2002 Leeds City Council election

[2] Among the issued raised in the election were disaffection with the national Labour government, a recent reversed decision by the council to close day car centres for the elderly, privatisation of services, investment levels in schools and council tax levels.

[3] Labour defended their record in control of the council, which they had run for the previous 22 years, in what was expected to be a hard-fought contest.

[5] They lost 2 seats to the Conservatives in Aireborough and Otley and Wharfedale, 2 to the Liberal Democrats in Headingley and Rothwell, and one each to an Independent in Morley North and the Greens in Wortley.

[6] However Labour did gain one seat from the Liberal Democrats in Harehills and one in Hunslet from an Independent Socialist.

[6] As a result, they won 19 of the 33 seats contested meaning they had 57 of the 99 councillors on Leeds council.