Lewisham local elections

The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough, in the United Kingdom, established in 1964. Elections are held every four years using a plurality bloc vote electoral system for the councillors and the supplementary vote electoral system for the elected mayor.

Civic Mayors and Chairs of the Council

Main article: List of mayors of Lewisham

Executive mayor

Main article: Directly elected mayor of Lewisham

2010 council	Elected Mayor	Steve Bullock, 2010–present	Labour
2006 council	Elected Mayor	Steve Bullock, 2006-2006	Labour
2002 council	Elected Mayor	Steve Bullock, 2002–2006	Labour

Leaders of the Council

1998 council	Leader	Dave Sullivan, 1998–2002	Labour
1994 council	Leader Leader	Jim Mallory, 1995–1998 Margaret Moran, 1994/1995	Labour Labour
1990 council	Leader Leader	Margaret Moran, 1993–1994 Steve Bullock, 1990–1993	Labour Labour
1986 council	Leader Leader	Steve Bullock, 1988–1990 Dave Sullivan, 1986–1988	Labour Labour
1982 council	Leader Leader Leader	Dave Sullivan, 1985/1986 Ron Stockbridge, 1984/1985 Andy Hawkins, 1982–1984	Labour Labour Labour
1978 council	Leader	Andy Hawkins, 1978–1982	Labour
1974 council	Leader	Andy Hawkins, 1974–1978	Labour
1971 council	Leader	Andy Hawkins, 1971–1974	Labour
1968 council	Leader	Norman Dinsdale Banks, 1968–1971	Conservative
1964 council	Leader	Fred W.Winslade, 1965–1968	Labour

Election results 2002-2010

In 2002 the council was reduced to its smallest size ever: 18 wards of 3 councillors each, plus an Elected Mayor, an innovation introduced by the Government two years earlier in the Local Government Act 2000. Incumbent Dave Sullivan who was combining the roles of Civic Mayor and Leader of the Council, in preparation for the introduction of the new system lost an acrimonious Labour Party internal primary to Steve Bullock, who went on to win the position. However, local policy difficulties as well as the problems the Labour Party was experiencing nationally meant that the 2006 election turned out to be only the second time that Labour didn't win a majority of councillors.

	2002	2006	2010
Bellingham	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Blackheath	Lab 3	Lib Dem 3	Lib Dem 2 / Lab 1
Brockley	Lab 2 / Green 1	Green 3	Lab 2 / Green 1
Catford South	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Crofton Park	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 2 / Lib Dem 1
Downham	Lib Dem 2 / Lab 1	Lib Dem 3	Lib Dem 3
Evelyn	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Forest Hill	Lab 3	Lib Dem 3	Lib Dem 2 / Lab 1
Grove Park	Con 2 / Lab 1	Con 3	Con 2 / Lab 1
Ladywell	Lab 3	Green 3	Lab 3
Lee Green	Lab 3	Lib Dem 3	Lib Dem 2 / Lab 1
Lewisham Central	Lab 3	Lib Dem 2 / Lab 1	Lab 3
New Cross	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Perry Vale	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Rushey Green	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Sydenham	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Telegraph Hill	Lab 1 / LEAP 1 / Soc 1	Soc 2 / Lab 1	Lab 3
Whitefoot	Lib Dem 2 / Lab 1	Lib Dem 3	Lib Dem 2 / Lab 1

Map showing the borders of the 18 wards of the London Borough of Lewisham, coloured to show the results of the 2006 local election results

2010 Council:
Labour 40*; Liberal Democrats 12; Green 1; Conservative 2

2006 Council:
Labour 27*; Liberal Democrats 17; Green 6; Conservative 3; Socialist 2

2002 Council:
Labour 46*; Liberal Democrats 4; Conservative 2; Socialist 1; Green 1; Local Education Action for Parents (LEAP) 1

*including Elected Mayor

By-elections in the 2002 council

(winning party shown)

17 March 2005 - Forest Hill (Lib Dem)
17 March 2005 - Lee Green (Lib Dem)
10 June 2004 - Evelyn (Labour)
10 June 2004 - Lee Green (Labour)
4 December 2003 - Telegraph Hill (Socialist)
23 October 2003 - Lewisham Central (Lib Dem) [All postal ballot]
7 November 2002 - Downham (Lib Dem)
10 October 2002 - Lee Green (Lib Dem)

By-elections in the 2006 council

(winning party shown)

13 September 2007 - Whitefoot (Lib Dem)
19 February 2009 - 2x Downham (2x Lib Dem)

Election results 1978-1998

In 1978 the council was increased to 67 seats as the ward boundaries were reviewed and changed. Also, the Government changed the law to extend Council terms everywhere from three to four years, so the 1974 council was given an extra year of life.

	1978	1982	1986	1990	1994	1998
Bellingham	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Blackheath	Lab 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Blythe Hill	Con 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Catford	Con 2	Con 2	Con 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Churchdown	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Crofton Park	Con 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Downham	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lib Dem 3	Lib Dem 3	Lib Dem 3
Drake	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Evelyn	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Forest Hill	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Grinling Gibbons	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Grove Park	1 Lab / 1 Con	Lab 2	1 Lab / 1 Con	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Hither Green	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Horniman	Con 3	Con 3	Con 3	Lab 2 / Con 1	Lab 3	Lab 3
Ladywell	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Manor Lee	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Marlowe	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Pepys	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Perry Hill	Con 3	Lab 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Rushey Green	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
St Andrews	Con 2	Con 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
St Margaret	1 Lab / 1 Con	Con 2	1 Lab / 1 Con	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
St Mildred	Con 3	Con 3	Con 3	Con 3	2 Lab / 1 Con	2 Con / 1 Lab
Sydenham East	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Sydenham West	Con 3	Con 3	2 Lab / 1 Con	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Whitefoot	Lab 2	Con 2	1 Lab / 1 Con	Lab 2	Lab 2	1 Lab / 1 Lib Dem

Wards used in the London Borough of Lewisham from 1978 to 1998

1998 Council:
Labour 61; Lib Dem 4; Conservative 2

1994 Council:
Labour 63; Lib Dem 3; Conservative 1

1990 Council:
Labour 58; Conservative 6; Lib Dem 3

1986 Council:
Labour 50; Conservative 17

1982 Council:
Labour 43; Conservative 24

1978 Council:
Labour 44; Conservative 23

By-elections in the 1998 council

(winning party shown)
8 November 2001 - Bellingham (Labour)
8 February 2001 - Marlowe (Labour)
23 November 2000 - Pepys (Socialist)
15 July 1999 - Churchdown (Labour)
10 June 1999 - Pepys (Socialist)
8 April 1999 - Downham (Lib Dem)
25 November 1998 - Grinling Gibbons (Labour)

Election results 1964-1974

Between 1964 and 1974 the council was elected on wards created before the borough was created: 18 councillors in 6 wards from the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford and 42 councillors in 17 wards from the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham. The election of the first council in 1964 constituted the practical creation of the London Borough of Lewisham. It operated in 'shadow' form and did not take over administration of services until a year later. Whilst the term of a council at that time was three years, the Government extended the life of all the London Boroughs in order to de-synchronize the timetabling of elections with those of the Greater London Council.

However, the 1968 council elections were a disaster for the Labour Party who were in national government at the time, and this was reflected in this borough - the three-year period 1968-1971 remains the only time in the borough's existence that Labour has not formed the administration. Non-Labour governance didn't take - the 1971 election saw the Conservative Party unable to defend its gains, as - now in national government itself - it was crushed in turn.

	1964	1968	1971	1974
Area of the former Metropolitan Borough of Deptford
Brockley	Lab 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Deptford	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Drake	Lab 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Grinling Gibbons	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Marlowe	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Pepys	Lab 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Area of the former Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham
Bellingham	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Blackheath and Lewisham Village	Con 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Culverley	Con 2	Con 2	Con 2	Con 2
Forest Hill	Lab 2 / Con 1	Con 3	Lab 3	Con 3
Honor Oak Park	Con 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Con 3
Grove Park	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Ladywell	Lab 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Lewisham Park	Lab 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Manor Lee	Lab 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Rushey Green	Lab 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
St Andrew	Lab 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
St Mildred Lee	Con 2	Con 2	Con 2	Con 2
Southend	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
South Lee	Lab 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2
Sydenham East	Lab 2 / Con 1	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 3
Sydenham West	Con 3	Con 3	Lab 3	Lab 2 / Con 1
Whitefoot	Lab 2	Con 2	Lab 2	Lab 2

1974 Council:
Labour 49; Conservative 11

1971 Council:
Labour 55; Conservative 5

1968 Council:
Conservative 41; Labour 19

1964 Council:
Labour 45; Conservative 15