A list of upcoming council by elections and vacant seats

Collated By MiddleEnglander

There are believed to be 12 by-elections during August along with 4 already in September and 1 in October.  There are a further 26 known vacancies where there is as yet no date for the by-election.

3 August - 6

Charnwood BC, Loughborough Shelthorpe - Labour resigned - 4 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, UKIP
Kings Lynn & West Norfolk BC, St Margarets with St Nicholas - Labour resigned - 4 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, Green
Sevenoaks DC, Penshurst, Fordscombe & Chiddingstone - Conservative died - 3 candidates: Con, Lab, LD
Swale BC, Milton Regis - UKIP died - 4 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, UKIP
Thanet DC, Margate Central - UKIP sitting as Independent resigned - 7 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, Green, UKIP, Ind, No Description
Worthing BC, Marine - Conservative resigned - 4 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, Green

17 August - 4

Aylesbury Vale DC, Riverside - Conservative resigned - 5 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, Green, UKIP
Aylesbury Vale DC, Southcourt - Liberal Democrat resigned - 5 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, Green, UKIP
Forest Heath DC, St Mary's - Conservative died - 3 candidates: Con, Lab, Green
Peterborough UA, Park - Labour resigned - 5 candidates: Con, Lab, LD, Green, UKIP

29 August - 1

Scarborough BC, Mulgrave - Conservative resigned

31 August - 1

North Somerset UA, Weston-Super-Mare North Worle - North Somerset First died

7 September - 4

Glasgow UA, Cardonald - Labour died
Lancaster BC, Skerton West - Labour resigned
North Lanarkshire UA, Fortissat - Conservative resigned having not signed Acceptance of Office
Peterborough UA, Eye, Thorney & Newborough - Conservative resigned

12 October - 1

Aberdeenshire UA, Inverurie & District - Conservative resigned following election as MP 

Not yet called - 26

Adur DC, Mash Barn - UKIP resigned around 5 July
Babergh DC, Sudbury South - Conservative resigned around 16 June
Cannock Chase DC, Hednesford Green Heath - Conservative died 29 June
Chesterfield BC, Holmebrook - Labour resigned around 6 July
Colchester BC, Shrub End - Liberal Democrat resigned around 13 July
Croydon LB, South Norwood - Labour resigned around 10 July
Darlington UA, Eastbourne - Labour resigned around 12 July
Durham UA, Trimdon & Thornley - Labour died 8 July
East Cambridgeshire DC, Ely South - Conservative resigned around 18 July
Epping Forest DC, Lower Sheering - Conservative died around 24 July
Harrogate BC, Washburn - Conservative resigned 19 June
Highland UA, Tain & Easter Ross - Liberal Democrat resigned around 20 July following election as MP
Lancaster BC, Halton with Aughton - Independent resigned around 24 July
Lewes DC, Ouse Valley & Ringmer - Conservative died around 8 June
Newcastle-Under-Lyme BC, Bradwell - Labour died around 27 July
Nottingham UA, Bulwell Forest - Labour died 26 July
Oadby & Wigston BC, Oadby Uplands - Labour resigned around 26 July
Salford MB, Claremount - Labour died 20 May
South Holland DC, Whaplode & Holbeach St Johns - Conservative died around 20 May
Staffordshire CC, Hednesford & Rawnsley - Conservative died 29 June
St Edmunsbury BC, Chedburgh - Conservative died 13 May
Suffolk CC, St John's - Labour resigned 20 July following election as MP
Warwick DC, Stoneleigh & Cubbington - Conservative resigned 17 May
Waveney DC, Oulton Broad - Conservative died around 14 May
West Dorset DC, Lyme Regis & Charmouth - Conservative resigned 24 July
Wyre BC, Rossall - Labour died 25 March

A round up of council by elections since the May main cycle

There have been 28 by-elections since the General Election up to the end of July with 7 (25%) changing hands. The results can be summarised by:

Party	Candidates	Defended	Retained	Gained	Lost	Won	retention rate
Conservative	25	11	9	3	2	12	82%
Labour	25	9	9	2		11	100%
Liberal Democrat	21	4	2		2	2	50%
Plaid Cymru	1
SNP	1
Green	11
UKIP	4						0%
Independent ^	12	4	1	1	3	2	25%
Localists ^^	3			1		1
Total	103	28	21	7	7	28	78%

 ^  12 candidates contested 9 by-elections
^^ North East, Our West Lancashire, Seaham Community

Conservatives gained three seats, all from Independents, but lost one to Labour and one to a "localist".
* gained Moray: Elgin City North, North Dorset: Blandford Central and Powys, Yscir
* lost Staffordshire Moorlands: Leek East to Labour and West Lancashire: Derby to Our West Lancashire

Labour gained two seats:
* Eden: Alston Moor from Liberal Democrat and Staffordshire Moorland: Leek East from Conservative

Liberal Democrats lost two seats:
* Eden: Alston Moor to Labour and Rutland: Whissendine to an Independent

Independents / Localists gained two seats but lost three:
* gained Rutland: Whissendine from Liberal Democrat and West Lancashire: Derby (as OWL) from Conservative
* lost Moray: Elgin City North, North Dorset: Blandford Central and Powys: Yscir all to Conservatives

There were 33 by-elections for 34 seats held on 8 June with 7 (21%) changing hands. The results can be summarised by:

Party	Candidates	Defended	Retained	Gained	Lost	Won	retention rate
Conservative	33	20	14		6	14	70%
Labour	29	13	13	4		17	100%
Liberal Democrat	28			2		2
Green	20
UKIP	8	1			1		0%
Independent ^	3			1		1
Lincolnshire Independent	1
No Description	2
Other ^^	2
Total	126	34	27	7	7	34	79%

 ^  3 Independents contested 2 seats
^^ End Austerity and Republic

Labour gained 4 seats from the Conservatives
Ashford: Victoria on a swing of ~ 5% since 2015
- 2 member ward electing 1 Labour / 1 Conservative in 2015, 1 Liberal Democrat / 1 Conservative in 2011 and 2 Liberal Democrats in both 2007 & 2003
Canterbury: Westgate on a swing of ~ 13% from Conservative and ~12% from Liberal Democrat since 2015
- 2 member ward electing 1 Conservative / 1 Liberal Democrat in 2015 but 3 member ward of same name elected 3 Liberal Democrats in 2011, 2007 & 2003
Peterborough: East on a swing of ~13½% since 2016
- 3 member ward electing 2 Conservative / 1 Labour in 2016 when ward was created
Welwyn & Hatfield: Hatfield Villages with a majority of 7 votes on a swing of ~ 4¼% since 2016
- 3 member ward electing 3 Conservatives in 2016 but previous ward of same name elected Conservatives each year since 2008

Liberal Democrats gained 1 seat from Conservatives and 1 from UKIP
Mid Sussex: Hassocks where a 2 vacancy contest saw 1 Conservative / 1 Liberal Democrat elected on a swing of ~5% since 2015 and ~ ¾% since 2011
- 3 member ward electing 3 Conservatives in 2015, 2 Conservative / 1 Liberal Democrat in 2011 & 2007 but 3 Conservatives in 2003
- the new Liberal Democrat Councillor was elected for the party in 2007 and 2011 but did not stand in 2015
Torridge: Hartland & Bradworthy from UKIP who did not contest the seat; Liberal Democrat polled 57½% in straight fight with Green
- 2 member ward with Independent / UKIP in 2015, 2 Liberal Democrat in 2011, Liberal Democrat / Independent in 2007 & 2 Independent unopposed in 2003

Independent gained Bromsgrove, Alvechurch Village from Conservative in a normally Conservative area where Independent gained County seat last month
- single member ward created in 2015 when Conservative polled 46% against Green and UKIP opponents.


With all the results now known of the 33 by-elections for 34 seats held on 8 June along with the 3 elections deferred from 4 May, the position is: 

Conservative held seats - 20 defended 
with 14 retained and 6 lost - 4 to Labour, 1 to Liberal Democrats and 1 to IndependentsAshford BC, Bockhanger - hold
Ashford BC, Victoria - Labour gain
Broadland DC, Cotishall - hold
Bromsgrove DC, Alvechurch Village - Independent gain
Broxtowe BC, Toton & Chilwell Meadows - hold
Calderdale MB, Raistrick - hold
Canterbury BC, Westgate - Labour gain
Copeland BC, Newtown - hold
Crawley BC, Pound Hill South & Worth - hold
Dacorum BC, Bovingdon. Flauden & Chipperfield - hold
Hammersmith & Fulham LB, Sands End - hold
Lewes DC, Seaford West - hold
Mid Sussex DC, Hassocks (2 vacancies) - 1 Conservative hold, 1 Liberal Democrat gain
North Kesteven DC, Ashby de la Launde & Cranwell - hold
North Kesteven DC, Heighington & Washborough - hold
Peterborough UA, East - Labour gain
Welwyn & Hatfield BC, Hatfield Villages - Labour gainWest Berkshire UA, Thatcham South & Cookham - hold
West Lancashire BC, Aughton Park - hold

Labour held seats - 13 defended, all retained
Blackburn with Darwen UA, Higher Croft - hold
Bury MB, Radcliffe East - hold
Calderdale MB, Todmorden - hold
Hammersmith & Fulham LB, Avonmore & Brook Green - hold
Leicester UA, Castle - hold
Liverpool MB, Kirkdale - hold
Luton UA, Sundon Park - hold
North Lincolnshire, Brumby - hold
Oldham MB, Royton North - hold
Salford MB, Claremont - hold
Stockport MB, Brinnington & Central - hold
York UA, Hull Road - hold
York UA, Micklegate - hold

UKIP held seat - 1
Torridge DC, Hartland & Bradworthy - Liberal Democrat gain from UKIP who did not defend the seat

Deferred elections on 8 June - 3Ceridigion UA, Llandyfriog - Plaid Cymru hold, returned unopposed
Cornwall UA, Bodmin St Petroc - Liberal Democrat hold
Merthyr Tydfil UA, Cyfarthfa - 1 Independent, 1 Merthyr Independent, 1 Labour elected

There were 6 by-elections in the final 3 weeks of May with 1 (17%) changing hands. The results can be summarised by:

Party	Contested	Defended	Retained	Gained	Lost	Won	retention rate
Conservative	6	1	1	1		2	100%
Labour	5	3	3			3	100%
Liberal Democrat	5
Green	2
UKIP	4
Independent	1	2	1		1	1	50%
No Description	1
Total	24	6	5	1	1	6	83%

Conservative gained Richmondshire, Reeth & Arkengarthdale from Independent in an unopposed election
- single member ward previously returned Independents, unopposed in 2003 & 2007 and with 75% + share of the vote in 2011, 2014 by-election as well as 2015