Harrogate Borough Council elections
# Harrogate Borough Council elections

One third of Harrogate Borough Council in North Yorkshire, England was elected each year, followed by one year without election. Since the last boundary changes in 2002, 54 councillors had been elected from 35 wards. The last elections were held in 2018, ahead of the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council on 31 March 2023. Its functions transferred to the new North Yorkshire Council. The first elections to the North Yorkshire Council took place on 5 May 2022, when 21 councillors were elected from 21 divisions in the Borough of Harrogate.

## Political control

Since the foundation of the council in 1973 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:

| Party in control | Years |
| - | - |
| Conservative | 1976–1990 |
| No overall control | 1990–1994 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1994–2002 |
| No overall control | 2002–2003 |
| Conservative | 2003–2006 |
| No overall control | 2006–2010 |
| Conservative | 2010–2023 |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2005 have been:

| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| - | - | - | - |
| Mike Gardner | Conservative | 23 May 2005 | 8 May 2011 |
| Don Mackenzie | Conservative | 20 May 2011 | 21 May 2012 |
| Anthony Alton | Conservative | 21 May 2012 | 12 Jun 2014 |
| Richard Cooper | Conservative | 12 Jun 2014 | 31 Mar 2023 |

## Council elections

* 1973 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1976 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1979 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1983 Harrogate Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 1984 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1986 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1987 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1988 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1990 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1991 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1992 Harrogate Borough Council election (Borough boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)
* 1994 Harrogate Borough Council election (Borough boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)
* 1995 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1996 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1998 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 1999 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2000 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2002 Harrogate Borough Council election (New ward boundaries reduced the number of seats by 5)
* 2003 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2004 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2006 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2007 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2008 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2010 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2012 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2014 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2015 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2016 Harrogate Borough Council election
* 2018 Harrogate Borough Council election

## Borough result maps

* 2006 results map
* 2008 results map
* 2010 results map

## By-election results

### 1997-2001

Fountains By-Election 26 June 1997 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 196 | 54.2 | -24.0 |
| | Conservative | | 166 | 45.6 | +45.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 8.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 362 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Ripon East By-Election 26 June 1997 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | | 290 | 41.3 | -3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 255 | 36.3 | +36.3 |
| | Labour | | 157 | 22.4 | -33.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 5.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 702 | 17.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

Ripon West By-Election 26 June 1997 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 461 | 59.9 | -3.0 |
| | Conservative | | 309 | 40.1 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 152 | 19.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 770 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Lower Nidderdale By-Election 30 July 1998 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 378 | 50.3 | +12.1 |
| | Conservative | | 353 | 47.0 | -6.8 |
| | Labour | | 20 | 2.7 | -5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 | 3.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 751 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

Marston Moor By-Election 4 February 1999 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 486 | 61.4 | +24.4 |
| | Conservative | | 278 | 35.1 | -15.9 |
| | Labour | | 27 | 3.4 | -8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 208 | 26.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 791 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

Pateley Bridge By-Election 24 February 2000 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 506 | 58.6 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | | 345 | 39.9 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | | 13 | 1.5 | -4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 | 18.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 864 | 43.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Newby By-Election 24 February 2000 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | | 639 | 45.8 | -24.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 285 | 20.4 | +20.4 |
| | Independent | | 285 | 20.4 | +20.4 |
| | Labour | | 187 | 13.4 | -16.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 354 | 25.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,396 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2001-2005

New Park By-Election 6 May 2004 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 910 | 65.4 | -0.3 |
| | Conservative | | 417 | 30.0 | +3.1 |
| | Independent | | 33 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | | 31 | 2.2 | -5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 493 | 35.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,391 | 34.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### 2005-2010

New Park By-Election 11 September 2008 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Webber | 843 | 61.1 | -14.2 |
| | Conservative | Sharon Bentley | 491 | 35.6 | +20.9 |
| | Labour | Andrew Gray | 45 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 352 | 25.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,379 | 33.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Bilton By-Election 19 February 2009 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clare McKenzie | 902 | 50.4 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Sharon Bentley | 673 | 37.6 | -6.9 |
| | BNP | Steven Gill | 164 | 9.2 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Andrew Gray | 51 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 229 | 12.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,790 | 42.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Starbeck By-Election 27 August 2009 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Law | 886 | 63.4 | -8.8 |
| | Conservative | Dennis Pinchen | 252 | 18.0 | +5.0 |
| | Independent | David Rimington | 178 | 12.7 | +12.7 |
| | Labour | Geoff Foxall | 82 | 5.9 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 634 | 45.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,398 | 31.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### 2010-2018

Woodfield By-Election 7 January 2010 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Greta Knight | 688 | 62.6 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Heather Adderley | 246 | 22.4 | +7.5 |
| | BNP | Steven Gill | 92 | 8.4 | -4.1 |
| | Labour | Daniel Maguire | 73 | 6.6 | -7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 442 | 40.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,099 | 27.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

Previous councillor in Woodfield had been elected as a Liberal Democrat and then defected to the Conservatives.

Rossett By-Election 15 November 2012 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Siddans | 807 | 46.3 | +22.3 |
| | Conservative | Rebecca Burnett | 704 | 40.4 | -24.2 |
| | UKIP | Salvina Bashforth | 127 | 7.3 | +7.3 |
| | Labour | Patricia Foxall | 106 | 6.1 | -5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 103 | 7.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,744 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

Bilton By-Election 15 November 2012 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Val Rodgers | 623 | 46.0 | +8.8 |
| | Conservative | Neil Bentley | 395 | 29.2 | -16.1 |
| | Labour | Andrew Gray | 208 | 15.4 | +2.1 |
| | UKIP | David Simister | 127 | 9.4 | +9.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 228 | 16.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,353 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

Hookstone By-Election 17 July 2014 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clare Skardon | 886 | 51.7 | +9.1 |
| | Conservative | Phil Headford | 551 | 32.1 | -1.9 |
| | UKIP | Alan Henderson | 206 | 12.0 | -4.3 |
| | Labour | Pat Foxall | 71 | 4.1 | -3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 335 | 19.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,714 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

Washburn By-Election 28 September 2017 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Victoria Oldham | 363 | 74.5 | -0.5 |
| | Labour | Laura Dinning | 61 | 12.5 | -0.9 |
| | Green | Paul Trewhitt | 44 | 9.0 | +9.0 |
| | Yorkshire | Jack Render | 19 | 3.9 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 302 | 62.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 487 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2018-2023

Knaresborough Scriven Park By-Election 29 July 2021 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hannah Gostlow | 635 | 56.6 | +19.5 |
| | Conservative | Jacqueline Renton | 384 | 34.3 | -4.1 |
| | Labour | Sharon-Theresa Calvert | 91 | 8.1 | -16.4 |
| | UKIP | Harvey Alexander | 11 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,124 | 31.16 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

Wathvale By-Election 5 May 2022 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Sam Green | 686 | 52.6 | -13.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Knight | 321 | 24.6 | +3.8 |
| | Green | Hannah Corlett | 297 | 22.8 | +22.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 365 | 28.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,304 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
