craven | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| Craven | 2 | 0 | Conservative | No overall control |
| Crawley | 8 | 7 | Labour | Labour |
| Crewe and Nantwich | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Cumberland | 6 | 6 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Dacorum | 8 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Dartford | 5 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Daventry | 8 | 8 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Derbyshire Dales | 2 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Derry | 1 | 1 | — | Liberal Democrats |
| Derwentside | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Dorset | 1 | 1 | No overall control | Conservative |
| Dover | 3 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Dudley | 1 | 1 | Labour | Labour |
| Durham | 3 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Easington | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| East Cambridgeshire | 4 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| East Devon | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| East Dorset | 8 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| East Hampshire | 6 | 6 | Conservative | Conservative |
| East Hertfordshire | 10 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| East Lindsey | 9 | 0 | Other | Other |
| East Northamptonshire | 9 | 9 | Conservative | Conservative |
| East Staffordshire | 7 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Eastbourne | 5 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Eastleigh | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| Eastleigh | 7 | 7 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Eden | 9 | 9 | Other | Other |
| Ellesmere Port and Neston | 6 | 6 | Labour | Labour |
| Elmbridge | 8 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Epping Forest | 8 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Epsom And Ewell | 4 | 0 | Other | Other |
| Erewash | 9 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Exeter | 7 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Fareham | 6 | 6 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Fenland | 7 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Forest Heath | 4 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Forest Of Dean | 3 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Fylde | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| Gedling | 9 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Gloucester | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Gosport | 5 | 5 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Gravesham | 6 | 6 | Labour | Labour |
| Great Yarmouth | 9 | 0 | — | — |
| Guildford | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Halton | 16 | 12 | Labour | Labour |
| Hambleton | 5 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Harborough | 6 | 6 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Harlow | 2 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Harrogate | 17 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Hart | 5 | 5 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Hastings | 4 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Havant | 8 | 8 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Hertsmere | 7 | 7 | Conservative | Conservative |
| High Peak | 7 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Hinckley And Bosworth | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Horsham | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Huntingdon | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Hyndburn | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| Ipswich | 14 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Isle Of Wight | 36 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Kennet | 8 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Kerrier | 15 | 15 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Kettering | 8 | 8 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Kettering | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| King's Lynn And West Norfolk | 2 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Lancaster | 7 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Lewes | 3 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Lichfield | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Lincoln | 8 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Macclesfield | 11 | 11 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Macclesfield | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Maidstone | 10 | 1 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Maldon | 1 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Malvern Hills | 7 | 6 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Mansfield District Council | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| Melton | 4 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Mendip | 11 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Mid Bedfordshire | 10 | 0 | — | — |
| Mid Devon | 4 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Mid Suffolk | 8 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Mid Sussex | 10 | 0 | — | — |
| Mole Valley | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| New Forest | 11 | 11 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Newark And Sherwood | 8 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 10 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| North Cornwall | 13 | 13 | Other | Other |
| North Devon | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| North Dorset | 5 | 5 | Conservative | Conservative |
| North East Derbyshire | 8 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| North Hertfordshire | 9 | 9 | Conservative | Conservative |
| North Kesteven | 11 | 11 | No overall control | No overall control |
| North Norfolk | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| North Shropshire | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| North Warwickshire | 8 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| North West Leicestershire | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| North Wiltshire | 13 | 13 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Northampton | 23 | 23 | Labour | Labour |
| Norwich | 14 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Nuneaton and Bedworth | 15 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Oadby And Wigston | 2 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Oswestry | 4 | 0 | Other | Other |
| Oxford | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Pendle | 6 | 6 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Penwith | 9 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Peterborough | 19 | 19 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Preston | 9 | 9 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Purbeck | 5 | 5 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Reading | 15 | 15 | Labour | Labour |
| Redditch | 8 | 8 | Labour | Labour |
| Reigate & Banstead | 8 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Restormel | 11 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Ribble Valley | 2 | 2 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Ribble Valley | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Richmondshire | 5 | 5 | Other | Other |
| Rochford | 5 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Rossendale | 5 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Rother | 8 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Rugby | 9 | 9 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Rugby | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Runnymede | 4 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Rushcliffe | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Rushmoor | 5 | 5 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Ryedale | 7 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Salisbury | 12 | 8 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Scarborough | 12 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Sedgefield | 12 | 11 | Labour | Labour |
| Sedgemoor | 11 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Selby | 10 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Sevenoaks | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| Shepway | 6 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Shrewsbury and Atcham | 12 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Slough | 14 | 14 | Labour | Labour |
| South Bedfordshire | 13 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| South Cambridgeshire | 12 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| South Derbyshire | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| South Hams | 3 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| South Holland | 9 | 9 | Conservative | Conservative |
| South Kesteven | 15 | 15 | Conservative | Conservative |
| South Lakeland | 18 | 18 | No overall control | No overall control |
| South Norfolk | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| South Northamptonshire | 5 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| South Oxfordshire | 12 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| South Ribble | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| South Shropshire | 6 | 0 | Other | Other |
| South Somerset | 11 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| South Staffordshire | 6 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Southend-On-Sea | 1 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Southwark | 1 | 1 | Labour | Labour |
| Spelthorne | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| Spelthorne | 4 | 4 | Conservative | Conservative |
| St Albans | 10 | 10 | No overall control | No overall control |
| St Edmundsbury | 7 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| St. Albans | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| Stafford | 9 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | 6 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Stevenage | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| Stratford-on-Avon | 12 | 0 | — | — |
| Stroud | 10 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Suffolk Coastal | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Surrey Heath | 5 | 4 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Surrey Heath | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Swale | 7 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Tamworth | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| Tandridge | 6 | 6 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Taunton Deane | 9 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Teesdale | 3 | 3 | Other | Other |
| Teignbridge | 8 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Tendring | 7 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Test Valley | 6 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Tewkesbury | 7 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Thanet | 8 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Three Rivers | 6 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Thurrock | 15 | 0 | — | — |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| Tonbridge And Malling | 1 | 1 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Torridge | 3 | 0 | Other | Other |
| Tunbridge Wells | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Tynedale | 10 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Uttlesford | 3 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Vale Of White Horse | 12 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Vale Royal | 10 | 9 | Labour | Labour |
| Wansbeck | 8 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Warrington | 14 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Warwick | 15 | 15 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Watford Borough Council | 3 | 0 | — | — |
| Waveney | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| Waveney | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Waverley | 8 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Wealden | 5 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Wear Valley | 8 | 8 | Labour | Labour |
| Wellingborough | 6 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 2 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| West Devon | 1 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| West Dorset | 10 | 10 | No overall control | No overall control |
| West Lancashire | 7 | 0 | Labour | Labour |
| West Lindsey | 10 | 10 | No overall control | No overall control |
| West Oxfordshire | 11 | 11 | Conservative | Conservative |
| West Somerset | 3 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| West Sussex | 1 | 1 | Conservative | Conservative |
| West Wiltshire | 13 | 11 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Weymouth and Portland | 7 | 7 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Winchester | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| Winchester | 1 | 0 | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats |
| Woking | 5 | 0 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Wokingham | 18 | 18 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Worcester | 9 | 9 | No overall control | No overall control |
| Worthing | 9 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Wychavon | 9 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Wycombe | 10 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Wycombe | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| Wyre | 7 | 0 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Wyre Forest | 10 | 0 | — | — |
| Wyre Forest | 1 | 0 | Other | Other |
| YEOVIL | 1 | 1 | Labour | Labour |
See also Election Health for 2001's competitiveness figures and Council Control.
