South Lakeland Council election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The 2011 South Lakeland Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of South Lakeland
District
Council in Cumbria
, England
. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
. 2 of these were by-election
s, in Levens
and in 1 of the 2 seats being fought in Ambleside
and Grasmere
. Both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives
stood in every seat, while Labour
put up 8 candidates and the Green Party
2 candidates.
and Troutbeck
, with the Conservatives taking the seat by 12 votes after several recounts. This left the Liberal Democrats on 32 seats, compared to 18 for the Conservatives and 1 for Labour
. Overall turnout
in the election was 56.16%.
South Lakeland
South Lakeland is a local government district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Kendal. It includes much of the Lake District.The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
District
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
Council in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, 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 was up for election and the Liberal Democrats stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
- Liberal Democrat 32
- 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...
18 - 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...
1
Background
19 seats were contested at the election over 18 wardsWards 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:...
. 2 of these were by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
s, in Levens
Levens, Cumbria
Levens is a village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of the English county of Cumbria. It has a population of 1,007. The village lies south of Kendal off the A6 and A590 roads. Levens Hall is within the parish.- External links :**...
and in 1 of the 2 seats being fought in Ambleside
Ambleside
Ambleside is a town in Cumbria, in North West England.Historically within the county of Westmorland, it is situated at the head of Windermere, England's largest lake...
and Grasmere
Grasmere
Grasmere is a village, and popular tourist destination, in the centre of the English Lake District. It takes its name from the adjacent lake, and is associated with the Lake Poets...
. Both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives
Conservative 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...
stood in every seat, while 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...
put up 8 candidates and the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
2 candidates.
Election result
The results saw the Liberal Democrats keep their majority on the council after losing 1 seat to the Conservatives. The only change came in Windermere ApplethwaiteApplethwaite
Applethwaite is a village in the foot hills of Skiddaw near Keswick in the English Lake District. It is in the Borough of Allerdale and the county of Cumbria, and forms part of the civil parish of Underskiddaw, which has a population of 282....
and Troutbeck
Troutbeck, South Lakeland
Troutbeck is a village in South Lakeland district in Cumbria. It is north of Windermere town, to the west of the A592 road. It is a conservation area and includes the National Trust property of Townend.-Village Amenities:...
, with the Conservatives taking the seat by 12 votes after several recounts. This left the Liberal Democrats on 32 seats, compared to 18 for the Conservatives and 1 for 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...
. Overall 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 56.16%.