The 2003 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Redcar and Cleveland Unitary Council in England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 1999.^[1] The Labour party lost overall control of the council to no overall control.^[2]

Between 1999 and 2003 the Local Government Boundary Commission for England had made changes to the wards of the council.^[3] The changes included renaming Belmont ward to Westworth, and Redcar ward to Zetland, with 18 of the 22 wards having boundary changes.^[3]

Before the election Labour ran the council with 31 seats, compared to 14 Conservatives, 11 Liberal Democrats and 3 East Cleveland Independents.^[3] In total 151 candidates stood for the 59 seats that were being contested,^[3] an increase of 9 from the 1999 election.^[4]

The election had a trial of all postal voting to try and increase turnout,^[5] with ballots being delivered to voters 2 weeks before the election.^[3]

The count for Brotton ward was suspended on election night after 2 recounts and completed the following day.^[6] Overall turnout at the election was 51.5%, an increase from 37% in 1999.^[6]

Labour lost their majority on the council, finishing with 23 seats, 7 short of a majority.^[7] Among the Labour councillors to lose seats was the leader of the council Dave Walsh in Eston ward,^[7][8] after he had moved to contest Eston, instead of Loftus which he had previously been a councillor for.^[9]

Following the election Labour chose George Dunning, formerly the deputy leader, as the new leader of the party on the council, defeating Dave McLuckie by 12 votes to 11.^[9] Meanwhile, the 8 independents joined together, with Steve Kay as their leader, in an East Cleveland, Eston and Marske Independents group.^[8] After negotiations the Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Independent groups formed a coalition to take control of the council from Labour.^[10]

One East Cleveland Independent was unopposed at the election.^[11]