Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council being elected each time. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2017, 51 councillors have been elected from 17 wards.[1]

Political control

From 1889 to 1974, Blackburn was a county borough, independent from any county council.[2] Under the Local Government Act 1972 a larger Blackburn district was created, gaining the neighbouring town of Darwen and several other rural parishes, and becoming a non-metropolitan district, with Lancashire County Council providing county-level services.[3][4] The first election to the reformed borough council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. The district was renamed Blackburn with Darwen in 1997 and became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998, becoming independent from Lancashire County Council.[5][6] Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:[7][8]

Non-metropolitan district

Party in control Years
No overall control 1973–1983
Labour 1983–1984
No overall control 1984–1986
Labour 1986–1987
No overall control 1987–1988
Labour 1988–1998

Unitary authority

Party in control Years
Labour 1998–2007
No overall control 2007–2011
Labour 2011–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1993 have been:[9]

Councillor Party From To
Malcolm Doherty Labour 1993 Jun 2001
Bill Taylor Labour Jun 2001 13 Jun 2004
Kate Hollern[10] Labour 1 Jul 2004 17 May 2007
Colin Rigby Conservative 17 May 2007 29 Jan 2009
Michael Lee Conservative 29 Jan 2009 14 Sep 2010
Kate Hollern Labour 14 Sep 2010 1 Apr 2015
Mohammed Khan[11] Labour 21 May 2015 8 May 2022
Phil Riley Labour 19 May 2022

Council elections

By-election results

2002-2006

Mill Hill By-Election 21 November 2002[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BNP Robin Evans 578 32.1 +32.1
Labour Gail Barton 562 31.2 -16.3
Liberal Democrats David D'Arcy 505 28.1 -24.4
Conservative Karl Turner 154 8.6 +8.6
Majority 16 0.9
Turnout 1,799 39.4
BNP gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Earcroft By-Election 15 July 2004 (2)[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Moira Barrett 492
Labour Francis Davis 443
Liberal Democrats John East 300
Liberal Democrats Anthony Melia 277
Conservative Julie Slater 212
Conservative Konrad Tapp 201
BNP Nicholas Holt 133
Independent Sam Stone 114
Independent Trevor Maxfield 109
BNP Anthony Dailly 106
British National Socialist Party Robin Evans 14
British National Socialist Party Natalia Finn 10
Turnout 2,411 37.9
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

2006-2010

East Rural By-Election 28 September 2006[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Julie Slater 209 28.1 +28.1
Conservative John Raseta 201 27.0 -66.7
England First Stephen Hart 99 13.3 +13.3
Liberal Democrats Brian Dunning 91 12.2 +12.2
Labour Stella McLennan 75 10.1 +3.8
BNP Nicholas Holt 70 9.4 +9.4
Majority 8 1.1
Turnout 745 46.2
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Queens Park By-Election 4 February 2010[21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mustafa Desai 638 54.2 +3.0
Liberal Democrats Imtiaz Patel 366 31.1 -17.8
Conservative Asghar Ali 174 14.8 +14.8
Majority 272 23.1
Turnout 1,178 28.4
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

2010-2014

Beardwood with Lammack By-Election 28 July 2011[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Julie Daley 1,097 63.8 +3.4
Labour Ashley Whalley 572 33.3 +0.1
Liberal Democrats Salim Lorgat 51 3.0 -3.4
Majority 525 30.5
Turnout 1,720
Conservative hold Swing

2014-2018

Mill Hill By-Election 23 July 2015[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carl Nuttall 505 58.8 +9.0
UKIP Michael Longbottom 179 20.8 -7.6
Conservative Helen Tolley 106 12.3 -4.9
Liberal Democrats Alan Dean 69 8.0 +3.4
Majority 326 38.0
Turnout 859
Labour hold Swing
Higher Croft By-Election 15 December 2016[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Amy Johnson 435 58.2 -15.7
UKIP Ian Grimshaw 187 25.0 +25.0
Conservative Maureen McGarvey 125 16.7 -9.4
Majority 248 33.2
Turnout 747
Labour hold Swing
Higher Croft By-Election 23 March 2017[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Adam Holden 446 59.6 -14.3
UKIP Ian Grimshaw 169 22.6 +22.6
Conservative Maureen McGarvey 133 17.8 -8.3
Majority 277 37.0
Turnout 748
Labour hold Swing
Marsh House By-Election 4 May 2017[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lynn Perkins 748 41.5 +7.7
Liberal Democrats Paul Browne 580 32.2 +15.3
Labour Kieran Richards 474 26.3 -7.4
Majority 168 9.3
Turnout 1,802
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Higher Croft By-Election 8 June 2017[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Matt Gibson 1,579 57.6 -16.3
Conservative Ann Tolley 818 29.9 +3.8
UKIP Ian Grimshaw 343 12.5 +12.5
Majority 761 27.8
Turnout 2,740
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. ^ a b "The Blackburn with Darwen (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/1270, retrieved 22 August 2022
  2. ^ "Blackburn Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  3. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 22 August 2022
  4. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 22 August 2022
  5. ^ "Lancashire". Database of Local Government Orders. Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  6. ^ "The Lancashire (Boroughs of Blackburn and Blackpool) (Structural Change) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1996/1868, retrieved 22 August 2022
  7. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Blackburn With Darwen". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  9. ^ "Council minutes". Blackburn with Darwen Council. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Town hall drama as Labour scrapes back into power". Lancashire Telegraph. 2 July 2004. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  11. ^ Jacobs, Bill (12 May 2015). "Councillor Khan 'privileged' to be new Blackburn with Darwen leader". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  12. ^ The Borough of Blackburn (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976
  13. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Greater Manchester and Lancashire (County and District Boundaries) Order 1993. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  14. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Blackburn (Parishes and Electoral Changes) Order 1997. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Blackburn With Darwen council". BBC News Online. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  16. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Blackburn with Darwen (Electoral Changes) Order 2002. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Councillors and wards". Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  18. ^ Herbert, Ian (23 November 2002). "Straw calls for race tolerance as BNP wins council seat". The Independent. London. Retrieved 5 February 2010.[dead link]
  19. ^ "Borough council election results – June 10, 2004". Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  20. ^ "Election win keeps up family tradition". Blackburn Citizen. 30 September 2006. Retrieved 5 February 2010.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ "Labour wins Blackburn with Darwen council seat". Blackburn Citizen. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  22. ^ "Result of the February 2010 by-election in Queen's Park ward". Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  23. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Beardwood with Lammack Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Mill Hill Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  25. ^ a b c "Local Elections Archive Project — Higher Croft Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Marsh House Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2022.

External links

Council elections in Lancashire
Unitary authorities of England
Culture and infrastructure of Blackburn with Darwen
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