The political composition of Bradford Council

Following the local elections on 3 May 2018, the Council has a Labour administration.

Labour has 52 seats on the Council and the Leader of the Council is the Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe.

Bradford Council has 90 councillors. In order to take overall political control of the Council, a political party must hold more than 45 seats. If no party has more than 45 seats, the Council is described as having ‘no overall control’ and will have ‘a minority-led administration’.

Most councillors belong to a political party. Those that don’t are called ‘independent’. The main political parties are Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat.

The political composition of the Council changes after every election. However changes to the political composition of the Council can also occur when councillors resign or can no longer retain their position on the Council (eg through illness or death) and a by-election is held. Councillors may also choose to change political parties during their term of office.

View a graphic of the full political composition.

Following the May 2018 elections there are 35 female councillors, comprising 38.9% of the Council – a small increase from 36.7% before the election. Research by the Fawcett Society in 2017 found that 33% of councillors nationally were female.

The average age of Bradford councillors is 54. There are 28 BME councillors, making up 31% of the Council compared to around 36% of the general population and 23% of the 18+ population.