Redditch Council election, 2002
Encyclopedia
The 2002 Redditch Council election of 2 May 2002 elected members of Redditch
Borough Council in the West Midlands region
, England
. One third of the council stood for re-election and the Labour
party lost overall control of the council to no overall control
for the first time in many years.
After the election, the council comprised
and Liberal Democrats only needing to pick up three seats between them for this to happen. The Labour party was defending seven of the eleven seats to be decided and campaigned on its success over the previous years in eliminating all council debt. There was an extra seat in West ward
where the Conservative leader on the council, Carol Grandy, stood down.
on Redditch council. The results meant no party had a majority on the council for the first time in over 50 years, and the Conservative party claimed that the results would have been sufficient for them to have gained Redditch constituency
in a general election
. Turnout
in the election was higher than in the last few years at 29.8%.
Following the election the Labour and Conservative parties on the council elected new leaders and attempted to gain Liberal Democrat support to control the council. However the Liberal Democrats said that they would not form an agreement with either Labour or the Conservatives on their own. In the end at the council's annual general meeting on 15 May all parties joined the executive of the council
, which was formed with four Labour, three Conservative and one Liberal Democrat members. The Conservatives had wanted an executive in which both they and Labour had the same number of seats and accused the Liberal Democrats of backing Labour to prevent this. The new Labour leader, David Cartwright, was elected leader of the council and retained the chairman's casting vote
.
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
Borough Council in the West Midlands region
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. One third of the council stood for re-election and the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
party lost overall control of the council to no overall control
No overall control
Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament...
for the first time in many years.
After the election, the council comprised
- LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
14 - ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
12 - Liberal Democrat 3
Campaign
Before the election only a small swing would have seen the Labour party lose its majority on Redditch council, with the opposition ConservativesConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and Liberal Democrats only needing to pick up three seats between them for this to happen. The Labour party was defending seven of the eleven seats to be decided and campaigned on its success over the previous years in eliminating all council debt. There was an extra seat in West ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
where the Conservative leader on the council, Carol Grandy, stood down.
Election results
Labour lost its majority but remained the largest party. Labour had held control of the council for the previous 20 years but lost this after the other parties gained three seats in the election. Among Labour losses was its leader on the council, Albert Wharrad, who lost in Winyates ward to the Liberal Democrats. One of the closest results was in Lodge Park ward where Labour held on by 22 votes and Mohammed Nasir became the first Asian councillorCouncillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
on Redditch council. The results meant no party had a majority on the council for the first time in over 50 years, and the Conservative party claimed that the results would have been sufficient for them to have gained Redditch constituency
Redditch (UK Parliament constituency)
Redditch is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It was created in 1997 following major changes to the Mid Worcestershire constituency.- Boundaries :This...
in a general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. Turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
in the election was higher than in the last few years at 29.8%.
Following the election the Labour and Conservative parties on the council elected new leaders and attempted to gain Liberal Democrat support to control the council. However the Liberal Democrats said that they would not form an agreement with either Labour or the Conservatives on their own. In the end at the council's annual general meeting on 15 May all parties joined the executive of the council
Cabinet-style council
A Cabinet-style Council is a type of local government which has been introduced in the United Kingdom for Local Councils following the introduction of the Local Government Act 2000....
, which was formed with four Labour, three Conservative and one Liberal Democrat members. The Conservatives had wanted an executive in which both they and Labour had the same number of seats and accused the Liberal Democrats of backing Labour to prevent this. The new Labour leader, David Cartwright, was elected leader of the council and retained the chairman's casting vote
Casting vote
A casting vote is a vote given to the presiding officer of a council or legislative body to resolve a deadlock and which can be exercised only when such a deadlock exists...
.