Leeds City Council elections

One third of Leeds City Council in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is elected each year, followed by no election in one year out of every four years. A total of 99 councillors have been elected from 33 electoral wards across Leeds since 1980.^[1]

Political control

Seat totals, 1973–2012

From 1889 until 1974 Leeds was a county borough, independent from any county council. Under the Local Government Act 1972 it had its territory enlarged and became a metropolitan borough, with West Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services. The first election to the reconstituted city council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986 and Leeds became a unitary authority. Political control of the council since 1974 has been held by the following parties:^[2][3]

Party in control		Years
	No overall control	1974–1976
	Conservative	1976–1979
	No overall control	1979–1980
	Labour	1980–2004
	No overall control	2004–2011
	Labour	2011–present

Leadership

The first leader of the reformed council in 1974, Albert King, had been the last leader of the old county borough council. The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:

Councillor	Party		From	To
Albert King[4]		Labour	1974	1975
Irwin Bellow[5]		Conservative	1975	1979
Peter Sparling[6]		Conservative	1979	1980
George Mudie[7]		Labour	1980	1989
Jon Trickett[8]		Labour	1989	1996
Brian Walker[9]		Labour	1996	May 2003
Keith Wakefield[10][11]		Labour	2003	28 June 2004
Mark Harris[11]		Liberal Democrats	28 June 2004	30 November 2004
Andrew Carter[11]		Conservative	1 December 2004	23 May 2005
Mark Harris[12]		Liberal Democrats	24 May 2005	30 November 2005
Andrew Carter[12]		Conservative	1 December 2005	22 May 2006
Mark Harris[13]		Liberal Democrats	23 May 2006	30 November 2006
Andrew Carter[13]		Conservative	1 December 2006	21 May 2007
Mark Harris[14]		Liberal Democrats	24 May 2007	30 November 2007
Andrew Carter[14]		Conservative	1 December 2007	22 May 2008
Richard Brett[15]		Liberal Democrats	22 May 2008	30 November 2008
Andrew Carter[15]		Conservative	1 December 2008	21 May 2009
Richard Brett[16]		Liberal Democrats	21 May 2009	30 November 2009
Andrew Carter[16][17]		Conservative	1 December 2009	27 May 2010
Keith Wakefield[18][10]		Labour	27 May 2010	21 May 2015
Judith Blake[19][20]		Labour	21 May 2015	24 February 2021
James Lewis[21]		Labour	24 February 2021	incumbent

From 2004 until 2010 a coalition agreement between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats saw the leadership formally alternate every six months between their party leaders, an arrangement was sometimes described as being joint leaders.^[17]

Council elections

Summary of the council composition after council elections, click on the year for full details of each election. Boundary changes took place for the 1980 election which increased the number of seats by 3, leading to the whole council being elected in that year. Further boundary changes made in 2004 again required the full council to be elected.^[22]

Popular vote shares, 1973–2012

Popular vote figures, 1973–2012

Year		Labour		Conservative		Liberal Democrats		Independent		Greens		Morley Borough Independents		SDP		BNP
1973	44		38		14		0		0		0		0		0
1975	41		43		12		0		0		0		0		0
1976	38		50		8		0		0		0		0		0
1978	39		50		7		0		0		0		0		0
1979	44		45		7		0		0		0		0		0
1980	62		29		8		0		0		0		0		0
1982	56		32		11		0		0		0		0		0
1983	54		33		11		1		0		0		0		0
1984	53		33		12		1		0		0		0		0
1986	58		28		11		2		0		0		0		0
1987	58		25		14		2		0		0		0		0
1988	59		25		14		1		0		0		0		0
1990	66		21		11		1		0		0		0		0
1991	68		21		9		1		0		0		0		0
1992	67		23		8		1		0		0		0		0
1994	67		23		8		1		0		0		0		0
1995	75		15		8		1		0		0		0		0
1996	83		8		8		0		0		0		0		0
1998	80		9		9		0		1		0		0		0
1999	71		12		14		1		1		0		0		0
2000	61		16		19		1		2		0		0		0
2002	57		18		20		1		3		0		0		0
2003	52		22		20		2		3		0		0		0
2004	40		24		26		0		3		6		0		0
2006	40		24		26		0		3		5		0		1
2007	43		22		24		1		3		5		0		1
2008	43		22		24		1		3		5		0		1
2010	48		22		21		0		2		6		0		0
2011	55		21		16		0		2		5		0		0
2012	63		19		10		0		2		5		0		0
2014	63		18		9		1		3		5		0		0
2015	63		19		9		0		3		5		0		0
2016	63		19		9		0		3		5		0		0
2018	61		22		6		3		2		5		0		0
2019	57		23		8		3		3		5		0		0
2021	54		24		8		4		3		6		0		0
2022	58		21		7		3		3		6		1		0
2023	61		18		6		3		3		6		2		0
2024	61		15		6		5		5		4		3		0

Borough result maps

• 
  1980 results map, with new ward boundaries
• 
  1982 results map
• 
  1983 results map
• 
  1984 results map
• 
  1986 results map
• 
  1987 results map
• 
  1988 results map
• 
  1990 results map
• 
  1991 results map
• 
  1992 results map
• 
  1994 results map
• 
  1995 results map
• 
  1996 results map
• 
  1998 results map, with first Green councillor
• 
  1999 results map
• 
  2000 results map
• 
  2002 results map
• 
  2003 results map
• 
  2004 results map, with new ward boundaries
• 
  2006 results map
• 
  2007 results map
• 
  2008 results map
• 
  2010 results map
• 
  2011 results map
• 
  2012 results map
• 
  2014 results map
• 
  2015 results map
• 
  2016 results map
• 
  2018 results map, with new ward boundaries
• 
  2019 results map
• 
  2021 results map
• 
  2022 results map
• 
  2023 results map
• 
  2024 results map

By-election results

Following the death, removal or resignation of an incumbent councillor between council elections, by-elections occur to elect a successor to fill the vacant council seat. The next by-election will take place on 12 June 2025 in Morley South to replace Wyn Kidger.

Ward by-election	Date	Incumbent party		Winning party
Headingley by-election	28 February 1974		Conservative		Conservative
Burley by-election	21 November 1974		Conservative		Labour
Burley by-election	8 January 1975		Labour		Labour
Beeston by-election	27 September 1984		Labour		Labour
Aireborough by-election	18 August 1986		Conservative		Alliance
Armley by-election	8 December 1988		SLD		Labour
Burmantofts by-election	15 June 1989		SLD		Labour
Morley North by-election			Labour		Labour
City & Holbeck by-election	30 November 1989		Labour		Labour
Wetherby by-election	23 July 1992		Conservative		Conservative
Richmond Hill by-election	26 October 1995		Labour		Labour
Beeston by-election	14 November 1996		Labour		Labour
Headingley by-election	10 July 1997		Labour		Labour
Whinmoor by-election	21 August 1997		Labour		Labour
Bramley by-election	6 August 1998		Labour		Liberal Democrats
Harehills by-election	13 April 2000		Labour		Liberal Democrats
Morley North by-election	7 June 2001		Labour		Labour
University by-election			Labour		Labour
Moortown by-election	19 July 2001		Liberal Democrats		Liberal Democrats
Headingley by-election	28 July 2005		Liberal Democrats		Liberal Democrats
Farnley & Wortley by-election	18 September 2008		Green		Green
Temple Newsam by-election	2 April 2009		Labour		Conservative
Hyde Park & Woodhouse by-election	18 February 2010		Liberal Democrats		Labour
Guiseley & Rawdon by-election	14 October 2010		Conservative		Conservative
Cross Gates & Whinmoor by-election	2 May 2013		Labour		Labour
Wetherby by-election	12 December 2019		Conservative		Conservative
Farnley & Wortley by-election	10 October 2024		Labour		Green
Morley South by-election	12 June 2025		Morley Borough Independents		Reform UK