UK local elections, 2006

United Kingdom local elections, 2006

← 2005 4 May 2006 2007 →
All 32 London boroughs, all 36 metropolitan boroughs, 20 out of 46 unitary authorities and 88 out of 238 English districts
First party Second party Third party   Leader David Cameron Tony Blair Menzies Campbell Party Conservative Labour Liberal Democrat Leader since 6 December 2005 21 July 1994 2 March 2006 Last election 40% 28% 25% Percentage 39% 26% 25% Swing 1% 2% 0% Councils 68 30 13 Councils +/- 11 17 1 Councillors 1830 1439 909 Councillors +/- 316 319 2

Local government elections took place in England (only) on Thursday 4 May 2006. Polling stations were open between 7:00 and 22:00.

All London borough council seats were up for election, as well as a third of the seats on each of the metropolitan borough councils, and a third of some unitary authorities and shire districts. Several councils elected half of their seats: these were Adur, Cheltenham, Fareham, Gosport, Hastings, Nuneaton and Bedworth, and Oxford City. Local elections follow a four-year cycle, and the 2006 election was the follow-on from the 2002 elections.

Mayoral contests were held in the London boroughs of Hackney, Lewisham and Newham, and in Watford. Crewe and Nantwich held a referendum on the issue of whether or not to have a directly elected mayor.

This was the first set of elections since David Cameron was elected leader of the Conservative Party. The Conservatives strengthened their position as the largest party in local government, making headway against Labour.

Note:Figures for number of councils and councillors is only in regard to those councils up for election in 2006, and does not include councils not up for election.

On 7 April, a report produced by the University of Plymouth for Newsnight, based on results of council by-elections in the past three months, suggested that, compared to the 2002 local elections:

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