City of York Council Election, 2015

← 2011 7 May 2015 2019 →
All 47 seats to City of York Council 24 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Dafydd Williams Chris Steward Keith Aspden Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader since 11 December 2014 19 December 2013 11 May 2013 Leader's seat Heworth Rural West York Fulford and Heslington Last election 26 10 8 Seats before 21 10 9 Seats won 15 14 12 Seat change 11 4 4 Popular vote 59,164 65,507 55,331 Percentage 25.6% 28.3% 23.9% Swing 12.0% 6.0% 2.5%
Map of results of 2015 election
Leader of the Council before election Dafydd Williams Labour Leader of the Council after election Chris Steward Conservative

The 2015 City of York Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of City of York Council in England.^[1] The whole council was up for election. Turnout was substantially up across the city due to the election being held on the same day as the general election and other local elections in England.

Since the previous election in 2011 a review of ward boundaries had affected some wards, although the total number of councillors remained at 47. The following wards remained unchanged from 2011: Acomb, Bishopthorpe, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, Haxby and Wigginton, Holgate, Huntington and New Earswick, Micklegate, Strensall, Westfield and Wheldrake. All other wards saw boundary changes and a new ward, Copmanthorpe, was created from the former Rural West York Ward.

The election saw heavy losses for the ruling Labour Party, which had won overall control of the council in 2011, losing more than 40% of the 26 seats won at the previous election. Several senior Labour councillors were defeated including the party's deputy leader Tracey Simpson-Laing and Cabinet members Dave Merrett and Linsay Cunningham.^[2] The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens all made gains and two Independent councillors were also elected. A record number of new councillors were elected, almost half of the entire Council, with the York Press reporting that "of the 47 seats contested, 25 were won by candidates with council experience while 22 were won by debutants."^[3] Following talks between the political groups after the election, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats agreed to run the Council as a joint administration.^[4]

Election result

There were boundary changes in 13 wards, which elected 28 city councillors. There were no boundary changes in 8 wards, which elected 19 city councillors. ^[5]

Ward results

Acomb ward

* Represented the Acomb ward of City of York Council, 1999-2015 ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

Bishopthorpe ward

The parishes of Acaster Malbis and Bishopthorpe

There were no boundary changes to Bishopthorpe ward. ^[5]

* Represented the Copmanthorpe ward of City of York Council, 1999-2003, ^[7] and the Bishopthorpe ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [11]}

† Represented the Holgate ward of York City Council, 1992-1996, ^[12] and the Holgate ward of City of York Council, 1995-2003 ^{[13] [7]}

Clifton ward

* Represented the Bootham ward of York City Council, 1982-1996, ^[12] the Fishergate division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1985-1989, ^[14] the Bootham ward of City of York Council, 1995-2003, ^{[13] [7]} and the Clifton ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015 ^{[8] [9] [15]}

† Represented the Clifton ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015 ^{[8] [9] [15]}

Copmanthorpe ward

The parish of Copmanthorpe

* Represented the Acomb ward of York City Council, 1986-1996, ^[12] and the Acomb ward of City of York Council, 1995-2015 ^{[13] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward

There were no boundary changes to Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward. ^[5]

* Represented the Foxwood ward of York City Council, 1990-1996, ^[12] the Foxwood ward of City of York Council, 1995-2003, ^{[13] [7]} and the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015 ^{[8] [9] [16]}

† Represented the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[16]

Fishergate ward

* Represented the Fishergate ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015 ^{[8] [9] [17]}

† Represented the Fishergate ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [17]}

Fulford and Heslington ward

The parish of Fulford and part of the parish of Heslington

* Represented the Fulford ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015 ^{[8] [9] [18]}

Guildhall ward

* Represented the Guildhall division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1985-1996, ^[14] and the Guildhall ward of City of York Council, 1995-2015 ^{[13] [7] [8] [9] [19]}

† Represented the Acomb ward of York City Council, 1979-1984, the Guildhall ward of York City Council, 1988-1996, ^[12] the Acomb division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1981-1989, ^[14] and the Guildhall ward of City of York Council, 1995-2015 ^{[13] [7] [8] [9] [19]}

Haxby and Wigginton ward

The parishes of Haxby and Wigginton

There were no boundary changes to Haxby and Wigginton ward. ^[5]

* Represented the Strensall ward of City of York Council, 2003-2007, ^[8] and the Haxby and Wigginton ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[20]

† Represented the Haxby and Wigginton ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[20]

‡ Represented the Holgate ward of City of York Council, 2007-2011 ^[9]

Heworth ward

* Represented the Heworth ward of City of York Council, 2009-2015 ^{[21] [22]}

† Represented the Heworth ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [22]}

‡ Represented the Westfield ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[23]

Heworth Without ward

The parish of Heworth Without

* Represented the Heworth Without ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[24] [25]}

Holgate ward

* Represented the Holgate ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [26]}

† Represented the Wheldrake ward of City of York Council, 2003-2011 ^{[8] [9]}

Hull Road ward

Part of the parish of Heslington

* Represented the Hull Road ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[27]

† Represented the Heslington ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[28]

Huntington and New Earswick ward

The parishes of Huntington and New Earswick

There were no boundary changes to Huntington and New Earswick ward. ^[5]

* Represented the Huntington and New Earswick ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015 ^{[8] [9] [29]}

† Represented the Huntington and New Earswick ward of City of York Council, 1999-2015 ^{[7] [8] [9] [29]}

Micklegate ward

There were no boundary changes to Micklegate ward. ^[5]

* Represented the Micklegate ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [30]}

† Represented the Bishophill ward of York City Council, 1982-1996, ^[12] the Bishophill ward of City of York Council, 1995-2003, ^{[13] [7]} and the Micklegate ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015 ^{[8] [9] [30]}

‡ Represented the Rural West York ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [31]}

§ Represented the Holgate ward of City of York Council, 2003-2007 ^[8]

Osbaldwick and Derwent ward

The parishes of Dunnington, Holtby, Kexby, Murton, and Osbaldwick

* Represented the Derwent ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [32]}

† Represented the Osbaldwick ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[33]

‡ Represented the Fishergate division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1989-1993 ^[14]

Rawcliffe and Clifton Without ward

The parishes of Clifton Without and Rawcliffe

* Represented the Skelton, Rawcliffe, and Clifton Without ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[34]

† Represented the Rawcliffe and Skelton ward of City of York Council, 1999-2003, ^[7] and the Skelton, Rawcliffe, and Clifton Without ward of City of York Council, 2003-2007 ^[8]

Rural West York ward

The parishes of Askham Bryan, Askham Richard, Hessay, Nether Poppleton, Rufforth with Knapton, Skelton, and Upper Poppleton

* Represented the Rural West York ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [31]}

† Represented the Rural West York ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[31]

‡ Represented the Skelton, Rawcliffe, and Clifton Without ward of City of York Council, 2003-2011 ^{[8] [9]}

Strensall ward

The parishes of Earswick, Stockton-on-the-Forest, and Strensall with Towthorpe

There were no boundary changes to Strensall ward. ^[5]

* Represented the Strensall ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[35]

† Represented the Clifton ward of City of York Council, 2007-2015 ^{[9] [15]}

‡ Represented the Haxby West ward of Ryedale District Council, 1987-1996 ^[36]

Westfield ward

There were no boundary changes to Westfield ward. ^[5]

* Represented the Westfield ward of York City Council, 1994-1996, ^[12] and the Westfield ward of City of York Council, 1999-2011 ^{[7] [8] [9]} and 2014-2015

† Represented the Westfield ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015 ^[23]

Wheldrake ward

The parishes of Deighton, Elvington, Naburn, and Wheldrake

There were no boundary changes to Wheldrake ward. ^[5]