# Wear Valley District Council elections

Wear Valley District Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. Wear Valley 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 | Years |
| Labour | 1973–1976 |
| No overall control | 1976–1979 |
| Labour | 1979–1991 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1991–1995 |
| Labour | 1995–2007 |
| No overall control | 2007–2009 |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council from 1995 until its abolition in 2009 were:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Olive Brown | Labour | 1995 | 4 May 2005 |
| Neil Stonehouse | Labour | 4 May 2005 | 7 May 2008 |
| Tommy Taylor | Liberal Democrats | 7 May 2008 | 7 Jul 2008 |
| Neil Harrison | Liberal Democrats | 7 Jul 2008 | 31 Mar 2009 |

## Council elections

| Election | Labour | Liberal Democrat | Conservative | Independent | Total | Notes |
| 1973 | 21 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 41 | |
| 1976 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 41 | |
| 1979 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 41 | |
| 1983 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 40 | New ward boundaries |
| 1987 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 40 | |
| 1991 | 8 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 40 | |
| 1995 | 35 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 40 | |
| 1999 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 40 | |
| 2003 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 40 | New ward boundaries |
| 2007 | 19 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 40 | |

## Results maps

* 2003 results map
* 2007 results map

## By-election results

The following is an incomplete list of by-elections to Wear Valley District Council.

### 1999-2003

Bishop Auckland Town By-Election 30 March 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 359 | 49.0 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 249 | 34.0 | −14.0 |
| | Conservative | | 125 | 17.1 | +10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 110 | 15.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 733 | 22.9 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Howden Le Wear By-Election 30 March 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 208 | 52.1 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 191 | 47.9 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 4.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 399 | 23.1 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2003-2007

Woodhouse Close By-Election 26 February 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 713 | 56.0 | −2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Bowser | 287 | 22.5 | −11.7 |
| | Independent | | 273 | 21.4 | +21.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 426 | 33.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,273 | 36.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wheatbottom & Helmington Row By-Election 20 January 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rose Seabury | 328 | 59.6 | −10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Bailey | 180 | 32.7 | +2.3 |
| | BNP | Stuart Neil | 42 | 0.7 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 26.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 550 | 21.8 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Bishop Auckland Town By-Election 3 March 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samuel Zair | 181 | 36.7 | +11.6 |
| | Labour | Robert Yorke | 161 | 32.7 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | James Tague | 135 | 27.3 | +27.3 |
| | UKIP | Margaret Hopson | 16 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 4.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 493 | 21.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Howden By-Election 27 October 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Bailey | 157 | 50.5 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | Jay Smith | 154 | 49.5 | −6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 1.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 311 | 24.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Coundon By-Election 3 September 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Norman Strongman | 360 | 52.1 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diane Hardaker | 331 | 47.9 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 4.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 691 | 21.6 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |