At the 2000 local elections, Labour lost its majority on Southampton City Council. This is the more middle-class of Southamptonís two seats - just. It contains Southamptonís leafy northern suburbs, although that is not to say this is the more affluent or picturesque half.
There are a number of council estates here, and Test includes the council estate-dominated Redbridge ward on the edge of the city. Southamptonís livelihood has largely come from its position as a thriving seaport, but this half of the city contains little of the dockyards. And while there are many more professional workers here than in Itchen, there is also a higher proportion of only partly skilled workers. The Ford Transit factory is based here, as is the Ordnance Survey Office, but other famous names are scarce.
This seat has changed hands frequently in the last 50 years, swinging between governments regularly since 1955.
At the 2000 local elections, Labour lost its majority on Southampton City Council.