# 1983 United Kingdom local elections

Local elections were held in the United Kingdom in 1983. The results were a success for Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who soon afterwards called a general election in which the Conservatives won a landslide victory. The projected share of the vote was Conservative 39%, Labour Party 36%, Liberal-SDP Alliance 20%.
The three major parties all made net gains at the expense of smaller parties and independents, despite a slight reduction in the number of councillors. The Conservatives gained 110 seats, giving them 10,557 councillors. Labour gained just 8 seats, finishing with 8,782 seats. The Liberal-SDP Alliance gained 321 seats, finishing with 2,171 seats. It was a decent showing for Labour, with a much larger share of the vote than any opinion poll had shown since the party's split in 1981, but a major disappointment for the Alliance. However, the subsequent general election saw the Conservative government elected by a landslide, while the Alliance came close to Labour in terms of votes, although Labour won almost 10 times as many seats.

## England
### Metropolitan boroughs

All 36 metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Barnsley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Birmingham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bolton | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Bradford | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Bury | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Calderdale | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Coventry | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Doncaster | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Dudley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gateshead | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Kirklees | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Knowsley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Leeds | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Liverpool | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Manchester | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| North Tyneside | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Oldham | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Rochdale | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Rotherham | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Salford | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Sandwell | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Sefton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Sheffield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Solihull | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Tyneside | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| St Helens | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Stockport | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Sunderland | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Tameside | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Trafford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wakefield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Walsall | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Wigan | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Wirral | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wolverhampton | Labour | Labour hold | Details |

### District councils
#### Whole council

In 193 districts the whole council was up for election.
In 54 districts there were new ward boundaries, following electoral boundary reviews by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Allerdale | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Alnwick | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Arun ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Ashfield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Ashford | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Aylesbury Vale | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Babergh | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| Beverley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Blaby ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Blackpool | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Blyth Valley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Bolsover | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Boothferry | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Boston | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Bournemouth | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bracknell | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Braintree | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Breckland | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bridgnorth | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Brighton ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Bristol ‡ | Labour | No overall control gain | Details |
| Bromsgrove | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Broxtowe | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Canterbury | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Caradon ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Carlisle ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Carrick | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Castle Morpeth | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Castle Point | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Charnwood ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Chelmsford | Conservative | Alliance gain | Details |
| Cheltenham ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Chesterfield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Chester-le-Street | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Chichester | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Chiltern | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Christchurch | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Cleethorpes | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Copeland | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Corby | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Cotswold | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Dacorum | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Darlington | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Dartford | Labour | Conservative gain | Details |
| Derwentside | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Dover | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Durham | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Easington | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| East Cambridgeshire ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| East Hampshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| East Hertfordshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| East Lindsey ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| East Northamptonshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| East Staffordshire | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| East Yorkshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Eden | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Epsom and Ewell | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Erewash | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Exeter ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Fenland | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Forest Heath | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Forest of Dean ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Fylde | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gedling | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Glanford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gravesham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Guildford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hambleton | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Harborough ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Harrogate ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| High Peak | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Hinckley and Bosworth ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Holderness | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Horsham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hove | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Kennet | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Kerrier | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Kettering | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| King's Lynn and West Norfolk ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Kingston upon Hull ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Kingswood | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Lancaster | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Langbaurgh | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Leicester ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Lewes ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Lichfield | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Luton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Maldon | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Malvern Hills | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Mansfield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Medina | Alliance | Alliance hold | Details |
| Melton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Mendip | Independent | Conservative gain | Details |
| Mid Bedfordshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Mid Devon | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Mid Suffolk | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Mid Sussex ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Middlesbrough | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| New Forest | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Newark and Sherwood | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Newbury ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| North Bedfordshire ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| North Cornwall | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Devon ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Dorset ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North East Derbyshire | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| North Kesteven | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Norfolk | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Shropshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Warwickshire | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| North West Leicestershire ‡ | Labour | No overall control gain | Details |
| North Wiltshire ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Northampton | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Northavon | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Nottingham | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Oswestry | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Plymouth | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Poole ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Portsmouth ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Reading ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Redditch ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Restormel ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Ribble Valley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Richmondshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Rochester-upon-Medway | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rother ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Rushcliffe | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rutland | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Ryedale ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Salisbury | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Scarborough | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Sedgefield ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Sedgemoor | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Selby | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Sevenoaks | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Shepway | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Slough ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| South Bucks ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Derbyshire | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| South Hams | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| South Holland | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| South Kesteven | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Norfolk | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Northamptonshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Oxfordshire ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Ribble | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Shropshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| South Staffordshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Wight | Independent | Conservative gain | Details |
| Spelthorne | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| St Edmundsbury | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Stafford | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Stockton-on-Tees | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Stroud ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Suffolk Coastal ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Surrey Heath | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Taunton Deane | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Teesdale ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Teignbridge | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| Tendring | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Test Valley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Tewkesbury ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Thanet | Conservative | Independent gain | Details |
| The Wrekin | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Torbay ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Torridge | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Tynedale | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Uttlesford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Vale of White Horse | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Vale Royal | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Wansbeck | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Wansdyke | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Warrington | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Warwick ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Waveney ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Waverley ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wealden ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wear Valley ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Wellingborough ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| West Derbyshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| West Devon | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| West Dorset ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| West Somerset | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| West Wiltshire ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wimborne ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Windsor and Maidenhead ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Worthing ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wychavon | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| Wycombe ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wyre | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Yeovil | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
‡ New ward boundaries

#### Third of council

In 103 districts one third of the council was up for election.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Adur | Alliance | No overall control gain | Details |
| Amber Valley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Barrow-in-Furness | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Basildon | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Basingstoke and Deane | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Bassetlaw | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Bath | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Blackburn | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Brentwood | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Broadland | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Broxbourne | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Burnley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Cambridge | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Cannock Chase | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Cherwell | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Chester | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Chorley | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Colchester | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Congleton | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Craven | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Crawley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Crewe and Nantwich | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Daventry | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Derby | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| East Devon | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Eastbourne | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Eastleigh | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Ellesmere Port and Neston | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Elmbridge | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Epping Forest | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Fareham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gillingham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gloucester | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gosport | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Great Grimsby | Labour | No overall control gain | Details |
| Great Yarmouth | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Halton | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Harlow | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Hart | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Hartlepool | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Hastings | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Havant | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hereford | Alliance | Alliance hold | Details |
| Hertsmere | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Huntingdon | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hyndburn | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Ipswich | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Leominster | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Lincoln | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Macclesfield | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Maidstone | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Milton Keynes | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Mole Valley | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| North Hertfordshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Norwich | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Nuneaton and Bedworth | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Oadby and Wigston | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Oxford | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Pendle | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Penwith | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Peterborough | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Preston | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Purbeck | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Reigate and Banstead | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rochford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rossendale | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rugby | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Runnymede | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rushmoor | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Scunthorpe | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Shrewsbury and Atcham | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| South Bedfordshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Cambridgeshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| South Herefordshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| South Lakeland | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Southampton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Southend-on-Sea | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| St Albans | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Stevenage | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Stoke-on-Trent | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Stratford-on-Avon | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Swale | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Tamworth | Labour | Conservative gain | Details |
| Tandridge | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Thamesdown | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Three Rivers | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Thurrock | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Tonbridge and Malling | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Tunbridge Wells | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Watford | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Welwyn Hatfield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| West Lancashire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| West Lindsey | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| West Oxfordshire | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Weymouth and Portland | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Winchester | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Woking | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wokingham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Woodspring | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Worcester | Labour | No overall control gain | Details |
| Wyre Forest | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| York | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |

## Wales
### District councils

| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Aberconwy | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| Afan | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Alyn and Deeside | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Anglesey - Ynys Môn | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Arfon | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Blaenau Gwent | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Brecknock | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Cardiff | Labour | Conservative gain | Details |
| Carmarthen | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Ceredigion | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Colwyn | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Cynon Valley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Delyn | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Dinefwr | Independent | Labour gain | Details |
| Dwyfor | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Glyndŵr | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Islwyn | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Llanelli | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Lliw Valley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Meirionnydd | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Merthyr Tydfil | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Monmouth | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Montgomery | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Neath | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Newport | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Ogwr | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Preseli | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Radnor | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Rhondda | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Rhuddlan | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Rhymney Valley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| South Pembrokeshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Swansea | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Taff-Ely | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Torfaen | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wrexham Maelor | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |