title: Portsmouth City Council elections
text: # Portsmouth City Council elections
  
  Portsmouth City Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. Until 1 April 1997 it was a non-metropolitan district.
  
  ## Political control
  
  Since the first election to the council in 1973 following the reforms of the Local Government Act 1972, political control of the council has been held by the following parties:
  
  Non-metropolitan district
  
  | Election | Overall Control | Conservative | Labour | Alliance/Liberal Democrats | Independent | |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1973 | Conservative | 28 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 48 |
  | 1976 | Conservative | 31 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 48 |
  | 1979 | Conservative | 31 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 48 |
  | 1983 | Conservative | 25 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 39 |
  | 1984 | Conservative | 25 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 39 |
  | 1986 | Conservative | 23 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 39 |
  | 1987 | Conservative | 24 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 39 |
  | 1988 | Conservative | 25 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 39 |
  | 1990 | Conservative | 21 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 39 |
  | 1991 | No overall control (Conservative administration) | 19 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 39 |
  | 1992 | No overall control (Conservative administration) | 17 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 39 |
  | 1994 | No overall control (Labour administration) | 15 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 39 |
  | 1995 | No overall control (Labour administration) | 11 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 39 |
  | 1996 | Labour | 6 | 21 | 12 | 0 | 39 |
  
  Unitary authority
  
  | Party in control | Years |
  | - | - |
  | Labour | 1997–2000 |
  | No overall control | 2000–2009 |
  | Liberal Democrats | 2009–2014 |
  | No overall control | 2014–present |
  
  ### Leadership
  
  The leaders of the council since 1994 have been:
  
  | Councillor | Party | From | To |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Leo Madden | Labour | 1994 | 2000 |
  | Ian Gibson | Conservative | 2000 | 2001 |
  | Leo Madden | Labour | 2001 | 2002 |
  | Frank Worley | Conservative | 2002 | 2003 |
  | Phil Shaddock | Liberal Democrats | 2003 | 22 Jun 2004 |
  | Gerald Vernon-Jackson | Liberal Democrats | 22 Jun 2004 | 3 Jun 2014 |
  | Donna Jones | Conservative | 3 Jun 2014 | 15 May 2018 |
  | Gerald Vernon-Jackson | Liberal Democrats | 15 May 2018 | 16 May 2023 |
  | Steve Pitt | Liberal Democrats | 16 May 2023 | |
  
  ## Council elections
  
  ### Non-metropolitan district elections
  
  * 1973 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1976 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1979 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1983 Portsmouth City Council election (New ward boundaries)
  * 1984 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1986 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1987 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1988 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1990 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1991 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1992 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1994 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1995 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1996 Portsmouth City Council election
  
  ### Unitary authority elections
  
  * 1998 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 1999 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2000 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2002 Portsmouth City Council election (New ward boundaries increased the number of seats by 3)
  * 2003 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2004 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2006 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2007 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2008 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2010 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2011 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2012 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2014 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2015 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2016 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2018 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2019 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2021 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2022 Portsmouth City Council election
  * 2023 Portsmouth City Council election
  
  ## City result maps
  
  * 2002 results map
  * 2003 results map
  * 2004 results map
  * 2006 results map
  * 2007 results map
  * 2008 results map
  * 2010 results map
  * 2011 results map
  * 2012 results map
  * 2014 results map
  * 2015 results map
  * 2016 results map
  * 2018 results map
  * 2019 results map
  * 2021 results map
  
  ## By-election results
  
  Drayton & Farlington by-election 1 September 2005 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Stephen Wemyss | 2,148 | 50.9 | +4.2 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Patrict Whittle | 1,973 | 46.7 | +4.3 |
  | | English Democrat | David Knight | 102 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 175 | 4.2 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,223 | 43.0 | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  
  Fratton by-election 16 August 2007 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Liberal Democrats | David Fuller | 1,196 | 58.6 | +2.6 |
  | | Conservative | Gerry Oldfield | 496 | 24.3 | +1.3 |
  | | Labour | Simon Payne | 144 | 7.1 | -5.4 |
  | | English Democrat | David Knight | 131 | 6.4 | -2.1 |
  | | Green | Sean Sanders | 56 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
  | | Independent | Mark Austin | 17 | 0.8 | +0.8 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 700 | 34.3 | +1.3 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,040 | 20.7 | |
  | | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
  
  Nelson by-election 27 September 2007 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Sarah Cook | 791 | 35.0 | +3.2 |
  | | Conservative | Jim Fleming | 682 | 30.2 | +3.3 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Alex Naylor | 548 | 24.2 | -2.9 |
  | | UKIP | Michelle Essery | 90 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
  | | Green | Calum Kennedy | 78 | 3.5 | -2.9 |
  | | English Democrat | Clive Percy | 71 | 3.1 | -4.4 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 | 4.8 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,260 | 22.4 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Copnor by-election 7 February 2008 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Andy Fraser | 1,835 | 55.8 | +38.4 |
  | | Conservative | Jim Fleming | 904 | 27.5 | -18.6 |
  | | Labour | Terry O'Brien | 349 | 10.6 | -8.2 |
  | | English Democrat | David Knight | 117 | 3.6 | -13.6 |
  | | UKIP | Michelle Essery | 57 | 1.7 | +1.7 |
  | | Independent | Mark Austin | 28 | 0.9 | +0.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 931 | 28.3 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,290 | 33.9 | |
  | | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
  