# 1979 United Kingdom local elections

Local elections were held in the United Kingdom on 3 May 1979 (the same day as the general election). The results provided some source of comfort to the Labour Party, who recovered some lost ground from local election reversals in previous years, despite losing the general election to the Conservative Party on the same day. The Liberals also gained councillors and a council.
Labour gained 766 seats, bringing their number of councillors to 7,410.
The Conservatives lost 423 seats, leaving them with 12,222 councillors.
The Liberal Party gained 136 seats and finished with 1,059 councillors.
Changes in council control were as follows;
Labour gain from no overall control: Bassetlaw, Carlisle, Hartlepool, Newcastle-under-Lyme, South Tyneside
Labour gain from Conservative: Barrow-in-Furness, Coventry, Derby, Ipswich, Nottingham, Sandwell, Tameside, Welwyn Hatfield
Labour lose to no overall control: Thurrock
Conservative lose to no overall control: Birmingham, Cambridge, Cheltenham, Kirklees, Leeds, Pendle, Rochdale, Rugby, Warrington, Wyre Forest
Conservative gain from no overall control: Adur, Stratford-on-Avon
Conservative gain from Independent: Hart
Conservative gain from Democratic Labour: Lincoln
Liberal gain from no overall control: Medina
Independent lose to no overall control: South Lakeland, West Lindsey

## England
### Metropolitan boroughs
#### Whole council

In 6 metropolitan boroughs the whole council was up for election.
In 6 boroughs there were new ward boundaries, following electoral boundary reviews by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Barnsley ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Bury ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Oldham ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Sandwell ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Sefton ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Solihull ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
‡ New ward boundaries

#### Third of council

30 metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Birmingham | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Bolton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bradford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Calderdale | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Coventry | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Doncaster | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Dudley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gateshead | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Kirklees | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Knowsley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Leeds | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Liverpool | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Manchester | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| North Tyneside | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Rochdale | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Rotherham | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Salford | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Sheffield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| South Tyneside | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| St Helens | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Stockport | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Sunderland | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Tameside | Conservative | Labour gain | 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 | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |

### District councils
#### Whole council

In 252 districts the whole council was up for election.
In 153 districts there were new ward boundaries, following electoral boundary reviews by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Adur ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Allerdale ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Alnwick ‡ | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| Amber Valley ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Arun | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Ashfield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Ashford | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Aylesbury Vale | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Babergh ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Barrow-in-Furness ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Basildon ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Bassetlaw ‡ | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Beaconsfield | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Beverley ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Blaby | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Blackburn ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Blackpool | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Blyth Valley ‡ | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Bolsover ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Boothferry | Independent | Conservative gain | Details |
| Boston ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Bournemouth ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bracknell ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Braintree ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Breckland ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Bridgnorth ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Brighton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bristol | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Broadland ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bromsgrove ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Broxtowe | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Canterbury ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Caradon | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Carlisle | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Carrick ‡ | Independent | Conservative 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 | Conservative hold | Details |
| Cheltenham | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Cherwell ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Chester ‡ | Conservative | Conservative 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 ‡ | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Corby | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Cotswold ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Craven ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Crawley ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Crewe and Nantwich ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Dacorum ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Darlington ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Dartford | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Daventry ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Derby ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Derwentside ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Dover ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Durham ‡ | Labour | No overall control gain | Details |
| Easington ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| East Cambridgeshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| East Devon ‡ | Conservative | Conservative 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 ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Eden ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Epping Forest ‡ | Conservative | Conservative 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 ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Forest of Dean | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Fylde | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gedling | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gillingham ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Glanford ‡ | Independent | Conservative gain | Details |
| Gloucester ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gosport ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Gravesham ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Great Yarmouth | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Grimsby ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Guildford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hambleton ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Harborough | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hart | Independent | Conservative gain | Details |
| Hartlepool | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| Hastings ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hereford ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| High Peak ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Hinckley and Bosworth | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Holderness | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Horsham ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hove ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hyndburn ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Ipswich ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Kennet | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Kerrier ‡ | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| Kettering ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Kingston upon Hull | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Kingswood | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Lancaster ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Langbaurgh | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Leicester | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Leominster ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Lewes | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Lichfield ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Lincoln ‡ | Democratic Labour | Conservative gain | Details |
| Luton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Macclesfield ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Maidstone ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Maldon ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Malvern Hills ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Mansfield ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Medina ‡ | No overall control | Liberal gain | Details |
| Medway ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Melton ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Mendip ‡ | No overall control | Independent 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 | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Middlesbrough ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| New Forest | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Newark and Sherwood ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Newbury | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme ‡ | No overall control | Labour gain | 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 ‡ | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| North Hertfordshire ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| North Kesteven ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Norfolk ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Shropshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| North Warwickshire ‡ | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| North West Leicestershire | No overall control | Labour gain | Details |
| North Wiltshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| North Wolds | Independent | Conservative gain | Details |
| Northampton ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Northavon | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Norwich ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Nottingham | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Nuneaton ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Oadby and Wigston ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Oswestry | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Oxford ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Penwith ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Plymouth ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Poole | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Portsmouth | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Purbeck ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Reading | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Redditch | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Reigate and Banstead ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Restormel | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Ribble Valley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Richmondshire ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Rother | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| Rugby ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Rushcliffe | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rushmoor ‡ | 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 | Conservative hold | Details |
| Scunthorpe ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Sedgefield | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Sedgemoor ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Selby ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Sevenoaks ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Shepway ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Slough | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Derbyshire ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| South Hams ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| South Herefordshire ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| South Holland ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| South Kesteven ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| South Lakeland ‡ | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| South Norfolk ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| South Northamptonshire | No overall control | Conservative gain | 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 | Independent hold | Details |
| Southampton ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Spelthorne ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| St Albans ‡ | 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 |
| Stevenage ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Stockton-on-Tees ‡ | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| Stoke-on-Trent ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Stratford-on-Avon ‡ | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Stroud | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Suffolk Coastal | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Surrey Heath | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Swale ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Taunton Deane ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Teesdale | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Teignbridge ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Tendring | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Test Valley | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Tewkesbury | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Thanet ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| The Wrekin ‡ | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Thurrock ‡ | Labour | No overall control gain | Details |
| Tonbridge and Malling ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Torbay | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Torridge ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Tynedale | Independent | No overall control gain | 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 ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Warwick | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Waveney | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Waverley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wealden | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wear Valley | No overall control | Labour gain | 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 Lindsey ‡ | Independent | No overall control gain | Details |
| West Norfolk | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| West Oxfordshire ‡ | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| West Somerset ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| West Wiltshire | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Weymouth and Portland ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wimborne | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wokingham ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Woodspring ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Worcester ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Worthing | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wychavon ‡ | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Wycombe | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wyre ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Wyre Forest ‡ | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Yeovil | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| York ‡ | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
‡ New ward boundaries

#### Third of council

In 44 districts one third of the council was up for election.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details |
| Basingstoke and Deane | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Bath | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Brentwood | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Broxbourne | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Burnley | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Cambridge | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Cannock Chase | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Chorley | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Colchester | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Congleton | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Eastbourne | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Eastleigh | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Ellesmere Port and Neston | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Elmbridge | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Fareham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Halton | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Harlow | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Harrogate | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Havant | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Hertsmere | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Huntingdon | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Milton Keynes | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Mole Valley | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Pendle | Conservative | No overall control gain | Details |
| Peterborough | No overall control | No overall control hold | Details |
| Preston | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rochford | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Rossendale | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Runnymede | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Shrewsbury and Atcham | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Bedfordshire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| South Cambridgeshire | Independent | Independent hold | Details |
| Southend-on-Sea | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Tamworth | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Tandridge | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Thamesdown | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Three Rivers | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Tunbridge Wells | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Watford | Labour | Labour hold | Details |
| Welwyn Hatfield | Conservative | Labour gain | Details |
| West Lancashire | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |
| Winchester | No overall control | Conservative gain | Details |
| Woking | Conservative | Conservative hold | Details |

## Wales
### District councils

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