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In the context of local authorities in the United Kingdom no overall control (abbreviated to NOC; Welsh: dim rheolaeth gyffredinol)[1] is a situation in which no single political group achieves a majority of seats, comparably to a hung parliament. Of the 248 councils who had members up for election in the 2019 local elections, 73 (over a quarter) resulted in a NOC administration. In the 2021 local elections, 14 resulted in no overall control. Outside of the UK, the term may be applied to other local authorities, such as the local councils of Malta and the General Assembly of Budapest in Hungary.

Administration

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Typically, if no party achieves overall control of a council, the largest grouping will form alliances to create an ad hoc governing coalition. Often local authorities have larger proportions of smaller party and independent members than the House of Commons, and when there is no overall control this often results in minor groups having more influence than their numbers alone would suggest.

In a result of no overall control, the largest party may attempt to govern as a minority administration. Parties may also work together to create a formal deal, which can range from a confidence and supply deal[a] to full coalition. Deals, especially the looser kind, can occur between parties which are not traditionally aligned on a national level. For example, a minority Conservative administration was formed in 2019 in Bolton supported by the Liberal Democrats and UKIP,[2] whilst a Labour-UKIP formal coalition existed in Basildon.[3] Following the 2017 Aberdeen City Council election, all nine Labour councillors were expelled from the party for entering into a coalition with the Conservatives.[4]

It is possible for a council to be under no overall control even when there appears to be an overall majority, in particular in the case of a majority of independents, who commonly have no collective policies when elected. This can also arise when the council members divide on other than party lines. For instance, the 2004 elections to the Isle of Anglesey County Council returned more independents than all others put together, but only Plaid Cymru maintained a party group within the council, and not all of its elected members joined the group. The remainder of the council, including some members of other political parties, formed four non-partisan groups, none of which held a majority. The 2008 elections resulted in a group called the Original Independents gaining an overall majority.[5]

No overall control is more common in Northern Ireland and Scotland, in part due to their usage of single transferable vote as opposed to the plurality block voting system used in England and Wales. Following the 2022 Scottish local elections, twenty-seven of the thirty-two councils were under no overall control, with a further three having a majority of independents.[6] Following the 2023 Northern Ireland local elections, all eleven councils were under no overall control.

Local authorities

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County councils

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Council Seats Largest party Seats Control[7] Seats
Cambridgeshire 61 Conservative 22 Liberal Democrats/Labour/St Neots Independent/Independent coalition 36
East Sussex 50 Conservative 24 Conservative minority 24
Gloucestershire 53 Conservative 26 Conservative minority 26
Oxfordshire 63 Liberal Democrats 20 Liberal Democrats/Green coalition[8] 23

Metropolitan boroughs

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Council Seats Largest party Seats Control[9] Seats
Bolton 60 Labour 26 Labour minority 26
Dudley 72 Conservative 34 Conservative minority 34
Kirklees 69 Labour 24 Labour minority 24
Oldham 60 Labour 27 Labour minority 27
Sheffield 84 Labour 36 Labour/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 77
Stockport 63 Liberal Democrats 31 Liberal Democrats minority 31
Wirral 66 Labour 29 Labour minority 29

Unitary authorities

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Council Seats Largest party Seats Control[10] Seats
Bedford 46 Labour 13[b] Conservative mayor 13[c]
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 76 Liberal Democrats 28 Liberal Democrats/Christchurch Independents/Poole People/Independent coalition 44
Bristol 70 Green 34 Green/Liberal Democrats coalition 42
Central Bedfordshire 63 Independent 28 Independent minority 28
Cheshire East 82 Conservative 33 Labour/Independent coalition 45[11]
Darlington 50 Labour 24 Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition 27
Derby 51 Labour 23 Labour minority 23
Durham 126 Labour 54 Conservative/Liberal Democrats/Derwentside Independents/North East/Green/Independent coalition 66
East Riding of Yorkshire 67 Conservative 25 Conservative minority 25
Herefordshire 53 Conservative 21 Conservative minority 21
Isle of Wight 39 Conservative 16 Independent/Green/Our Island coalition 13
North East Lincolnshire 42 Conservative 17 Conservative minority 17
North Somerset 50 Conservative 15[d] Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green/Portishead Independents/Independent coalition 35
Northumberland 67 Conservative 33 Conservative minority 33
Peterborough 60 Labour 18 Labour minority 18
Portsmouth 42 Liberal Democrats 19 Liberal Democrats minority 19
Redcar and Cleveland 59 Labour 22 Labour minority 22
Rutland 27 Liberal Democrats 11 Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 12
Slough 42 Conservative 20 Conservative/Liberal Democrats coalition 23
South Gloucestershire 61 Conservative 23 Liberal Democrats/Labour Party coalition 37
Southend-on-Sea 51 Labour 20 Labour/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition 29
Stockton-on-Tees 56 Conservative 24 Labour minority 22
Wokingham 54 Liberal Democrats 27 Liberal Democrats minority 27

London boroughs

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Council Seats Largest party Seats Control[12] Seats
Croydon 71 Conservative 34 Conservative mayor 34
Labour 34
Havering 55 Havering Residents Association 22 Havering Residents Association/Labour coalition 31

Welsh principal areas

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Council Seats Largest party Seats Control[13] Seats
Conwy 55 Independent 23 Independent/Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition[e] 37
Denbighshire 48 Labour 15 Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition 23
Flintshire 67 Labour 27 Labour minority 27
Merthyr Tydfil 30 Independent 16 Independent minority 15
Monmouthshire 46 Labour 22 Labour minority 22
Neath Port Talbot 60 Labour 27 Independent/Plaid Cymru coalition[f] 29
Pembrokeshire 60 Independent 35 Independent/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition 29
Powys 68 Liberal Democrats 22 Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition 31
Vale of Glamorgan 54 Labour 25 Labour/Llantwit First Independents/Independent coalition 30
Wrexham 56 Independent 24 Independent/Conservative coalition 30

District councils

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Council Seats Largest party Seats Control[16] Seats
Arun 54 Conservative 19 Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition 28
Ashford 47 Conservative 17 Conservative minority 17
Babergh 32 Green 10 Green/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition 24
Basildon 42 Labour 19 Labour minority 19
Basingstoke and Deane 54 Conservative 15 B&D Independents/Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition[g] 28
Brentwood 39 Conservative 19 Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition 20
Broadland 47 Conservative 22 Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition 25
Bromsgrove 31 Conservative 11 Conservative/Independent coalition 18
Burnley 45 Labour 15 Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition[h] 22
Canterbury 39 Labour 18 Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition 27
Charnwood 52 Conservative 23 Labour minority[i] 20
Cherwell 48 Liberal Democrats 17 Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 21
Colchester 51 Conservative 19 Liberal Democrats minority[j] 14
Derbyshire Dales 34 Liberal Democrats 12 Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition 23
East Devon 60 Liberal Democrats 18 Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition 31
East Hampshire 43 Conservative 19 Conservative/Whitehill and Bordon Community Party coalition 25
East Hertfordshire 50 Green 17 Green/Liberal Democrats coalition 27
East Lindsey 55 Conservative 25 Conservative minority 25
East Suffolk 55 Green 16 Green/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition 28
Elmbridge 48 Liberal Democrats 21 Liberal Democrats/Residents Association coalition 35
Folkestone and Hythe 30 Green 11 Green/Liberal Democrats coalition 13
Forest of Dean 38 Green 15 Green minority 15
Gloucester 39 Liberal Democrats 17 Liberal Democrats minority 17
Great Yarmouth 39 Conservative 19 Conservative minority 19
Harborough District Council 34 Conservative 15 Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition 19
Hart 33 Liberal Democrats 12 Liberal Democrats/Community Campaign (Hart) coalition 23
Hastings 32 Green 12 Green/Independent coalition 18
Havant 36 Conservative 13 Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition 21
Hertsmere 39 Conservative 16 Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition 23
Huntingdonshire 52 Conservative 19 Liberal Democrats/Labour/St Neots Independent Group/Green/Independent coalition 32
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 55 Conservative 21 Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 21
Lancaster 61 Green 22 Green/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition 50
Lewes 41 Green 16 Green/Labour coalition 24
Lichfield 47 Conservative 21 Conservative minority 21
Maidstone 49 Conservative 13 Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition 26
Maldon 31 Conservative 10 Maldon District Independent Group minority[22] 6
Malvern Hills 31 Independent 13 Independent/Green coalition 18
Melton 28 Conservative 10 Independent/Labour coalition 15
Mid Sussex 48 Liberal Democrats 20 Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition 24
Newark and Sherwood 39 Conservative 14 Labour minority 10
North Hertfordshire 51 Labour 25 Labour minority 25
North Warwickshire 35 Conservative 17 Conservative minority 17
North West Leicestershire 38 Labour 17 Conservative/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition 19[23]
Norwich 39 Labour 19 Labour minority 19
Oxford 48 Labour 20 Labour minority 20
Pendle 33 Conservative 13 Independent/Liberal Democrats coalition 18
Reigate and Banstead 45 Conservative 19 Conservative minority 19
Ribble Valley 40 Conservative 17 Conservative minority 17
Rochford 39 Liberal Democrats 11 Liberal Democrats/Independent/Green coalition 21
Rother 38 Conservative 10 Labour/Rother Association of Independent Councillors/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 24
Rugby 42 Conservative 17 Conservative minority 17
Runnymede 41 Conservative 12 Labour/Liberal Democrats/RIRG/Green/Independent coalition 25
South Kesteven 56 Conservative 22 Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 28
South Norfolk 46 Conservative 23 Conservative minority 23
Spelthorne 39 Conservative 16 Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition 14
Stafford 40 Conservative 15 Labour/Stafford Borough Independents/Green coalition 24
Staffordshire Moorlands 56 Labour 23 Labour minority 23
Stroud 51 Green 22 Green minority 22
Swale 47 Labour 16 Labour/Swale Independents/Green/Independent coalition 30
Tandridge 43 Liberal Democrats 11 Independent/Oxted and Limpsfield Residents Group coalition 20
Tendring 48 Conservative 14 Independent/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition 28
Tewkesbury 38 Liberal Democrats 16 Liberal Democrats/Independent/Green coalition 29
Tonbridge and Malling 44 Conservative 20 Conservative minority 20
Torridge 36 Independent 16 Independent minority 16
Warwick 44 Green 14 Green/Labour coalition 24
Waverley 50 Liberal Democrats 22 Liberal Democrats/Farnham Residents Party/Labour/Green coalition 38
Wealden 45 Liberal Democrats 11 Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 22
Green 11
Welwyn Hatfield 48 Labour 20 Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition 36
West Devon 31 Conservative 11 Independent/Green/Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition 20
West Lindsey 36 Liberal Democrats 17 Liberal Democrats minority 17
West Oxfordshire 49 Liberal Democrats 21 Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition 36
West Suffolk 64 Conservative 26 Labour/Independent/West Suffolk Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition 28
Worcester 35 Labour 17 Labour minority 17

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Confidence votes in local governments do not cause early elections.
  2. ^ Including the mayor, the Conservatives hold 14 seats.
  3. ^ 14 including mayor.
  4. ^ Includes 2 independents who sit with the Conservative Party and Independents Group on the council.
  5. ^ Conwy's sole Green councillor is in a group with Plaid Cymru.[14]
  6. ^ Liberal Democrats and Green confidence and supply.[15]
  7. ^ The Basingstoke & Deane Independents, Green Party, and the independents sit as the Independent Forum group.[17][18]
  8. ^ The independents sit as the Burnley Independents group.[19]
  9. ^ Supported by the Green Party.[20]
  10. ^ Supported by Labour and the Green Party.[21]
  1. ^ "OGWR". BBC News. May 8, 2007.
  2. ^ Halliday, Josh; Pidd, Helen (10 May 2019). "Labour loses control of council strongholds of Bolton and Darlington". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  3. ^ Chapman, Chloe (24 May 2017). "Ukip and Labour to 'form first coalition'". Echo. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Labour councillors in Aberdeen suspended over Tory coalition". BBC News. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Controversial Anglesey Councillor Hangs Up His Hat". Anglesey Hidden Gem. September 2010. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  6. ^ "Scottish Council Elections 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  7. ^ "County Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Oxfordshire Labour group quits council coalition over SEND failures". BBC News. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Metropolitan Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Unitary Authorities". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Cheshire East Council to be run by coalition after deal is struck". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  12. ^ "London Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Welsh Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  14. ^ "The Political Make-up of the Council". Conwy County Borough Council. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  15. ^ Gregory, Rhys (24 May 2022). "Coalition announced for Neath Port Talbot Council". Wales 247. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  16. ^ "District Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Basingstoke & Deane Independent Forum". Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Your Councillors". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  19. ^ Jacobs, Bill (8 May 2024). "Three way council coalition agrees to stay in charge as minority rulers". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  20. ^ Breens, Julia (16 May 2023). "New leader set to be appointed after shock local election results". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  21. ^ "New Administration and Cabinet announced following May's local elections". Colchester City Council. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  22. ^ Meyler, Piers (14 June 2023). "Councillor who quit after suffering homophobic abuse is now leader of council". Maldon and Burnham Standard. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  23. ^ "New alliance administration for North West Leicestershire District Council". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
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