2005 United Kingdom local elections

United Kingdom local elections, 2005

5 May 2005
All 34 non-metropolitan counties, 3 out of 46 unitary authorities, 1 sui generis authority, 4 directly elected mayors and all 26 Northern Irish districts
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Michael Howard Tony Blair Charles Kennedy Party Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats Leader since 6 November 2003 21 July 1994 9 August 1999 Percentage 40% 28% 25% Swing 3% 2% 4% Councils 24 6 3 Councils +/- 7 1 3 Councillors 1,193 612 493 Councillors +/- 152 114 40
Colours denote the winning party, as shown in the main table of results.

Elections for local government were held in the England and Northern Ireland on 5 May 2005 along with the 2005 general election across the entire United Kingdom. In addition, the Isle of Wight held a local referendum on the issue of a directly elected mayor.

Despite losing the general election held on the same day, the Conservatives made strong gains at Labour's expense, providing some comfort to the party. Conservative leader Michael Howard resigned soon afterwards and was succeeded by David Cameron, who had a decent platform to build on in his challenge to lead the Conservatives to a general election victory; the party had increased its share of council seats and importantly its share of seats in parliament.

Summary of results

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FAA61A;" data-sort-value="Liberal Democrats (UK)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #326760;" data-sort-value="Sinn Féin" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #48A5EE;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #2AA82C;" data-sort-value="Social Democratic and Labour Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #F6CB2F;" data-sort-value="Alliance Party of Northern Ireland" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #02A95B;" data-sort-value="Green Party of England and Wales" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #d3d3d3;" data-sort-value="Residents Association" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #8dc63f;" data-sort-value="Green Party in Northern Ireland" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #EB7A43;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK, 1989)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #2B45A2;" data-sort-value="Progressive Unionist Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: hotpink;" data-sort-value="Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #BB0000;" data-sort-value="Socialist Environmental Alliance" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Northern Ireland Conservatives" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #F8F9FA;" data-sort-value="Workers' Party of Ireland" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FF3300;" data-sort-value="Socialist Party (Ireland)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: aqua;" data-sort-value="Northern Ireland Women's Coalition" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #660066;" data-sort-value="UK Unionist Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6D3177;" data-sort-value="United Kingdom Independence Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #2e3b74;" data-sort-value="British National Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |

Party		Councils				Councillors
		Gain	Loss	Change	Total	Gain	Loss	Change	Total
Conservative			+7	24			+152	1,193
Labour			–1	6			–114	612
Liberal Democrats			+3	3			+40	493
DUP			+2	2			+51	182
Sinn Féin			0	0			+18	126
UUP			0	0			-39	115
SDLP			0	0			-16	101
Alliance			0	0			+2	30
Independent			0	0			-14	20
Green			0	0			+6	8
Residents			0	0			–3	8
Green (NI)			0	0			+3	3
Liberal			0	0			-3	2
PUP			0	0			-2	2
	United Unionist			0	0			0	2
Health Concern			0	0			-5	1
	Newtownabbey Ratepayers			0	0			0	1
Socialist Environmental			0	0			0	0
NI Conservatives			0	0			0	0
Workers' Party of Ireland			0	0			0	0
Socialist Party			0	0			0	0
NI Women's Coalition			0	0			-1	0
UK Unionist			0	0			-2	0
UKIP			0	0			-1	0
BNP			0	0			0	0
	Other			0	0			–26	96
No overall control			-9	4	—	—	—	—

Source: BBC local election results for England

England

Non-metropolitan county councils

In 34 shire county county council, all seats were up for re-election.

Council	Previous control		Result		Details
Bedfordshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Buckinghamshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Cambridgeshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Cheshire style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Cornwall ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FAA61A;" data-sort-value="Liberal Democrats (UK)" |	Liberal Democrats gain	Details
Cumbria style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control hold	Details
Derbyshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour hold	Details
Devon ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FAA61A;" data-sort-value="Liberal Democrats (UK)" |	Liberal Democrats gain	Details
Dorset ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Durham ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour hold	Details
East Sussex ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Essex ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Gloucestershire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative gain	Details
Hampshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Hertfordshire style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Kent ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Lancashire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour hold	Details
Leicestershire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Lincolnshire style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Norfolk ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
North Yorkshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Northamptonshire style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative gain	Details
Northumberland style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour hold	Details
Nottinghamshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour hold	Details
Oxfordshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative gain	Details
Shropshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative gain	Details
Somerset style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FAA61A;" data-sort-value="Liberal Democrats (UK)" |	Liberal Democrats gain	Details
Staffordshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour hold	Details
Suffolk ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative gain	Details
Surrey ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Warwickshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control hold	Details
West Sussex ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Wiltshire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative hold	Details
Worcestershire ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative gain	Details

‡ New electoral division boundaries

Unitary authorities

Whole council

In two unitary authorities the whole council were up for election and one had a third of the council up for election.

Council	Previous control		Result		Details
Isle of Wight style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative gain	Details
Stockton-on-Tees ‡ style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" |	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control gain	Details

‡ New ward boundaries

Third of council

Council	Previous control		Result		Details
Bristol style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control hold	Details

Sui generis

Council	Previous control		Result		Details
Isles of Scilly style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" |	Independent style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" |	Independent hold	Details

Mayoral elections

Four direct mayoral elections were held.

Local Authority	Previous Mayor		Mayor-elect		Details
Doncaster #E4003B	Martin Winter (Labour) #E4003B	Martin Winter (Labour)
Hartlepool #DCDCDC	Stuart Drummond (Independent) #DCDCDC	Stuart Drummond (Independent)
North Tyneside #0087DC	Linda Arkley (Conservative) #E4003B	John Harrison (Labour)	Details
Stoke-on-Trent #DCDCDC	Mike Wolfe (Independent) #E4003B	Mark Meredith (Labour)

Northern Ireland

Main article: Northern Ireland local elections, 2005

All seats were up for election in the 26 districts of Northern Ireland. The many parties and the use of the single transferable vote meant that most councils ended up in no overall control. The DUP gained majority control of three councils: Ards, Ballymena, and Castlereagh.

Results summary

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #326760;" data-sort-value="Sinn Féin" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #48A5EE;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #2AA82C;" data-sort-value="Social Democratic and Labour Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #F6CB2F;" data-sort-value="Alliance Party of Northern Ireland" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #8dc63f;" data-sort-value="Green Party in Northern Ireland" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #2B45A2;" data-sort-value="Progressive Unionist Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #BB0000;" data-sort-value="Socialist Environmental Alliance" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservatives in Northern Ireland" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #F8F9FA;" data-sort-value="Workers' Party of Ireland" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FF3300;" data-sort-value="Socialist Party (Ireland)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: aqua;" data-sort-value="Northern Ireland Women's Coalition" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #660066;" data-sort-value="UK Unionist Party" |

Party		Councillors		Votes
		Change	Total	% share	Total
DUP	+51	182	30	208,278
Sinn Féin	+18	126	23	163,205
UUP	-39	115	18	126,317
SDLP	-16	101	17	121,991
Alliance	+2	30	5	35,149
Independent	-14	20	4	27,677
Green (NI)	+3	3	1	5,703
PUP	-2	2	1	4,591
	United Unionist	0	2	0.3	2,064
	Newtownabbey Ratepayers	0	1	0.3	1,897
Socialist Environmental	0	0	0.2	1,321
NI Conservatives	0	0	0.2	1,164
Workers' Party of Ireland	0	0	0.1	1,052
Socialist Party	0	0	0.1	828
NI Women's Coalition	-1	0	0.1	738
UK Unionist	-2	0	0.1	734

Council Control

Council	Previous control		Result		Details
Antrim style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Ards style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" |	DUP	Details
Armagh style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Ballymena style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" |	DUP	Details
Ballymoney style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" |	DUP style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" |	DUP	Details
Banbridge style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Belfast style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Carrickfergus style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Castlereagh style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" |	DUP	Details
Coleraine style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Cookstown style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Craigavon style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Derry style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Down style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Dungannon and South Tyrone style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Fermanagh style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Larne style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Limavady style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Lisburn style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Magherafelt style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #326760;" data-sort-value="Sinn Féin" |	Sinn Féin	Details
Moyle style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Newry and Mourne style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Newtownabbey style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
North Down style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Omagh style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control	Details
Strabane style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" |	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #326760;" data-sort-value="Sinn Féin" |	Sinn Féin	Details

Source: ARK research and knowledge group

References

• Local and Mayoral elections 2005. House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/93