Elections to Croydon Council in London, England were held on 7 May 1998. The whole council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council. For the first time in a local election two polling stations were situated in supermarkets.
Before the election the council had been seen as a top target for the Conservatives who only needed a small swing of 2 per cent to take control. The Labour party had taken control of the council for the first time in the council's history in the previous election in 1994. The removal of mounted patrols from parks and an increase in nursery places were seen as important issues in the election. Both main parties concentrated on trying to get their vote out and were targeting several key wards.
Background In the intervening years between the 1994 and 1998 elections there were a total of 4 by-elections, none of which resulted in a seat changing hands between parties.
In fact, this council was rare in that its composition hadn't changed in the 4 years between elections. As such, the composition of the council just before the election was as follows:
+ ↓ 40 30
Election result
+ ↓ 38 1 31
Ward results (*) - Indicates an incumbent candidate
(†) - Indicates an incumbent candidate standing in a different ward
Addiscombe
Ashburton
Bensham Manor
Beulah
Broad Green
Coulsdon East
Croham
Fairfield
Fieldway
Heathfield
Kenley
Monks Orchard
New Addington
Norbury
Purley
Rylands
Sanderstead
Selsdon
South Norwood
Spring Park
Thornton Heath
Upper Norwood
Waddon
West Thornton
Whitehorse Manor
Woodcote and Coulsdon West
Woodside
Notes
References