Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council elections are generally held three years out of every four, with a third of the council being elected each time. Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, generally known as Sefton Council, is the local authority for the metropolitan borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2004, 66 councillors have been elected from 22 wards.[1]
Political control
Sefton was created under the Local Government Act 1972 as a metropolitan borough, with Merseyside County Council providing county-level services. 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.[2] Merseyside County Council was abolished in 1986 and Sefton became a unitary authority. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:[3][4]
Party in control | Years |
| Conservative | 1973–1986 |
| No overall control | 1986–2012 |
| Labour | 2012–present |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:[5]
Councillor | Party | From | To |
Tom Glover | | Conservative | 1 Apr 1974 | May 1981 |
Eric Storey | | Conservative | May 1981 | May 1982 |
Ron Watson | | Conservative | May 1982 | 8 May 1986 |
Joe Benton | | Labour | 8 May 1986 | 3 May 1990 |
Peter Comer | | Labour | 3 May 1990 | 2 May 1991 |
Dave Martin | | Labour | 2 May 1991 | May 2000 |
John Pugh | | Liberal Democrats | May 2000 | Jun 2001 |
David Bamber | | Liberal Democrats | 26 Jul 2001 | 5 May 2002 |
Dave Martin | | Labour | 16 May 2002 | 24 Jun 2004 |
Tony Robertson | | Liberal Democrats | 24 Jun 2004 | 17 May 2011 |
Peter Dowd | | Labour | 17 May 2011 | May 2015 |
Ian Maher | | Labour | 21 May 2015 | 18 Jan 2024 |
Marion Atkinson | | Labour | 18 Jan 2024 | |
Council elections
- ‡ Liberal Party before 1988.
By-election results
1994-1998
Park By-Election 11 September 1997 (2) Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | | 1,079 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | | 1,013 | | |
| Labour | | 497 | | |
| Labour | | 479 | | |
| Conservative | | 337 | | |
| Conservative | | 308 | | |
Turnout | 3,713 | 13.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Manor By-Election 3 October 1997 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | | 924 | 48.6 | -7.8 |
| Conservative | | 658 | 34.6 | +2.5 |
| Liberal Democrats | | 190 | 10.0 | -1.4 |
| Independent | | 128 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
Majority | 266 | 14.0 | |
Turnout | 1,900 | 19.0 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
1998-2002
Ainsdale By-Election 3 February 2000 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | | 1,570 | 50.4 | -1.4 |
| Conservative | | 1,389 | 44.6 | +8.5 |
| Labour | | 158 | 5.1 | -2.1 |
Majority | 181 | 5.8 | |
Turnout | 3,117 | 30.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Litherland By-Election 22 February 2001 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Darren Hardy | 900 | 62.8 | -11.3 |
| Liberal Democrats | Jim Murray | 472 | 33.0 | +7.1 |
| Socialist Alternative | | 60 | 4.2 | +4.2 |
Majority | 428 | 29.8 | |
Turnout | 1,432 | 17.6 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Manor By-Election 7 June 2001 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Neil Douglas | 3,251 | 53.9 | +11.9 |
| Conservative | | 1,800 | 29.8 | -11.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | | 981 | 16.3 | -0.8 |
Majority | 1,451 | 24.1 | |
Turnout | 6,032 | | |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
2002-2006
Church By-Election 2 March 2006[43] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Paul Cummins | 806 | 52.4 | +13.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | Andrew Tonkiss | 431 | 28.0 | -22.8 |
| BNP | Michael McDermott | 159 | 10.3 | +10.3 |
| Conservative | Antonio Spatuzzi | 143 | 9.3 | -0.6 |
Majority | 375 | 24.4 | |
Turnout | 1,539 | 17.2 | |
| Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
2006-2010
Manor By-Election 25 October 2007 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | David McIvor | 922 | 40.5 | -7.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | John Gibson | 769 | 33.8 | +13.4 |
| Labour | Sue Hanley | 419 | 18.4 | -13.1 |
| BNP | Michael McDermott | 94 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| UKIP | Peter Harper | 71 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
Majority | 153 | 6.7 | |
Turnout | 2,275 | 22.8 | |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
2010-2014
Bootle Derby By-Election 7 November 2013 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Anne Thompson | 903 | 65 | |
| UKIP | Jack Colbert | 293 | 21 | |
| Independent | Juliet Edgar | 97 | 7 | |
| TUSC | Graham Woodhouse | 48 | 3 | |
| Independent | Janice Blanchard | 29 | 2 | |
| Green | Laurence Rankin | 25 | 2 | |
Turnout | 1,399 | 15.77 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
2014-2018
Dukes By-Election 2 November 2017 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | John Pugh | 1,680 | 56 | |
| Conservative | Ann Pearmain | 790 | 26 | |
| Labour | Frank Hanley | 417 | 14 | |
| UKIP | Terry Durance | 69 | 2 | |
| Green | Nick Senior | 45 | 1 | |
Majority | 890 | 30 | |
Turnout | 3,001 | 28.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
2022-2026
Linacre By-Election 24 November 2022[44] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Dan McKee | 636 | 81.5 | +5.3 |
| Independent | Ian Smith | 144 | 18.5 | +18.5 |
Majority | 492 | 63.0 | |
Turnout | 780 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Netherton and Orrell By-Election 16 February 2023[45] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Tom Spring | 1,001 | 82.5 | +9.7 |
| Conservative | Katie Burgess | 119 | 9.8 | +2.4 |
| Independent | Champian | 94 | 7.7 | +7.7 |
Majority | 882 | 72.7 | |
Turnout | 1,214 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
References
- ^ a b "The Borough of Sefton (Electoral Changes) Order 2003", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2003/1977, retrieved 27 August 2022
- ^ Local government in England and Wales: A Guide to the New System. London: HMSO. 1974. p. 184. ISBN 0117508470.
- ^ a b c d "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Sefton". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
- ^ "Council minutes". Sefton Council. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Three major parties find cause for satisfaction in local election results despite low poll". The Times. 14 May 1973.
- ^ "Tories capture 199 seats in 'big cities' poll triumph". The Times. 2 May 1975.
- ^ "Conservatives control 17 metropolitan councils". The Times. 8 May 1976.
- ^ "Power shift in only eight of 80 councils outside London". The Times. 6 May 1978. p. 3.
- ^ Martin Minogue, ed. (1979). A Consumer's Guide to Local Government (2 ed.). Macmillan for the National Consumer Council. ISBN 9780333271162.
- ^ "The Borough of Sefton (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1978/1863, retrieved 27 August 2022
- ^ "Labour makes gains throughout Britain in local government elections". The Times. 2 May 1980. p. 4.
- ^ "How the councils fared". The Times. 8 May 1982. p. 2.
- ^ "Labour capture Liverpool: Tories hold Birmingham". The Times. 6 May 1983. p. 4.
- ^ "Labour takes Birmingham, Liberals do well". The Times. 4 May 1984. p. 5.
- ^ The Guardian, 4 May 1986
- ^ The Guardian, 8 May 1987
- ^ The Guardian, 6 May 1988
- ^ "Yesterday's Local election results". The Times. 4 May 1990.
- ^ "Complete round-up of results from Thursday's local council elections". The Times. 4 May 1991.
- ^ "Local election results 1992". The Times. 9 May 1992. p. 6.
- ^ "Local Elections results". The Times. 9 May 1998. p. 46.
- ^ 1999 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2000 Summary - BBC News
- ^ "The Borough of Sefton (Electoral Changes) Order 1999", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1999/2782, retrieved 27 August 2022
- ^ 2002 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2003 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2004 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2006 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2007 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2008 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2010 Summary - BBC News
- ^ 2011 Summary - BBC News
- ^ "BBC News - Vote 2012 - Sefton".
- ^ 2014 Summary - Sefton Council
- ^ 2015 Summary - Sefton Council
- ^ 2016 Summary - Sefton Council
- ^ 2018 Summary - Sefton Council
- ^ Thorp, Liam; Lally, Kate (1 May 2019). "Sefton Council local election results 2019". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ Thorp, Liam; Lally, Kate (1 May 2019). "Sefton Council local election results 2019". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Election results". Sefton Council. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Election results". Sefton Council. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "BNP claim shock third place in by-election". Liverpool Echo. 3 March 2006. p. 3.
- ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Linacre Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Netherton and Orrell Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
External links
- Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council