| Election Name: | 1975 United Kingdom local elections |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Type: | legislative |
| Previous Election: | 1974 United Kingdom local elections |
| Previous Year: | 1974 |
| Next Election: | 1976 United Kingdom local elections |
| Next Year: | 1976 |
| Seats For Election: | All 36 metropolitan boroughs |
| Election Date: | 1 May 1975 |
| 1Blank: | Councils |
| 2Blank: | Councils +/- |
| 3Blank: | Councillors |
| 4Blank: | Councillors +/- |
| Leader1: | Margaret Thatcher |
| Leader Since1: | 11 February 1975 |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| 4Data1: | 199 |
| Leader2: | Harold Wilson |
| Leader Since2: | 14 February 1963 |
| Party2: | Labour Party (UK) |
| 4Data2: | 206 |
| Image3: | No image.svg |
| Leader3: | Jeremy Thorpe |
| Leader Since3: | 18 January 1967 |
| Party3: | Liberal Party (UK) |
| 4Data3: | 10 |
Local elections took place for one third of the seats of the thirty-six metropolitan boroughs on 1 May 1975. The seats had previously been contested in May 1973, when the Labour Party had achieved great success.[1] [2] In the 1975 elections the Conservative Party made widespread gains, with a net gain of 199 seats and Labour had a net loss of 206. The Liberal Party had a net loss of 10 seats, and Independents a loss of 5. "Others", including Ratepayers, Independent Labour councillors and Progressives made net gains of 22.
The Conservatives gained control of Bury, Stockport and Wirral from no overall control; and Calderdale form Labour. They also became the largest party on Leeds city council.
Labour retained control of Birmingham by the mayor's casting vote.
The Liberals failed to gain overall control of Liverpool, and losing seats, but remaining the largest party on the council by a single seat.[3]
| District | County | Conservative | Labour | Liberal | Independent | Other | Control | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | South Yorkshire | 0 | 48 (-7) | 1 (+1) | 1 | Ratepayers 6 (+6) Independent Labour 2 2 Vacancies | Labour hold | |
| Birmingham | West Midlands | 55 (+11) | 63 (-10) | 8 (-1) | 0 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Bolton | Greater Manchester | 42 (+7) | 23 (-8) | 3 (+1) | 1 | 0 | Conservative hold | |
| Bradford | West Yorkshire | 57 (+4) | 28 (-3) | 8 (-1) | 0 | 0 | Conservative hold | |
| Bury | Greater Manchester | 28 (+7) | 16 (-4) | 4 (-3) | 0 | 0 | Conservative gain from NOC | |
| Calderdale | West Yorkshire | 28 (+11) | 18 (-11) | 5 | 0 | 0 | Conservative gain from Labour | |
| Coventry | West Midlands | 21 (+9) | 33 (-9) | 0 | 3 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Doncaster | South Yorkshire | 15 (+3) | 40 (-2) | 0 | 3 (-1) | Democratic Labour 1 1 Vacancy | Labour hold | |
| Dudley | West Midlands | 29 (+5) | 35 (-5) | 0 | 1 | Independent Socialist 1 | Labour hold | |
| Gateshead | Tyne and Wear | 10 (+4) | 65 (-5) | 2 (+1) | 1 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Kirklees | West Yorkshire | 28 (+9) | 36 (+8) | 7 (-1) | 1 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Knowsley | Merseyside | 12 (+4) | 45 (-5) | 3 | 1 | 1 (+1) | Labour hold | |
| Leeds | West Yorkshire | 43 (+6) | 41 (-4) | 12 (-2) | 0 | 0 | NOC | |
| Liverpool | Merseyside | 14 (+4) | 42 (-1) | 43 (-3) | 0 | 0 | NOC | |
| Manchester | Greater Manchester | 45 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | Tyne and Wear | 27 (+4) | 47 (-4) | 2 (+1) | 2 (-1) | 0 | Labour hold | |
| North Tyneside | Tyne and Wear | 24 (+5) | 46 (-1) | 4 (-2) | 4 (-2) | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Oldham | Greater Manchester | 15 (+9) | 30 (-11) | 11 (+2) | 1 | 3 Vacancies | Labour hold | |
| Rochdale | Greater Manchester | 22 (+8) | 28 (-9) | 10 (+1) | 0 | 0 | Labour lose to NOC | |
| Rotherham | South Yorkshire | 7 (+4) | 44 (-6) | 0 | 2 (+1) | Ratepayers 1 (+1) | Labour hold | |
| St Helens | Merseyside | 14 (+5) | 30 (-6) | 1 (+1) | 0 | Ratepayers 0 (-1) | Labour hold | |
| Salford | Greater Manchester | 20 (+5) | 44 (-6) | 1 | 0 | Tenants and Ratepayers 1 (+1) | Labour | |
| Sandwell | West Midlands | 32 (+10) | 58 (-10) | 0 | 0 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Sefton | Merseyside | 40 (+3) | 22 (-2) | 3 | 2 | Ratepayers 2 (-1) | Conservative hold | |
| Sheffield | South Yorkshire | 20 (+2) | 66 (-3) | 4 (+1) | 0 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Solihull | West Midlands | 30 (+1) | 12 | 2 | 7 (-1) | 0 | Conservative hold | |
| South Tyneside | Tyne and Wear | 5 (+2) | 35 (-10) | 3 (+3) | 0 | Progressives 23 (+5) | Labour hold | |
| Stockport | Greater Manchester | 34 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 0 | Conservative gain from NOC | |
| Sunderland | Tyne and Wear | 23 (+2) | 52 (-4) | 1 (+1) | 0 | Independent Labour 1 (+1) | Labour hold | |
| Tameside | Greater Manchester | 24 (+11) | 28 (-11) | 2 | 0 | 0 | Labour hold | |
| Trafford | Greater Manchester | 42 (+9) | 13 (-5) | 8 (-4) | 0 | 0 | Conservative hold | |
| Wakefield | West Yorkshire | 11 (+5) | 45 (-10) | 0 | 1 (-1) | Ratepayers 6 (+6) 3 Vacancies | Labour | |
| Walsall | West Midlands | 14 (+4) | 37 (-7) | 0 | 4 (+1) | Ratepayers 5 (+2) | Labour hold | |
| Wigan | Greater Manchester | 10 (+5) | 61 (-5) | 0 | 1 (+1) | 0 (-1) | Labour | |
| Wirral | Merseyside | 36 (+7) | 21 (-3) | 9 (-4) | 0 | 0 | Conservative gain from NOC | |
| Wolverhampton | West Midlands | 28 (+2) | 31 (-3) | 0 | 0 | Ratepayers 1 (+1) | Labour hold |