**2015 Exeter City Council election**
The 2015 Exeter City Council election was held on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Exeter City Council in Devon, England. This election coincided with other local elections and the 2015 United Kingdom general election, with one-third of the council’s seats contested.
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## 2015 Exeter City Council election
The 2015 Exeter City Council election took place on 7 May 2015, involving the election of 13 of the 39 seats on Exeter City Council. The council operates on a system of elections by thirds, with one-third of the seats up for election each year for three consecutive years, followed by one year without elections. The 2015 election was held concurrently with the UK general election and other local elections across England, which typically results in higher voter turnout compared to standalone local elections.
Exeter City Council is the local authority for the city of Exeter in Devon, responsible for local services including housing, planning, waste collection, and environmental health. The council is composed of 39 councillors representing 13 wards, each electing three councillors serving staggered four-year terms.
### Background
Prior to the 2015 election, Exeter City Council was under no overall control, with no single party holding a majority of the 39 seats. The Labour Party was the largest party on the council, followed by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats. The political landscape in Exeter has historically been competitive, with Labour and the Conservatives as the main contenders, and the Liberal Democrats maintaining a presence.
The 2015 local elections were held on the same day as the general election, which often influences local voting patterns due to increased voter turnout and national political trends. The general election saw the Conservative Party win a majority in the UK Parliament, which had implications for local elections across the country.
### Electoral system
Exeter City Council elections use the first-past-the-post voting system. Each ward elects one councillor in each election cycle, with the candidate receiving the most votes declared the winner. Councillors serve four-year terms, with elections held in three years out of every four.
### Wards and seats contested
In 2015, 13 seats were contested, one in each of the city’s wards:
– Alphington
– Exwick
– Heavitree
– Mincinglake and Whipton
– Newtown and St Leonards
– Pennsylvania
– Pinhoe
– Priory
– St David’s
– St James
– St Thomas
– Topsham
– Whipton and Barton
Each ward elected one councillor in this election cycle.
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## Election results
### Overall results
The 2015 Exeter City Council election resulted in the Labour Party maintaining its position as the largest party on the council, gaining additional seats and strengthening its control. The Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats both lost seats, reflecting national trends at the time.
| Party | Seats before election | Seats won in 2015 | Seats after election | Seat change |
|——————-|———————–|——————-|———————-|————-|
| Labour Party | 18 | 9 | 21 | +3 |
| Conservative Party| 12 | 3 | 10 | -2 |
| Liberal Democrats | 7 | 1 | 6 | -1 |
| Others/Independents| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Labour’s gains allowed the party to secure a majority on the council, moving from a position of no overall control to overall control.
### Voter turnout
The voter turnout in the 2015 Exeter City Council election was significantly higher than in previous local elections, largely due to the election coinciding with the general election. Turnout figures varied by ward but generally ranged between 60% and 70%, compared to typical local election turnouts of around 30-40%.
### Ward-by-ward results
#### Alphington
Labour held the seat in Alphington with an increased majority, reflecting strong local support.
#### Exwick
The Labour candidate won in Exwick, maintaining the party’s presence in the ward.
#### Heavitree
The Conservative Party retained the Heavitree seat, though with a reduced majority.
#### Mincinglake and Whipton
Labour gained the seat from the Liberal Democrats, contributing to Labour’s overall gains.
#### Newtown and St Leonards
Labour held the seat comfortably.
#### Pennsylvania
Labour retained the seat with a strong vote share.
#### Pinhoe
The Conservative Party held Pinhoe, though with a narrower margin than in previous elections.
#### Priory
Labour gained the seat from the Liberal Democrats.
#### St David’s
Labour held the seat with an increased majority.
#### St James
Labour retained the seat.
#### St Thomas
Labour held the seat, maintaining its dominance in the area.
#### Topsham
The Conservative Party retained Topsham.
#### Whipton and Barton
Labour held the seat.
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## Aftermath and significance
The 2015 Exeter City Council election marked a turning point in the city’s local politics, with Labour gaining overall control of the council for the first time in several years. This shift allowed Labour to implement its local policy agenda more effectively, focusing on issues such as affordable housing, environmental sustainability, and community services.
The election results also reflected broader national political trends, with the Liberal Democrats continuing to lose ground following their participation in the coalition government from 2010 to 2015. The Conservatives maintained a presence in Exeter but were unable to make significant gains at the local level despite their national success.
Labour’s majority on the council provided stability and clearer leadership, which was seen as beneficial for long-term planning and service delivery in Exeter.
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## Political context
The 2015 local elections in England were held against the backdrop of the general election, which saw the Conservative Party win a surprise overall majority in Parliament. The local election results in Exeter mirrored some of the national patterns, with Labour consolidating urban areas and the Conservatives maintaining strength in suburban and rural wards.
The Liberal Democrats suffered losses nationally and locally, attributed to voter dissatisfaction with their role in the coalition government. This decline was evident in Exeter, where the party lost seats to Labour.
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## Council composition following the election
Following the 2015 election, the composition of Exeter City Council was as follows:
– Labour Party: 21 seats
– Conservative Party: 10 seats
– Liberal Democrats: 6 seats
– Others/Independents: 2 seats
Labour’s 21 seats gave it a majority on the 39-seat council, enabling it to control council decisions without requiring support from other parties.
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## Impact on local governance
Labour’s majority allowed the party to pursue its policy priorities more decisively. Key areas of focus included:
– Increasing the supply of affordable housing to address local demand.
– Enhancing environmental initiatives, including waste reduction and sustainable transport.
– Supporting community development projects and improving public services.
– Promoting economic development and regeneration within the city.
The council’s leadership emphasized collaboration with local stakeholders, including businesses, community groups, and neighbouring authorities, to achieve these goals.
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## Subsequent elections
The 2015 election set the stage for subsequent council elections in Exeter. Labour’s strengthened position was tested in later elections, with the party seeking to maintain its majority amid changing political dynamics.
The next scheduled elections for Exeter City Council were held in 2016, continuing the cycle of elections by thirds.
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## Summary
The 2015 Exeter City Council election was a significant local political event that resulted in the Labour Party gaining overall control of the council. Held concurrently with the UK general election, the local election saw increased voter turnout and reflected national political trends. Labour’s gains allowed it to implement its policy agenda more effectively, shaping the governance of Exeter in the following years.
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**META_DESCRIPTION:**
The 2015 Exeter City Council election was held on 7 May 2015, resulting in the Labour Party gaining overall control of the council. The election coincided with the UK general election and saw increased voter turnout across the city’s wards.