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Wear Valley District Council elections

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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

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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

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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

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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

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  • 2003 results map
    2003 results map
  • 2007 results map
    2007 results map

By-election results

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

1999-2003

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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

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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

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  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

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  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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