2003 Leeds City Council election

Map of the results for the 2003 Leeds council election.

The Leeds City Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough Council in West Yorkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

Election result

The results saw Labour just keep a majority on the council with 52 of the 99 seats.[2] They suffered a net loss of 5 seats,[2] including the leader of the council for the past 7 years, Brian Walker, who was defeated by the Liberal Democrats in Rothwell ward.[3] The Conservatives gained the most seats to become the second largest party on the council with 22 seats, after making 4 gains in Aireborough, Halton, Otley and Wharfedale and Roundhay wards.[2] As well as the gain in Rothwell, the Liberal Democrats also picked up a seat from Labour in Burmantofts but lost seats in Bramley and Otley and Wharfedale to Labour and Conservatives respectively.[2]

Elsewhere independent Tom Leadley gained a seat from Labour in Morley North, while the Greens held their seat in Wortley.[2] Turnout in the election dropped to just over 30%[4] with some wards seeing under 20% voting, while the lowest turnout came in Headingley at only 15%.[5]

Following the election the deputy leader of the council, Keith Wakefield, became leader unopposed after a meeting of the Labour group on the council.[6]

Leeds Local Election Result 2003[7][8]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 16 1 6 -5 48.5 35.5 55,032 -5.9%
  Conservative 8 4 0 +4 24.2 29.1 45,113 -0.1%
  Liberal Democrats 7 2 2 0 21.2 25.0 38,831 +2.7%
  Green 1 0 0 0 3.0 4.3 6,674 -0.2%
  Independent 1 1 0 +1 3.0 1.9 2,875 +0.5%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 2.8 4,310 +2.7%
  Alliance for Green Socialism 0 0 0 0 0 1.1 1,633 +0.3%
  Socialist Alliance 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 428 +0.1%
  Socialist Alternative 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 234 +0.1%

This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:[7]

Party Previous council New council
Labour 57 52
Conservative 18 22
Liberal Democrat 20 20
Green 3 3
Independent 1 2
Total 99 99
Working majority  15   5 

Ward results

Aireborough[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stuart Andrew 2,899 44.0 −0.4
Labour Mike King 2,652 40.2 +2.5
Liberal Democrats Ian Hutton 1,043 15.8 −2.1
Majority 247 3.8 −2.9
Turnout 6,594 34.0 −3.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -1.4
Armley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Janet Harper 1,676 49.3 −6.7
Conservative Glenn Broadbent 572 16.8 −1.7
Liberal Democrats Stephen McBarron 562 16.5 +3.8
Green Luke Russell 523 15.4 +2.5
Socialist Alliance Isaac Lyne 66 1.9 +1.9
Majority 1,104 32.5 −5.0
Turnout 3,399 23.0 −0.8
Labour hold Swing -2.5
Barwick & Kippax[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Lewis 2,950 44.2 −11.6
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 2,364 35.4 +3.8
Liberal Democrats Natasha De Vere 622 9.3 +0.6
BNP Christopher Andrews 535 8.0 +8.0
Green Elizabeth Holmes 210 3.1 +0.3
Majority 586 8.8 −15.4
Turnout 6,681 36.0 −2.3
Labour hold Swing -7.7
Beeston[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Adam Ogilvie 1,492 44.2 −7.0
Conservative William Birch 987 29.3 −1.1
BNP Thomas Linden 368 10.9 +10.9
Liberal Democrats Kathleen Fenton 366 10.9 −1.6
Green Irene Draycup 80 2.4 −0.6
Socialist Alliance Philip Goodfield 79 2.3 −0.7
Majority 505 14.9 −5.9
Turnout 3,372 28.5 −0.4
Labour hold Swing -2.9
Bramley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ted Hanley 1,763 45.9 −6.8
Liberal Democrats Julian Cummins 1,520 39.5 +5.8
Conservative Michael Best 394 10.2 +0.7
Green Francis Gray 167 4.3 +0.2
Majority 243 6.4 −12.6
Turnout 3,844 23.5 −0.4
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing -6.3
Burmantofts[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ralph Pryke 1,706 49.6 +5.6
Labour Geoffrey Holloran 1,530 44.5 −2.3
Conservative Patricia Hyde 203 5.9 −0.2
Majority 176 5.1 +2.3
Turnout 3,439 28.3 +0.9
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing +3.9
Chapel Allerton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norma Hutchinson 1,697 41.9 −10.7
Alliance for Green Socialism Garth Frankland 947 23.4 +2.0
Liberal Democrats Sitara Khan 816 20.1 +8.3
Conservative Roger Illingworth 590 14.6 +0.4
Majority 750 18.5 −12.7
Turnout 4,050 28.1 −3.3
Labour hold Swing -5.3
City & Holbeck[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mohammed Iqbal 1,292 48.1 −13.5
Liberal Democrats Eric Scott 525 19.5 +9.0
Conservative Michael Wheeler 421 15.7 −5.5
Socialist Alternative David Jones 234 8.7 +2.0
Green Janet Pritchard 216 8.0 +8.0
Majority 767 28.6 −11.8
Turnout 2,688 18.0 −2.0
Labour hold Swing -11.2
Cookridge[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Barry Anderson 3,336 52.8 −1.0
Liberal Democrats Sue Bentley 1,903 30.1 +10.4
Labour Patrick Hennigan 1,083 17.1 −5.7
Majority 1,433 22.7 −8.3
Turnout 6,322 38.0 +1.0
Conservative hold Swing -5.7
Garforth & Swillington[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrea Harrison 2,876 46.0 −5.6
Conservative Robert Semple 1,631 26.1 −4.8
Liberal Democrats Ian Dowling 1,095 17.5 −0.1
BNP Tracy Andrews 656 10.5 +10.5
Majority 1,245 19.9 −0.8
Turnout 6,258 33.0 −0.8
Labour hold Swing -0.4
Halton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Schofield 2,902 48.2 +7.1
Labour Doris McGee 2,134 35.4 −8.0
Liberal Democrats David Hollingsworth 989 16.4 +4.4
Majority 768 12.8 +10.5
Turnout 6,025 34.0 +0.1
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +7.5
Harehills[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alan Taylor 2,683 59.9 +20.3
Labour John Clare 1,491 33.3 −18.5
Conservative Karl Steenson 174 3.9 +0.9
Alliance for Green Socialism Azar Iqbal 128 2.9 +2.9
Majority 1,192 26.6 +14.4
Turnout 4,476 33.4 −7.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +19.4
Headingley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Gregory Mulholland 1,668 52.4 +3.7
Labour Safdar Hussain 764 24.0 −5.8
Green Lesley Jeffries 351 11.0 +0.9
Conservative Richard Smith 241 7.6 +0.1
Socialist Alliance Katherine Owen 158 5.0 +1.0
Majority 904 28.4 +9.5
Turnout 3,182 15.5 −3.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +4.7
Horsforth[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Brian Cleasby 2,404 43.2 −1.0
Conservative Neil Hunt 1,997 35.9 +1.6
Labour Tony Addison 884 15.9 −1.9
Green Andrea Binns 280 5.0 +1.3
Majority 407 7.3 −2.6
Turnout 5,565 33.1 −2.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -1.3
Hunslet[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Erskine 1,264 63.3 −4.9
Liberal Democrats Ann Norman 320 16.0 +2.5
Conservative Anthony Larvin 290 14.5 +2.1
Green Catherine Harmer 122 6.1 +2.3
Majority 944 47.3 −7.4
Turnout 1,996 18.6 −2.0
Labour hold Swing -3.7
Kirkstall[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Illingworth 1,580 45.7 −11.9
Liberal Democrats Toby Fursdon 1,080 31.2 +15.4
Conservative Charles Moore 406 11.7 −2.0
Green Martin Reed 391 11.3 −1.6
Majority 500 14.5 −27.4
Turnout 3,457 22.9 −2.1
Labour hold Swing -13.6
Middleton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Stuart Bruce 1,630 55.0 −8.6
Conservative David Boynton 697 23.5 +5.9
Liberal Democrats Sadie Fisher 445 15.0 +1.9
Green Patricia Capstick 191 6.4 +0.7
Majority 933 31.5 −14.5
Turnout 2,963 19.9 −1.8
Labour hold Swing -7.2
Moortown[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Harker 2,637 51.8 −3.4
Labour David Dresser 1,303 25.6 −0.9
Conservative Peter Knowles 936 18.4 +2.4
Alliance for Green Socialism Michael Davies 215 4.2 +0.9
Majority 1,334 26.2 −2.5
Turnout 5,091 31.6 −3.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -1.2
Morley North[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Thomas Leadley 2,473 42.3 +4.5
Labour Alex Sobel 1,809 30.9 +1.0
Conservative Stephen Kearns 1,126 19.2 −3.7
Liberal Democrats Christine Golton 442 7.6 +0.7
Majority 664 11.4 +3.5
Turnout 5,850 30.3 −0.2
Independent gain from Labour Swing +1.7
Morley South[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Debra Coupar 2,033 36.3 −16.9
Conservative Judith Elliott 1,484 26.5 −2.5
BNP Christopher Beverley 1,064 19.0 +19.0
Liberal Democrats Rochelle Harris 621 11.1 −6.7
Independent Charles Slingsby 402 7.2 +7.2
Majority 549 9.8 −14.4
Turnout 5,604 25.1 +2.7
Labour hold Swing -7.2
North[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ruth Feldman 2,561 43.5 −2.2
Liberal Democrats Judith Chapman 2,272 38.6 +3.3
Labour Doreen Illingworth 957 16.3 −1.9
Alliance for Green Socialism Brian Jackson 95 1.6 +0.8
Majority 289 4.9 −5.5
Turnout 5,885 35.0 −3.8
Conservative hold Swing -2.7
Otley & Wharfedale[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Francis 2,790 38.1 −6.1
Liberal Democrats Graham Kirkland 2,581 35.2 +12.0
Labour John Eveleigh 1,615 22.1 −7.2
Green Paul Marchant 338 4.6 +1.2
Majority 209 2.9 −12.0
Turnout 7,324 38.4 −2.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing -9.0
Pudsey North[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Amanda Carter 3,827 63.2 +11.1
Labour Tina Davy 1,383 22.8 −9.4
Liberal Democrats Christine Glover 850 14.0 +1.6
Majority 2,444 40.4 +20.5
Turnout 6,060 34.0 −3.7
Conservative hold Swing +10.2
Pudsey South[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Josephine Jarosz 2,270 42.9 −5.2
Conservative Jason Aldiss 1,768 33.4 −2.8
Liberal Democrats John Burke 637 12.0 +0.4
BNP Richard Warrington 437 8.3 +8.3
Green Yvonne Clarke 179 3.4 −0.8
Majority 502 9.5 −2.4
Turnout 5,291 31.8 −1.5
Labour hold Swing -1.2
Richmond Hill[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Marlene Lyons 1,509 54.5 −16.6
BNP Mark Collett 550 19.9 +19.9
Liberal Democrats Keith Norman 483 17.5 +1.8
Conservative Simon Church 225 8.1 −1.8
Majority 959 44.6 −10.8
Turnout 2,767 23.3 −3.6
Labour hold Swing -18.2
Rothwell[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Steve Smith 2,495 49.4 +1.2
Labour Brian Walker 2,109 41.7 +0.9
Conservative Caroline Judge 451 8.9 −2.1
Majority 386 7.7 +0.3
Turnout 5,055 31.5 −2.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing +0.1
Roundhay[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Matthew Lobley 2,417 39.6 −1.4
Labour Michael Fox 2,347 38.4 −1.3
Liberal Democrats John Skinner 901 14.8 +1.0
Green Paul Ellis 260 4.3 +0.7
Alliance for Green Socialism Malcolm Christie 180 2.9 +1.0
Majority 70 1.1 −0.2
Turnout 6,105 37.2 −2.1
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -0.0
Seacroft[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brian Selby 2,003 66.3 −13.9
Liberal Democrats Pauline Davies 403 13.3 −5.0
BNP Alistair Ingham 356 11.8 +11.8
Conservative Donald Townsley 261 8.6 +7.1
Majority 1,600 52.9 −9.0
Turnout 3,023 26.0 +2.5
Labour hold Swing -4.4
University[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gerald Harper 1,000 41.8 −15.1
Liberal Democrats Joan Ewens 930 38.9 +18.7
Conservative Robert Winfield 185 7.7 −5.9
Green Bluebell Eikonoklastes 153 6.4 −2.8
Socialist Alliance Steven Skinner 125 5.2 +5.2
Majority 70 2.9 −33.8
Turnout 2,393 15.3 −1.3
Labour hold Swing -16.9
Weetwood[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Brian Jennings 2,196 45.5 +0.8
Labour Dudley Parker 1,336 27.7 −4.0
Conservative Timothy Metcalfe 922 19.1 +1.6
Green David Webb 370 7.7 +1.6
Majority 860 17.8 +4.8
Turnout 4,824 29.5 −4.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +2.4
Wetherby[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Millard 4,644 66.0 +0.0
Labour Reginald Steel 1,493 21.2 +0.1
Liberal Democrats Edmund Conybeare 899 12.8 +0.0
Majority 3,151 44.8 −0.1
Turnout 7,036 34.3 −2.3
Conservative hold Swing -0.0
Whinmoor[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Gruen 1,868 49.7 −4.8
Conservative Graeme Shaw 989 26.3 −7.5
Liberal Democrats Colin Campbell 486 12.9 +1.2
BNP Marten Gibson 344 9.2 +9.2
Alliance for Green Socialism Amanda Munro 68 1.8 +1.8
Majority 879 23.4 +2.7
Turnout 3,755 30.2 −2.1
Labour hold Swing +1.3
Wortley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green David Blackburn 2,843 59.8 +5.8
Labour Jane Dowson 1,239 26.1 −5.7
Conservative Victoria Richmond 423 8.9 −1.0
Liberal Democrats Leanne Winfield 251 5.3 +1.0
Majority 1,604 33.7 +11.5
Turnout 4,756 27.9 −1.8
Green hold Swing +5.7

References

  1. ^ "Local elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Labour just cling on". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  3. ^ Hetherington, Peter (3 May 2003). "English local elections: Labour hit by tax rises and 'Baghdad backlash': England: Disaffection boosts Tories and Lib Dems". The Guardian. p. 16. ISSN 0261-3077.
  4. ^ "Local elections 2006". BBC News Online. 27 May 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Turned out bad again...". Yorkshire Evening Post. 3 May 2003. ISSN 0963-2255.
  6. ^ "Life force". Yorkshire Evening Post. 7 May 2003. ISSN 0963-2255.
  7. ^ a b "Local elections 2003". The Times. 2 May 2003. p. 16. ISSN 0140-0460.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah "Local Elections 2003". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2018.