# 2012 Carlisle City Council election

The 2012 Carlisle City Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of Carlisle District Council in Cumbria, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party gained overall control of the council from no overall control.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 27
* Conservative 20
* Liberal Democrats 2
* Independent 2
* Vacant 1

## Background

After the last election in 2011 Labour were the largest party with 24 seats, while the Conservatives had 22, the Liberal Democrats had 4 and there were 2 independents. However the Conservatives continued to lead the council with Liberal Democrat support, meaning that before the 2012 election Labour needed to make 2 gains to take control of the council. One seat was vacant at the 2012 election in Harraby after the death of Labour councillor Dave Weedall in April 2012.
17 seats were contested in 2012 and as well as Conservative and Labour candidates, there were also 11 candidates each from the UK Independence Party and the Green Party, 8 candidates from the Liberal Democrats, 2 independents and 1 candidate each from the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and the British National Party. The election in Carlisle brought national politicians to support their parties, with both the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron and the Labour Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband visiting Carlisle during the campaign.

## Election result

Labour became the first party to have a majority on Carlisle City Council since 2003, after taking 2 seats each from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. This took Labour to 27 of the 52 seats on the council, while the Conservatives dropped to 20 councillors and the Liberal Democrats fell to 2 seats. There remained 2 independents and a further seat was vacant. Overall turnout at the election was 33.9%.
The Labour gains from the Conservatives came in Belle Vue and Yewdale wards, with Labour across the seats contested winning 4,530 more votes than Conservatives. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats only held one seat in Dalston, where sitting councillor Trevor Allison was re-elected, after losing two seats in Castle and Morton to Labour.
Following the election the Labour group leader Joe Hendry became the new leader of Carlisle City Council, while John Mallinson became leader of the Conservative group on the council, after defeating the Conservative leader of the council from 1999 to 2012, Mike Mitchelson, in a leadership election.
Carlisle local election result 2012 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 10 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 58.8 | 47.3 | 11,582 | +4.0% |
| Conservative | 5 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 29.4 | 28.8 | 7,052 | -9.1% |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 5.9 | 7.4 | 1,811 | +1.4% |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.9 | 3.9 | 953 | -0.6% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.9 | 1,692 | +4.9% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 1,213 | +1.2% |
| TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 97 | -0.8% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 88 | -0.7% |

## Ward results

Belah :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Morton | 805 | 42.6 | −6.6 |
| | Labour | Kevin Parker | 759 | 40.1 | +8.5 |
| | UKIP | Andrew Hill | 247 | 13.1 | +13.1 |
| | Green | Ian Brewis | 80 | 4.2 | +4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46 | 2.4 | −15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,891 | 38.4 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Belle Vue :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Leslie Tickner | 909 | 57.7 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Michael Clarke | 537 | 34.1 | −10.5 |
| | Green | Richard Hunt | 80 | 5.1 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Terence Jones | 49 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 372 | 23.6 | +12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,575 | 31.8 | −2.4 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Botcherby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Boaden | 693 | 54.3 | +4.3 |
| | Independent | Michael Middlemore | 311 | 24.4 | −5.6 |
| | Conservative | Shaidat Danmole-Ellis | 141 | 11.1 | −8.8 |
| | UKIP | Robert Strong | 107 | 8.4 | +8.4 |
| | Green | Lynn Bates | 24 | 1.9 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 382 | 29.9 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,276 | 27.1 | −3.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Brampton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stephen Layden | 600 | 51.1 | −3.4 |
| | Labour | Graham Bartlett | 404 | 34.4 | +11.9 |
| | UKIP | Christian Forster | 171 | 14.6 | +14.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 16.7 | −14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,175 | 32.9 | −32.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elsie Martlew | 663 | 56.8 | +14.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Walker | 229 | 19.6 | −14.2 |
| | Conservative | Kevin Reynolds | 165 | 14.1 | +14.1 |
| | Green | Neil Boothman | 110 | 9.4 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 434 | 37.2 | +28.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,167 | 26.0 | −3.3 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Currock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Colin Glover | 850 | 69.7 | +12.6 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Higgs | 185 | 15.2 | −7.2 |
| | TUSC | Brent Kennedy | 97 | 8.0 | +0.8 |
| | BNP | Stephen Bingham | 88 | 7.2 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 665 | 54.5 | +19.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,220 | 26.7 | −4.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dalston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trevor Allison | 1,033 | 51.8 | +29.6 |
| | Conservative | Michael Randall | 481 | 24.1 | −25.0 |
| | Labour | Sandra Warwick | 305 | 15.3 | −5.9 |
| | UKIP | Robert Dickinson | 174 | 8.7 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 552 | 27.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,993 | 41.6 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Denton Holme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joan Southward | 848 | 62.7 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Eden | 229 | 16.9 | −4.2 |
| | Green | James Tucker | 120 | 8.9 | +4.1 |
| | UKIP | John Warmingham | 107 | 7.9 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Wood | 49 | 3.6 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 619 | 45.8 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,353 | 27.8 | −4.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Great Corby and Geltsdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Doreen Parsons | 402 | 60.6 | −10.1 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Furneaux | 261 | 39.4 | +10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 141 | 21.3 | −20.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 663 | 37.7 | −1.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Harraby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lee Sherriff | 961 | 63.6 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative | Hannah Dolan | 299 | 19.8 | −13.4 |
| | UKIP | Edward Haughan | 130 | 8.6 | +8.6 |
| | Green | Dallas Brewis | 61 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Gee | 60 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 662 | 43.8 | +10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,511 | 29.9 | −3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Hayton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | William Graham | 642 | 75.8 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Harry Cain | 167 | 19.7 | −6.1 |
| | UKIP | Michael Owen | 38 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 475 | 56.1 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 847 | 50.7 | −3.8 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Morton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elaine Stevenson | 1,167 | 65.7 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Noble | 201 | 11.3 | −0.5 |
| | UKIP | Arnold Blythe | 189 | 10.6 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | Lawrence Fisher | 175 | 9.9 | −8.3 |
| | Green | Gillian Curwen | 44 | 2.5 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 966 | 54.4 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,776 | 36.9 | −2.4 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
St. Aidans :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lucy Patrick | 669 | 50.8 | +7.5 |
| | Green | John Reardon | 276 | 21.0 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative | Christine Finlayson | 256 | 19.5 | −9.5 |
| | UKIP | Robert Cakans | 115 | 8.7 | +8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 393 | 29.9 | +15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,316 | 27.7 | −6.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Stanwix Urban :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Nedved | 854 | 42.7 | −7.3 |
| | Labour | Grant Warwick | 710 | 35.5 | −5.5 |
| | Green | Helen Davison | 228 | 11.4 | +2.4 |
| | UKIP | Carol Weaver | 207 | 10.4 | +10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 144 | 7.2 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,999 | 41.9 | −6.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Upperby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Donald Cape | 843 | 72.8 | +16.8 |
| | Conservative | Judith Pattinson | 182 | 15.7 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Osler | 133 | 11.5 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 661 | 57.1 | +20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,158 | 28.6 | −3.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wetheral :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Earp | 844 | 56.1 | −4.6 |
| | Labour | Roger Horne | 318 | 21.1 | −6.8 |
| | UKIP | Geoffrey Round | 207 | 13.8 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Michael Brader | 135 | 9.0 | +9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 526 | 35.0 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,504 | 39.8 | −35.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Yewdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Karen Gallagher | 1,222 | 59.2 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | Fiona Robson | 730 | 35.4 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deborah Clode | 57 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| | Green | Hazel Graham | 55 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 492 | 23.8 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,064 | 42.7 | −0.8 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2012 and 2014
### Harraby

A by-election was held in Harraby on 21 June 2012 after the death of the longest serving councillor, Labour's Dave Weedall. The seat was held for Labour by Donald Forrester with a majority of 457 votes over Conservative Keith Mellen.
Harraby by-election 21 June 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Donald Forrester | 637 | 63.1 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | Keith Mellen | 180 | 17.8 | −2.0 |
| | UKIP | Eddie Haughan | 90 | 8.9 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Gee | 71 | 7.0 | +3.0 |
| | Green | James Tucker | 31 | 3.1 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 457 | 45.3 | +1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,009 | 19.9 | −10.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Yewdale

A by-election was held in Yewdale on 5 September 2013 after the death of the former leader of the council, Labour's Joe Hendry. The seat was held for Labour by Tom Dodd with a majority of 263 votes over Conservative Christina Finlayson.
Yewdale by-election 5 September 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Dodd | 716 | 48.7 | −10.5 |
| | Conservative | Christina Finlayson | 453 | 30.8 | −4.6 |
| | UKIP | Mike Owen | 257 | 17.5 | +17.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Terry Jones | 31 | 2.1 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Charmain McCutcheon | 14 | 1.0 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 263 | 17.9 | −5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,471 | 30.2 | −12.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dalston

A by-election was held in Dalston on 17 October 2013 after Conservative councillor Nicola Clarke resigned from the council as she was moving away from the area. The seat was gained for the Liberal Democrats by Michael Gee with a majority of 30 votes over Conservative Michael Randall.
Dalston by-election 17 October 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Gee | 506 | 37.2 | −14.6 |
| | Conservative | Michael Randall | 476 | 34.9 | +10.8 |
| | Labour | Ruth Alcroft | 186 | 13.7 | −1.6 |
| | UKIP | Robert Dickinson | 167 | 12.3 | +3.6 |
| | Green | James Tucker | 27 | 2.0 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 2.2 | −25.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,362 | 28.3 | −13.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |