Complex sentence: The 1997 election took place at the "wrong" point in the normal Borough election cycle to preserve the usual pattern of a third of the Council being elected for four year terms in each of the non County Council election years.
Split into simpler sentences: The 1997 election took place at the "wrong" point in the normal Borough election cycle. To preserve the usual pattern of a third of the Council being elected for four year terms in each of the non County Council election years.