Shropshire Council elections are held every four years. Shropshire Council is the local authority for the unitary authority area of Shropshire, within the larger ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. The unitary authority was created on 1 April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, taking over the functions of the abolished Shropshire County Council and the five non-metropolitan districts of Bridgnorth, North Shropshire, Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Atcham, and South Shropshire.[1] The Telford and Wrekin district had already become a separate unitary authority in 1998.[2] Since the last full review of boundaries in 2009, 74 councillors have been elected from 63 electoral divisions.[3]

Political control

Shropshire County Council (formally called Salop County Council until 1980)[4] was first created in 1889. Its powers and responsibilities were significantly reformed under the Local Government Act 1972, with a new council elected in 1973 to act as a shadow authority ahead of the new powers coming into force in 1974. It became a unitary authority in 2009, taking over the functions previously exercised by the county's district councils, which were abolished. The new council created in 2009 chose to style itself "Shropshire Council" rather than "Shropshire County Council". Since 1974, political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[5][6][7]

Non-metropolitan county

Party in control Years
No overall control 1974–2005
Conservative 2005–2009

Unitary authority

Party in control Years
Conservative 2009–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2009 have been:[8]

Councillor Party From To
Malcolm Pate Conservative 18 Jun 2009
Keith Barrow[9] Conservative 18 Jun 2009 4 Dec 2015
Malcolm Pate Conservative 17 Dec 2015 18 May 2017
Peter Nutting Conservative 18 May 2017 9 May 2021
Lezley Picton Conservative 20 May 2021

Council elections

County result maps

By-election results

By-elections for individual seats can occur during a council's four-year term, for instance when a councillor dies or resigns their seat.

1997–2001

Bayston Hill By-Election 22 July 1999
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 706 35.9 +35.9
Labour 651 33.1 -4.0
Liberal Democrats 612 31.1 -31.8
Majority 55 2.8
Turnout 1,969 47.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Meole Brace By-Election 26 October 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 822 47.0 +21.8
Labour 778 44.5 +8.1
Liberal Democrats 150 8.6 -29.8
Majority 44 2.5
Turnout 1,750 30.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

2001–2005

Shifnal By-Election 20 June 2002
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 914 56.2 +56.2
Independent 445 27.4 -8.5
Independent 218 13.4 +0.0
Independent 50 3.0 -27.8
Majority 469 28.8
Turnout 1,627 27.0
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Myddle By-Election 25 March 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 1,457 50.3 +0.5
Liberal Democrats 1,441 49.7 -0.5
Majority 16 0.6
Turnout 2,898 51.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

2005–2009

Oswestry By-Election 30 November 2006[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joyce Barrow 770 53.8 +22.4
Labour Susan Crow 338 23.6 -14.7
Liberal Democrats Henry Stevens 324 22.6 -7.7
Majority 432 30.2
Turnout 1,432 15.0
Conservative hold Swing
Whittington By-Election 30 November 2006[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Trevor Davies 680 54.9 +54.9
Conservative David Glyn 559 45.1 +18.2
Majority 121 9.8
Turnout 1,239 24.9
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Market Drayton By-Election 5 June 2008[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Erwin 1,178 53.1 +0.6
Labour Roger Walker 510 23.0 -24.5
Independent Colin Phillips 362 16.3 +16.3
Independent Michael Gould 170 7.7 +7.7
Majority 668 30.1
Turnout 2,220 25.2
Conservative hold Swing

2009–2013

Five by-elections were held during this term, which saw the Liberal Democrats gain three seats from the Conservatives.

Clee Division By-Election 1 July 2010[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Mark Huffer 946
Conservative Hayley Clare Fernihough 506
Independent Graeme Perks 116
Majority 440
Turnout 1568 43.11
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Quarry and Coton Hill Division By-Election 17 February 2011[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew David Murray Bannerman 356
Conservative Judie McCoy 268
Labour John Olaf Lewis 197
Independent James Grimshaw Gollins 30
Majority
Turnout 30.47
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Bishop's Castle Division By-Election 29 September 2011[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Charlotte Ann Barnes 801
Conservative Georgiana Louise Dacre Ellis 544
Labour Jean Gray 80
Green Michael Richard Tucker 74
Majority
Turnout 51.3
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Abbey Division By-Election 1 March 2012[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Hannah Fraser 550
Conservative Peter John Wright 542
Green John Robert Brown 122
Majority
Turnout 41.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Church Stretton and Craven Arms Division By-Election 13 September 2012[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lee Chapman 1216
Liberal Democrats Robert Douglas Welch 969
Labour Clive Stephen Leworthy 529
Majority
Turnout 38
Conservative hold Swing

2013–2017

Ludlow North Division By-Election 13 March 2014[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew Boddington 579
Conservative Anthony Gerard Bevington 382
Independent Graeme Perks 223
Labour Co-op Danny Sweeney 94
Majority 197
Turnout 1286 45.79%
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Oswestry East Division By-Election 12 February 2015[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John W Price 629
Labour Claire Rebecca Norris 247
Green Duncan Kerr 231
Liberal Democrats Amanda Jane Woof 218
Majority 382
Turnout 1337 19.46%
Conservative hold Swing
Belle Vue Division by-election 12 November 2015[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Amy Liebich 546 47.4 -29.1
Conservative Andrew Wagner 292 25.3 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Beverley Baker 240 20.8 n/a
Green Sam Taylor 75 6.5 n/a
Majority 254 22.0 -30.9
Turnout 1,153 34.5
Labour hold Swing -15.5
Meole Division by-election 3 December 2015[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nic Laurens 490 43.1 -11.8
Labour Co-op John Lewis 303 26.7 -11.0
Liberal Democrats Nat Green 223 19.6 +12.3
UKIP David Morgan 64 5.6 N/A
Green John Newnham 56 4.9 N/A
Majority 187 16.5 -0.4
Turnout 1,139 37.7 -2.2
Conservative hold Swing -0.4

See also

Former councils in Shropshire:

References

  1. ^ "The Shropshire (Structural Change) Order 2008", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2008/492, retrieved 18 September 2022
  2. ^ "The Shropshire (District of The Wrekin) (Structural Change) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1996/1866, retrieved 18 September 2022
  3. ^ a b "The County of Shropshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2009", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2009/529, retrieved 18 September 2022
  4. ^ Bulletins of Change of Local Authority Status, Names and Areas, 1980–1982 (PDF). London: Department for the Environment. 1982. p. 17. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Local election results: Shropshire". BBC Online. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Shropshire". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  8. ^ "Council minutes". Shropshire Council. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Keith Barrow quits as leader of Shropshire Council". Shropshire Star. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  10. ^ "The County of Shropshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012/2935, retrieved 18 September 2022
  11. ^ a b "By-election results – 30 November 2006". Shropshire County Council. Archived from the original on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
  12. ^ "Market Drayton by-election result". Shropshire County Council. 6 June 2008. Archived from the original on 29 August 2008. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
  13. ^ "Declaration of Poll: Clee Division" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  14. ^ "Shropshire Council By-Election: Quarry and Coton Hill Division". Shropshire Council. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Shropshire Council By-Election: Bishop's Castle Division" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  16. ^ "Shropshire Council By-Election: Abbey Division" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  17. ^ "Shropshire Council By-Election: Church Stretton and Craven Arms Division" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  18. ^ "Shropshire Council By-Election: Ludlow North Division" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  19. ^ "Shropshire Council By-Election: Oswestry East Division" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  20. ^ "Election of a Unitary Councillor for the Belle Vue Division of Shropshire Council" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  21. ^ "Statement as to persons nominated" (PDF). Shropshire Council. Retrieved 26 November 2015.

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