2000 Wyre Forest District Council election

The 2000 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 4 May 2000 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was

• Health Concern 19
• Labour 11
• Conservative 5
• Liberal Democrats 4
• Liberal 3[2]

Background

Before the election the council had 17 Labour, 7 Health Concern, 5 Conservative, 5 independent, 4 Liberal Democrats and 3 Liberal councillors, with one seat vacant.[3] The council was run by an alliance of all groups apart from Labour.[3]

57 candidates stood in the election with 15 seats being contested, which included 2 seats in Greenhill ward due to a by-election being held at the same time.[3]

Election result

Health Concern became the largest group on the council after making 8 gains and Health Concern was also boosted by the decision of 3 independent councillors to join the group.[2][4] Labour losses included the deputy leader of the party and the longest-serving member of the council, Michael Kelly, in Habberley and Blakebrook ward.[5] The only other group to make a gain in the election was the Conservatives in Oldington and Foley Park ward where they took a seat from Labour.[5]

The defeats for Labour were put down to the downgrading of Kidderminster hospital, despite the local party opposing the move.[2] Labour said that the results would be a disaster as they said Health Concern had no policies in many areas.[2] However Health Concern put their success down to disillusionment with political parties that had failed to take action over the hospital and that they would represent local opinion.[2]

Following the election the Health Concern group said they wanted to continue the alliance with the other groups apart from Labour.[5]

Wyre Forest local election result 2000[6]

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Health Concern	8			+8	53.3
	Independent	3			-2	20.0
	Labour	1			-7	6.7
	Conservative	1			0	6.7
	Liberal Democrats	1			0	6.7
	Liberal	1			0	6.7

References

1. "Wyre Forest". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
2. Walker, Jonathan (6 May 2000). "Hospital gives healthy majority Labour pushed out by campaigners' success". Birmingham Post. p. 5.
3. "Local Elections: Wyre Forest". Birmingham Mail. 5 April 2000. p. 13.
4. Gray, Chris (5 May 2000). "Tories win Solihull City socialists axed Knowles out as Labour crumbles". Birmingham Post. p. 1.
5. Smith, Sue (5 May 2000). "Health group pledge to rainbow alliance". Birmingham Post. p. 4.
6. "Election results: local councils". The Times. 5 May 2000. p. 4.