Local elections took place for one third of the seats of the thirty-six metropolitan boroughs on May 1, 1975. The seats had previously been contested in May 1973

United Kingdom local elections, 1973

The first elections to the new local authorities established by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales and the new Northern Ireland district councils created by the Local Government Act 1972 took place in 1973...

, when the Labour Party

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...

 had achieved great success. In the 1975 elections the Conservative Party made widespread gains, with a net gain of 199 seats and Labour had a net loss of 206. The Liberal Party

Liberal Party (UK)

The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...

 had a net loss of 10 seats, and Independents a loss of 5. "Others", including Ratepayers, Independent Labour councillors and Progressives made net gains of 22.

The Conservatives gained control of Bury, Stockport and Wirral from no overall control; and Calderdale form Labour. They also became the largest party on Leeds city council.

Labour retained control of Birmingham by the mayor's casting vote.

The Liberals failed to gain overall control of Liverpool, and losing seats, but remaining the largest party on the council by a single seat.

Metropolitan Districts

District	County	Conservative	Labour	Liberal	Independent	Other	Control
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley The Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, England. Its main town is Barnsley....	South Yorkshire South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...	0	48 (-7)	1 (+1)	1	Ratepayers 6 (+6) Independent Labour 2 2 Vacancies	Labour hold
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...	55 (+11)	63 (-10)	8 (-1)	0	0	Labour hold
Bolton Metropolitan Borough of Bolton The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Bolton, but covers a far larger area which includes Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley and Westhoughton, and a suburban and rural element from the West Pennine...	Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...	42 (+7)	23 (-8)	3 (+1)	1	0	Conservative hold
Bradford City of Bradford The City of Bradford is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Bradford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Keighley, Shipley, Bingley, Ilkley, Haworth, Silsden and...	West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....	57 (+4)	28 (-3)	8 (-1)	0	0	Conservative hold
Bury Metropolitan Borough of Bury The Metropolitan Borough of Bury is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lying to the north of the City of Manchester, the borough is composed of six towns: Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, and has a population of 181,900...	Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...	28 (+7)	16 (-4)	4 (-3)	0	0	Conservative gain from NOC
Calderdale Calderdale The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...	West Yorkshire	28 (+11)	18 (-11)	5	0	0	Conservative gain from Labour
Coventry Coventry Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...	West Midlands	21 (+9)	33 (-9)	0	3	0	Labour hold
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire in Yorkshire and the Humber Region of England.In addition to the town of Doncaster, the borough covers Mexborough, Conisbrough, Thorne and Finningley....	South Yorkshire	15 (+3)	40 (-2)	0	3 (-1)	Democratic Labour 1 1 Vacancy	Labour hold
Dudley Metropolitan Borough of Dudley The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...	West Midlands	29 (+5)	35 (-5)	0	1	Independent Socialist 1	Labour hold
Gateshead Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead The Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. It is named after its largest town, Gateshead, but also spans the towns of Rowlands Gill, Whickham, Blaydon and Ryton; suburban areas include Felling, Pelaw, Dunston and Low Fell.It is bordered...	Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...	10 (+4)	65 (-5)	2 (+1)	1	0	Labour hold
Kirklees Kirklees The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite...	West Yorkshire	28 (+9)	36 (+8)	7 (-1)	1	0	Labour hold
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres...	Merseyside Merseyside Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...	12 (+4)	45 (-5)	3	1	1 (+1)	Labour hold
Leeds City of Leeds The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...	West Yorkshire	43 (+6)	41 (-4)	12 (-2)	0	0	NOC
Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...	Merseyside	14 (+4)	42 (-1)	43 (-3)	0	0	NOC
Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...	Greater Manchester	45	54	0	0	0	Labour hold
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	Tyne and Wear	27 (+4)	47 (-4)	2 (+1)	2 (-1)	0	Labour hold
North Tyneside	Tyne and Wear	24 (+5)	46 (-1)	4 (-2)	4 (-2)	0	Labour hold
Oldham Metropolitan Borough of Oldham The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 219,600, and spans . The borough is named after its largest town, Oldham, but also includes the outlying towns of Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton and Shaw and Crompton, the village of...	Greater Manchester	15 (+9)	30 (-11)	11 (+2)	1	3 Vacancies	Labour hold
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle.The borough was...	Greater Manchester	22 (+8)	28 (-9)	10 (+1)	0	0	Labour lose to NOC
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. It is named for its largest town, Rotherham, but also spans the outlying towns of Maltby, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Wath-upon-Dearne, as well as a suburban and rural element composed of hills, escarpments and...	South Yorkshire	7 (+4)	44 (-6)	0	2 (+1)	Ratepayers 1 (+1)	Labour hold
Sandwell Sandwell Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...	West Midlands	32 (+10)	58 (-10)	0	0	0	Labour hold
St Helens Metropolitan Borough of St Helens The Metropolitan Borough of St Helens is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It is named after its largest town St Helens, and covers an area which includes the settlements of Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown, Haydock, Rainhill, Eccleston, Clock Face, Billinge and...	Merseyside	14 (+5)	30 (-6)	1 (+1)	0	Ratepayers 0 (-1)	Labour hold
Salford City of Salford The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...	Greater Manchester	20 (+5)	44 (-6)	1	0	Tenants and Ratepayers 1 (+1)	Labour
Sefton	Merseyside	40 (+3)	22 (-2)	3	2	Ratepayers 2 (-1)	Conservative hold
Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...	South Yorkshire	20 (+2)	66 (-3)	4 (+1)	0	0	Labour hold
Solihull Metropolitan Borough of Solihull The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, in west-central England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary...	West Midlands	30 (+1)	12	2	7 (-1)	0	Conservative hold
South Tyneside South Tyneside South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north. The border county of Northumberland lies further north...	Tyne and Wear	5 (+2)	35 (-10)	3 (+3)	0	Progressives 23 (+5)	Labour hold
Stockport Metropolitan Borough of Stockport The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...	Greater Manchester	34	12	10	4	0	Conservative gain from NOC
Sunderland City of Sunderland The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...	Tyne and Wear	23 (+2)	52 (-4)	1 (+1)	0	Independent Labour 1 (+1)	Labour hold
Tameside Tameside The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame which flows through the borough and spans the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge. Its western...	Greater Manchester	24 (+11)	28 (-11)	2	0	0	Labour hold
Trafford Trafford The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston...	Greater Manchester	42 (+9)	13 (-5)	8 (-4)	0	0	Conservative hold
Wakefield City of Wakefield The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...	West Yorkshire	11 (+5)	45 (-10)	0	1 (-1)	Ratepayers 6 (+6) 3 Vacancies	Labour
Walsall Metropolitan Borough of Walsall The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a local government district in the Black Country part of the West Midlands, England, with the status of a metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Walsall, but covers a larger area which also includes the towns of Aldridge, Brownhills,...	West Midlands	14 (+4)	37 (-7)	0	4 (+1)	Ratepayers 5 (+2)	Labour hold
Wigan Metropolitan Borough of Wigan The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...	Greater Manchester	10 (+5)	61 (-5)	0	1 (+1)	0 (-1)	Labour
Wirral Metropolitan Borough of Wirral The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...	Merseyside	36 (+7)	21 (-3)	9 (-4)	0	0	Conservative gain from NOC
Wolverhampton	West Midlands	28 (+2)	31 (-3)	0	0	Ratepayers 1 (+1)	Labour hold