Elections to City of York Council were held on 2 May 2019, as part of the United Kingdom local elections. The election resulted in substantial gains for the Liberal Democrats, who became the largest party, although no party surpassed the 24-seat majority threshold. The Conservatives suffered badly in this election, and lost 12 of the 14 seats they had won at the previous election. The Green Party held all their four seats, and surpassed the Conservatives in the popular vote. Labour gained two seats, although they failed to gain support in rural areas, where voters favoured the Liberal Democrats. On 14 May, The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party announced that they had agreed to run the council in a new 'progressive partnership' coalition, with Green Party leader Andy D'Agorne assuming the role of Deputy Leader of the Council while Liberal Democrat leader Keith Aspden succeeded Ian Gillies as Leader of the Council.
Background
In October 2015, Dafydd Williams stepped down as leader of the local Labour Party with Janet Looker appointed to the role.[1][2] Council leader Chris Steward resigned as leader of the Conservative group for health reasons in May 2016 and was replaced by David Carr.[3] Labour Councillors Julie Gunnell and David Levene resigned in 2017 for personal reasons.[4][5] The seats were retained by Labour candidates Jonny Crawshaw and Michael Pavlovic in the by-elections held in June 2017.[6]
Council Leader David Carr was replaced by Ian Gillies as leader of the Conservative group in January 2018 after losing a vote of no confidence.[7] Labour councillor Sonja Crisp stepped down due to ill health, her seat was retained by Labour candidate Kallum Taylor in February 2018.[8][9] Former leader David Carr and councillor Susan Mercer resigned from the Conservative Party in February 2018 due to “unbridgeable differences” within the local Conservative group to sit as independents.[10] The makeup of the Council was now 15 Labour, 12 Liberal Democrats, 12 Conservative, four Green and four independent councillors; the Conservative/Liberal Democrat joint administration had a majority of one. Ian Gillies was elected leader of the Council in March.[11] In August Labour councillors Fiona Derbyshire and Hilary Shepherd resigned from the Labour Party to sit as Independent Socialists York, leaving the makeup of the Council as 13 Labour, 12 Liberal Democrats, 12 Conservatives, four Greens and six Independents.[12] In March Liberal Democrat councillor Sheena Jackson resigned from the Liberal Democrats Party to sit as an Independent, leaving the makeup of the Council as 13 Labour, 11 Liberal Democrats, 12 Conservatives, four Greens and seven Independents, leaving the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition without a majority for the end of the term. [13]
* Represented the Acomb ward of City of York Council, 2015-2019[15]
† Represented the Acomb ward of York City Council, 1979–1984, the Guildhall ward of York City Council, 1988–1996, [16] the Acomb division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1981–1989, [17] and the Guildhall ward of City of York Council, 1995-2015[18][19][20][21][22]
‡ Represented the Upper Poppleton ward of City of York Council, 1995–2003, [18][19] and the Rural West York ward of City of York Council, 2003-2007[20]
* Represented the Clifton ward of City of York Council, 2015-2019[15]
† Represented the Rawcliffe and Skelton ward of City of York Council, 1999–2003, [19] and the Skelton, Rawcliffe, and Clifton Without ward of City of York Council, 2003-2007[20]
* Represented the Fulford ward of City of York Council, 2003–2015, [20][21][27] and the Fulford and Heslington ward of City of York Council, 2015-2019[15]
* Represented the Guildhall ward of City of York Council, 2015-2019[15]
† Represented the Hull Road ward of City of York Council, 2011-2015[28]
‡ Represented the Guildhall division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1985–1996, [17] and the Guildhall ward of City of York Council, 1995-2019[18][19][20][21][22][15]
§ Represented the Fishergate division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1989-1993[17]
* Represented the Osbaldwick / Heworth division of North Yorkshire County Council, 1985–1996, [17] and the Osbaldwick ward of City of York Council, 1999-2011[19][20][21]
* Represented the Rawcliffe and Clifton Without ward of City of York Council, 2015-2019[15]
† Represented the Bishophill ward of York City Council, 1982–1996, [16] the Bishophill ward of City of York Council, 1995–2003, [18][19] and the Micklegate ward of City of York Council, 2003-2015[20][21][35]
Rural West York ward
The parishes of Askham Bryan, Askham Richard, Hessay, Nether Poppleton, Rufforth with Knapton, Skelton, and Upper Poppleton
* Represented the Westfield ward of York City Council, 1994–1996, [16] and the Westfield ward of City of York Council, 1999–2011 [19][20][21] and 2014-2019[15]
† Represented the Westfield ward of City of York Council, 2015-2019[15]
Wheldrake ward
The parishes of Deighton, Elvington, Naburn, and Wheldrake
^Laycock, Mike (18 September 2015). "Council's Labour leader Dafydd Williams quits". York Press. Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
^Prest, Victoria (26 October 2015). "York Labour names new leader". York Press. Archived from the original on 27 October 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
^"City of York Council leader resigns after stroke". BBC News. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
^Prest, Victoria (25 February 2017). "Julie Gunnell resigns from City of York Council". York Press. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
^Laycock, Mike (27 April 2017). "Senior Labour councillor stands down". York Press. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
^"Labour wins in two York council by-elections - Jonny Crawshaw and Michael Pavlovic elected". York Press. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
^Dillon, Gemma (31 January 2018). "City of York Council leader David Carr dismissed by party". BBC News. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
^Bean, Dan (9 January 2018). "Former mayor Sonja Crisp reveals reasons for her resignation". York Press. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
^Prest, Victoria (16 February 2018). "Kallum Taylor elected as Labour hold seat in Holgate by-election". York Press. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
^Prest, Victoria; Laycock, Mike (22 February 2018). "Outgoing York council leader accuses faction of 'act of betrayal' as he quits Tories". York Press. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
^"Sacked councillors reinstated as Ian Gillies is named new City of York Council leader". YorkMix. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
^"Two councillors quit Labour but continue as Independent Socialists York". York Press. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
^"Councillor quits political group in York". York Press. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstu "Local election results May 2019". City of York Council. 2019.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz "Local election results May 2015". City of York Council. 2015. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020.
^ abcd Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2015). York City Council election results 1973–1994 (PDF) (Report). The Elections Centre, Nuffield College, Oxford.
^ abcd Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2015). North Yorkshire County Council election results 1973-2009 (PDF) (Report). The Elections Centre, Nuffield College, Oxford.
^ abcde Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2015). City of York Council election results 1995–2011 (PDF) (Report). The Elections Centre, Nuffield College, Oxford.
^ abcdefghij "Election '99 - results". City of York Council. 1999. Archived from the original on 16 August 2001.
^ abcdefghijklm "Election results May 2003". City of York Council. 2003. Archived from the original on 11 October 2003.
^ abcdefghijklm "Election results May 2007". City of York Council. 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
^ ab "Guildhall ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.
^ "Bishopthorpe ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
^ ab "Fishergate ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
^ "Triumph for Labour's Barbara Boyce in Heworth by-election". The York Press. 2009.
^ ab "Heworth ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.
^ "Fulford ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.
^ "Hull Road ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.
^ ab "Haxby and Wigginton ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
^ "Heworth Without ward by-election". City of York Council. 2007. Archived from the original on 2 December 2007.
^ "By-election results 2018". City of York Council. 2018. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020.
^ ab "By-election results 2017". City of York Council. 2017. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017.
^ ab "Huntington and New Earswick ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.
^ "Osbaldwick ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.
^ "Micklegate ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
^ "Rural West York ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2015). Ryedale District Council election results 1973-2011 (PDF) (Report). The Elections Centre, Nuffield College, Oxford.
^ ab "Strensall ward". City of York Council. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.