Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority for Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. The council is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2004, 63 councillors have been elected from 21 wards.[1]

As part of the government's response to the Rotherham sexual abuses scandal, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles made an order under the Local Government Act 2000 to switch Rotherham council to holding all-out elections in 2016 and then every fourth year after (the boundaries were not changed).[2] Until then, Rotherham was elected 'in thirds' like other Metropolitan Boroughs, with a third of the council being elected in 3 years out of every 4-year cycle.

Political control

From 1902 to 1974 Rotherham was a county borough, independent of any county council.[3] Under the Local Government Act 1972 it had its territory enlarged and became a metropolitan borough, with South Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services. The first election to the reconstituted borough council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. South Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986 and Rotherham became a unitary authority. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:[4]

Party in controlYears
Labour1973–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1990 have been:[5]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Mark Edgell Labour199012 Sep 2003
Roger Stone[6] Labour24 Sep 200326 Aug 2014
Paul Lakin[7] Labour10 Sep 20144 Feb 2015
Chris Read Labour4 Mar 2015

Council elections

By-election results

1994-1998

Herringthorpe By-Election 20 March 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 1,015 90.7
Conservative 104 9.3
Majority 911 81.4
Turnout 1,019
Labour hold Swing
Aston, Orgreave & Ulley By-Election 31 July 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 894 70.8 -12.7
Independent 213 16.9 +16.9
Conservative 155 12.3 +12.3
Majority 681 53.9
Turnout 1,262 10.8
Labour hold Swing

1998-2002

Brampton, Melton and Wentworth By-Election 10 September 1998
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 818 77.8
Conservative 233 22.2
Majority 585 55.6
Turnout 1,051
Labour hold Swing
Greasbrough By-Election 2 December 1999
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 774 81.7 +13.9
Liberal Democrats 94 9.9 -7.9
Conservative 67 7.1 -4.7
Independent 12 1.3 -1.2
Majority 680 71.8
Turnout 947 13.5
Labour hold Swing
Aston, Orgreave & Ulley By-Election 21 September 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 759 48.0 -8.7
Conservative 349 22.1 +1.5
Liberal Democrats 331 20.9 +6.0
Socialist 107 6.8 -1.0
Democrat Party 35 2.2 +2.2
Majority 410 25.9
Turnout 1,581
Labour hold Swing
Thurcroft and Whiston By-Election 4 April 2002
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Evans 323 32.8 -11.3
Liberal Democrats 272 27.6 +7.1
Conservative 196 19.9 +7.6
Independent 193 19.6 +19.6
Majority 51 5.2
Turnout 984 24.0
Labour gain from Independent Swing

2002-2006

Thurcroft and Whiston By-Election 18 July 2002[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 554 44.5 -8.1
Liberal Democrats 538 43.2 +11.9
Conservative 102 8.2 -7.9
Independent 51 4.1 +4.1
Majority 16 1.3
Turnout 1,245 15.7
Labour hold Swing
Herringthorpe By-Election 27 November 2003[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 575 64.0 -6.1
Liberal Democrats 100 11.1 +1.7
Conservative 89 9.9 -1.2
Independent 78 8.7 +8.7
Green 57 6.3 -3.1
Majority 475 52.9
Turnout 899 14.8
Labour hold Swing

2006-2010

Rotherham West By-Election 26 October 2006[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Foden 1,024 44.3 +3.8
BNP Marlene Guest 606 26.2 +26.2
Independent Caven Vines 538 23.2 -15.0
Conservative Christopher Middleton 146 6.3 +6.3
Majority 418 18.1
Turnout 2,314 26.3
Labour hold Swing
Valley By-Election 12 July 2007[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Currie 781 43.8 -1.5
BNP Carol Myers 348 19.5 +2.0
Independent James Wilson 308 17.3 +17.3
Conservative Connor Swift 197 11.0 -10.4
Liberal Democrats Eric Shaw 150 8.4 -7.4
Majority 433 24.3
Turnout 1,784 19.5
Labour hold Swing
Wickersley By-Election 28 August 2008[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris McMahon 871 31.1 -4.8
Conservative Donald Ross 824 29.5 -9.4
BNP Jon Round 538 19.2 +19.2
UKIP Tina Dowdall 373 13.3 -11.9
Liberal Democrats Steven Scutt 191 6.8 +6.8
Majority 47 1.6
Turnout 2,797 30.0
Labour hold Swing

2010-2014

Rawmarsh By-Election 16 May 2013[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP Caven Vines 1,143 46.5
Labour Lisa Marie Wright 1,039 42.3
Conservative Martyn Lawton Parker 107 4.4
BNP William George Baldwin 80 3.3
TUSC Andrew Tony Gray 61 2.5
Liberal Democrats Mohammed Meharban 28 1.1
Majority 104 4.2
Turnout 2,458 25.7
UKIP gain from Labour Swing

2016-2021

Dinnington by-election 2 February 2017[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Vjestica 670 36.1 Decrease3.9
UKIP Lee Hunter 303 16.3 Decrease14.1
Conservative Christopher Middleton 238 12.8 Increase12.8
Independent David Smith 232 12.5 Decrease12.8
Independent Jean Hart 180 9.7 Increase9.7
Independent Scott Steven 81 4.4 Increase4.4
Green Charles Foulstone 78 4.2 Decrease7.9
Liberal Democrats Stephen Thornley 75 4.0 Increase4.0
Majority 367 19.8
Turnout 1,857
Labour gain from UKIP Swing
Brinsworth and Catcliffe by-election 2 February 2017[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Adam Carter 2,000 66.0 Increase50.4
Labour Shabana Ahmed 519 17.1 Decrease26.2
UKIP Steven Webster 389 12.8 Decrease16.4
Conservative John Oliver 91 3.0 Increase3.0
Green Rebecca Whyman 30 1.0 Increase1.0
Majority 1,481 48.9
Turnout 3,029
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

The 50% vote increase for the Liberal Democrats marked the highest ever swing in their favour since the creation of the council.

2021-2024

Anston and Woodsetts by-election 9 December 2021[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Drew Simon Tarmey 1,016 38.6 +11.1
Conservative Adrian John Knight 686 26.1 -1.8
Labour Simon Andrew Tweed 533 20.3 -0.1
Independent Clive Robert Jepson 189 7.2 -13.0
Independent Jonathan Charles Ireland 118 4.5 -10.2
Green Charles David Dowsing Foulstone 63 2.4 -7.9
Yorkshire Christopher Michael Whitwood 20 0.8 New
Rotherham Democratic Party Allen Cowles 6 0.2 New
Majority 330 12.5 N/A
Turnout 2,634 28.02 -10.41
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Aughton and Swallownest by-election 9 December 2021[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Paul Taylor 645 50.8 +22.8
Conservative Julia Helen Mitchell 496 39.1 +2.0
Green Louisa Kathryn Barker 59 4.6 New
Yorkshire Jack Bannan 35 2.8 New
TUSC Paul Marshall 32 2.5 New
Rotherham Democratic Party Gavin Peter Shawcroft 15 1.2 -17.8
Liberal Democrats Mark Lambert 14 1.1 -4.9
Majority 149 11.7 N/A
Turnout 1,299 19.94 -7.22
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Keppel by-election 27 January 2023
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carole Ann Foster 745 36.1 +10.8
Liberal Democrats Khoulod Ghanem 445 21.6 +12.7
Independent Sid Currie 381 18.5 New
Yorkshire Peter Robert Key 314 15.2 +0.2
Conservative Mohammed Osman Suleman 119 5.8 -25.0
Green Paul Neville Martin 59 2.9 New
Majority
Turnout 2,067 19.94 -8.44
Labour gain from Rotherham Democratic Party Swing
Dinnington by-election 13 July 2023[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Julz Hall 1,064 42.7 +6.5
Labour John Vjestica 820 32.9 +7.4
Liberal Democrats Matt Mears 262 10.5 +1.4
Independent Dave Smith 196 7.9 -11.3
Reform UK Tony Harrison 61 2.4 +2.4
Green Paul Martin 59 2.4 -7.7
Yorkshire Peter Key 28 1.1 +1.1
Majority 244 9.8
Turnout 2,490
Conservative hold Swing
Kilnhurst and Swinton East by-election 2 November 2023[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nigel Harper 810 64.6 +7.1
Conservative Patricia Collins 293 23.4 -7.3
Reform UK Adam Wood 58 4.6 +4.6
Yorkshire Peter Key 38 3.0 +3.0
Liberal Democrats John Gelder 30 2.4 -4.1
Green Paul Martin 25 2.0 +2.0
Majority 517 41.2
Turnout 1,254
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. "More About Elections". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  2. Pidd, Helen; Laville, Sandra (4 February 2015). "Government to take over Rotherham council after damning child exploitation report". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  3. "Rotherham Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  4. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  5. "Council minutes". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  6. "Leader of Rotherham Council steps down over findings". ITV News. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  7. "Rotherham abuse: Council leader and cabinet to resign after damning report". ITV News. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  8. "Rotherham council". BBC Online. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
  9. "Boost for Labour in byelection". guardian.co.uk. 19 July 2002. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  10. "Small byelection gain for Lib Dems". guardian.co.uk. 28 November 2003. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  11. "Labour holds on to marginal council seats". guardian.co.uk. 27 October 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  12. "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  13. "Wickersley ward: Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
  14. "Rawmarsh Borough Ward By-Election Result 16 May 2013". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  15. "UKIP councillor Cavan Vines elected in Rotherham". BBC News Online. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  16. "Dinnington ward, Borough Council election results 2017, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  17. "Brinsworth and Catcliffe ward, Borough Council election results 2017, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  18. "Local Elections Archive Project — Anston and Woodsetts Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  19. "Local Elections Archive Project — Aughton and Swallownest Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  20. "Local Elections Archive Project — Dinnington Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  21. "Local Elections Archive Project — Kilnhurst and Swinton East Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
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