Local election in England
Somerset Council elections are held every four years to elect Somerset Council, the local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England. From 1889 until 2023 the council was called Somerset County Council and it was an upper tier county council, with district-level functions being provided by the area's district councils. The districts were all abolished with effect from 1 April 2023, at which point the county council became a unitary authority, taking on the functions of the abolished district councils. The county council changed its name to Somerset Council to coincide with the change in its powers.[1] There are 110 councillors, elected from 54 wards.[2]
Political control
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[3][4]
- Two-tier non-metropolitan county
Party in control | Years |
| Conservative | 1974–1985 |
| No overall control | 1985–1989 |
| Conservative | 1989–1993 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1993–2001 |
| No overall control | 2001–2005 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2005–2009 |
| Conservative | 2009–2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2022–2023 |
- Unitary authority
Party in control | Years |
| Liberal Democrats | 2023–present[2] |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:[5]
Councillor | Party | From | To |
Cathy Bakewell | | Liberal Democrats | 2001 | 16 May 2007 |
Jill Shortland | | Liberal Democrats | 16 May 2007 | 24 Jun 2009 |
Ken Maddock | | Conservative | 24 Jun 2009 | 16 May 2012 |
John Osman | | Conservative | 16 May 2012 | 7 May 2017 |
David Fothergill | | Conservative | 24 May 2017 | 25 May 2022 |
Bill Revans[6] | | Liberal Democrats | 25 May 2022 | |
Council elections
County result maps
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2001 results map
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2005 results map
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2009 results map
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2013 results map
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2017 results map
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2022 results map
By-election results
1997–2001
Minehead By-Election 30 July 1998 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | | 1,428 | 42.6 | +7.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | | 1,125 | 33.6 | −1.4 |
| Labour | | 798 | 23.8 | −5.8 |
Majority | 303 | 9.0 | |
Turnout | 3,351 | 37.0 | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Lydeard By-Election 28 October 1999 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | | 948 | 68.2 | +28.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | | 442 | 31.8 | −14.0 |
Majority | 506 | 36.4 | |
Turnout | 1,390 | 28.0 | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
2005–2009
Mendip North East By-Election 1 May 2008 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Matthew Ellis | 1,568 | 51.2 | +6.9 |
| Liberal Democrats | Ian Hasell | 1,497 | 48.8 | +9.7 |
Majority | 71 | 2.4 | |
Turnout | 3,065 | 43.8 | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Shepton Mallett By-Election 29 May 2008[9] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Margaret Robinson | 950 | 47.4 | +10.0 |
| Liberal Democrats | Rachel Witcombe | 783 | 39.1 | +5.5 |
| Labour | Christopher Inchley | 271 | 13.5 | −15.5 |
Majority | 167 | 8.3 | |
Turnout | 2,004 | 29.0 | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
2009–2013
Shepton Mallett By-Election 5 May 2011 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | John Parham | 1,307 | 41.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Garfield Kennedy | 892 | 28.2 | |
| Labour | Chris Inchley | 711 | 22.5 | |
| Green | Ian Forster | 256 | 8.1 | |
Majority | 415 | 13.1 | |
Turnout | | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
South Petherton By-Election 5 May 2011 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Paul Maxwell | 1,333 | 53.6 | |
| Conservative | Paul Thompson | 943 | 37.9 | |
| Green | Ian Greenfield | 108 | 4.3 | |
| UKIP | Godfrey Davey | 104 | 4.2 | |
Majority | 390 | 15.7 | |
Turnout | | 42.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Brent By-Election 1 December 2011 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | John Denbee | 1,285 | 58.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Helen Groves | 932 | 42.0 | |
Majority | 353 | 15.9 | |
Turnout | | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
2013–2017
Frome North By-Election 25 September 2014 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Linda Oliver | 1,163 | 47.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Damon Hooton | 836 | 34.3 | |
| Labour | Catherine Richardson | 163 | 6.7 | |
| Independent | Adrian Dobinson | 139 | 5.7 | |
| Green | Les Spalding | 139 | 5.7 | |
Majority | 327 | 13.4 | |
Turnout | | | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Taunton North By-Election 7 May 2015 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Michael Adkins | 1,298 | 29.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Barrie Hall | 976 | 22.5 | |
| Labour | Libby Lisgo | 927 | 21.4 | |
| UKIP | Robert Bainbridge | 814 | 18.8 | |
| Green | Alan Debenham | 326 | 7.5 | |
Majority | 322 | 7.4 | |
Turnout | | | |
| Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
2017–2022
Comeytrowe & Trull By-Election 7 October 2021 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Dawn Johnson | 1,677 | 63.2 | +15.6 |
| Conservative | Ruth Harmon | 886 | 33.4 | −6.4 |
| Labour | Michael McGuffie | 92 | 3.5 | −2.4 |
Majority | 791 | 29.8 | |
Turnout | 2,655 | | |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 11.0 | |
2022–2027
Castle Cary By-Election 10 August 2023[10][11] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Kevin Messenger | 1,247 | 54.8 | N/A |
| Conservative | David Hall | 614 | 27 | N/A |
| Green | Ewan Jones | 415 | 18.2 | N/A |
Majority | 633 | 27.8 | N/A |
Turnout | 2,276 | 28.3 | –31.3 |
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Somerton By-Election: 28 March 2024 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Stephen Richard John Page | 1,212 | 50.12 | |
| Conservative | David Hall | 878 | 36.31 | |
| Labour | Gregory Lawrence Chambers | 174 | 7.20 | |
| Green | Matthew Francis Geen | 154 | 6.37 | |
Majority | 334 | 13.81 | |
Turnout | 2,428 | 27.98 | –15.34 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Mendip South: 2 May 2024 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Rob Reed | 1,313 | 47.33 | |
| Conservative | Ken Maddock | 1,122 | 40.45 | |
| Green | Michael Kenneth Smyth | 200 | 7.21 | N/A |
| Labour | David Alan Oakensen | 139 | 5.01 | N/A |
Majority | 191 | 6.88 | |
Turnout | 2,788 | 36.07 | –7.93 |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
References
- ^ "The Somerset (Structural Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/329, retrieved 27 March 2024
- ^ a b "Somerset election results 2022: Lib Dems win control". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ "Somerset". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ "Council minutes". Somerset County Council. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- ^ "New leader and executive confirmed at Somerset County Council". West Somerset Free Press. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ The County of Somerset (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1980
- ^ "Somerset". BBC Online. Retrieved 3 June 2008.
- ^ "New Faces Join Mendip District Council". Mendip District Council. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
- ^ "Castle Cary by-election result". Somerset Council. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "Somerset Council by election: Castle Cary Division". Somerset Council. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
External links