Darlington Borough Council elections

Darlington Borough Council elections are held every four years. Darlington Borough Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Darlington in County Durham, England. Until 1 April 1997 it was a non-metropolitan district.

Political control

Elected Councillors
Labour Conservatives Liberal Democrats Greens Independent Total
1973[1] 28 8 8 0 5 49
1976[2] 15 30 0 0 5 50
1979[3] 29 14 1 0 8 52
1983[4] 27 20 2 0 3 52
1987[5] 24 24 0 0 4 52
1991[6] 29 19 2 0 2 52
1995[7] 35 14 2 0 1 52
1996[8] 36 13 2 0 1 52
1999[9] 35 15 2 0 0 52
2003[10] 35 15 2 0 0 52
2007[11] 29 18 6 0 0 53
2011[12] 34 14 5 0 0 53
2015[13] 29 17 3 0 1 50
2019[14] 20 22 3 2 3 50
2023[15] 25 14 3 7 1 50

From 1915 to 1974, Darlington was a county borough, independent of any county council.[16] Under the Local Government Act 1972 it had its territory enlarged and became a non-metropolitan district, with Durham County Council providing county-level services.[17][18][19] The first election to the reconstituted borough council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. On 1 April 1997 the district became a unitary authority, regaining its independence from Durham County Council. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:[20]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in control Years
Labour 1973–1976
Conservative 1976–1979
Labour 1979–1987
No overall control 1987–1991
Labour 1991–1997

Unitary authority

Party in control Years
Labour 1997–2019
No overall control 2019–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1991 have been:[21]

Councillor Party From To
John Williams[22] Labour 1991 8 May 2011
Bill Dixon Labour 19 May 2011 19 Jul 2018
Steve Harker Labour 19 Jul 2018 23 May 2019
Heather Scott Conservative 23 May 2019 19 May 2022
Jonathan Dulston Conservative 19 May 2022 4 May 2023
Steve Harker Labour 4 May 2023

Council elections

Non-metropolitan district elections

Unitary authority elections

Results maps

  • 2015 results map
    2015 results map
  • 2019 results map
    2019 results map
  • 2023 results map
    2023 results map

By-election results

1996–1999

Park East By-Election 1 May 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 1,844 74.0 −7.4
Conservative 648 26.0 +7.4
Majority 1,196 48.0
Turnout 2,492
Labour hold Swing
Haughton East By-Election 22 May 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 836 72.6
Conservative 315 27.4
Majority 521 45.2
Turnout 1,151
Labour hold Swing
North Road By-Election 13 November 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats 471 53.6 −4.4
Labour 326 37.1 −4.9
Conservative 81 9.2 +9.2
Majority 145 16.5
Turnout 878
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

1999–2003

Cockerton East By-Election 21 September 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 365 38.3 −24.8
Conservative 331 34.7 +11.3
Liberal Democrats 245 19.5 +19.5
BNP 44 4.6 +4.6
Independent 28 2.9 −10.5
Majority 34 3.6
Turnout 1,013
Labour hold Swing

2003–2007

North Road By-Election 19 August 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Frederick Lawton 789 48.5 +3.6
Labour Jenny Chapman 571 35.1 −3.0
Conservative Ian Galletley 119 7.3 −2.5
BNP Nigel Nevison 87 5.3 −1.9
UKIP Edward Davies 61 3.7 +3.7
Majority 218 13.4
Turnout 1,627 38.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Hurworth By-Election 8 September 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Martin Swainston 527 42.2 +42.2
Conservative George Lawman 379 30.4 −48.0
Independent Julie Jones 297 23.8 +23.8
Labour Amanda McEwan 45 3.6 −7.2
Majority 148 2.2
Turnout 1,248 44.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
College By-Election 2 March 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Galletley 624 47.6 −9.7
Liberal Democrats Garry Hinton 511 39.0 +17.8
Labour Elaine Hope 175 13.4 −8.1
Majority 113 8.6
Turnout 1,310 42.8
Conservative hold Swing

2007–2011

North Road By-Election 13 November 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Anne-Marie Curry 561 50.8 −4.1
Labour John Vasey 262 23.7 +0.0
Conservative George Jenkinson 115 10.4 −1.0
BNP John Hoodless 106 9.6 −0.3
Independent Stephen Jones 60 5.4 +5.4
Majority 299 27.1
Turnout 1,104 24.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Cockerton West By-Election 8 July 2010[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jan Cossins 388 45.1 +4.0
Liberal Democrats Brian Jefferson 347 40.3 +19.4
Conservative David Davies 84 9.8 −14.8
BNP Paul Thompson 41 4.8 −8.6
Majority 41 4.8
Turnout 860 29.3
Labour hold Swing

2011–2015

Harrowgate Hill By-Election 12 April 2012[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gillian Cartwright 694 43.8 +3.2
Labour Helen Crumbie 607 38.3 −21.1
Liberal Democrats Hilary Allen 142 9.0 +9.0
UKIP Daniel Phillip Fairclough 95 6.0 +6.0
England First Paul Thompson 47 3.0 +3.0
Majority 87 5.5
Turnout 1,585 33.8
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Hurworth By-Election 12 April 2012[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Martin Swainson 474 43.7 −12.9
Conservative Christopher Brownbridge 436 40.2 +7.9
Labour Stephen Rose 144 13.3 +2.1
UKIP David Davies 31 2.9 +2.9
Majority 38 3.5
Turnout 1,085 36.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Lascelles By-Election 11 April 2013[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Helen Crumbie 426 63.4 −5.0
Liberal Democrats Howard Jones 129 19.2 +19.2
Conservative Lewis Cairns 117 17.4 −14.2
Majority 297 44.2
Turnout 672 22.6
Labour hold Swing
Mowden By-Election 22 May 2014[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pauline Culley 647 40.7 −28.1
Labour Jackie Saint 614 38.6 +7.5
UKIP Charlotte Bull 235 14.8 +14.8
Liberal Democrats Hilary Allen 93 5.9 +5.9
Majority 33 2.1
Turnout 1,589 51.8
Conservative hold Swing

2015–2019

Mowden By-Election 16 November 2017[29][30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Marshall 652 60.7 +14.4
Labour Edwin Heslop 285 26.5 −5.0
Liberal Democrats Sarah Jordan 111 10.3 n/a
Green Kathryn Barley 26 2.4 −4.9
Majority 367 34.2
Turnout 1,074 33.7
Conservative hold Swing
Red Hall and Lingfield By-Election 16 November 2017[29][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sharifah Rahman 249 44.8 −1.9
Conservative Jonathan Dulston 230 41.4 +12.4
Independent Kevin Brack 46 8.3 n/a
Green Michael McTimoney 20 3.6 −8.9
Liberal Democrats Harry Longmoor 11 2.0 −9.9
Majority 19 3.4
Turnout 556 19.5
Labour hold Swing
Cockerton By-Election 12 July 2018[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edwin Heslop 555 51.0 +7.9
Conservative Scott Durham 239 22.0 −2.8
Liberal Democrats Charlotte Curry 104 9.6 −5.5
Independent Joel Wilks 93 8.5 n/a
For Britain Kevin Brack 63 5.8 n/a
Green Terri Hankinson 34 3.1 −14.0
Majority 316 29.0
Turnout 1,088 23.0
Labour hold Swing

2019–2023

Hummersknott By-Election 6 May 2021[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jack Sowerby 971 49.9 +4.7
Green Thomas Robinson 809 41.6 +24.4
Labour John Sloss 120 6.2 −5.7
Liberal Democrats Vicky Atkinson 32 1.6 +1.6
For Britain Monty Brack 14 0.7 +0.7
Majority 162 8.3
Turnout 1,946
Conservative hold Swing
Red Hall and Lingfield By-Election 6 May 2021[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Willis 466 42.2 +10.4
Labour Mandy Porter 360 32.6 −13.6
Independent Cheryl Pattison 201 18.2 +18.2
Green Mike McTimoney 38 3.4 −18.6
Liberal Democrats Scott Wood 27 2.4 +2.4
For Britain Janys Gandy 11 1.0 +1.0
Majority 106 9.6
Turnout 1,103
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

References

  1. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1973-1995.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1973-1995.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1973-1995.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1973-1995.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1973-1995.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1973-1995.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1973-1995.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1996-2011.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1996-2011.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1996-2011.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Darlington-1996-2011.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ^ https://www.darlington.gov.uk/media/3052/le11results.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ "Borough Council Elections 2015".
  14. ^ "Borough and Parish Elections 2 May 2019".
  15. ^ "Darlington result – Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Darlington Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 July 2022
  18. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 13 August 2022
  19. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 13 August 2022
  20. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  21. ^ "Council minutes". Darlington Borough Council. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  22. ^ "Ex-Darlington Council leader John Williams dies at 65". BBC News. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  23. ^ The Darlington and Sedgefield (Areas) Order 1976
  24. ^ The Borough of Darlington (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976
  25. ^ legislation.gov.uk – The Durham and North Yorkshire (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  26. ^ legislation.gov.uk – The Borough of Darlington (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  27. ^ legislation.gov.uk – The Darlington (Electoral Changes) Order 2014. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.
  28. ^ a b c d e "Local and Parish elections". Darlington Borough Council. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  29. ^ a b Morris, Joanna (17 November 2017). "Teenage politician Sharifah Rahman wins Darlington by-election to become one of the youngest councillors in the country". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  30. ^ "Declaration of results" (PDF). Darlington Borough Council. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  31. ^ "Declaration of results" (PDF). Darlington Borough Council. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  32. ^ "Declaration of results" (PDF). Darlington Borough Council. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  33. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project – Hummersknott Ward". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  34. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project – Red Hall and Lingfield Ward". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2022.