Richmondshire District Council elections
# Richmondshire District Council elections

Richmondshire District Council was the local authority for Richmondshire in North Yorkshire, England from 1974 to 2023. It was elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2003, 34 councillors had been elected from 24 wards.

## Political control

Since the first election to the council in 1973 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:

| Party in control | Years |
| - | - |
| Independent | 1973–1999 |
| No overall control | 1999–2015 |
| Conservative | 2015–2019 |
| No overall control | 2019–2023 |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:

| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| - | - | - | - |
| John Blackie | Independent | 2001 | 2003 |
| John Blackie | Conservative | 2003 | 2007 |
| Melva Steckles | Conservative | 2007 | 2009 |
| Fleur Butler | Conservative | 2009 | 2011 |
| John Blackie | Independent | 2011 | 2015 |
| Yvonne Peacock | Conservative | 19 May 2015 | 21 May 2019 |
| Angie Dale | Independent | 21 May 2019 | 31 Mar 2023 |

## Council elections

Summary of the council composition after recent council elections, click on the year for full details of each election. Boundary changes took place for the 2003 election.

* 1973 Richmondshire District Council election
* 1976 Richmondshire District Council election
* 1979 Richmondshire District Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 1983 Richmondshire District Council election
* 1987 Richmondshire District Council election

| Year | Conservative | Independent | Liberal Democrats | Richmondshire Independent | Social Democrat | Green | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1991 | 1 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same |
| 1995 | 2 | 23 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 6 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | New ward boundaries |
| 2007 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 14 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 21 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | New ward boundaries, 10 fewer seats. |

## District result maps

* 2003 results map
* 2007 results map

## By-election results

By-elections occur when seats become vacant between council elections. Below is a summary of recent by-elections; full by-election results can be found by clicking on the by-election name.

| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Winning party |
| - | - | - | - |
| Catterick and Tunstall | 5 December 1996 | Liberal Democrats | Conservative |
| Hipswell | 26 August 1997 | Independent | Liberal Democrats |
| Hipswell | 5 March 1998 | Independent | Liberal Democrats |
| Lower Dale | 2 April 1998 | Independent | Conservative |
| Aysgarth | 3 December 1998 | Independent | Independent |
| Colburn by-election | 9 September 1999 | Independent | Independent |
| St Michael with St Luke by-election | 22 February 2001 | Independent | Independent |
| Middleham and Coverdale by-election | 7 June 2001 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Catterick with Tunstall by-election | 30 August 2001 | SDP | Liberal Democrats |
| Leyburn by-election | 25 October 2001 | Liberal Democrats | Conservative |
| Gilling West by-election | 2 November 2006 | Independent | Independent |
| Newsham with Eppleby | 7 August 2008 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Hipswell | 15 October 2009 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Middleham | 15 October 2009 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Hornby Castle | 3 May 2012 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Hornby Castle | 12 December 2013 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Reeth and Arkengarthdale | 13 February 2014 | Independent | Independent |
| Richmond East | 17 September 2015 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Catterick | 25 February 2016 | Conservative | Conservative |
| Richmond Central | 31 March 2016 | Liberal Democrats | Independent |
| Catterick | 18 August 2016 | Independent | Conservative |
| Reeth and Arkengarthdale | 18 May 2017 | Independent | Conservative |
| Hawes, High Abbotside and Upper Swaledale | 17 October 2019 | Independent | Independent |

### 2007-2011

Newsham with Eppleby By-Election 7 August 2008 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | | 295 | 59.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 130 | 26.2 |
| | Independent | | 72 | 14.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 165 | 33.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 497 | 46.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

Hipswell By-Election 15 October 2009 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | | 144 | 39.0 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 126 | 34.1 | +8.9 |
| | Independent | | 99 | 26.8 | -10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 369 | 12.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

Middleham By-Election 15 October 2009 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | | 253 | 85.5 | +10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 43 | 14.5 | -10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 210 | 71.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 296 | 27.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2011-2015

Retirement of District Councillor Lin Clarkson.

Hornby Castle by-election, 12th December 2013 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Robin Scott | 127 | 46.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Helen Grant | 98 | 35.6 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Jacqueline Brakenberry | 50 | 18.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 9.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 275 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

Death of Independent Cllr Bob Gale.

Reeth and Arkengarthdale By-Election, 13th February 2014 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Richard Beal | 127 | 46.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Dave Morton | 83 | 23.3 | +11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 22.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### 2015-2019

Death of Independent Cllr Tony Pelton.

Catterick By-Election, 18 August 2016 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Stephen Wyrill | 228 | 41.8 | -12.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Coates | 205 | 37.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Jill McMullon | 112 | 20.5 | -13.1 |
| | Green | Robbie Kelly | 3 | 0.5 | -11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 | 4.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 564 | 27.95 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

Death of Independent Cllr Richard Beal.

Reeth and Arkengarthdale By-Election, 18 May 2017 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Ian Scott | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### 2019-2023

Death of Independent Cllr John Blackie.

Hawes, High Abbotside and Upper Swaledale By-Election, 17 October 2019 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Jill McMullon | 409 | 58.7 | +58.7 |
| | Conservative | Pat Kirkbride | 231 | 33.1 | +17.8 |
| | Green | Margaret Lowndes | 57 | 8.2 | +8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 178 | 25.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 697 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
