Local Elections 2016

Local elections were held for 2,782 council seats across 124 district, unitary and metropolitan borough councils in England on 5 May 2016. In the elections the Conservatives had a net loss of 38 seats, Labour a net loss of 15 seats and the Liberal Democrats a net gain of 48 seats. Changes in council control across England were minimal.

Local elections were held for 2,782 seats on 124 local councils in England on 5 May 2016. These elections comprised:

• 1,393 seats on 70 district councils;
• 468 seats on 19 unitary authority councils;
• 921 seats on 35 metropolitan borough councils.

In the elections, Conservatives had a net loss of 38 seats, Labour a net loss of 15 seats and the Liberal Democrats, a net gain of 48 seats. The changes in council control across the country were minimal.

• The Conservatives won 31% of seats up for election; this is nearly half the percentage of available seats received in 2015 (59%) but is almost identical to the comparable elections in 2012 (33%)

• Labour won 47% of the seats up for election; this is almost double the percentage of available seats received in 2015 (25%) but is almost identical to the comparable elections in 2012 (49%).

• The Liberal Democrats won 14% of the seats up for election; this is the highest percentage since 2013 where they won 15% and 2% more than the comparable elections in 2012.

The table below summarises changes in council control that occurred as a direct result of May 2016 elections (that is, excluding changes that occurred due to by-elections and defections outside of the usual electoral cycle):