Local Elections 2015: Preview East

Midlands ……………………………………………………………………………......

Summary There are 36 authorities in the East Midlands holding local elections this elections and was within one seat of the Conservatives before two year. members resigned from the Party.

Labour currently have outright majorities on 12 Councils, and look set to Labour will look to build on its success in 2011 and gain the two seats retain control of them all. They have a realistic chance of gaining a further needed to take South Derbyshire from the Conservatives in May. four authorities in May.

The Conservatives hold 16 Councils at present. Whilst they should hold on Authorities to watch: to their majority on most, Erewash and South Derbyshire are possible gains for Labour. Erewash, High Peak, Mansfield, South Derbyshire The Liberal Democrats will expect to retain control of Hinckley & Bosworth and Oadby & Wigston.

Despite holding the majority of seats in Mansfield, Labour has been unable to control the authority since Independent Mayor, Tony Egginton was elected in 2002. Prior to that Labour had led the Council for 30 years.

Mayor, Tony Egginton is not defending his seat in May. At the last Mayoral election, Labour lost by just 67 votes. Labour are in a good position to take back control of the authority.

In High Peak, Labour has taken seats from the Conservatives and Lib Dems over recent elections and they need to gain a further three seats to take overall control of the Council.

Labour will be focusing on a number of Con/Lab marginal seats in May to win an outright majority in Erewash. The Party did well in the 2011 local Amber Valley Council

Current political composition

(Elections by thirds) Our prediction Leader Amber Valley will be a closely fought election this year and the Cllr Paul Jones (Lab) Conservatives need to win just one seat from Labour to take an outright Last election majority in May. However, Labour has been steadily gaining seats over Conservative 22 2014 the last three local elections and so they should be able to hold on to the Council. Labour, 23 Total seats 45 Labour hold Seats contested 15

Background & Analysis The Amber Valley has an increasingly diverse economy and is one of the most populated non-city districts in the East Midlands. The key towns in the district are all priorities for regeneration and include of Alfreton, Belper, Heanor and Ripley.

Labour currently control the Council with a slim majority of just one seat. Labour took control of Amber Valley Council from the Conservatives at the 2014 local elections, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.

Labour had taken small numbers of seats from the Conservatives at the 2011 and 2012 local elections, reducing the Conservative majority to just three seats going into last year’s elections.

Ashfield Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) However in 2009, Zadrozny was ousted and Labour formed a minority Leader Independent administration with the support of some of the Independents. Cllr Chris Baron (Lab) 3 Liberal Last election May 2011 saw Labour take 15 seats from the Lib Dems (-7), Conservatives Democrat 6 2011 (-1) and Independents (-7) to take back overall control of the Council.

Total seats Our prediction 35 (33 previously) Labour will retain its majority of Ashfield. Boundary changes here see an Seats contested increase in the number of seats being contested. It will be interesting to Labour 24 35 see what, if any, impact this has on the make-up of the authority.

Labour hold Background & Analysis To the south-west of Mansfield, Ashfield district includes the towns of Kirkby in Ashfield, Hucknall and Sutton-in-Ashfield.

The Council is currently controlled by Labour. The Party won an outright majority at the last local elections in 2011.

Historically Labour territory, where the Party held 31 out of 33 seats in 1999, the Council fell to No Overall Control in 2003, losing 15 seats to Independents. At the 2007 local elections, the Liberal Democrats won eight seats taking the Party from one seat prior to the elections, to nine. The Liberal Democrats managed to form a minority administration and ran the Council with Jason Zadrozny as Leader.

Bassetlaw District Council

Current political composition

(Elections by thirds) Our prediction Leader Independent It is likely Labour will retain their majority in Bassetlaw, but they will be Vacancy 1 Cllr Simon Greaves 4 wary of UKIP. Although the Party made no gains in last year’s election, (Lab) Conservative UKIP candidates came second in 12 wards, nine of which were Labour- 10 Last election held. 2014 Total seats Labour hold 48 Labour 33 Seats contested 16

Background & Analysis Bassetlaw district in north Nottinghamshire includes the towns of Worksop and Retford.

Labour currently control the Council with a comfortable majority. The Party secured an outright majority from No Overall Control in 2011. Labour retained their hold of the authority at the last elections in 2014 and gained one seat from the Conservatives. Since the elections last year, one Labour member switched to Independent and there is one vacancy.

Blaby District Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Two Conservatives from the same ward (a husband and wife team) Leader UKIP 2 defected to UKIP in 2012, however any UKIP ‘surge’ does not look set to Liberal Labour 6 Cllr Ernie White be a major issue for the leading party here. Democrat 5 (Con)

Last election Our prediction 2011 The Conservatives will hold the Council.

Total seats Conservative hold 39

Seats contested Conservative 26 39

Background & Analysis To the south-west of Leicester, Blaby district covers the towns of Blaby, Whetstone and Enderby.

The authority has been controlled the Conservatives since the Council’s creation. In the most recent local elections, the Liberal Democrats have lost a number of seats, whilst the Conservatives and Labour have made small gains.

Council Leader Ernie White, is not defending his seat and will be replaced by Councillor Terry Richardson in May. Councillor White has been Leader since 2003 and is standing down to concentrate on his responsibilities in adult social care on Leicestershire County Council.

Bolsover District Council Current political composition (All-out elections) Leader Residents Independent Association Cllr Eion Watts OBE 2 3 (Lab)

Last election 2011

Total seats 37 Seats contested Labour 32 37

Background & Analysis Bolsover has been Labour territory since its creation and is set to remain so.

Our prediction The Labour Party should comfortably retain their control of the Council in May.

Labour hold

Boston Borough Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) the group lost 14 seats at the local elections in 2011. The Conservatives Leader were the main beneficiaries, gaining 12 seats to take the majority for the Independent Lincolnshire Cllr Peter Bedford English Democrat 1 first time in the Council’s history. Group 4 Independents 2 (Con) Labour 3 Last elections Our prediction 2011 Boundary changes will come into force here in May. This will reduce the number of seats to 30, which could have a real impact on whether the Total seats No political Conservatives can secure a working majority. affiliation 2 30 (32 previously)

Conservative Seats contested NOC hold Independent 16 30 4

Background & Analysis The Conservatives hold exactly half the seats on Boston Council and control the authority with a minority administration.

The authority had rarely seen one single party take outright majority until the Conservatives did at the last local elections in 2011. Since then however, they have lost the majority following a by-election, which returned an Independent. Two members also left the Conservatives, one became an Independent and one switched to English Democrat.

The only other time that one group has taken the majority was in 2007 when extraordinarily, the Boston By-Pass Independents were elected to take charge of the Council. In 2011, the group changed its name to the Boston District Independents in a bid to rid them of the reputation of being a single-issue party. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the re-brand failed and

Broxtowe Borough Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) started to criticise the Council’s Green Belt boundary review. The last Leader elections in 2011, took place at a time when the Liberal Democrats were Liberal Cllr Milan Radulovic Democrat 9 at a low-ebb nationally. There has been a modicum of recovery in their (Lab) Labour 17 support and we would expect to see them win back a few seats at the Last elections likely expense of Labour. 2011 Our prediction Total seats Looking at the current political situation, it is feasible that there could be 44 a Conservative led Council post-election. Either outright with a slim Conservative Seats contested majority or in coalition, probably with the Lib Dems. The UKIP ‘factor’ may 18 44 also be felt, but this could impact the Labour vote as much as the Conservatives here. Background & Analysis In Nottinghamshire, Broxtowe includes the towns and villages of Stapleford, Trowell and Brinsley. NOC hold

Broxtowe has been under No Overall Control since 2003 and whilst the controlling Lab/Lib Dem coalition has been together for a number of years, all seats are up for election in May. The Conservatives and Labour will hope to take outright majority.

It remains to be seen whether any single party can secure a big majority. The Council’s Local Plan and protection of the Green Belt will be key election issues and the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have already

Chesterfield Council Corby Borough Council Current political composition Current political composition (All-out elections) (All-out elections) Leader Leader Liberal UKIP 2 Cllr John Cllr Thomas Beattie Conservative Democrat 2 Liberal Burrows (Lab) 4 (Lab) Democrat 12 Last elections Last elections 2011 2011

Total seats Total seats 48 29 Labour 34 Seats Labour 23 Seats contested contested 29 48 Background & Analysis Background & Analysis Labour hold a strong majority here and this looks set to continue as the Labour currently controls Chesterfield Council. only party to gain seats at the last local elections. The Council has been Labour led since its creation, with the exception of one term from 1976 The unpopularity of the Liberal Democrats nationally was echoed here in when the Conservatives ruled. the 2011 local elections when the Party lost almost two-thirds of its seats and Labour took control of the Council for the first time since 1999. The Our prediction Liberal Democrats held an outright majority and controlled the Council between 2003 and 2011. Labour hold

Our prediction The Liberal Democrats should make some recoveries here but it looks unlikely to be enough to overthrow Labour.

Labour hold

Daventry District Council Derby City Council Current political composition Current political composition (Elections by thirds) (Elections by thirds) Leader Leader Independent UKIP 2 Liberal UKIP 3 Labour 4 Cllr Chris Millar 1 Cllr Ranjit Banwait Democrat 1 Liberal (Con) Democrat 7 (Lab) Last elections Last elections 2014 2014

Total seats Labour 27 Total seats

36 Conservative 51 14 Seats contested Seats contested Conservative 28 12 18

Background & Analysis Background & Analysis Daventry is sandwiched between Northampton and Rugby, and as well as Labour currently controls Derby City Council with a majority of three the town of Daventry, includes East Farndon and Kilby. seats. The Party has held the Council since 2012, when they won an outright majority from No Overall Control. In 2014, the Conservatives held control of Daventry winning 11 of the 12 seats contested. The Council changed from all-out elections in 2012, to Labour retained the majority in the last local elections in 2014. In the elections by thirds in 2014. UKIP picked up two seats, giving them a total same year, the Liberal Democrats lost two seats to UKIP, but all other of three. seats remained unchanged.

Our prediction Our prediction Daventry is regarded as ultra-safe for the Conservatives and has been Labour will maintain, if not strengthen their hold in Derby. since the creation of the authority in 1974. Conservative hold Labour hold

Derbyshire Dales District Council Current political composition (All-out elections) Leader Liberal Independent Democrat 4 1 Labour 5 Cllr Lewis Rose OBE (Con)

Last elections 2011

Total seats 39

Conservative Seats contested 29 39

Background & Analysis Covering much of the Peak District, Derbyshire Dales is Conservative territory with only two Labour wards (returning five councillors) in Winster & South Darley and Worksworth.

Our prediction The Conservatives will keep hold of Derbyshire Dales and there are a number of mixed Conservative/Liberal Democrat wards that could go fully blue at this year’s elections.

Conservative hold

East Lindsey District Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction East Lindsey Leader Lib The Conservatives will be hoping to gain the seats needed to take overall Independents Cllr D A Stephenson Dem/Independents Labour 11 control of the Council. However, boundary changes will see the number 13 (Con) 3 of seats fall by five. Much depends on how this affects the spread of Last elections votes. Vacancy 1 2011 NOC hold Total seats

UKIP 3 55 (60 previously) Seats contested Conservative 29 55

Background & Analysis East Lindsey, Lincolnshire includes the towns of Louth and Horncastle, and the seaside resort of Skegness.

The Conservatives currently control the Council with a minority administration. The authority has never had one party with an outright majority and until 2003, was run by a group of Independent members. In the 2003 local elections, the Conservatives became the largest party and the Independents lost seven seats. In 2007, the Conservatives gained another 13 seats, and made neither gains nor losses in 2011, but still failing (just) to take a majority.

East Northamptonshire Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction Leader The Conservatives will hold the Council in May. Independent Labour 2 Cllr Steven North 3 (Con) Conservative hold Last elections 2011

Total seats 40

Seats contested Conservative 40 35

Background & Analysis East Northamptonshire includes the towns of Rushden, Thrapston and Warmington.

The Conservatives control the Council and they have held outright majority since the Council’s creation, with the exception of one term when Labour managed to take control of the authority in 1995.

In the 2007 local elections, Labour lost its entire representation on the Council and one Independent Councillor denied the Conservatives a clean sweep. Labour regained two seats from the Conservatives in 2011, as did an Independent.

Erewash Borough Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction Leader Labour have a realistic chance of gaining seats in the marginal wards of Erewash Cllr Christopher Long Eaton Central and Abbotsford, as well as seats in those wards that Independent Corbett (Con) 2 were Labour strongholds before members resigned the Party, in Kirk Last elections Hallam and Cotmanhay. 2011 However, boundary changes here will reduce the number of seats by Total seats four, which could affect Labour’s chances to securing a majority. Conservative 47 (51 previously) 26 Labour GAIN Seats contested

Labour 23 47

Background & Analysis Erewash Council in Derbyshire, sits between Derby and Nottingham and includes the town of Ilkeston.

The Conservatives control the Council with a majority of just one seat. The Party took control of the Council from Labour in 2003. At the last local election in 2011, Labour gained six seats, the Conservatives lost two seats and the Liberal Democrats and Independents lost all representation on the Council. This brought Labour within one seat of taking outright majority with 25 seats to the Conservatives’ 26 seats. Since 2011, two Labour members have switched to become Erewash Independents, leaving Labour with more work to do to win the three seats needed to take control of the Council in May.

Gedling Borough Council

Current political composition Our prediction (All-out elections) The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats could make some recoveries Leader Liberal this year, however, realistically Labour should hold the Council. The only Cllr John Clarke (Lab) Democrat 3 real uncertainty is the impact of boundary changes. With almost one-fifth Conservative Last elections of seats disappearing, this could impact the ruling Party more. 15 2011 Labour hold Total seats 41 (50 previously) Labour 32 Seats contested 41

Background & Analysis In addition to the town of Gedling, the authority area includes Arnold, Ravenshead and Carlton.

Labour currently control the Council with a comfortable majority, following a landslide victory at the 2011 local elections, when the Party took the authority from the Conservatives. Labour gained 23 seats from the Conservatives (-13), Lib Dems (-5) and Independents (-5). Prior to this, the Conservatives had ruled the Council in the main for 50 years.

High Peak Borough Council

Current political composition Our prediction (All-out elections) The relatively high number of Independent members could dilute the Leader main party votes. However, Labour are close to an overall majority here Independent Labour Co- Cllr Caitlin Bisknell No political Group 3 operative 1 and they only need to gain two more seats to achieve this. The minor affiliation 1 (Lab) boundary change may help or it could just mean that the authority stays Vacancy 1 Independent Last elections as No Overall Control. 3 2011 Labour GAIN Liberal Total seats Democrat 3 43 (previously 44)

Conservative Labour 20 Seats contested 12 43

Background & Analysis High Peak, which covers Glossop and Buxton, is run by a Labour minority administration. The Party would only need to win two seats to take overall control. Prior to the 2011 local elections, the Conservatives had the majority, but the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats lost 12 seats overall to Labour, pushing the Council into No Overall Control.

Labour last held the Council outright between 1995 and 2003 and prior to that no one party had a majority except a brief Conservative stint in 1976.

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction Leader Labour 1 Cllr Stewart Bray (Lib Lib Dem hold Dem) Conservative 14 Last elections 2011 Liberal Democrat 19 Total seats 34

Seats contested 34 Background & Analysis Hinckley and Bosworth in Leicestershire includes the towns of Hinckley, Market Bosworth and the village of Sheepy Magna.

The Liberal Democrats control the Council with a majority of four seats. The Party took the Council from the Conservatives in a shock win at the 2007 local elections. The Lib Dems lost two seats to the Conservatives at the following elections in 2011, but it wasn’t enough for the Party to lose overall control.

This year, the Conservatives will be concentrating on the key marginal wards such as Hinkley De Montfort, Groby and Burbage Skechley & Stretton.

Kettering Borough Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction Leader Independent UKIP 1 Labour 9 1 Cllr Russell Roberts Conservative hold (Con)

Last elections 2011 Total seats 36 Conservative 25 Seats contested 36

Background & Analysis Kettering Council changed hands from Labour to the Conservatives at the 2003 local elections. The Conservatives took 10 seats from Labour, four from the Independents and the last Liberal Democrat seat, to take the majority.

Boundary changes at the 2007 local elections meant that the number of seats were reduced by nine. Labour were the biggest casualty of the changes, losing eight seats.

In 2011, Labour were the only party to make gains, taking three seats from the Conservatives and Independents. However, this wasn’t enough to weaken the Conservative majority.

Leicester City Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction Elected Mayor Conservative Liberal All eyes will be on the Mayoral election and incumbent Sir Peter Soulsby 1 Democrat 1 Sir Peter Soulsby (Lab) should be re-elected. Labour will retain control of the authority. Last elections

2011 Labour hold

Total seats 54 Seats contested 54 Labour 52

Background & Analysis Labour currently control Leicester City Council with Elected Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby at the helm. Sir Peter was elected to the position in 2011. He was Leader of the Council for 17 years before being elected to the Leicester South parliamentary seat in 2005. He resigned as an MP in 2011 to stand for Mayor where he was elected with a 55% vote share.

Labour won control of the Council from No Overall Control in 2007, when the Liberal Democrats and Independents suffered big losses. Labour gained 18 seats. The Conservatives and Lib Dems suffered a further blow in Leicester at the 2011 local elections losing all of their seats bar one each to Labour.

Lincoln City Council

Current political composition

(Election by thirds) Our prediction Leader Conservative Cllr Martin Hill OBE 6 Labour hold (Lab) Last elections 2014

Total seats 33

Labour 27 Seats contested 11

Background & Analysis Lincoln City Council is controlled by Labour.

In last May’s local elections, Labour gained a further two seats from the Conservatives strengthening their hold on Lincoln Council.

Despite Labour’s clear majority overall, it was a close result in a couple of wards including one seat where Labour’s candidate beat the Conservative by just three votes. In 2014, UKIP fielded a candidate in every ward for the first time, but failed to take any seats.

Mansfield Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) the number of seats reduced from 46 to 36, which affected the Elected Mayor Mansfield Independent, Tory and Lib Dem vote. Independent Labour 2 Tony Egginton (Ind) 10 Last elections At the 2011 Mayoral elections, the contest went to the second round of 2011 votes as no candidate managed to poll more than 50%. In the end, Tony Egginton beat the Labour candidate by just 67 votes. Labour will be Total seats focusing their efforts on the Mayoral election this year and have selected 37 Labour Group leader, Martin Lee in a bid to take back control of the

Labour 25 Seats contested Council. Tony Egginton is standing down after 12 years in the job, giving 37 Labour a real opportunity to win.

Our prediction Background & Analysis The Independents beat Labour to the Mayoral role by just 67 votes in the Mansfield opted for an Elected Mayor and Cabinet style of governance 2011 election. Labour’s success in taking a majority of the district seats following a referendum in 2002. Independent member, Councillor Tony stands them in good stead to take the Mayoral election too. This will put Egginton was elected in 2002 and ended over 30 years of Labour them back in control of the Council. leadership. Mayor Egginton placed four Independent and two Mansfield Labour members in his Cabinet, keeping the largest single party out. Labour hold Council

Other committees are representative of the political composition of the Labour GAIN Mayoralty Council and Labour hold some key chairmanships on several committees, including planning.

Prior to the 2011 local elections, the Council was controlled by the Independent Group. However, at the last elections, the Group lost 15 members, whilst the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats lost all representation on the Council. Boundary changes were introduced and

Melton Borough Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction Independent Leader Labour 4 4 Cllr Byron Rhodes (Lab) Conservative hold Last elections 2011

Total seats

Seats contested Conservative 27 19

Background & Analysis To the south-east of Nottingham, Melton Borough Council includes the towns of Melton Mowbray and Waltham on the Wolds.

The Conservatives took control of the Council from No Overall Control at the 2003 local elections. These elections saw boundary changes and the addition of two seats. The boundary changes assisted the Conservatives as they won both new seats, as well as six others from the Independents and Labour.

Not much changed in the local elections following, with one seat changing from red to blue. The latest elections in 2011 however, saw a little Labour success as they took four seats from the Independents.

Newark & Sherwood District Council North East Derbyshire Council Current political composition Current political composition (All-out elections) (All-out elections) Leader Leader Independent 1 Independent Cllr Roger Blaney Vacancy 1 Cllr Graham Baxter 6 Conservative (Con) 16 MBE (Lab) Liberal Labour 14 Democrat 4 Last elections Last elections 2011 2011

Total seats Total seats 39 (previously 46) Labour 34 52

Conservative Seats contested Seats contested 23 39 52

Background & Analysis Background & Analysis The Conservatives lead the Council with a minority administration. A Labour stronghold, despite the Conservatives gaining six seats at the

last elections in 2011. The Conservatives took the authority from No Overall Control at the 2007

local elections, however, the 2011 local elections saw the Party lose its The Liberal Democrats lost all representation on the Council, losing seven majority, as Labour made gains. The Conservatives remain the largest seats in 2011. party, but boundary changes could impact on their ability to win the

authority outright. Our prediction

Our prediction Labour hold

NOC hold

North Kesteven Council Current political composition (All-out elections) Leader Lincolnshire Hykeham Cllr Marion Brighton NK Independents Independent 3 OBE (Con) Independent 7 2 Last elections 2011

Total seats 43 Skellingthorpe Seats contested Independent 2 Independent Conservative 43 2 27

Background & Analysis North Kesteven includes the towns of Sleaford and North Hykeham. The Conservatives took overall control of the Council in 2003, which is the first time in the Council’s history that one of the main political parties has run the Council with a majority. There has always been a high proportion of Independent members and an Independent Group ran the authority until 1987. The Council was then under No Overall Control until 2003.

Our prediction There has been a number of recent closely fought by-elections where the Conservative and Lincolnshire Independent UK vote has been separated by a small percentage. Despite this, the Conservatives should retain control of the Council.

Conservative hold .

North West Leicestershire Council

Current political composition

(All-out elections) Our prediction Leader Liberal Labour may gain further seats, possibly assisted by boundary changes, but Democrat 1 Cllr Richard Blunt will it be sufficient to remove the Conservatives from power? (Con)

Labour 16 Last elections Conservative hold 2011 Conservative Total seats 21 38

Seats contested 38

Background & Analysis East Midlands Airport lies within the boundaries of North West Leicestershire Council, as well as the towns of Coalville, Worthington, Castle Donington.

The Conservatives first won control of the Council in 2007, with a historic landslide victory. The Party retained power at the 2011 local elections, despite a resurgent Labour Party. Although unable to push the Conservatives off the top spot, they were able to win back seats lost in former strongholds such as Snibston, Measham, Ibstock and Heather, Oakthorpe and Donisthorpe and Hugglescote. The Labour Party were also able to win back seats from the Liberal Democrats in Greenhill and oust the BNP in Whitwick.

Nottingham City Council Oadby & Wigston Borough Council Current political composition Current political composition (All-out elections) (All-out elections) Leader Leader Conservative Independent Cllr Jon Collins (Lab) Independent Conservative Cllr John Boyce (Lib 2 2 4 2 Dem) Last elections 2011 Last elections 2011 Total seats 55 Total seats 26 Seats contested 55 Liberal Seats contested Democrat 22 26 Labour 49

Background & Analysis Background & Analysis A safe authority for Labour, the Party has run the Council for many years. The Liberal Democrats here avoided the dismay suffered in other areas It would take a major upset for Labour to lose overall control of the across the UK in 2011, increasing their majority in the borough from 21 Council. seats to 23. The Conservatives dropped two seats including Wigston Meadowcourt – previously represented by the Conservative leader Cllr Our prediction Colin Gore.

Labour hold In a by-election in 2012, Conservative Cllr Bhupendra won the Oadby Woodlands seat marking the first occasion when residents of the ward returned a Conservative councillor.

Our prediction

Lib Dem hold

Rushcliffe Borough Council Rutland Borough Council Current political composition Current political composition (All-out elections) (All-out elections) Leader UKIP 3 Leader Green 2 Vacancy 2 Labour 5 Cllr J N Clarke (Con) Cllr Richard Gale Independent Independent (Con) 1 Last elections 6 2011 Last elections Liberal Democrat 6 2011 Total seats Conservative 44 (50 previously) 15 Total seats Liberal 26 Seats contested Democrat 2 Conservative 44 Seats contested 34 26

Background & Analysis Background & Analysis Rutland contains Oakham, Stretton and Greetham. To the south-east of Nottingham, Rushliffe covers West Bridgford and

Bingham. The Conservatives took an outright majority in 2007 and retained control

of the Council, despite losing three seats, in 2011. Rushcliffe has been under Conservative rule since the Council’s creation,

except for one term in 1995, when it fell to No Overall Control. Our prediction

It’s difficult to see the Conservatives being dislodged from power here. The previous elections in 2011 saw little movement at the top. The Liberal

Democrats lost five seats, mostly to Labour’s gain. Conservative hold

Our prediction

Conservative hold

South Derbyshire District Council South Holland District Council Current political composition Current political composition (All-out elections) (All-out elections) Leader Leader Cllr Bob Wheeler Vacancy 1 Cllr Robert Clark Labour 17 Independent (Con) 12 (Con) Last elections Last elections

Conservative 2011 2011 19 Total seats Total seats Conservative 36 24 37 Seats contested Seats contested 36 37

Background & Analysis Background & Analysis The Conservatives took control of the Council in 2003, following a period Cllr Bob Wheeler became Leader of the Council in 2011 and is married to of No Overall Control. The local elections in 2007 saw boundary changes the Conservative MP for South Derbyshire, Heather Wheeler. where the number of seats were reduced from 38 to 37 and the BNP lost Historically a Labour Council with a strong majority, the Party’s support its only representation. In the last elections of 2011, there was no started to diminish in the early 2000s and the Conservatives closed the movement and all seats were retained. gap. Finally, in the lead up to the 2007 local elections, Labour had a majority of just six and the Conservatives managed to win the seats The authority was ruled by an Independent group until 1999 when the needed to take control of the Council. In 2011, Labour took back three Conservatives first won a majority. seats and the Conservative majority stands at just two seats. Our prediction Our prediction Despite a large number of Independent seats, A Labour gain looks a distinct possibility. Conservative hold the Conservatives look set to retain control. Labour GAIN

South Kesteven District Council Borough Council of Wellingborough Current political composition Current political composition (All-out elections) (All-out elections) Leader Leader Independent UKIP 2 Labour 7 Independent 12 Cllr Linda Neal (Con) Cllr Paul Bell 3 Labour 8 (Con) Last elections 2011 Last elections 2011 Liberal Total seats Democrat 1 56 (58 previously) Total seats 36 Seats contested Conservative 56 Seats contested 36 Conservative 36 25

Background & Analysis South Kesteven includes Grantham. Background & Analysis The Conservatives took outright majority control of the Council from The Conservatives run the Council with a healthy majority. The Party won Labour in 2003. an outright majority from No Overall Control in 2003. Labour lost five seats in 2007 reducing their representation to just one. However, the The 2011 local elections saw a dip in Conservative support and the Party 2011 local elections saw Labour gain seats at the expense of the Liberal lost four seats to Labour. Democrats and Independents. The Conservatives also made gains, winning a further five seats to strengthen their majority. Our prediction Labour could gain a few more seats in May, but the Conservatives will Our prediction continue to hold control.

Conservative hold Conservative hold

West Lindsey District Council Current political composition (All-out elections)

Independent Leader Labour 2 5 Cllr Jeff Summers (Con)

Last elections 2011

Liberal Total seats Democrat 10 Conservative 36 (37 previously) 20 Seats contested 36

Background & Analysis

West Lindsey covers Gainsborough and North Kelsey.

Previously elected by thirds, the Council moved to all-out elections in

2011. The authority has been Conservative-led since 2008. Prior to this, the authority had only ever been run by a majority party (Lib Dems or Conservatives) six times in its history. The Liberal Democrats still poll

reasonably well here, and look set to remain the second largest party.

Our prediction

Conservative hold

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