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Leicester City Council Election Results since May 6th 1999
Labour 30 Liberal Democrat 16 Conservative 10Current Status:
All wards in the council have two seats. The council has been Labour controlled since 1979. Elections normally happen once every four years with all seats being elected at once.
There were elections over 2 consecutive years in 1995 and 1996 because Leicester City Council obtained Unitary status in the recent local government review. This meant that the first term of the Unitary council only last 3 years with a full set of elections beging held in 1999. A more detailed explanation of local goverment in Leicestershire is available.
Leicester City Council has it's own web site
Lab Labour Party
LD Liberal Democrat
C Conservative Party
G Green Party
Soc A Socialist Alternative (formerly the Socialist Party (Soc P)
and Militant Labour (Mil Lab))
SLP Socialist Labour Party
Ind Independent
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
M Chohan Lab 1768 69.46% -7.91% (+0.16%)
M Sood Lab 1709
J John C 481 18.16% +3.05% (-1.70%)
R. K. Mason C 428
J.D. Fitch LD 340 12.38% +4.86% (+6.33%)
P L Schieferstein LD 320
Maj. 1287 51.47%
& 1281 51.18%
Turnout: 42.98% +1.00% (-6.62%)
Swing: 5.48% Lab to Con
(0.93% Con to Lab)
Figures in brackets refer to changes based on the 10/10/96 by-election
6/5/99 , CON HOLD 1
B Chambers C 1149 48.60% +6.31%
R R Bryant C 1077
S J Foreman Lab 821 34.21% -12.25%
J A Hempsall Lab 746
J C Cairns LD 293 12.12% +4.00%
T A Lloyd LD 262
A J Stocker G 116 5.07% +1.84%
Maj. 328 14.34%
& 331 14.47%
Turnout: 30.70% -5.20%
Swing: 9.28% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
G H Getliffe Lab 1147 54.48% -8.14%
P T Westley Lab 1097
C J Farren C 626 29.16% +6.11%
J A Gore-Browne C 575
P M Green LD 377 16.36% +2.03%
K Wallace LD 297
Maj. 521 25.30%
& 522 25.35%
Turnout: 22.55% +0.14%
Swing: 7.13% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
S Gajjar Lab 1993 64.85% +15.94%
J W Thomas Lab 1764
P H Johnson C 392 13.00% +3.38%
D P Jogia LD 367 11.04% +6.41%
S E Russell C 361
M S Young LD 272
D Goutam Ind [1] 231 7.98% N/A
C J G Seal G 97 3.13% -0.65%
S Wylie G 84
Maj. 1601 55.38%
& 1397 48.32%
Turnout: 37.61% +0.32%
Swing: 6.28% Con to Lab
[1] D Goutam stood as a "Belgrave Party" candidate.
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
M J Bodell-Stagg Lab 729 46.70% -14.04%
P R Swift Lab 688
M Buck C 315 20.76% +5.48%
R W Buck C 315
M J Petts LD 295 19.18% +6.66%
J M Stone LD 287
J Cunningham G 229 13.36% +1.90%
J White G 176
Maj. 414 27.30%
& 373 24.59%
Turnout: 17.21% -8.55%
Swing: 9.76% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
M V Vaz Lab 1998 81.60% +1.09%
P S Clair Lab 1781
V Bailey C 286 11.55% +0.67%
M Johnson C 249
A E Gibbons LD 163 6.85% -1.76%
J M Webb LD 154
Maj. 1712 73.94%
& 1532 66.16%
Turnout: 39.90% +3.90%
Swing: 0.71% Con to Lab
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
M E Draycott Lab 1325 67.03% -4.66%
W H Shelton Lab 1133
P B O'Brien C 369 19.83% +2.70%
B R Maw C 358
T R Heatley LD 253 13.14% +1.96%
M D Jones LD 229
Maj. 956 52.14%
& 775 42.27%
Turnout: 31.35% +2.36%
Swing: 3.68% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
M Nasim Lab 1834 52.00% -14.75%
Sir P A Soulsby Lab 1824
R P Vaghadia LD 1526 42.88% +16.33%
M M Raghav LD 1490
A J McCabe C 190 5.12% -1.58%
K V Patel C 170
Maj. 308 8.80%
& 334 9.50%
Turnout: 53.97% +9.08%
Swing: 15.54% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 LIB DEM HOLD 2
R H Pritchard LD 1663 58.37% +4.32%
J Garrity LD 1509
D G Stables Lab 560 19.49% -2.62%
T Toy Lab 499
E C A Price C 498 17.59% -2.26%
R H M Money C 458
V J G Vallance G 127 4.55% +0.56%
M J Sacklin G 120
Maj. 1103 40.60%
& 1010 37.17%
Turnout: 39.55% -1.50%
Swing: 3.47% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 CON HOLD 2
A O'Brien C 1724 55.91% +2.47%
M H Johnson C 1633
K P Doshi Lab 1019 32.43% -2.39%
G J Rawnsley Lab 928
R Carter LD 383 11.66% -0.08%
T M Harrison LD 317
Maj. 605 20.15%
& 705 23.48%
Turnout: 45.82% +1.26%
Swing: 2.43% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
H Dunphy Lab 789 47.17% -29.35%
R Wigglesworth Lab 780
D D Keeling C 518 29.86% +15.36%
R I Keeling C 475
J M Covill LD 387 22.97% +13.99%
G W Narraway LD 377
Maj. 271 16.30%
& 305 18.34%
Turnout: 29.23% +2.86%
Swing: 22.36% Lab to Con
6/5/99 CON HOLD 2
J V Mugglestone C 1647 59.90% -0.33%
R P Scuplak C 1622
R D Gavriel-White Lab 770 28.07% -1.60%
A H T Woods Lab 762
C Box LD 254 8.86% +2.10%
D E Gillman LD 229
J Elisita G 94 3.17% -0.17%
M R Frankland G 79
Maj. 877 32.14%
& 860 31.52%
Turnout: 37.36% +0.54%
Swing: 0.64% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
R Kavia Lab 2232 79.46% -8.97%
V Patel Lab 2125
J Maru LD 358 12.69% +7.40%
D V Vaghela LD 338
R H Redman C 224 7.84% +1.57%
S J Redman C 206
Maj. 1874 68.36%
& 1787 65.18%
Turnout: 47.23% +1.19%
Swing: 8.19% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 , LIB DEM HOLD 1
M A Henry LD 991 55.85% +42.65% (+5.17%)
J R Taylor LD 899
A W Russell Lab 451 26.33% -34.17% (+4.67%)
M J Byrne Lab 440
T S Setchell Con 153 8.95% -4.25% (-10.26%)
F M Ashlin Con 150
Maj. 540 31.91%
& 459 27.13%
Turnout: 31.54% +6.69% (+4.24%)
Swing: 38.41% Lab to Lib Dem
(0.25% Lab to Lib Dem)
Figures in brackets refer to changes based on the 7/5/98 by-election
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
B L Roberts Lab 792 49.59% -3.22%
R Willmott Lab 677
C Barlow LD 402 27.08% +10.56%
M A Sperry LD 400
C Flint C 369 23.33% +0.52%
J R Morrey C 322
Maj. 380 25.66%
& 277 18.70%
Turnout: 21.40% -4.30%
Swing: 6.89% Lab to Lib Dem
5/12/96 , LIB DEM HOLD 1
A K Vincent LD 752 54.59% +35.94% (+21.53%)
J E Seare LD 671
J M Setchfield Lab 331 24.66% -39.50% (-5.75%)
A F Russell Lab 312
T J Woolman Soc A 140 10.24% +10.24% (-2.27%)
S D Score Soc A 127
G Goode C 102 7.71% -9.48% (-7.95%)
M P Bloice C 99
V Seabright SLP 39 2.80% +2.80% (-5.57%)
D P Roberts SLP 34
Maj. 421 32.30%
& 359 27.54%
Turnout 25.47% +4.29%
Swing: 37.72% Lab to Lib Dem
(13.64% Lab to Lib Dem)
Figures in brackets refer to changes based on the 5/12/96 by-election
6/5/99
A Metcalfe LD 997 43.61% +17.72%
C E Garner LD 951
D McBride Lab 815 36.07% -8.92%
A E Manger Lab 796
J M Middleton C 397 16.25% -9.66%
A Dixon C 329
D Peake G 53 2.37% -0.84%
Y K Peake G 53
T R Hutt SLP 38 1.70% +1.70%
Maj. 182 8.14%
& 155 6.93%
Turnout: 34.63% +0.19%
Swing: 13.32% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
C S Bhatti Lab 1658 55.46% -7.82% (-0.54%)
W S Nurse Lab 1481
R R Chand LD 848 29.22% +18.27% (+13.72%)
C Parmar LD 806
A R G Newton C 448 15.32% +3.44% (-8.48%)
M W Peacock C 419
Maj. 810 28.62%
& 675 23.85%
Turnout: 36.08% +0.87% (+10.68%)
Swing: 13.05% Lab to Lib Dem
Figures in brackets refer to changes based on the 7/5/98 by-election
6/5/99
J Honiball LD 1051 52.59% +13.05%
J Simons LD 997
T Cassidy Lab 768 36.98% -15.50%
D Brazier Lab 672
K A Craig-West C 206 10.43% +2.45%
L J Cufflin C 200
Maj. 283 14.54%
& 325 16.70%
Turnout: 32.30% +1.20%
Swing: 14.28% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 LIB DEM HOLD 2
A Bunce LD 1234 53.10% +8.23%
G F Walker LD 1189
A Clarke Lab 604 25.18% -14.06%
G J Forse G 548 18.21% +6.96%
K A Ralphs Lab 545
J Swift G 283
C D Bedford C 93 3.51% -1.13%
G C Tobin C 67
Maj. 630 27.61%
& 641 28.10%
Turnout: 33.22% -7.13%
Swing: 11.15% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
M M Salim Lab 2387 81.77% -6.41%
M Kamal Lab 2257
A Taher C 338 11.15% +4.37%
D Christopher C 295
K A Issa LD 221 7.08% +2.04%
H C Panchbhaya LD 181
Maj. 2049 72.19%
& 1962 69.10%
Turnout: 45.62% +5.54%
Swing: 5.41% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
N Newitt Lab 1295 48.06% -22.37%
K Hunter Lab 1290
P S Gill LD 1011 35.32% +26.46%
G F Pool LD 889
J R S Greenlees C 367 13.14% -7.57%
D M Kilbourne C 340
S E Moorcroft G 111 3.48% +3.48%
R Mumby G 76
Maj. 284 10.56%
& 401 14.91%
Turnout: 38.66% +0.21%
Swing: 24.42% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 CON HOLD 2
J G Allen C 1616 54.26% +5.62%
H Richmond C 1462
P D Newcombe Lab 1056 37.00% -6.76%
H R Linton Lab 1043
T C O'Connell LD 268 8.74% +1.14%
N M Pegler LD 228
Maj. 560 19.74%
& 419 14.77%
Turnout: 40.24% -2.81%
Swing: 6.19% Lab to Con
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
A I Connelly Lab 1008 53.48% -10.95% (+6.83%)
N Holden Lab 966
B P Smith C 375 18.88% +2.10% (-1.99%)
J M Smith C 322
T M Walker LD 321 16.96% +6.29% (-4.02%)
G Paw LD 305
B Fewster G 130 7.04% -1.08% (+0.06%)
N J Sorsby G 130
A Gardner SLP 67 3.63% +3.63% (-0.89%)
Maj. 633 34.30%
& 644 34.89%
Turnout: 24.27% -4.51% (+1.17%)
Swing: 6.53% Lab to Con
(4.41% Con to Lab)
Figures in brackets refer to changes based on the 7/5/98 by-election
6/5/99 LIB DEM HOLD 2
R B Blackmore LD 1495 50.46% -2.22%
P Coley LD 1384
R Pacey Lab 677 22.56% -4.48%
A C Gillard C 638 21.86% +4.37%
L Wyeth Lab 610
R K I Taylor C 609
M Aspey G 146 5.12% +2.33%
Maj. 818 28.68%
& 746 26.15%
Turnout: 44.96% +6.94%
Swing: 1.13% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99
S M Thompson C 898 43.26% +19.49%
M R Platts C 894
B A Kamal Lab 823 38.63% -24.50%
R Stuttard Lab 777
S P Cotgreave LD 198 9.03% -4.02%
S Bennett Ind 188 9.08% +9.08%
C A Horsburgh LD 176
Maj. 75 3.62%
& 117 5.65%
Turnout: 30.24% +8.96%
Swing: 22.00% Lab to Con
S. Bennett stood as a "Independent - Working for the People" candidate
6/5/99 LIB DEM HOLD 2
G G Hunt LD 1495 59.38% +5.53%
B Coles LD 1436
J Law Lab 620 22.55% -7.68%
S Hassan Lab 493
E G Cufflin C 466 18.07% +2.15%
S R Oldham C 426
Maj. 865 35.05%
& 943 38.21%
Turnout: 38.02% -4.72%
Swing: 6.61% Lab to Lib Dem
6/5/99 LAB HOLD 2
A R Osman Lab 2115 69.33% -8.69%
F F F M Subedar Lab 1904
M S Islam LD 579 19.56% +12.96%
S P Moxon LD 555
K Astill C 156 4.92% -2.53%
C A Astill C 149
C B Hughes G 109 3.57% -4.02%
P J Broadhurst G 98
H W Giblett SLP 66 2.28% +2.28%
Maj. 1536 52.99%
& 1349 46.54%
Turnout: 38.50% +7.36%
Swing: 10.83% Lab to Lib Dem
Party Candidates Votes % Votes per Seats Gained Lost
candidate
Labour 56 62,484 47.0 1115.8 30 (-9) 0 9 (6 to LD, 3 to C)
Liberal Democrat 56 35,670 27.2 637.0 16 (+6) 6 (6 from Lab) 0
Conservative 56 29,051 22.2 518.8 10 (+3) 3 (3 from Lab) 0
Green 20 2,859 2.2 143.0 -
Soc Lab P 5 244 0.2 48.8 -
Ind 2 267 0.2 133.5 -
Soc Alliance 2 419 0.3 209.5 -
Turnout: N/A
Change in Vote since 1996Labour -9.8% Lib Dem +9.9% Con +1.2% Green +0.3% Soc A +0.2% (compared to the 1996 Mil Lab vote) Ind -1.7% SLP +0.2%
Conservatives
The Tories made what can only be described as very limited progress, taking the
second Aylestone seat and targetting West Humberstone to
chalk a narrow but creditable win for another 2 seats. However swings in
former Tory seats like Beaumont Leys (7%) and Rowley Fields were not
enough to get them within sight of beating Labour. Even worse, the
former Tory seats which the Lib Dems have picked up in the last few
elections (East Knighton and Western Park) are showing no sign of
recovery in the Tory vote. Tory attempts to target Eyres Monsell
were scuppered by the Lib Dems also targetting the seat. Both parties
increased their vote but could not beat Labour.
Liberal Democrats
The Lib Dems had a good night which was almost outstanding. They took
both the Rowley Fields seats from Labour, crushing any hope of the Tories
regaining a seat that they held up to 1995. The Lib Dems also took both
seats in Saffron for the first time, site of some close Lib/Lab contests
in 1993, 1995 and 1996.
The by-election gains of Mowmacre and North Braunstone were held and the second seats in both these wards fell to bring the Lib Dems' gains from Labour to 6. The Lib Dem vote share in Mowmacre was up from the by-election last May while in North Braunstone the swing was still 13.64% Lab to Lib Dem even when compared to the by-election of December 1996. Both these 1999 results represent swings of 38% from Lab to Lib Dem based on the last full council elections in 1996.
There were several near misses which meant that the Lib Dems couldn't quite win enough seats to end Labour's control of the council. Crown Hills, scene of a determined Lib Dem campaign in 1995, saw them come within 298 votes of unseating Labour group leader Sir Peter Soulsby. A 15.58% swing from Lab to Lib Dems wasn't quite enough to take the ward on the highest turnout in the city, 53.97%, up on the 1996 elections. In neighbouring Stoneygate the Lib Dems came from nowhere to come within 279 votes of taking a seat on a swing of 24.42%.
The Lib Dems comfortably held onto their existing seats. Particularly notable of these was St. Augustine's, scene of some bitter and close Lib Dem/Lab contests in 1995 and 1996. This time an 11.15% swing from Labour to the Lib Dems saw this previously marginal Lib Dem/Lab ward safely held by the Lib Dems.
Labour
So in spite of some scares Labour, with their majority slashed
from 22 to 4, continue their 20 year-old majority control of the council.
Ross Willmott has now replaced Sir Peter Souslby as Labour group leader, despite
his New Parks ward becoming more marginal. The Lib Dems admitted that they
should have campainged harder in New Parks, where a modest effort
increased their vote by 10% to leave them needing just a 6% swing to
unseat the new Labour leader next time.
The Labour campaigns in most of their central seats saw their vote slip (Latimer, Abbey, Westcotes) without looking in danger. Perhaps their best performances were in Coleman and Belgrave. Coleman saw a slight increase in the Labour vote (one of the candidates being Leicester East MP Keith Vaz's mother) while Belgrave saw Labour recover most of the vote that Independent Labour candidates had polled in 1995 and 1996.
Other Labour seats saw greater inroads made by the opposition parties. Both the Lib Dems and Tories appeared to have targetted Eyres Monsell, with the result that Labour held on thanks to a split opposition vote. In Rushey Mead the Lib Dems lept into a challenging second place on a 13% swing since 1996. Wycliffe saw a 10.83% swing from Lab to Lib Dem allowing the Lib Dems move into a comfortable second although Labour still polled 70% of the vote.
Labour will be disappointed with their campaign in the central ward of Castle. Turnout dropped by 8.55% from 1996 to just 17.21%, the lowest in the city. Most of the stay-at-homes appear to be Labour voters judging from the 1996 results. This means that the Tories, Lib Dems and even the Greens may have a chance next time if they can mount a decent campaign, as Labour's majority is now just 400-odd votes.
The two Independent candidates faired less well. Belgrave, fertile territory in 1995 and 1996 for Independent Labour candidates showed no such inclination to back the "Belgrave Party" candidate this time with D Goutam polling just 7.98% of the vote. In West Humberstone the "Independent - Working for the people" candidate did slightly better with 9.08% of the vote.
The only 2 Socialist Alternative candidates in the city beat the Tories to get 3rd place North Braunstone. The SA used to stand as Militant Labour up to 1996. In the North Braunstone by-election of 5/12/96 they stood as "Militant Labour - The Socialist Party". Attempts to register as "The Socialist Party" were rejected under the new laws governing the registering of political party names. Instead "Socialist Alternative" was chosen. These name problems, coupled with the SLP splitting the far left vote, may be responsible for a slight drop in the SA vote compared to the 1996 by-election.
The wooden spoon for this set of elections probably goes to the Socialist Labour Party. The 5 candidates who contested these elections under the SLP banner polled an average of just 48.8 votes apiece. Their best performance was 67 votes in Westcotes - 3.63% of the vote.
Eyres Monsell:
Split opposition vote in face of heavy targeting by both Con and Lib Dems
New Parks:
Lib Dems didn't target enough
Rushey Mead:
Good progress by Lib Dems - Lab majority too big to overhaul in one go.
Beaumont Leys:
This ward has always been difficult to predict. Although it was Tory
up to 1995, it seems, just but looking at the result in 1999 that there was
little or no opposition campaign.
Stoneygate:
Close call with the Lib Dems coming close from out of nowhere. Again,
a Labour majority which was diffucult to overhaul in one go.
In the more central seats (typified by terraced housing privately rented or owner occcupied and occaisional tower blocks) the Lib Dems have St. Augustine's but the rest are solidly Labour with the exception of Crown Hills. The Lib Dems may have started to build up some sort of base in Wycliffe, while apathy means that Castle is now more promising for all 3 opposition parties there.
The summary below across the city is telling, showing that across the city, the Lib Dems made the most progress in terms of popular share of the vote at Labour's expense. As a result the Lib Dems have now overhauled the Tories to be a clear second to Labour in share of the vote in the city. Previously they were second in terms of seats but not votes.
Change in Vote since 1996
Labour -9.8% Lib Dem +9.9% Con +1.2% Green +0.3% Soc A +0.2% (compared to the 1996 Mil Lab vote) Ind -1.7% SLP +0.2%