# Craven District Council elections

Craven District Council in North Yorkshire, England was established in 1974 and abolished in 2023. One third of councillors were elected each year, followed by one year when there was an election to North Yorkshire County Council instead. Since the last boundary changes in 2002, 30 councillors had been elected from 19 wards.

## Political control

Since the first election to the council in 1973 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control | 1973–1976 |
| Conservative | 1976–1986 |
| No overall control | 1986–1996 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1996–1998 |
| No overall control | 1998–1999 |
| Conservative | 1999–2001 |
| No overall control | 2001–2010 |
| Conservative | 2010–2023 |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2000 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Chris Knowles-Fitton | Conservative | 2000 | 2002 |
| Carl Lis | Independent | 2002 | 20 May 2008 |
| Chris Knowles-Fitton | Conservative | 20 May 2008 | Oct 2014 |
| Richard Foster | Conservative | 2014 | 31 Mar 2023 |

## Council elections

Summary of the council composition after recent council elections, click on the year for full details of each election. Boundary changes took place for the 2002 election, leading to the whole council being elected in that year and reducing the number of seats by four.
* 1973 Craven District Council election
* 1976 Craven District Council election
* 1979 Craven District Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 1980 Craven District Council election
* 1982 Craven District Council election
* 1983 Craven District Council election (District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)
* 1984 Craven District Council election
* 1986 Craven District Council election
* 1987 Craven District Council election
| Year | Conservative | Independent | Liberal Democrats | Labour | UKIP | Green | Vacant | Notes |
| 1988 | 12 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1990 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1991 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1992 | 13 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same |
| 1994 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 18 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New ward boundaries |
| 2003 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Some new ward boundaries |
| 2016 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |

## District result maps

* 2002 results map
* 2003 results map
* 2004 results map
* 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
* 2019 results map

## By-election results

By-elections occur when seats become vacant between council elections. Below is a summary of recent by-elections; full by-election results can be found by clicking on the by-election name.
| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Winning party |
| Helifield | 20 March 1997 | Liberal Democrats | Conservative |
| Sutton | 20 March 1997 | Conservative | Liberal Democrats |
| Skipton South West | 1 May 1997 | Independent | Labour |
| Skipton West | 30 October 1997 | Liberal Democrats | Conservative |
| Skipton East by-election | 9 March 2000 | Independent | Independent |
| Skipton South by-election | 7 June 2001 | Conservative | Liberal Democrats |
| Bentham by-election | 13 November 2003 | Liberal Democrats | Independent |
| Upper Wharfedale by-election | 2 March 2006 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Cowling by-election | 12 July 2007 | Independent | Conservative |
| Skipton West by-election | 2 July 2014 | Liberal Democrats | Labour |
| Embsay-with-Eastby by-election | 31 March 2016 | Conservative | Independent |
| Aire Valley with Lothersdale by-election | 4 May 2017 | Conservative | Green |
| Barden Fell by-election | 6 May 2021 | Independent | Independent |
| Penyghent by-election | 6 May 2021 | Conservative | Conservative |