1995 City of York Council election
1995 council election in York, England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elections to the new City of York unitary authority were held on 4 May 1995, although the new unitary authority wasn't officially created until April 1996. All 53 council seats in the city were up for election and the Labour Party won overall control of the council.
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All 53 seats to City of York Council 27 seats needed for a majority | ||||
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Labour had controlled the 1973-1995 York City Council as a majority group since 1986 but following the creation of an expanded City of York unitary authority 22 councillors were returned to represent parished areas previously part of the more rural district council areas of Ryedale (14 councillors), Selby (6) and Harrogate (2). These areas were generally considered to be less fertile territory for Labour. The 15 former York City Council wards were unchanged for this election but each unitary ward elected two councillors, rather than three. The only exception was Foxwood Ward, which continued to return three councillors on the basis of population growth.
In the context of a nationwide disaster for the Conservative Party, Labour won all but four of the former York City Council wards (all four were held by the Liberal Democrats), including both seats in Micklegate, previously a safe Conservative ward. In the parished areas outside the former York city council boundary Labour won three seats (Fulford, Heslington and Copmanthorpe) and the Liberal Democrats won 14. The Conservatives were reduced to just three seats and two Independent councillors were also elected.