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Somerset Council elections - Wikipedia Jump to content

Somerset Council elections

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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]

Summary of recent elections

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The Conservative Party has been the largest or second-largest party on the council since 1973, and since 1981 has competed with the Liberal Democrats for control; each party has formed several majority administrations in the period since.[3]

In 2009, the Conservative Party UK won 35 seats,[4] a six seat majority, with the Liberal Democrats UK coming second with 21 seats, in 2013 the Conservative Party UK won 29 seats,[5] a one seat majority, with the Liberal Democrats UK coming second with 18 seats and UKIP (a new entrant) coming joint third with Labour Party UK on three seats. In 2017 the Conservative Party UK won back seats and ended up winning 35 seats,[6] gaining them a seven seat majority, in this election, UKIP did not stand and the Liberal Democrats UK continued their loss of seats dropping to 12 (although they remained in second place).

The 2022 local elections in Somerset were fought on new boundaries, with 110 seats available within the new unitary council.[7] In this election the Liberal Democrats UK won 61 seats granting them a five seat majority, the Conservative Party UK came second with 36 seats.[8]

Election results

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Composition of the council[9]
Year Conservative Liberal Democrats[a] Labour Green[b] UKIP Independents
& Others 		Council control
after election
Local government reorganisation; council reorganised (56 seats)
1973 34 2 8 – – 12 Conservative
1977 44 0 3 0 – 9 Conservative
New division boundaries (57 seats)
1981 33 8 9 0 – 7 Conservative
1985 24 26 7 0 – 0 No overall control
1989 32 17 6 0 – 2 Conservative
1993 13 41 2 0 – 1 Liberal Democrats
1997 17 37 3 0 0 0 Liberal Democrats
New division boundaries (58 seats)
2001 24 29 5 0 0 0 No overall control
2005 24 30 4 0 0 0 Liberal Democrats
2009 35 21 2 0 0 0 Conservative
New division boundaries (55 seats)
2013 28 19 3 0 3 2 Conservative
2017 35 12 3 2 0 3 Conservative
Somerset becomes a unitary authority (110 seats)
2022 36 61 5 5 0 3 Liberal Democrats

Council elections

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County result maps

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  • 2001 results map
    2001 results map
  • 2005 results map
    2005 results map
  • 2009 results map
    2009 results map
  • 2013 results map
    2013 results map
  • 2017 results map
    2017 results map
  • 2022 results map
    2022 results map

By-election results

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1997–2001

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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

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Mendip North East By-Election 1 May 2008[12]
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[13]
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

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Shepton Mallett By-Election 5 May 2011[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Parham 1,307 41.3 −7.8
Liberal Democrats Garfield Kennedy 892 28.2 −6.2
Labour Chris Inchley 711 22.5 +6.0
Green Ian Forster 256 8.1 +8.1
Majority 415 13.1
Turnout 3,166
Conservative hold Swing
South Petherton By-Election 4 August 2011[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Maxwell 1,333 53.6 +13.3
Conservative Paul Thompson 943 37.9 −5.4
Green Ian Greenfield 108 4.3 −2.9
UKIP Godfrey Davey 104 4.2 +4.2
Majority 390 15.7
Turnout 2,488
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Brent By-Election 1 December 2011[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Denbee 1,285 58.0 −11.9
Liberal Democrats Helen Groves 932 42.0 +17.3
Majority 353 15.9
Turnout 2,217
Conservative hold Swing

2013–2017

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Frome North By-Election 25 September 2014[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Linda Oliver 1,163 47.7 +12.0
Liberal Democrats Damon Hooton 836 34.3 −3.0
Labour Catherine Richardson 163 6.7 −4.1
Independent Adrian Dobinson 139 5.7 +5.7
Green Les Spalding 139 5.7 +5.7
Majority 327 13.4
Turnout 2,440
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Taunton North By-Election 7 May 2015[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Adkins 1,298 29.9 +12.5
Liberal Democrats Barrie Hall 976 22.5 −8.2
Labour Libby Lisgo 927 21.4 −0.7
UKIP Robert Bainbridge 814 18.8 −5.1
Green Alan Debenham 326 7.5 +1.6
Majority 322 7.4
Turnout 4,341
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

2017–2022

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Comeytrowe & Trull By-Election 7 October 2021[19]
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 Increase11.0

2022–2027

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Castle Cary By-Election 10 August 2023[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Kevin Messenger 1,247 54.8 +10.4
Conservative David Hall 614 27.0 −15.7
Green Ewan Jones 415 18.2 +5.3
Majority 633 27.8
Turnout 2,276
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Somerton By-Election 28 March 2024[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Page 1,212 50.1 −1.0
Conservative David Hall 878 36.3 −2.2
Labour Gregory Chambers 174 7.2 −0.5
Green Matthew Geen 154 6.4 +6.4
Majority 334 13.8
Turnout 2,418
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Mendip South By-Election 2 May 2024[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Rob Reed 1,313 47.3 −5.5
Conservative Ken Maddock 1,122 40.4 −6.8
Green Michael Smyth 200 7.2 +7.2
Labour David Oakensen 139 5.0 +5.0
Majority 191 6.9
Turnout 2,774
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Blackmoor Vale By-Election 21 November 2024[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hayward Burt 1,120 57.4 +13.1
Liberal Democrats Howard Ellard 714 36.6 −19.1
Green Peter Ebsworth 86 4.4 +4.4
Labour Gregory Chambers 32 1.6 +1.6
Majority 406 20.8
Turnout 1,952
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Rowbarton and Staplegrove By-Election 21 November 2024[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Nick O'Donnell 817 58.3 +1.7
Conservative Pete Prior-Sankey 396 28.3 −2.3
Green Alan William Debenham 102 7.3 +7.3
Labour Moya Patricia Doherty 86 6.1 −6.7
Majority 421 30.0
Turnout 1,401
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Notes

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  1. ^ Includes totals for the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Party and SDP (both of which participated in the Alliance).
  2. ^ Includes totals for the predecessors of the Green Party of England and Wales, the Ecology Party and Green Party UK.

References

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  1. ^ "The Somerset (Structural Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/329, retrieved 27 March 2024
  2. ^ "Somerset election results 2022: Lib Dems win control". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. ^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "Somerset County Council Election Results 1973-2009" (PDF). Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  4. ^ "BBC NEWS | Election 2009 | Somerset council".
  5. ^ "Local elections 2013: Somerset Tories retain control". BBC News. May 2013.
  6. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2017 - Somerset".
  7. ^ "Somerset: 'This is the biggest shake up in 50 years'". 3 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Election results". 6 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Composition calculator". Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  10. ^ The County of Somerset (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1980
  11. ^ "Somerset". BBC Online. Retrieved 3 June 2008.
  12. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Mendip North East Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  13. ^ "New Faces Join Mendip District Council". Mendip District Council. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  14. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Shepton Mallet Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — South Petherton Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Brent Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Frome North Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Taunton North Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Comeytrowe and Trull Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Castle Cary Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Somerton Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Mendip South Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Blackmoor Vale Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  24. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Rowbarton and Staplegrove Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
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