The 1951 Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 10 May 1951, with boundary changes prompting the whole council's re-election. With the new wards the council grew by a further two (two additional wards also represented an increase of six councillors and two aldermen), as thirteen newly created wards replaced the eleven that were abolished:
Abolished: Armley & Wortley Central Cross Gates & Temple Newsam Farnley & Wortley Holbeck North Holbeck South Hunslet Carr & Middleton Mill Hill & South North Upper Armley West Hunslet
Created: Allerton Armley City Cross Gates Halton Holbeck Hunslet Carr Meanwood Middleton Moortown Stanningley Wellington Wortley
There was a three percent swing from Labour to the Conservatives (as compared to 1949 – swings from 1950's distorted results show much larger swings as seen below) on the night, delivering the Conservatives control of the council with a 30-seat majority. Turnout naturally rose from the previous year's scarcely contested election, to an above average figure of 45.9%.
Election result
The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:
PartyPrevious councilNew councilCllrAldCllrAld Conservatives 36 12 53 18 Labour 42 14 31 10 Total 78 26 84 28 104 112 Working majority
Ward results
References