Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council elections

Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed was a non-metropolitan district in Northumberland, England. The council was abolished and its functions transferred to Northumberland County Council with effect from 1 April 2009.

Political control

An earlier municipal borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed had existed from 1836 to 1974, just covering the town itself.^[1] Under the Local Government Act 1972 a much larger borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed was created as a non-metropolitan district, including a large rural area as well as the town itself. The first election to the reformed council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. From 1973 until its abolition in 2009 political control of the council was held by the following parties:^[2]

Party in control		Years
	Independent	1973–1983
	No overall control	1983–1999
	Liberal Democrats	1999–2003
	No overall control	2003–2009

Council elections

1973 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
1976 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)^[3]
1979 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
1983 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
1987 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
1991 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
1995 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
1999 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)^[4]
2003 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
2007 Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council election
2008 (New ward boundaries)^[5]

Mayoral referendum

A referendum was held on 21 February 2002 on whether to have a directly elected mayor. The proposal was decisively rejected.

Support 3,617 26%

Oppose 10,212 74%

Turnout 64%

By-election results

1995-1999

Seton By-Election 19 February 1998
Party		Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	340	57.9
	Labour	154	26.2
	Conservative	93	15.8
Majority		186	31.7
Turnout		587	39.6
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour	Swing

1999-2003

Bamburgh By-Election 6 July 2000
Party		Votes	%
	Conservative	278	73.5
	Liberal Democrats	100	26.5
Majority		178	47.0
Turnout		378	52.3
	Conservative gain from Independent	Swing

North Sunderland By-Election 6 July 2000
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	337	44.5	+44.5
	Independent	319	42.1	-9.2
	Liberal Democrats	102	13.5	+13.5
Majority		18	2.4
Turnout		758	49.3
	Conservative gain from Independent	Swing

Spittal By-Election 15 November 2001
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	332	51.6	-2.9
	Independent	203	31.6	-2.3
	Conservative	65	10.1	+10.1
	Labour	43	6.7	-4.9
Majority		129	20.0
Turnout		643	26.9
	Liberal Democrats hold	Swing

2003-2007

Belford By-Election 1 April 2004
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	196	53.7	+32.7
	Independent	169	46.3	+12.2
Majority		27	7.4
Turnout		365	41.0
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats	Swing

Shielfield By-Election 16 December 2004
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Karen Thorburn	111	52.6	+52.6
	Liberal Democrats	Douglas Hunter	100	47.4	+47.4
Majority			11	5.2
Turnout			211	31.3
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing

Spittal By-Election 16 December 2004
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Stewart	206	61.7	+61.7
	Liberal Democrats	Thomas Wakenshaw	128	38.3	+38.3
Majority			78	23.4
Turnout			334	15.0
	Independent gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing

References

^ "Berwick upon Tweed Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Parish Electoral Arrangements and Electoral Changes) Order 2008. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.

[1] "Berwick upon Tweed Municipal Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 15 August 2022.

[2] "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.

[3] slation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.

[4] slation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.

[5] slation.gov.uk - The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Parish Electoral Arrangements and Electoral Changes) Order 2008. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.

v t e Council elections in Northumberland
Northumberland County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2008 2013 2017 2021
Alnwick District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
Blyth Valley Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
Castle Morpeth Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
Tynedale District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
Wansbeck District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes