Local elections were held in the United Kingdom on 6 May 1976. Elections were for one third of the seats on Metropolitan borough councils and for all seats on Non-Metropolitan district councils in England; and for all seats on the Welsh district councils.
The elections were the first electoral test for the new Prime Minister James Callaghan, and were a major reverse for the ruling Labour Party. The opposition Conservative party made large gains of seats and control of councils at the expense of both Labour and the Liberal Party.Tories seize cities but fail to achieve expected landslide, The Times, May 7, 1976Tories gain most in big towns: Liberals ousted in Liverpool, The Times, May 7, 1976Heavy Labour losses in district polls, The Times, May 8, 1976Conservatives control 17 metropolitan councils, The Times, May 8, 1976Another loss for Labour in local elections, The Times, May 11, 1976Protest on poll by Kent Conservatives, The Times, May 12, 1976
The Conservatives easily gained control of their principal target council, Birmingham. The new administration in the city pledged to reintroduce the sale of council houses, which had been stopped by the previous Labour-controlled council.Tory winners plan to sell council houses, The Times, May 8, 1976 Control of another five metropolitan borough councils were gained by the Conservatives at Labour's expense. The party also gained numerous non-metropolitan districts, including large towns and cities such as Derby, Exeter, Ipswich, Leicester, Luton, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Peterborough and York.
Major English councils held by Labour included Manchester, Norwich, Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent.
Break-away groups from the official Labour Party achieved success in two districts. The Lincoln Democratic Labour Association retained control of the city council. The association had been formed following the expulsion of local member of parliament, Dick Taverne from the party.New recruiting drive by Taverne group, The Times, May 8, 1976 In Blyth Valley the Independent Labour Party gained nine seats from the official Labour candidates. The ILP were supporters of Eddie Milne, former MP for Blyth. Milne had been expelled from Labour in April 1974.Former MP views result as sign of personal following, The Times, May 8, 1976 Labour lost control of North East Derbyshire, where all the party's seats in Clay Cross passed to Ratepayer candidates. The town had been the scene of a dispute between the former urban district council and the government over the Housing Finance Act. The Ecology Party won its first elected representation on Rother District Council.
The Liberals lost control of their only local authority, Liverpool City Council. Labour became the largest party on the council, which was under no overall control.
In Wales, the dominant position of Labour was overturned. Major Labour losses were Cardiff and Newport to the Conservatives, Swansea to Ratepayers and Merthyr Tydfil to Plaid Cymru.Labour beaten after decades of rule in Welsh heartlands, The Times, May 8, 1976
England Metropolitan boroughs
DistrictCountyConservativeLabourLiberalIndependentOtherControlDetailsBarnsleySouth Yorkshire139 (-4)5 (+3)0Ratepayers 11 Independent Labour 4 (+1)Labour holdDetailsBirminghamWest Midlands66 (+11)52 (-11)800Conservative gain from LabourDetailsBoltonGreater Manchester43 (+3)20 (-3)2 (-1)4 (+1)0Conservative holdDetailsBradfordWest Yorkshire61 (+4)27 (-1)5 (-3)00Conservative holdDetailsBuryGreater Manchester36 (+8)11 (-5)1 (-3)00Conservative holdDetailsCalderdaleWest Yorkshire34 (+6)13 (-5)4 (-1)00Conservative holdDetailsCoventryWest Midlands26 (+5)28 (-5)000Labour holdDetailsDoncasterSouth Yorkshire17 (+2)35 (-5)04 (+1)Ratepayers 3 (+2) Democratic Labour 1Labour holdDetailsDudleyWest Midlands37 (+8)26 (-9)2 (+1)0Independent Socialist 1Conservative gain from LabourDetailsGatesheadTyne and Wear13 (+2)59 (-4)4 (+1)1 (+1)Rent and Ratepayers 1Labour holdDetailsKirkleesWest Yorkshire38 (+10)25 (-11)9 (+2)0 (-1)0Conservative gain from LabourDetailsKnowsleyMerseyside17 (+5)42 (-4)2 (-1)0Kirkby Householders Federation 2Labour holdDetailsLeedsWest Yorkshire50 (+7)38 (-3)8 (-4)00Conservative gain from NOCDetailsLiverpoolMerseyside17 (+3)4240 (-3)00NOCDetailsManchesterGreater Manchester4554000Labour holdDetailsNewcastle upon TyneTyne and Wear29 (+2)44 (-3)3 +120Labour holdDetailsNorth TynesideTyne and Wear28 (+4)44 (-2)8 (-2)40Labour holdDetailsOldhamGreater Manchester28 (+13)20 (-10)8 (-3)10Labour lose to NOCDetailsRochdaleGreater Manchester31 (+7)19 (-8)10 (+1)00Conservative gain from NOCDetailsRotherhamSouth Yorkshire645030Labour holdDetailsSt HelensMerseyside19 (+4)25 (-4)100Labour holdDetailsSalfordGreater Manchester24 (+3)38 (-4)20Tenants & Ratepayers 2 (+1)LabourDetailsSandwellWest Midlands39 (+7)51 (-7)000Labour holdDetailsSeftonMerseyside432131Ratepayers 1Conservative holdDetailsSheffieldSouth Yorkshire22 (+2)63 (-3)5 (+1)00LabourDetailsSolihullWest Midlands34 (+4)12 (-1)1Independent Resident 4 (-3)0Conservative holdDetailsSouth TynesideTyne and Wear434 (-1)30Progressive 24 (+1)Labour holdDetailsStockportGreater Manchester39 (+5)11 (-1)7 (-3)3 (-1)0Conservative holdDetailsSunderlandTyne and Wear26 (+3)49 (-3)210Labour holdDetailsTamesideGreater Manchester29 (+5)22 (-5)20Independent Labour 1Conservative gain from LabourDetailsTraffordGreater Manchester47 (+5)12 (-1)4 (-4)00Conservative holdDetailsWakefieldWest Yorkshire15 (+4)42 (-6)0 2Ratepayer 7 (+2)Labour holdDetailsWalsallWest Midlands2028 (-3)13 (+1)Ratepayers 7 (+2) Independent Labour 1Labour lose to NOCDetailsWiganGreater Manchester14 (+4)56 (-5)11 (+1)0Labour holdDetailsWirralMerseyside4218600Conservative holdDetailsWolverhamptonWest Midlands24 (+3)34 (-4)00Ratepayers 2 (+1)Labour holdDetailsTotals1064 (+149)1199 (-141)154 (-19)30(0)68 (+10)
District councils A DistrictCountyConservativeLabourLiberalIndependentOtherControlDetailsAdurWest Sussex16 (+4)2 (-1)17 (-3)20Liberals lose to NOCDetailsAllerdaleCumbria10 (+5)23 (-3)023 (-2)0Conservative - Independent holdDetailsAlnwickNorthumberland8 (+2)3 (-2)1 (+1)21 (-1)Independent Labour 0 (-1) 1 vacancyIndependent holdDetailsAmber ValleyDerbyshire218 (-13)14 (+11)26 (+2)0Labour lose to NOCDetailsArunWest Sussex51 (+17)1 (-3)5 (+1)2 (-9)Ratepayers 1 (-6)Conservative holdDetailsAshfield†Nottinghamshire22201Ratepayers 8Labour holdDetailsAshford†Kent30783Ratepayers 1 True Liberals 14 vacanciesConservative holdDetailsAylesbury Vale†Buckinghamshire289218Ratepayers 1Independent lose to NOCDetails † New ward boundaries
B DistrictCountyConservativeLabourLiberalIndependentOtherControlDetailsBaberghSuffolk7110200IndependentDetailsBarrow-in-FurnessCumbria19 (+14)12 (-14)020Conservative gain from LabourDetailsBasildonEssex17 (+6)23 (-6)006Labour holdDetailsBasingstoke†Hampshire3514190Conservative gain from NOCDetailsBassetlawNottinghamshire24 (+12)18 (-11)0 7 (-3)Ratepayers 2 (+2)Labour lose to NOCDetailsBath†Avon3513000Conservative gain from NOCDetailsBeaconsfieldBuckinghamshire32 (+7)0 (-2)0 (-3)55 (-2)Conservative holdDetailsBerwick-upon-Tweed†Northumberland033210Independent holdDetailsBeverleyHumberside44 (+28)1 (-4)312 (-24)0Conservative gain from IndependentDetailsBlabyLeicestershire21 (+7)01 (-4)12 (-4)Ratepayers 3 (+1)Conservative gain from IndependentDetailsBlackburnLancashire27 (+8)17 (-10)8 (-3)0Ratepayers 6 (+3) National Party 2 (+2)NOCDetailsBlackpool†Lancashire356300Conservative holdDetailsBlyth ValleyNorthumberland6231212Independent Labour 11 5 vacanciesLabour holdDetailsBolsoverNottinghamshire4 (+3)25 (-4)07 (+1)0Labour holdDetailsBoothferry†Humberside123019Ratepayers 1Independent holdDetailsBostonLincolnshire13 (+3)3 (-2)3 (-1)13 (-1)Independent with Ratepayer support 2 (+1)NOC (Independent-Conservative)DetailsBournemouthDorset43 (+5)6 (-7)26 (+2)0Conservative holdDetailsBracknellBerkshire27 (+14)3 (-12)1 (-2)00Conservative gain from LabourDetailsBraintreeEssex39 (+19)8 (-14)1 (-2)0Ratepayers 10 (-3)Conservative gain from NOCDetailsBrecklandNorfolk21 (+2)9 (-1)020 (-2)Ratepayers 1 (+1)NOCDetailsBrentwood†Lincolnshire344100Conservative holdDetailsBridgnorthSalop2 (+2)24 (+1)24 (-3)0Independent holdDetailsBrightonEast Sussex44 (+12)15 (-12)000Conservative holdDetailsBristolAvon34 (+9)47 (-9)300Labour holdDetailsBroadlandNorfolk29 (+8)1 (-5)2 (+1)17 (-3)Ratepayers 0 (-1)Conservative gain from NOCDetailsBromsgroveHereford and Worcester32 (+7)8 (-5)00Ratepayers 2 (-2)Conservative holdDetailsBroxbourne†Hertfordshire366000Conservative holdDetailsBroxtowe †Nottinghamshire3711010Conservative holdDetailsBurnley†Lancashire1239120Labour holdDetails † New ward boundaries
C DistrictCountyConservativeLabourLiberalIndependentOtherControlDetailsCambridgeCambridgeshire24 (+13)16 (-10)2 (-3)00Conservative gain from LabourDetailsCannock Chase†Staffordshire1824000Labour holdDetailsCanterburyKent46 (+9)1 (-6)01 (-2)2 (-1)Conservative holdDetailsCaradonCornwall01 (+1)039 (-2)Mebyon Kernow 1 (+1)Independent holdDetailsCarlisleCumbria22 (+4)22 (-2)13 (-2)0Labour lose to NOCDetailsCarrickCornwall9 (+4)4 (-1)428 (-3)0Independent holdDetailsCastle Morpeth†Northumberland952150NOCDetailsCastle PointEssex35 (+16)3 (-15)00 (-1)0Conservative gain from NOCDetailsCharnwoodLeicestershire42 (+8)13 (-1)2 (-3)1 (-4)0Conservative holdDetailsChelmsford†Essex463920Conservative holdDetailsCheltenhamGloucestershire22 (+1)2 (-5)41Ratepayers Association 6 (+4)Conservative holdDetailsCherwellOxfordshire26 (+10)10 (-6)08 (-4)1 VacancyConservative gain from NOCDetailsChester Cheshire44 (+3)10 (-5)2 (+1)1 (-3)Ratepayers 5 (+4)Conservative holdDetailsChesterfieldDerbyshire14 (+6)36 (-7)21 (+1)Independent Labour 1Labour holdDetailsChester-le-StreetDurham022 (-2)65 (+2)0Labour holdDetailsChichesterWest Sussex33 (+18)01 (-5)11 (-11)Residents 5 (+2)Conservative holdDetailsChiltern†Buckinghamshire396140Conservative holdDetailsChorley†Lancashire331102Independent Labour 1Conservative gain from NOCDetailsChristchurchDorset18 (+1)400 (-1)0Conservative holdDetailsCleethorpesHumberside13 (+4)135 (-2)15 (-2)Ratepayers 1 Independent Socialist 1NOCDetailsColchesterEssex391801Ratepayers 2Conservative gain from NOCDetailsCongletonCheshire30527Ratepayers 1Conservative gain from NOCDetailsCopelandCumbria15 (+6)22 (-10)07Tenants and Ratepayers Association 3 (+3) Community Association 1 (+1)Labour lose to NOCDetailsCorby†Northamptonshire1610010Conservative gain from LabourDetailsCotswoldGloucestershire4 (+3)0 (-1)041 (-2)0Independent holdDetailsCravenNorth Yorkshire21 (+7)2 (-3)5 (-4)6Independent Socialist 1Conservative gain from NOCDetailsCrawleyWest Sussex11 (+11)14 (-11)000Labour holdDetailsCreweCheshire28 (+21)24 (-9)0 (-2)4 (-14)Ratepayers and Residents 4 (+4)Labour lose to NOCDetails † New ward boundaries
D DistrictCountyConservativeLabourLiberalIndependentOtherControlDetailsDacorumHertfordshire38 (+11)21 (-10)0 (-1)30Conservative gain from LabourDetailsDarlingtonDurham30 (+22)15 (-13)0 (-8)4 (-1)0Conservative gain from LabourDetailsDartford†Kent2025000Labour holdDetailsDaventryNorthamptonshire24 (+8)2 (-6)09 (-2)0Conservative gain from NOCDetailsDerbyDerbyshire28 (+14)26 (-8)0 (-6)00Conservative gain from LabourDetailsDerwentsideDurham2 (+1)39 (-6)5 (+2)9 (+3)0Labour holdDetailsDoverKent36 (+5)17 (-5)020Conservative holdDetailsDurhamDurham034 (-7)10 (+3)16 (+3)Independent Labour 1 (+1)Labour holdDetails † New ward boundaries
E DistrictCountyConservativeLabourLiberalIndependentOtherControlDetailsEasingtonDurham1 (+1)45 (-8)4 (+4)5 (+3)Independent Labour 5Labour holdDetailsEast CambridgeshireCambridgeshire3 (+2)1 (-1)029 (-1)Independent Socialist 1