Copeland Borough Council elections

Local government elections in Cumbria, England

Copeland Borough Council in Cumbria, England was elected every four years.

The council was established in 1974 and abolished in 2023.

## Political control

[edit]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 2023 was as follows:[1][2]

Party in control | Years

|

| Labour | 1974–1976
| No overall control | 1976–1979
| Labour | 1979–2023

### Leadership

[edit]

Prior to 2015, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leader from 2003 to 2015 was:

Councillor | Party | From | To

|
|
|

Elaine Woodburn[3] |  | Labour | 2003 | 10 May 2015

In 2015 the council changed to having a directly-elected mayor. The mayor from 2015 until the council's abolition in 2023 was Mike Starkie, who was elected in 2015 and 2019 as an independent, but subsequently joined the Conservatives in June 2020.[a]

Mayor | Party | From | To

|
|
|

Mike Starkie[5][6][7] |  | Independent | 11 May 2015 | 22 Jun 2020
| Conservative | 22 Jun 2020 | 31 Mar 2023

## Council elections

[edit]

* 1973 Copeland Borough Council election
* 1976 Copeland Borough Council election
* 1979 Copeland Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)[8]
* 1983 Copeland Borough Council election
* 1987 Copeland Borough Council election
* 1991 Copeland Borough Council election
* 1995 Copeland Borough Council election
* 1999 Copeland Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)[9][10]
* 2003 Copeland Borough Council election
* 2007 Copeland Borough Council election
* 2011 Copeland Borough Council election
* 2015 Copeland Borough Council election
* 2019 Copeland Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)[11]

## Borough result maps

[edit]

* 2003 results map

* 2007 results map

* 2011 results map

* 2015 results map

* 2019 results map

## By-election results

[edit]

### 1995-1999

[edit]

Hillcrest By-Election 1 May 1997  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative |  | 1,113  | 52.1  | +13.3
| Labour |  | 1,025  | 47.9  | −13.3
Majority | 88  | 4.2  |
Turnout | 2,138  |  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |  |
Egremont North By-Election 10 July 1997  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour |  | 470  | 68.1  | −7.3
| Conservative |  | 164  | 23.9  | −0.7
| Liberal Democrats |  | 55  | 8.0  | +8.0
Majority | 305  | 44.2  |
Turnout | 690  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
Harbour By-Election 10 July 1997  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour |  | 442  | 58.0  | +4.5
| Conservative |  | 320  | 42.0  | +20.8
Majority | 122  | 16.0  |
Turnout | 762  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
Haverigg By-Election 10 July 1997  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative |  | 230  | 64.4  | +11.4
| Labour |  | 91  | 25.6  | −21.2
| Liberal Democrats |  | 35  | 9.8  | +9.8
Majority | 139  | 38.8  |
Turnout | 356  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
Kells By-Election 10 July 1997  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour |  | 229  | 73.2  | −13.9
| Conservative |  | 84  | 26.8  | +13.9
Majority | 145  | 46.4  |
Turnout | 313  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
Newtown By-Election 6 November 1997  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative |  | 597  | 51.8  | +7.2
| Liberal Democrats |  | 376  | 32.6  | +32.6
| Labour |  | 180  | 15.6  | −25.3
Majority | 221  | 19.2  |
Turnout | 1,153  | 40.8  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
Holborn Hill By-Election 26 March 1998  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative |  | 407  | 57.4  |
| Labour |  | 302  | 42.6  |
Majority | 105  | 14.8  |
Turnout | 709  | 31.0  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |  |

### 1999-2003

[edit]

Mirehouse By-Election 4 May 2000  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour |  | 817  | 79.7  | +2.6
| Conservative |  | 208  | 20.3  | +20.3
Majority | 609  | 59.4  |
Turnout | 1,025  | 29.5  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### 2003-2007

[edit]

Harbour By-Election 10 June 2004[12][13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Anne Bradshaw  | 480  | 41.0  | −21.6
| Conservative | Richard Maley  | 387  | 33.0  | −4.4
| Liberal Democrats | Francis Hollowell  | 304  | 26.0  | +26.0
Majority | 93  | 8.0  |
Turnout | 1,171  | 37.0  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
Cleator Moor North By-Election 6 April 2006[14][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Hugh Branney  | 307  | 61.6  | +15.0
| Independent | Lauren Mossop  | 191  | 38.4  | −15.0
Majority | 116  | 23.2  |
Turnout | 498  | 15.4  |
| Labour gain from Independent | Swing |  |
Gosforth By-Election 6 April 2006[14][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Alan Jacob  | 264  | 64.2  | −7.7
| Labour | Christine Cornall  | 85  | 20.7  | −7.4
| Liberal Democrats | Mike Minogue  | 62  | 15.1  | +15.1
Majority | 179  | 43.5  |
Turnout | 411  | 34.9  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
Hensingham By-Election 6 April 2006[14][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Geoffrey Garrity  | 385  | 61.1  | −10.6
| Conservative | Alexander Carroll  | 207  | 32.9  | +4.6
| Liberal Democrats | Frank Hollowell  | 38  | 6.0  | +6.0
Majority | 178  | 28.2  |
Turnout | 630  | 19.8  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### 2007-2011

[edit]

Harbour By-Election 20 September 2007  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Jeanette Williams  | 463  | 44.3  | −17.1
| Conservative | Brigid Whiteside  | 337  | 32.2  | −6.4
| BNP | Bill Pugh  | 245  | 23.4  | +23.4
Majority | 126  | 12.1  |
Turnout | 1,045  | 31.5  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### 2011-2015

[edit]

Hensingham By-Election 2 May 2013  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Allan Forster  | 670  | 75.0  | +4.3
| Conservative | Genna Martin  | 223  | 25.0  | −4.3
Majority | 447  | 50.1  |
Turnout |  | 28.3  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### 2015-2019

[edit]

Newtown By-Election 8 June 2017  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Gerard James McGrath  | 954  | 61.4  | −9.6
| Labour | Angela Dixon  | 601  | 38.6  | +16.4
Majority | 353  | 22.7  |
Turnout | 1,555  | 59.7  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |
Egremont South By-Election 2 November 2017  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Tom Higgins  | 354  | 52.4  | +15.7
| Conservative | Jeff Hailes  | 321  | 47.6  | +26.8
Majority | 33  | 4.9  |
Turnout | 675  | 23.8  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### 2019-2023

[edit]

Whitehaven Central By-Election 6 May 2021[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Joseph Ghayouba  | 633  | 47.7  | +13.5
| Conservative | William R. C. S. Dixon  | 542  | 40.8  | +13.0
| Independent | Richard Donnan  | 90  | 6.8  | +6.8
| Heritage | William R. Dixon  | 45  | 3.4  | +3.4
| Liberal Democrats | Mike Minogue  | 18  | 1.4  | +1.4
Majority | 91  | 6.9  |
Turnout | 1,328  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Mayoral terms of office ran from the fourth day after polling day.[4]

1. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Copeland" in search box to see specific results.)
2. ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
3. ^ "Council leader history". What do they know?. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
4. ^ "The Local Authorities (Elected Mayors) (Elections, Terms of Office and Casual Vacancies) (England) Regulations 2001: Regulation 6", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2001/2544 (reg. 6)
5. ^ "Mike Starkie elected as Copeland Mayor". ITV News. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
6. ^ "Copeland mayor Mike Starkie joins Conservatives". ITV News. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
7. ^ Johnston, Luke (31 March 2023). "End of an era - Mayor announces retirement". Visit Whitehaven. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
8. ^ The Borough of Copeland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978
9. ^ "Copeland". BBC News Online. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
10. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Copeland (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
11. ^ "The Copeland (Electoral Changes) Order 2018", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2018/1316, retrieved 23 February 2024
12. ^ "Tories make gains in byelections". guardian.co.uk. 18 June 2004. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
13. ^ Thompson, Andrea (12 June 2004). "Anne wins council seat for Labour". News and Star. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
14. ^ a b c "Lib Dems and Labour make byelection gains". guardian.co.uk. 7 April 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
15. ^ a b c "Labour take two seats in Copeland elections". Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser. 7 April 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
16. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Whitehaven Central Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2022.

* By-election results Archived 29 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine

## External links

[edit]

* Copeland Council

* v
* t
* e

Council elections in Cumbria

Cumberland Council|

* 2022

Westmorland and Furness Council|

* 2022

Cumbria County Council|

* 1973
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
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* 1997
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* 2005
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* Abolished

Allerdale Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* Abolished

Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
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* 2000
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* 2003
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* Abolished

Carlisle City Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
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* 2008
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* Abolished

Copeland Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* Abolished

Eden District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* Abolished

South Lakeland District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2018
* 2019
* Abolished

Cumberland County Council|

* 1889
* 1892
* 1895
* 1898
* 1901
* 1904
* 1907
* 1910
* 1913
* 1919
* 1922
* 1925
* 1928
* 1931
* 1934
* 1937
* 1946
* 1949
* 1952
* 1955
* 1958
* 1961
* 1964
* 1967
* 1970
* Abolished

Westmorland County Council|

* 1889
* 1892
* 1895
* 1898
* 1901
* 1904
* 1907
* 1910
* 1913
* 1919
* 1922
* 1925
* 1928
* 1931
* 1934
* 1937
* 1946
* 1949
* 1952
* 1955
* 1958
* 1961
* 1964
* 1967
* 1970
* Abolished

* See also: Wards
* Boundary changes

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