Lewisham London Borough Council elections

Elections are held every four years using a plurality bloc vote electoral system for the councillors and the supplementary vote electoral system for the elected mayor.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Ami Ibitson.

The by-election was called following the death of Councillor Crada Onuegbu.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Alex Feis-Bryce.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Janet Daby.

This by-election was called following the death of Councillor Sue Hordijenko.

This by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Skip Amrani.

This by-election was held following the resignation of Councillor Joe Dromey.

This by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Tom Copley.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Stephen Hayes.

[20] The by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Juliet Campbell, who had left the role to run in the Broxtowe constituency.

In 2002 the council was reduced to its smallest size ever: 18 wards of 3 councillors each, plus an Elected Mayor, an innovation introduced by the Government two years earlier in the Local Government Act 2000.

Incumbent Dave Sullivan who was combining the roles of Civic Mayor and Leader of the Council, in preparation for the introduction of the new system lost an acrimonious Labour Party internal primary to Steve Bullock, who went on to win the position.

However, local policy difficulties as well as the problems the Labour Party was experiencing nationally meant that the 2006 election turned out to be only the second time that Labour didn't win a majority of councillors.

In 2014, with an unpopular coalition government in national office, Labour regained almost all seats on the council, with the only opposition being a single Green.

2018 Council: Labour 54* 2014 Council: Labour 53*; Green 1 2010 Council: Labour 40*; Liberal Democrats 12; Green 1; Conservative 2[24] 2006 Council: Labour 27*; Liberal Democrats 17; Green 6; Conservative 3; Socialist 2[24] 2002 Council: Labour 46*; Liberal Democrats 4; Conservative 2; Socialist 1; Green 1; Local Education Action for Parents (LEAP) 1 *including Elected Mayor (winning party shown) 17 March 2005 – Forest Hill (Lib Dem) 17 March 2005 – Lee Green (Lib Dem) 10 June 2004 – Evelyn (Labour) 10 June 2004 – Lee Green (Labour) 4 December 2003 – Telegraph Hill (Socialist) 23 October 2003 – Lewisham Central (Lib Dem) [All postal ballot] 7 November 2002 – Downham (Lib Dem) 10 October 2002 – Lee Green (Lib Dem) (winning party shown) 13 September 2007 – Whitefoot (Lib Dem) 19 February 2009 – 2x Downham (2x Lib Dem) In 1978 the council was increased to 67 seats as the ward boundaries were reviewed and changed.

The election of the first council in 1964 constituted the practical creation of the London Borough of Lewisham.

Whilst the term of a council at that time was three years, the Government extended the life of all the London Boroughs in order to de-synchronize the timetabling of elections with those of the Greater London Council.

However, the 1968 council elections were a disaster for the Labour Party who were in national government at the time, and this was reflected in this borough – the three-year period 1968–1971 remains the only time in the borough's existence that Labour has not formed the administration.

Non-Labour governance didn't take – the 1971 election saw the Conservative Party unable to defend its gains, as – now in national government itself – it was crushed in turn.