2000 Wyre Forest District Council election

The 2000 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 4 May 2000 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control. ^[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was:

• Health Concern 19
• Labour 11
• Conservative 5
• Liberal Democrats 4
• Liberal 3 ^[2]

Background

Before the election the council had 17 Labour, 7 Health Concern, 5 Conservative, 5 independent, 4 Liberal Democrats and 3 Liberal councillors, with one seat vacant. ^[3] The council was run by an alliance of all groups apart from Labour. ^[3]

57 candidates stood in the election with 15 seats being contested, which included 2 seats in Greenhill ward due to a by-election being held at the same time. ^[3]

Election result

Health Concern became the largest group on the council after making 8 gains and Health Concern was also boosted by the decision of 3 independent councillors to join the group. ^{[2] [4]} Labour losses included the deputy leader of the party and the longest-serving member of the council, Michael Kelly, in Habberley and Blakebrook ward. ^[5] The only other group to make a gain in the election was the Conservatives in Oldington and Foley Park ward where they took a seat from Labour. ^[5]

The defeats for Labour were put down to the downgrading of Kidderminster hospital, despite the local party opposing the move. ^[2] Labour said that the results would be a disaster as they said Health Concern had no policies in many areas. ^[2] However Health Concern put their success down to disillusionment with political parties that had failed to take action over the hospital and that they would represent local opinion. ^[2]

Following the election the Health Concern group said they wanted to continue the alliance with the other groups apart from Labour. ^[5]

Wyre Forest local election result 2000 ^[6]

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Health Concern	8			+8	53.3
	Independent	3			-2	20.0
	Labour	1			-7	6.7
	Conservative	1			0	6.7
	Liberal Democrats	1			0	6.7
	Liberal	1			0	6.7

References

1. "Wyre Forest". BBC News Online . Retrieved 29 December 2009.
2. Walker, Jonathan (6 May 2000). "Hospital gives healthy majority Labour pushed out by campaigners' success". Birmingham Post . p. 5.
3. "Local Elections: Wyre Forest". Birmingham Mail . 5 April 2000. p. 13.
4. Gray, Chris (5 May 2000). "Tories win Solihull City socialists axed Knowles out as Labour crumbles". Birmingham Post . p. 1.
5. Smith, Sue (5 May 2000). "Health group pledge to rainbow alliance". Birmingham Post . p. 4.
6. "Election results: local councils". The Times . 5 May 2000. p. 4.