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Leeds City Council elections

One third of Leeds City Council in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is elected each year, followed by no election in one year out of every four years. A total of 99 councillors have been elected from 33 electoral wards across Leeds since 1980.[1]

Political control

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Seat totals, 1973–2012

From 1889 until 1974 Leeds was a county borough, independent from any county council. Under the Local Government Act 1972 it had its territory enlarged and became a metropolitan borough, with West Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services. The first election to the reconstituted city council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986 and Leeds became a unitary authority. Political control of the council since 1974 has been held by the following parties:[2][3]

Party in control Years
No overall control 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1979
No overall control 1979–1980
Labour 1980–2004
No overall control 2004–2011
Labour 2011–present

Leadership

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The first leader of the reformed council in 1974, Albert King, had been the last leader of the old county borough council. The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Albert King[4] Labour 1974 1975
Irwin Bellow[5] Conservative 1975 1979
Peter Sparling[6] Conservative 1979 1980
George Mudie[7] Labour 1980 1989
Jon Trickett[8] Labour 1989 1996
Brian Walker[9] Labour 1996 May 2003
Keith Wakefield[10][11] Labour 2003 28 June 2004
Mark Harris[11] Liberal Democrats 28 June 2004 30 November 2004
Andrew Carter[11] Conservative 1 December 2004 23 May 2005
Mark Harris[12] Liberal Democrats 24 May 2005 30 November 2005
Andrew Carter[12] Conservative 1 December 2005 22 May 2006
Mark Harris[13] Liberal Democrats 23 May 2006 30 November 2006
Andrew Carter[13] Conservative 1 December 2006 21 May 2007
Mark Harris[14] Liberal Democrats 24 May 2007 30 November 2007
Andrew Carter[14] Conservative 1 December 2007 22 May 2008
Richard Brett[15] Liberal Democrats 22 May 2008 30 November 2008
Andrew Carter[15] Conservative 1 December 2008 21 May 2009
Richard Brett[16] Liberal Democrats 21 May 2009 30 November 2009
Andrew Carter[16][17] Conservative 1 December 2009 27 May 2010
Keith Wakefield[18][10] Labour 27 May 2010 21 May 2015
Judith Blake[19][20] Labour 21 May 2015 24 February 2021
James Lewis[21] Labour 24 February 2021 incumbent

From 2004 until 2010 a coalition agreement between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats saw the leadership formally alternate every six months between their party leaders, an arrangement was sometimes described as being joint leaders.[17]

Council elections

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Summary of the council composition after council elections, click on the year for full details of each election. Boundary changes took place for the 1980 election which increased the number of seats by 3, leading to the whole council being elected in that year. Further boundary changes made in 2004 again required the full council to be elected.[22]

Popular vote shares, 1973–2012
Popular vote figures, 1973–2012


Year Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Independent Greens Morley Borough Independents SDP BNP
1973 44 38 14 0 0 0 0 0
1975 41 43 12 0 0 0 0 0
1976 38 50 8 0 0 0 0 0
1978 39 50 7 0 0 0 0 0
1979 44 45 7 0 0 0 0 0
1980 62 29 8 0 0 0 0 0
1982 56 32 11 0 0 0 0 0
1983 54 33 11 1 0 0 0 0
1984 53 33 12 1 0 0 0 0
1986 58 28 11 2 0 0 0 0
1987 58 25 14 2 0 0 0 0
1988 59 25 14 1 0 0 0 0
1990 66 21 11 1 0 0 0 0
1991 68 21 9 1 0 0 0 0
1992 67 23 8 1 0 0 0 0
1994 67 23 8 1 0 0 0 0
1995 75 15 8 1 0 0 0 0
1996 83 8 8 0 0 0 0 0
1998 80 9 9 0 1 0 0 0
1999 71 12 14 1 1 0 0 0
2000 61 16 19 1 2 0 0 0
2002 57 18 20 1 3 0 0 0
2003 52 22 20 2 3 0 0 0
2004 40 24 26 0 3 6 0 0
2006 40 24 26 0 3 5 0 1
2007 43 22 24 1 3 5 0 1
2008 43 22 24 1 3 5 0 1
2010 48 22 21 0 2 6 0 0
2011 55 21 16 0 2 5 0 0
2012 63 19 10 0 2 5 0 0
2014 63 18 9 1 3 5 0 0
2015 63 19 9 0 3 5 0 0
2016 63 19 9 0 3 5 0 0
2018 61 22 6 3 2 5 0 0
2019 57 23 8 3 3 5 0 0
2021 54 24 8 4 3 6 0 0
2022 58 21 7 3 3 6 1 0
2023 61 18 6 3 3 6 2 0
2024 61 15 6 5 5 4 3 0

Borough result maps

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  • 1980 results map, with new ward boundaries
    1980 results map, with new ward boundaries
  • 1982 results map
    1982 results map
  • 1983 results map
    1983 results map
  • 1984 results map
    1984 results map
  • 1986 results map
    1986 results map
  • 1987 results map
    1987 results map
  • 1988 results map
    1988 results map
  • 1990 results map
    1990 results map
  • 1991 results map
    1991 results map
  • 1992 results map
    1992 results map
  • 1994 results map
    1994 results map
  • 1995 results map
    1995 results map
  • 1996 results map
    1996 results map
  • 1998 results map, with first Green councillor
    1998 results map, with first Green councillor
  • 1999 results map
    1999 results map
  • 2000 results map
    2000 results map
  • 2002 results map
    2002 results map
  • 2003 results map
    2003 results map
  • 2004 results map, with new ward boundaries
    2004 results map, with new ward boundaries
  • 2006 results map
    2006 results map
  • 2007 results map
    2007 results map
  • 2008 results map
    2008 results map
  • 2010 results map
    2010 results map
  • 2011 results map
    2011 results map
  • 2012 results map
    2012 results map
  • 2014 results map
    2014 results map
  • 2015 results map
    2015 results map
  • 2016 results map
    2016 results map
  • 2018 results map, with new ward boundaries
    2018 results map, with new ward boundaries
  • 2019 results map
    2019 results map
  • 2021 results map
    2021 results map
  • 2022 results map
    2022 results map
  • 2023 results map
    2023 results map
  • 2024 results map
    2024 results map

By-election results

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Following the death, removal or resignation of an incumbent councillor between council elections, by-elections occur to elect a successor to fill the vacant council seat. The next by-election will take place on 12 June 2025 in Morley South to replace Wyn Kidger.

Ward by-election Date Incumbent party Winning party
Headingley by-election 28 February 1974 Conservative Conservative
Burley by-election 21 November 1974 Conservative Labour
Burley by-election 8 January 1975 Labour Labour
Beeston by-election 27 September 1984 Labour Labour
Aireborough by-election 18 August 1986 Conservative Alliance
Armley by-election 8 December 1988 SLD Labour
Burmantofts by-election 15 June 1989 SLD Labour
Morley North by-election Labour Labour
City & Holbeck by-election 30 November 1989 Labour Labour
Wetherby by-election 23 July 1992 Conservative Conservative
Richmond Hill by-election 26 October 1995 Labour Labour
Beeston by-election 14 November 1996 Labour Labour
Headingley by-election 10 July 1997 Labour Labour
Whinmoor by-election 21 August 1997 Labour Labour
Bramley by-election 6 August 1998 Labour Liberal Democrats
Harehills by-election 13 April 2000 Labour Liberal Democrats
Morley North by-election 7 June 2001 Labour Labour
University by-election Labour Labour
Moortown by-election 19 July 2001 Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats
Headingley by-election 28 July 2005 Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats
Farnley & Wortley by-election 18 September 2008 Green Green
Temple Newsam by-election 2 April 2009 Labour Conservative
Hyde Park & Woodhouse by-election 18 February 2010 Liberal Democrats Labour
Guiseley & Rawdon by-election 14 October 2010 Conservative Conservative
Cross Gates & Whinmoor by-election 2 May 2013 Labour Labour
Wetherby by-election 12 December 2019 Conservative Conservative
Farnley & Wortley by-election 10 October 2024 Labour Green
Morley South by-election 12 June 2025 Morley Borough Independents Reform UK

References

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  1. ^ "Councillors' roles and responsibilities". Leeds City Council. Archived from the original on 19 February 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Leeds" in search box to see specific results.)
  3. ^ "Leeds". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  4. ^ "Rates rise 'to average 25 pc'". Liverpool Daily Post. 18 February 1975. p. 10. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  5. ^ Roth, Andrew (30 March 2001). "Obituary: Lord Bellwin". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  6. ^ "Tributes to former Leeds City Council leader and Leeds Grammar School governor Peter Sparling". Yorkshire Evening Post. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Leeds City Councillors 1980–2021" (PDF). The Thoresby Society. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  8. ^ Foster, Dawn (16 September 2015). "A rough guide to Jon Trickett, the new shadow communities secretary". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Labour's leader defeated". BBC News. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Keith Wakefield to stand down as Leeds City Council leader". BBC News. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Council minutes, 28 June 2004" (PDF). Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Council minutes, 23 May 2005" (PDF). Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Council minutes, 22 May 2006". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Council minutes, 24 May 2007". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Council minutes, 22 May 2008". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Council minutes, 21 May 2009". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Leeds leads Westminster coalition". BBC. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  18. ^ "Council minutes, 27 May 2010". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  19. ^ "Council minutes, 21 May 2015". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  20. ^ Hill, Jessica (25 January 2021). "Leeds set to get new leader as Blake becomes peer". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  21. ^ "Council minutes, 24 February 2021" (PDF). Leeds City Council. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  22. ^ "Leeds council". BBC Online. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
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