sentences:  There were also extraordinary elections held for four of the new unitary authorities being created, in Northumberland, County Durham and Cheshire (two councils - Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester).Scheduled elections for Penwith in Cornwall, Shrewsbury and Atcham in Shropshire, Bedford and South Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire and five district councils in Cheshire were cancelled, due to the up-coming unitary authorities being established in those counties.The Labour Party finished in 3rd place, trailing the Conservatives by 20%, the largest such margin ever between the two main parties.