Before the election the council was run by a coalition of Health Concern, Conservative, Liberal Democrats and Liberalcouncillors.[3] 14 seats were initially expected to be contested with the Conservatives unopposed in Chaddesleyward.[3] However, in mid April the defending Liberal Democrat councillor for Sutton Park, Steve Roberts, died meaning that the election in that ward was postponed until a by-election could be held.[4] With Labour defending 6 of the seats which were being contested there was an expectation that the Health Concern group could gain a majority on the council.[3][5] Since the last election in 2000, Richard Taylor from Health Concern had gained the parliamentary constituency from Labour in the 2001 general election.[6]
The issue of the downgrading of the local Kidderminster hospital, which had dominated the last two council election, continued to remain a significant theme of the campaign.[5][7] Another issue which was raised in the campaign was concern over plans to establish a new incinerator in Kidderminster,[7] which was opposed by all the parties contesting the election.[5]
The results saw the Health Concern party gain control of the council after making a net gain of five seats.[6][8] This meant that Health Concern had 21 seats,[9] 15 more than any other party.[6] They thus had control of the council on the chairman's casting vote.[10]
The gains for Health Concern were mainly at the expense of Labour who lost five seats, with the Liberal Democrats also losing a seat.[6] However both the Conservative and Liberal parties gained one seat each.[6] Overall turnout at the election was 32%.[10]
A by-election was held in Sutton Park on 13 June 2002 after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Roberts.[24] The seat was gained for the Conservatives by Marcus Hart with a majority of 77 votes over Health Concern candidate Jennifer Harrison.[24] This meant Health Concern no longer had a majority on the council, but continued to run the council with the casting vote of the council chairman, as they had 21 of the 42 seats on the council.[24]