Copeland Borough Council elections

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Copeland Borough Council in Cumbria, England was elected every four years.

Contents

The council was established in 1974 and abolished in 2023.

Political control

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 2023 was as follows: [1] [2]

Party in controlYears
Labour 1974–1976
No overall control 1976–1979
Labour 1979–2023

Leadership

Prior to 2015, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leader from 2003 to 2015 was:

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Elaine Woodburn [3] Labour 200310 May 2015

In 2015 the council changed to having a directly-elected mayor. The mayor from 2015 until the council's abolition in 2023 was Mike Starkie, who was elected in 2015 and 2019 as an independent, but subsequently joined the Conservatives in June 2020. [a]

MayorPartyFromTo
Mike Starkie [5] [6] [7] Independent 11 May 201522 Jun 2020
Conservative 22 Jun 202031 Mar 2023

Council elections

Borough result maps

By-election results

1995-1999

Hillcrest By-Election 1 May 1997
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative 1,11352.1+13.3
Labour 1,02547.9−13.3
Majority 884.2
Turnout 2,138
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Egremont North By-Election 10 July 1997
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour 47068.1−7.3
Conservative 16423.9−0.7
Liberal Democrats 558.0+8.0
Majority 30544.2
Turnout 690
Labour hold Swing
Harbour By-Election 10 July 1997
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour 44258.0+4.5
Conservative 32042.0+20.8
Majority 12216.0
Turnout 762
Labour hold Swing
Haverigg By-Election 10 July 1997
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative 23064.4+11.4
Labour 9125.6−21.2
Liberal Democrats 359.8+9.8
Majority 13938.8
Turnout 356
Conservative hold Swing
Kells By-Election 10 July 1997
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour 22973.2−13.9
Conservative 8426.8+13.9
Majority 14546.4
Turnout 313
Labour hold Swing
Newtown By-Election 6 November 1997
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative 59751.8+7.2
Liberal Democrats 37632.6+32.6
Labour 18015.6−25.3
Majority 22119.2
Turnout 1,15340.8
Conservative hold Swing
Holborn Hill By-Election 26 March 1998
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative 40757.4
Labour 30242.6
Majority 10514.8
Turnout 70931.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

1999-2003

Mirehouse By-Election 4 May 2000
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour 81779.7+2.6
Conservative 20820.3+20.3
Majority 60959.4
Turnout 1,02529.5
Labour hold Swing

2003-2007

Harbour By-Election 10 June 2004 [12] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Anne Bradshaw48041.0−21.6
Conservative Richard Maley38733.0−4.4
Liberal Democrats Francis Hollowell30426.0+26.0
Majority 938.0
Turnout 1,17137.0
Labour hold Swing
Cleator Moor North By-Election 6 April 2006 [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Hugh Branney30761.6+15.0
Independent Lauren Mossop19138.4−15.0
Majority 11623.2
Turnout 49815.4
Labour gain from Independent Swing
Gosforth By-Election 6 April 2006 [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alan Jacob26464.2−7.7
Labour Christine Cornall8520.7−7.4
Liberal Democrats Mike Minogue6215.1+15.1
Majority 17943.5
Turnout 41134.9
Conservative hold Swing
Hensingham By-Election 6 April 2006 [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Geoffrey Garrity38561.1−10.6
Conservative Alexander Carroll20732.9+4.6
Liberal Democrats Frank Hollowell386.0+6.0
Majority 17828.2
Turnout 63019.8
Labour hold Swing

2007-2011

Harbour By-Election 20 September 2007
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jeanette Williams46344.3−17.1
Conservative Brigid Whiteside33732.2−6.4
BNP Bill Pugh24523.4+23.4
Majority 12612.1
Turnout 1,04531.5
Labour hold Swing

2011-2015

Hensingham By-Election 2 May 2013
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Allan Forster67075.0+4.3
Conservative Genna Martin22325.0−4.3
Majority 44750.1
Turnout 28.3
Labour hold Swing

2015-2019

Newtown By-Election 8 June 2017
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gerard James McGrath95461.4−9.6
Labour Angela Dixon60138.6+16.4
Majority 35322.7
Turnout 1,55559.7
Conservative hold Swing
Egremont South By-Election 2 November 2017
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Higgins35452.4+15.7
Conservative Jeff Hailes32147.6+26.8
Majority 334.9
Turnout 67523.8
Labour hold Swing

2019-2023

Whitehaven Central By-Election 6 May 2021 [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Joseph Ghayouba63347.7+13.5
Conservative William R. C. S. Dixon54240.8+13.0
Independent Richard Donnan906.8+6.8
Heritage William R. Dixon453.4+3.4
Liberal Democrats Mike Minogue181.4+1.4
Majority 916.9
Turnout 1,328
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ Mayoral terms of office ran from the fourth day after polling day. [4]
  1. ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Copeland" in search box to see specific results.)
  2. ↑ "England council elections". BBC News Online . Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  3. ↑ "Council leader history". What do they know?. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Local Authorities (Elected Mayors) (Elections, Terms of Office and Casual Vacancies) (England) Regulations 2001: Regulation 6", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2001/2544 (reg. 6)
  5. ↑ "Mike Starkie elected as Copeland Mayor". ITV News. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "Copeland mayor Mike Starkie joins Conservatives". ITV News. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  7. ↑ Johnston, Luke (31 March 2023). "End of an era - Mayor announces retirement". Visit Whitehaven. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  8. ↑ The Borough of Copeland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978
  9. ↑ "Copeland". BBC News Online . Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  10. ↑ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Copeland (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "The Copeland (Electoral Changes) Order 2018", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2018/1316, retrieved 23 February 2024
  12. ↑ "Tories make gains in byelections". guardian.co.uk . 18 June 2004. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  13. ↑ Thompson, Andrea (12 June 2004). "Anne wins council seat for Labour". News and Star . Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  14. 1 2 3 "Lib Dems and Labour make byelection gains". guardian.co.uk . 7 April 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  15. 1 2 3 "Labour take two seats in Copeland elections". Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser. 7 April 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  16. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Whitehaven Central Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
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