No overall control

In the context of local authorities in the United Kingdom, no overall control (abbreviated to NOC; Welsh: dim rheolaeth gyffredinol)^[1] is a situation in which no single political group achieves a majority of seats, comparably to a hung parliament. Of the 248 councils who had members up for election in the 2019 local elections, 73 (over a quarter) resulted in a NOC administration. In the 2021 local elections, 14 resulted in no overall control. Outside of the UK, the term may be applied to other local authorities, such as the local councils of Malta and the General Assembly of Budapest in Hungary.

Administration

Typically, if no party achieves overall control of a council, the largest grouping will form alliances to create an ad hoc governing coalition. Often local authorities have larger proportions of smaller party and independent members than the House of Commons, and when there is no overall control this often results in minor groups having more influence than their numbers alone would suggest.

In a result of no overall control, the largest party may attempt to govern as a minority administration, such as the Conservatives in Dudley and Thurrock or Labour in Stockport and Brighton and Hove. Parties may also work together to create a formal deal, which can range from a confidence and supply deal to full coalition. Deals, especially the looser kind, can occur between parties which are not traditionally aligned on a national level. For example, a minority Conservative administration was formed in 2019 in Bolton supported by the Liberal Democrats and UKIP whilst a Labour-UKIP formal coalition exists in Basildon. Following the 2017 Aberdeen City Council election, all nine Labour councillors were expelled from the party for entering into a coalition with the Conservatives. Conversely, the two parties formed a coalition administration in Worcester following the 2019 elections.

It is possible for a council to be under no overall control even when there appears to be an overall majority, in particular in the case of a majority of independents, who commonly have no collective policies when elected. This can also arise when the council members divide on other than party lines. For instance, the 2004 elections to the Isle of Anglesey County Council returned more independents than all others put together, but only Plaid Cymru maintained a party group within the council, and not all of its elected members joined the group. The remainder of the council, including some members of other political parties, formed four non-partisan groups, none of which held a majority. The 2008 elections resulted in a group called the Original Independents gaining an overall majority.

No overall control is more common in Northern Ireland and Scotland, in part due to their usage of single transferable vote as opposed to the plurality block voting system used in England and Wales. Following the 2022 Scottish local elections, twenty-seven of the thirty-two councils were under no overall control, with a further three having a majority of independents.^[2] Following the 2023 Northern Ireland local elections, all eleven councils were under no overall control.

Local authorities

County councils

Council	Seats		Seats		Seats
Cambridgeshire	61	Conservative	26	Liberal Democrats/Labour/St Neots Independent/Independent coalition	34
East Sussex	50	Conservative	25	Conservative minority	25
Gloucestershire	53	Conservative	26	Conservative minority	26
Oxfordshire	63	Conservative	20	Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	22

Metropolitan boroughs

Council	Seats		Seats		Seats
Bolton	60	Labour	26
Dudley	72	Conservative	34
Kirklees	69	Labour	31
Oldham	60	Labour	27
Sheffield	84	Labour	35
Stockport	63	Liberal Democrats	31
Wirral	66	Labour	30	Labour minority	30

Unitary authorities

Council	Seats		Seats		Seats
Bedford	46	Labour	14^[a]	Conservative mayor	13^[b]
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	76	Liberal Democrats	28	Liberal Democrats/Christchurch Independents/Poole People/Independent coalition	44
Bristol	70	Green	34
Central Bedfordshire	63	Independent	28	Independent minority	28
Cheshire East	82	Conservative	33	Labour/Independent coalition	45^[6]
Darlington	50	Labour	24	Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	27
Derby	51	Labour	23	Labour minority	23
Durham	126	Labour	55	Conservative/Liberal Democrats/Derwentside Independents/North East/Green/Independent coalition	67
East Riding of Yorkshire	67	Conservative	29	Conservative minority	29
Herefordshire	53	Conservative	21	Conservative minority	21
Isle of Wight	39	Conservative	16	Independent/Green/Island Independent Network/Our Island coalition	17
North East Lincolnshire	42	Conservative	19
North Somerset	50	Conservative	15^[c]	Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green/Portishead Independents/Independent coalition	35
Northumberland	67	Conservative	33	Conservative minority	33
Peterborough	60	Labour	19
Portsmouth	42	Liberal Democrats	19
Redcar and Cleveland	59	Labour	23	Labour minority	23
Rutland	27	Liberal Democrats	11	Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	12
Slough	42	Conservative	21	Conservative/Liberal Democrats coalition	24
South Gloucestershire	61	Conservative	23	Liberal Democrats/Labour Party coalition	37
Southend-on-Sea	51	Labour	20
Stockton-on-Tees	56	Conservative	25	Labour minority	22
Wokingham	54	Liberal Democrats	27

London boroughs

Council	Seats		Seats		Seats
Croydon	71	Conservative	34	Conservative mayor	34
Croydon	71	Labour	34	Conservative mayor	34
Havering	55	Havering Residents Association	22	Havering Residents Association/Labour coalition	31

Welsh principal areas

Council	Seats		Seats		Seats
Conwy	55	Independent	23	Independent/Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition^[d]	38
Denbighshire	48	Labour	17	Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition	25
Flintshire	67	Labour	31	Labour minority	31
Merthyr Tydfil	30	Independent	15	Independent minority	15
Monmouthshire	46	Labour	22	Labour minority	22
Neath Port Talbot	60	Labour	27	Independent/Plaid Cymru coalition^[e]	30
Pembrokeshire	60	Independent	36	Independent/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	29
Powys	68	Independent	21	Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	30
Vale of Glamorgan	54	Labour	25	Labour/Llantwit First Independents/Independent coalition	30
Wrexham	56	Independent	23	Independent/Conservative/Liberal Democrats coalition	31

District councils

Council	Seats		Seats		Seats
Arun	54	Conservative	20	Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	28
Ashford	47	Conservative	19	Conservative minority	19
Babergh	32	Green	10	Green/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	26
Basildon	42	Labour	18
Basingstoke and Deane	54	Conservative	16	Basingstoke and Deane Independents/Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition	21
Brentwood	39	Conservative	19	Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition	20
Broadland	47	Conservative	21	Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	26
Bromsgrove	31	Conservative	11	Conservative/Independent coalition	18
Burnley	45	Labour	15
Canterbury	39	Labour	18	Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	27
Charnwood	52	Labour	20	Labour minority	20
Cherwell	48	Liberal Democrats	17
Colchester	51	Conservative	19	Liberal Democrats minority	15
Derbyshire Dales	34	Liberal Democrats	12	Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	22
East Devon	60	Liberal Democrats	18	Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition	29
East Hampshire	43	Conservative	19	Conservative/Whitehill and Bordon Community Party coalition	25
East Hertfordshire	50	Green	19	Green/Liberal Democrats coalition	29
East Lindsey	55	Conservative	26	Conservative minority	26
East Suffolk	55	Green	17	Green/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	29
Elmbridge	48	Liberal Democrats	23	Liberal Democrats/Residents Association coalition	39
Folkestone and Hythe	30	Green	11	Green/Liberal Democrats coalition	13
Forest of Dean	38	Green	15	Green minority	15
Gloucester	39	Liberal Democrats	17
Great Yarmouth	39	Conservative	19	Conservative minority	19
Harborough District Council	34	Conservative	15	Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	19
Hart	33	Liberal Democrats	12	Liberal Democrats/Community Campaign (Hart) coalition	23
Hastings	32	Green	12	Green/Independent coalition	19
Havant	36	Conservative	13
Hertsmere	39	Conservative	16	Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	23
Huntingdonshire	52	Conservative	21	Liberal Democrats/Labour/St Neots Independent Group/Green/Independent coalition	31
King's Lynn and West Norfolk	55	Conservative	21	Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	23
Lancaster	61	Labour	24	Labour/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	52
Lewes	41	Green	17	Green/Labour coalition	26
Lichfield	47	Conservative	23	Conservative minority	23
Maidstone	49	Conservative	13
Maldon	31	Conservative	9	Maldon District Independent Group minority^[11]	6
Malvern Hills	31	Independent	11	Independent/Green coalition	18
Melton	28	Conservative	11	Independent/Labour coalition	15
Mid Sussex	48	Liberal Democrats	20	Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	25
Newark and Sherwood	39	Conservative	13	Labour minority	11
North Hertfordshire	51	Labour	25	Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	44
North Warwickshire	35	Conservative	17	Conservative minority	17
North West Leicestershire	38	Labour	17	Conservative/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	19^[12]
Norwich	39	Labour	19
Oxford	48	Labour	20	Labour minority	20
Pendle	33	Conservative	13	Independent/Liberal Democrats coalition	17
Reigate and Banstead	45	Conservative	18
Ribble Valley	40	Conservative	18	Conservative minority	18
Rochford	39	Liberal Democrats	11	Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	29
Rother	38	Conservative	10	Rother Association of Independent Councillors/Labour/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	26
Rugby	42	Conservative	17
Runnymede	41	Conservative	13
South Kesteven	56	Conservative	24	Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green/Labour coalition	29
South Norfolk	46	Conservative	23	Conservative minority	23
Spelthorne	39	Conservative	12	Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	17
Stafford	40	Conservative	14	Labour/Stafford Borough Independents/Green coalition	25
Staffordshire Moorlands	56	Labour	24	Labour minority	24
Stroud	51	Green	22	Green minority	22
Swale	47	Labour	15	Labour/Swale Independents/Green coalition	30
Tandridge	43	Liberal Democrats	11
Tendring	48	Conservative	19	Independent/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	28
Tewkesbury	38	Liberal Democrats	16	Liberal Democrats/Independent/Green coalition	29
Tonbridge and Malling	44	Conservative	20	Conservative minority	20
Torridge	36	Independent	16	Independent minority	16
Warwick	44	Green	14	Green/Labour coalition	25
Waverley	50	Liberal Democrats	22	Liberal Democrats/Farnham Residents Party/Labour/Green coalition	38
Wealden	45	Liberal Democrats	13	Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	24
Welwyn Hatfield	48	Labour	20
West Devon	31	Conservative	11	Independent/Green/Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition	20
West Lindsey	36	Liberal Democrats	18	Liberal Democrats minority	18
West Oxfordshire	49	Liberal Democrats	21
West Suffolk	64	Conservative	26	Labour/Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition	29
Worcester	35	Labour	17

References

^ Including the mayor, the Conservatives match this number.
^ 14 including mayor.
^ Includes 2 independents who sit with the Conservative Party and Independents Group on the council.
^ Conwy's sole Green councillor is in a group with Plaid Cymru.^[9]
^ Liberal Democrats and Green confidence and supply.

^ "OGWR". BBC News. May 8, 2007.
^ "Scottish Council Elections 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
^ "County Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^ "Metropolitan Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^ "Unitary Authorities". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^ "Cheshire East Council to be run by coalition after deal is struck". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^ "London Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^ "Welsh Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^ "The Political Make-up of the Council". Conwy County Borough Council. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
^ "District Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^ Meyler, Piers (14 June 2023). "Councillor who quit after suffering homophobic abuse is now leader of council". Maldon and Burnham Standard. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
^ "New alliance administration for North West Leicestershire District Council". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 5 July 2023.

External links

No Overall Control? - Hansard weighs up a hung parliament Guy Aitchison, Our Kingdom

[6] Including the mayor, the Conservatives match this number.

[7] 14 including mayor.

[9] Includes 2 independents who sit with the Conservative Party and Independents Group on the council.

[13] Conwy's sole Green councillor is in a group with Plaid Cymru.^[9]

[14] Liberal Democrats and Green confidence and supply.

[1] "OGWR". BBC News. May 8, 2007.

[2] "Scottish Council Elections 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2023.

[3] "County Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

[4] "Metropolitan Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

[5] "Unitary Authorities". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

[8] "Cheshire East Council to be run by coalition after deal is struck". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

[10] "London Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

[11] "Welsh Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

[12] "The Political Make-up of the Council". Conwy County Borough Council. Retrieved 23 September 2023.

[15] "District Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

[16] Meyler, Piers (14 June 2023). "Councillor who quit after suffering homophobic abuse is now leader of council". Maldon and Burnham Standard. Retrieved 4 July 2023.

[17] "New alliance administration for North West Leicestershire District Council". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 5 July 2023.

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