# Chester-le-Street District Council elections

Chestler-le-Street District Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. Chester-le-Street was a non-metropolitan district in County Durham, England. On 1 April 2009 the council's functions passed to Durham County Council, which became a unitary authority.

## 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. Political control of the council from 1973 until its abolition in 2009 was held by the following parties:
| Party in control | Party in control | Years |
| | Labour | 1973–2009 |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council from 1976 until its abolition in 2009 were:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| George Staines | Labour | 1976 | 10 May 1991 |
| Malcolm Pratt | Labour | 10 May 1991 | 4 May 2003 |
| Linda Ebbatson | Labour | 13 May 2003 | 31 Mar 2009 |

## Council elections

| Election | Labour | Liberal Democrat | Conservative | Independent | Total | Notes |
| 1973 | 23 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 33 | |
| 1976 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 33 | |
| 1979 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 33 | New ward boundaries |
| 1983 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 33 | |
| 1987 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 33 | District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same |
| 1991 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 33 | |
| 1995 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33 | District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same |
| 1999 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33 | |
| 2003 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 34 | New ward boundaries |
| 2007 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 34 | |

## Results maps

* 2003 results map
* 2007 results map

## By-election results

The following is an incomplete list of by-elections to Chester-le-Street District Council.

### 1995-1999

Chester Central By-Election 1 August 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | | 188 | 54.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 95 | 27.3 |
| | Conservative | | 65 | 18.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 26.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 348 | 27.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Pelton By-Election 20 March 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | | 667 | 88.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 90 | 11.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 577 | 76.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 757 | 19.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### 1999-2003

Ouston By-Election 30 September 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | | 422 | 83.9 |
| | Conservative | | 81 | 16.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 341 | 67.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 503 | 20.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Chester-le-Street West By-Election 5 April 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | | 60.3 | −13.6 |
| | Conservative | | 454 | 33.9 | +33.9 |
| | Independent | | 44 | 5.8 | +5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 199 | 26.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2003-2007

Chester North By-Election 2 October 2003 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 1,114 | 48.2 | −10.0 |
| | Conservative | | 604 | 26.1 | −15.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 423 | 18.3 | +18.3 |
| | BNP | | 170 | 7.4 | +7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 510 | 22.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,311 | 60.4 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Edmondsley and Waldridge By-Election 16 September 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | | 628 | 42.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 537 | 36.1 |
| | Conservative | | 324 | 21.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 91 | 6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,489 | 37.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Pelton Fell By-Election 10 February 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | | 310 | 87.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 46 | 12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 264 | 74.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 356 | 33.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Pelton By-Election 15 June 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dorothy Rand | 530 | 64.0 | +23.8 |
| | Conservative | Amanda Hall | 139 | 16.8 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Nathan | 113 | 13.6 | +13.6 |
| | Independent | George Gardner | 46 | 5.6 | −35.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 391 | 47.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 828 | 19.8 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2007-2009

Chester Central By-Election 27 September 2007 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lawson Armstrong | 324 | 59.4 | −11.1 |
| | Conservative | Nick Varley | 89 | 16.3 | −13.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sean Kilkenny | 81 | 14.9 | +14.9 |
| | BNP | Andrew Gowland | 51 | 9.4 | +9.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 43.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 545 | 25.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |