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Labour swing leaves just one Conservative local authority in Yorkshire May 5, 2023

Local council elections in many parts of Yorkshire on Thursday May 4 produced a similar result to other parts of the country with a swing away from the Conservatives and towards Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Conservatives lost control of the East Riding of Yorkshire and, in the border areas of historic Yorkshire, Conservatives also lost control of Pendle and Ribble Valley.

There was a show of strengthening Labour votes in York and in Middlesbrough where Labour took charge from no overall control. In Middlesbrough there was also the election of a Labour mayor in place of an Independent.

There were significant losses for the Conservatives in what had been a major stronghold in the East Riding of Yorkshire unitary authority. At the last election in 2019 the Conservatives took 49 out of 67 seats — almost three-quarters of the council. The number of seats taken by the Conservatives this year was down to just 29, with the loss of overall control. Liberal Democrat seats were up from 8 to 22 and Labour, who took no seats in 2019, now have four councillors.

There is now just one Conservative controlled authority in the whole of Yorkshire — that partly down to the Government's merger of seven district authorities into one North Yorkshire unitary authority. In an authority where Conservatives have control only by a narrow margin, the fact that North Yorkshire did not have elections this year was possibly another factor.

The new North Yorkshire unitary authority launched on April 1 had no election as the councillors elected for the former North Yorkshire county authority in 2022 continue with a wider range of responsibilities. However a By-election will be held in the council's Eastfield division on Thursday May 25. That follows the resignation of a Labour councillor, who will stand independently among the By-election candidates. On the same date, one parish council out of the 731 parishes in North Yorkshire is electing a new councillor, but the election in Lothersdale will not require voting as it is uncontested with just one candidate. Helmsley Town Council is holding a by-election for one council seat on Thursday June 8.

Elections are not yet complete in the Stockton-on-Tees unitary authority, which includes part of the historic North Riding of Yorkshire around Yarm, Ingleby Barwick and Thornaby. The election in the Hartburn ward of the borough was postponed until June 22 following the death of one of the candidates.

Election results are:

Barnsley Met. district LAB Hold

Bradford Met. district LAB Hold

Calderdale Met. district LAB Hold

East Riding Unitary authority NOC from CON

Hull Unitary authority LIB-DEM Hold

Kirklees Met. district LAB Hold

Leeds Met. district LAB Hold

Middlesbrough Unitary authority LAB Gainfrom NOC
Mayoral election LAB Gainfrom IND

Oldham * Met. district LAB Hold

Pendle * Shire district NOC from CON

Redcar & Cleveland Unitary authority NOC — No change Ward recount paused until Tuesday

Ribble Valley * Shire district NOC from CON

Sheffield Met. district NOC — No change

Stockton-on-Tees * Unitary authority NOC — No change

York Unitary authority LAB Gainfrom NOC

Additionally parish and town council elections took place in some areas.

* Includes part of historic Yorkshire.
NOC — No overall control.

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