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No overall control

Possible result of a UK local election

In the context of local authorities in the United Kingdom no overall control (NOC; ) is a situation in which no single political group achieves a majority of seats, comparable 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

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 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, whilst a Labour-UKIP formal coalition existed in Basildon. Following the 2017 Aberdeen City Council election, all nine Labour councillors were expelled from the party for entering into a coalition with the Conservatives.

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.

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. Following the 2023 Northern Ireland local elections, all eleven councils were under no overall control.

Local authorities

County councils

Council	Seats	Seats	Control
Devon	60	27	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Green coalition
East Sussex	50	22	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Gloucestershire	55	27	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats minority
Hertfordshire	78	32	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats minority
Leicestershire	55	25	Reform UK}}	Reform UK minority
Surrey	81	39	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Warwickshire	57	22	Reform UK}}	Reform UK minority
Worcestershire	57	26	Reform UK}}	Reform UK minority

Metropolitan boroughs

Council	Seats	Seats	Control
Bolton	60	25	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Dudley	72	33	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Kirklees	69	23	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Newcastle upon Tyne	78	37	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Oldham	60	27	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Sheffield	84	35	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition
South Tyneside	54	27	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Stockport	63	30	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats minority
Wirral	66	27	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority

Unitary authorities

Council	Seats	Seats	Control
Bedford	46	14 + mayor	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative mayor
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	76	29	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Christchurch Independents/Poole People/Independent coalition
Bracknell Forest	41	20	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Bristol	70	35	Green Party of England and Wales}}	Green/Liberal Democrats coalition
Buckinghamshire	97	48	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Central Bedfordshire	63	28	Independent politician}}	Independent minority
Cheshire East	82	34	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour/Independent coalition
Cheshire West and Chester	70	35	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Cornwall	87	26	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition
Darlington	50	23	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition
Derby	51	24	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
East Riding of Yorkshire	67	25	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Herefordshire	53	20	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Isle of Wight	39	13	Independent politician}}	Independent/Green/Our Island coalition
North East Lincolnshire	42	18	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
North Somerset	50	15	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green/Portishead Independents/Independent coalition
North Yorkshire	90	43	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Northumberland	69	27	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Peterborough	60	15	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Portsmouth	42	18	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats minority
Redcar and Cleveland	59	19	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Rutland	27	11	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Green coalition
Slough	42	20	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative/Liberal Democrats coalition
South Gloucestershire	61	23	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Labour Party coalition
Southend-on-Sea	51	19	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition
Stockton-on-Tees	56	25	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Torbay	36	17	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative minority
Wiltshire	98	43	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition

London boroughs

Council	Seats	Seats	Control
Croydon	71	34	Conservative Party (UK)}}	Conservative mayor
Havering	55	25	Havering Residents Association}}	Havering Residents Association/Labour coalition
Tower Hamlets	45	21 + mayor	Aspire (political party)}}	Aspire mayor

Welsh principal areas

Council	Seats	Seats	Control
Carmarthenshire	75	37	Plaid Cymru}}	Plaid Cymru minority
Conwy	55	23	Independent politician}}	Independent/Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition
Denbighshire	48	15	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition
Flintshire	67	28	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Merthyr Tydfil	30	14	Independent politician}}	Independent minority
Monmouthshire	46	21	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour minority
Neath Port Talbot	60	27	Independent politician}}	Independent/Plaid Cymru coalition
Pembrokeshire	60	36	Independent politician}}	Independent/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition
Powys	68	22	Liberal Democrats (UK)}}	Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition
Vale of Glamorgan	54	24	Labour Party (UK)}}	Labour/Llantwit First Independents/Independent coalition
Wrexham	56	27	Independent politician}}	Independent/Conservative coalition

District councils

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

References

(May 8, 2007). "OGWR". [[BBC News]].
(10 May 2019). "Labour loses control of council strongholds of Bolton and Darlington". The Guardian.
(24 May 2017). "Ukip and Labour to 'form first coalition'". Echo.
(17 May 2017). "Labour councillors in Aberdeen suspended over Tory coalition". BBC News.
(September 2010). "Controversial Anglesey Councillor Hangs Up His Hat". Anglesey Hidden Gem.
"Scottish Council Elections 2022". BBC News.
"County Councils".
"Metropolitan Boroughs".
"Unitary Authorities".
"New Leader of BCP Council elected".
(16 May 2023). "Cheshire East Council to be run by coalition after deal is struck". BBC News.
(20 May 2025). "Cornwall Council leader decided at crunch meeting". BBC News.
(20 May 2025). "Lib Dems take control of Wiltshire Council ending 25 years of Tory power". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald.
"London Boroughs".
"Welsh Councils".
"The Political Make-up of the Council".
(24 May 2022). "Coalition announced for Neath Port Talbot Council". Wales 247.
"District Councils".
"Basingstoke & Deane Independent Forum".
"Your Councillors".
(8 May 2024). "Three way council coalition agrees to stay in charge as minority rulers". Lancashire Telegraph.
(16 May 2023). "New leader set to be appointed after shock local election results". Leicestershire Live.
"New Administration and Cabinet announced following May's local elections".
(14 June 2023). "Councillor who quit after suffering homophobic abuse is now leader of council". Maldon and Burnham Standard.
"New alliance administration for North West Leicestershire District Council".

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