The 2000 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 4 May 2000 to elect members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was:
Before the election the council had 17 Labour, 7 Health Concern, 5 Conservative, 5 independent, 4 Liberal Democrats and 3 Liberal councillors, with one seat vacant.[3] The council was run by an alliance of all groups apart from Labour.[3]
57 candidates stood in the election with 15 seats being contested, which included 2 seats in Greenhill ward due to a by-election being held at the same time.[3]
Health Concern became the largest group on the council after making 8 gains and Health Concern was also boosted by the decision of 3 independent councillors to join the group.[2] [4] Labour losses included the deputy leader of the party and the longest-serving member of the council, Michael Kelly, in Habberley and Blakebrook ward.[5] The only other group to make a gain in the election was the Conservatives in Oldington and Foley Park ward where they took a seat from Labour.[5]
The defeats for Labour were put down to the downgrading of Kidderminster hospital, despite the local party opposing the move.[2] Labour said that the results would be a disaster as they said Health Concern had no policies in many areas.[2] However Health Concern put their success down to disillusionment with political parties that had failed to take action over the hospital and that they would represent local opinion.[2]
Following the election the Health Concern group said they wanted to continue the alliance with the other groups apart from Labour.[5]