Elections to Southampton City Council took place on Thursday 2 May 2019, alongside other local elections across the country. The Labour Party held a narrow majority of two at the last election and the seats contested in this election were last contested in 2015. Labour were defending 6 seats, the Conservatives were defending 8, whilst independent councillors, who held two seats, were not standing re-elections. Following a by-election in the Coxford ward where Labour gained the seat formerly held by an independent.

Quick Facts 16 of the 48 seats to Southampton City Council 25 seats needed for a majority, First party ...

2019 Southampton City Council election

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16 of the 48 seats to Southampton City Council 25 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Christopher Hammond Dan Fitzhenry n/a Party Labour Conservative Independent Leader's seat Woolston Harefield n/a Last election 25 19 4 Seats before 26 19 3 Seats won 9 7 0 Seats after 29 18 1 Seat change 3 1 2 Popular vote 18,788 17,266 Percentage 37.25% 34.23%
Map showing the election results. Each ward represents 1 seat
Council control before election Labour Council control after election Labour

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The result saw the Labour party gain Coxford, Freemantle, Portswood and Swaythling, but lost Millbrook and Bitterne to the Conservatives, making a net gain of three.

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election each fourth year to correspond with councillors' four-year terms.^[1][2] Councillors defending their seats in this election were previously elected in 2015. In that election, 8 Conservative candidates, 7 Labour candidates were elected and independent People Before Profit councillor was elected in Coxford. After the 2015 local election, the Labour party saw a loss of one of their Councillors, Andrew Pope, who formed the Southampton Independents party.^[3] He is not seeking re-election in this election.^[4] The last election in 2018 saw both the council leader Simon Letts and leader of the Conservative bloc in the city be defeated in their wards by each other's party. Letts was replaced with Christopher Hammond as council leader, and Dan Fitzhenry as leader of the Conservatives.^[5]

People Before Profit, an independent group with all three of its councillors elected in the Coxford ward, decided to separate after the 2018 election.^[6] On 3 January 2019, former group leader of People Before Profit, Keith Morrell, announced that he would resign with immediate effect, triggering a by-election in the year.^[7] Hours later, Don Thomas announced he would not seek re-election in the Coxford ward.^[8]

Immediately ahead of this election, the composition of the council was:

After the election result, the composition of the council became:

As the council is elected in thirds, one councillor for each of the 16 wards are elected each year. All comparisons in seats and swing are to the corresponding 2015 election.

More information Party, This election ...

2019 Southampton City Council election
Party		This election			Full council			This election
		Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Labour	9	3	56.3	20	29	60.4	18,788	37.3	+3.1
	Conservative	7	1	43.7	11	18	37.5	17,266	34.2	+0.1
	Liberal Democrats	0		0	0	0	0.0	6,356	12.6	+5.4
	Green	0		0	0	0	0.0	4,950	9.8	+1.2
	UKIP	0		0	0	0	0.0	2,756	5.5	–7.1
	Integrity Southampton	0		0	0	0	0.0	236	0.5	New
	Socialist Alternative	0		0	0	0	0.0	80	0.2	New

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The statement of persons nominated was revealed 3 April 2019.^[15] A (*) by a councillor's name indicates that they were standing for re-election, The declaration of the results were posted on 3 May.^[16]