# 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.

## Political control

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 1973 has been held by the following parties:
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control (Labour minority) | 1973–1976 |
| Conservative | 1976–1979 |
| No overall control (Conservative minority) | 1979–1980 |
| Labour | 1980–2004 |
| No overall control (Lib Dem-Conservative-Green Party coalition) | 2004–2010 |
| No overall control (Labour minority) | 2010–2011 |
| 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 of Leeds. The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Albert King | Labour | 1974 | 1975 |
| Irwin Bellow | Conservative | 1975 | 1979 |
| Peter Sparling | Conservative | 1979 | 1980 |
| George Mudie | Labour | 1980 | 1989 |
| Jon Trickett | Labour | 1989 | 1996 |
| Brian Walker | Labour | 1996 | 2003 |
| Keith Wakefield | Labour | May 2003 | 28 June 2004 |
| Mark Harris | Liberal Democrats | 28 June 2004 | 30 November 2004 |
| Andrew Carter | Conservative | 1 December 2004 | 23 May 2005 |
| Mark Harris | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2005 | 30 November 2005 |
| Andrew Carter | Conservative | 1 December 2005 | 22 May 2006 |
| Mark Harris | Liberal Democrats | 23 May 2006 | 30 November 2006 |
| Andrew Carter | Conservative | 1 December 2006 | 21 May 2007 |
| Mark Harris | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2007 | 30 November 2007 |
| Andrew Carter | Conservative | 1 December 2007 | 22 May 2008 |
| Richard Brett | Liberal Democrats | 22 May 2008 | 30 November 2008 |
| Andrew Carter | Conservative | 1 December 2008 | 21 May 2009 |
| Richard Brett | Liberal Democrats | 21 May 2009 | 30 November 2009 |
| Andrew Carter | Conservative | 1 December 2009 | 27 May 2010 |
| Keith Wakefield | Labour | 27 May 2010 | 21 May 2015 |
| Judith Blake | Labour | 21 May 2015 | 24 February 2021 |
| James Lewis | Labour | 24 February 2021 | incumbent |
From 2004 until 2010 a coalition agreement between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats saw the leadership alternate every six months between their party leaders.

## 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.
| Year | | Labour | | Conservative | | Liberal Democrats | | Independent | | Greens | | Morley Borough Independents | | SDP | | BNP |
| 1973 | 44 | 44 | 38 | 38 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | 41 | 41 | 43 | 43 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | 38 | 38 | 50 | 50 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | 39 | 39 | 50 | 50 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 45 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | 62 | 62 | 29 | 29 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | 56 | 56 | 32 | 32 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | 54 | 54 | 33 | 33 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | 53 | 53 | 33 | 33 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | 58 | 58 | 28 | 28 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | 58 | 58 | 25 | 25 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 59 | 59 | 25 | 25 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 66 | 66 | 21 | 21 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 68 | 68 | 21 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 67 | 67 | 23 | 23 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 67 | 67 | 23 | 23 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 75 | 75 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 83 | 83 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 80 | 80 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 71 | 71 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 61 | 61 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 57 | 57 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 52 | 52 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 40 | 40 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 40 | 40 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 | 43 | 43 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | 43 | 43 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2010 | 48 | 48 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 55 | 55 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 63 | 63 | 19 | 19 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 63 | 63 | 18 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 63 | 63 | 19 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 63 | 63 | 19 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 61 | 61 | 22 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 57 | 57 | 23 | 23 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 54 | 54 | 24 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 58 | 58 | 21 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 61 | 61 | 18 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 61 | 61 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 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 10 October 2024 to replace Mark Sewards in Farnley and Wortley.
| 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 | 15 June 1989 | 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 | 7 June 2001 | 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 |