Berwick-upon-Tweed_Borough_Council_elections
Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed was a non-metropolitan district in Northumberland, England. The council was abolished and its functions transferred to Northumberland County Council with effect from 1 April 2009.
An earlier municipal borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed had existed from 1836 to 1974, just covering the town itself.[1] Under the Local Government Act 1972 a much larger borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed was created as a non-metropolitan district, including a large rural area as well as the town itself. The first election to the reformed council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. From 1973 until its abolition in 2009 political control of the council was held by the following parties:[2]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 1973–1983 | |
| No overall control | 1983–1999 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 1999–2003 | |
| No overall control | 2003–2009 | |
- 1973 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 1976 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)[3]
- 1979 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 1983 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 1987 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 1991 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 1995 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 1999 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)[4]
- 2003 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 2007 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
- 2008 (New ward boundaries)[5]
A referendum was held on 21 February 2002 on whether to have a directly elected mayor. The proposal was decisively rejected.
Support 3,617 26%
Oppose 10,212 74%
Turnout 64%
1995-1999
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 340 | 57.9 | |||
| Labour | 154 | 26.2 | |||
| Conservative | 93 | 15.8 | |||
| Majority | 186 | 31.7 | |||
| Turnout | 587 | 39.6 | |||
| Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
1999-2003
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 278 | 73.5 | |||
| Liberal Democrats | 100 | 26.5 | |||
| Majority | 178 | 47.0 | |||
| Turnout | 378 | 52.3 | |||
| Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 337 | 44.5 | +44.5 | ||
| Independent | 319 | 42.1 | -9.2 | ||
| Liberal Democrats | 102 | 13.5 | +13.5 | ||
| Majority | 18 | 2.4 | |||
| Turnout | 758 | 49.3 | |||
| Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 332 | 51.6 | -2.9 | ||
| Independent | 203 | 31.6 | -2.3 | ||
| Conservative | 65 | 10.1 | +10.1 | ||
| Labour | 43 | 6.7 | -4.9 | ||
| Majority | 129 | 20.0 | |||
| Turnout | 643 | 26.9 | |||
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | ||||
2003-2007
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 196 | 53.7 | +32.7 | ||
| Independent | 169 | 46.3 | +12.2 | ||
| Majority | 27 | 7.4 | |||
| Turnout | 365 | 41.0 | |||
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Karen Thorburn | 111 | 52.6 | +52.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Douglas Hunter | 100 | 47.4 | +47.4 | |
| Majority | 11 | 5.2 | |||
| Turnout | 211 | 31.3 | |||
| Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | David Stewart | 206 | 61.7 | +61.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Thomas Wakenshaw | 128 | 38.3 | +38.3 | |
| Majority | 78 | 23.4 | |||
| Turnout | 334 | 15.0 | |||
| Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | ||||
- "Berwick upon Tweed Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
- "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
- legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
- legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Parish Electoral Arrangements and Electoral Changes) Order 2008. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.