Castle Morpeth Borough Council elections

Castle Morpeth Borough Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. Castle Morpeth 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

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Throughout the council's existence from 1974 to 2009, the council was under no overall control, with no party ever winning a majority of the seats. ^[1]

Party in control		Years
	No overall control	1974–2009

Council elections

• 1973 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election
• 1976 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election (New ward boundaries) ^[2]
• 1979 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election
• 1983 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election
• 1987 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election (Borough boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same) ^[3]
• 1991 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election
• 1995 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election (Borough boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same) ^{[4] [5]}
• 1999 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election (New ward boundaries) ^[6]
• 2003 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election
• 2007 Castle Morpeth Borough Council election (New ward boundaries) ^[7]

Results maps

• 
  2003 results map
• 
  2007 results map

By-election results

1995-1999

Ulgham By-Election 6 March 1997

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour		unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Ulgham By-Election 3 July 1997

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent		504	48.5	−8.7
	Labour		410	39.5	−3.3
	Conservative		70	6.7	+6.7
	Independent		55	5.2	+5.2
Majority			94	9.0
Turnout			1,039
	Independent hold		Swing

Ellington By-Election 10 December 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats		397	51.2	+2.1
	Labour		379	48.8	−2.1
Majority			18	2.4
Turnout			776	35.0
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing

1999-2003

Morpeth Kirkhill By-Election 11 November 1999

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour		306	40.7	+8.0
	Independent		274	36.5	−12.0
	Conservative		141	18.8	+0.1
	Green		30	4.0	+4.0
Majority			32	4.2
Turnout			751	32.0
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Morpeth Kirkhill By-Election 21 June 2001

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats		510	71.5	+71.5
	Labour		184	25.8	−14.9
	Green		19	2.7	−1.3
Majority			326	45.7
Turnout			713	33.4
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing

Ulgham By-Election 12 September 2002

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats		462	75.0	+75.0
	Independent		154	25.0	−47.6
Majority			308	50.0
Turnout			616	26.7
	Liberal Democrats gain from Independent		Swing

2003-2007

Lynemouth By-Election 12 June 2003

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent		413	69.8	+69.8
	Labour		179	30.2	−0.7
Majority			234	39.6
Turnout			592	44.0
	Independent gain from Independent Labour

Morpeth Stobhill By-Election 18 March 2004 ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent		225	28.4	−10.0
	Labour		218	27.5	−23.1
	Liberal Democrats		217	27.4	+27.4
	Conservative		132	16.7	+5.7
Majority			8	0.9
Turnout			792	33.0
	Independent hold		Swing

Pegswood By-Election 21 July 2005 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Juliet Oakley	417	62.0	+62.0
	Labour	Edward Campbell	242	36.0	−44.6
	Green	Geoffrey Parkin	14	2.0	+2.0
Majority			175	26.0
Turnout			673
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing

Ponteland East By-Election 21 July 2005 ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Peter Armstrong	468	58.6	+11.5
	Liberal Democrats	David Cogan	312	39.1	−13.8
	Green	Paul Lawrence	18	2.3	+2.3
Majority			156	19.5
Turnout			798
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing

References

1. "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Castle Morpeth" in search box to see specific results.)
2. The Borough of Castle Morpeth (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975
3. The Castle Morpeth and Tynedale (District Boundaries) Order 1985
4. legislation.gov.uk - The Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear (County and District Boundaries) Order 1992. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
5. legislation.gov.uk - The Northumberland and Tyne and Wear (County and District Boundaries) Order 1992. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
6. legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Castle Morpeth (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
7. legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Castle Morpeth (Electoral Changes) Order 2007. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.
8. "Local Elections Archive Project — Morpeth Stobhill Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
9. "Local Elections Archive Project — Pegswood Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
10. "Local Elections Archive Project — Ponteland East Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2025.