Schools chief is ousted

Councillor Jim Flood, the education chairman, lost to the Tories by 532 votes after previously holding a majority of 898 in 1995.

He was the main casualty of the night which saw Labour's majority at City Hall more than halved as they lost twelve seats - nine to the Tories and three to the Liberal Democrats.

And the controversial schools shake-up was highlighted as a major election issue which cost Labour vital seats .

But Councillor Flood would not speculate that his defeat was caused by the shake up but admitted it had been an issue during the election.

"It was not unexpected that I lost. Bingley was one of the seats we won in 1995 which was always going to be a Tory target in 1999."

But leader of the Conservative group Margaret Eaton said: "It is all about the way the shake-up was handled by the Labour group and the local education authority. It has hit Jim Flood. People have had their own views on this issue."

Both Tories and Liberal Democrats claimed the issue had dominated the doorstep canvassing after a stormy year when parents and teachers were split over the radical plans to switch from three to two-tier schools.

The night of shocks meant Labour's record 38 strong majority in the council chamber was slashed to 18. Other losses in Bradford were Social services chairman Mike Young who was ousted from Worth Valley and labour stalwart Joan Tough who lost her Clayton seat. The Labour stronghold University ward also fell to the Tories.

But Labour won back the volatile Toller ward where there was a massive 47 per cent turn out. At the packed count the public were segregated from vote counters and security was strong after violence flared last year.

A jubilant Margaret Eaton said: "We hoped but you never can be certain. We have taken places people would never expect to turn Tory. The Labour party was struggling to hold on to safe seats. Four years ago Labour did well and we have got those seats back, and more."

Liberal Democrats were also celebrating after snatching Eccleshill, Bolton and Idle. Their leader Jeanette Sunderland was thrilled with the results.

"We have increased our vote throughout the whole of the district and taken three seats from Labour. It must be a disappointing night for the Tories and these results show a great vote of no confidence in the schools review.

But Labour leader, Ian Greenwood, whose own majority was halved to 813, said: "Clearly there is a national swing to the Tories and Liberal Democrats and we had a number of highly marginal seats. I was not convinced the schools review was an issue although there were individual pockets not happy about it."

But campaigners against the review said its unpopularity was the reason for Coun Flood losing his seat.

Adrian Pearce, chair of governors at closing Hainsworth Moor Middle School, said all Labour's losses had been down to the review.

"People have been saying for some time that the time to punish Labour for the School's Review would be at the election.

"I think the School Review cost Labour all their seats last night."

And Audrey Raistrick, of the Ravenscliffe and Greengates Association, which has campaigned against the closure of Eccleshill Upper School, said :

"The review was badly handled from the beginning to the end," she said .

"It was certainly down to the fact that many people were unhappy with the review that Jim Flood lost his seat."

Councillor Greenwood could face a fresh contest next week at the Labour group's annual meeting when the leadership will be decided in a secret ballot at City Hall.

He will stand again for the top job but it is understood he could face a challenge from last year's ousted leader John Ryan.

Labour left reeling as top men lose seats

Labour was picking up the pieces today after an election night disaster when they lost two committee chairmen and even the University ward stronghold fell to the Tories.

It was a night of shocks which started when education chairman Jim Flood lost his Bingley seat after his high-profile year heading the controversial schools shake-up in the city.

He was joined by social services chairman Mike Young who was ousted from his Worth Valley seat by Tory Glen Miller.

And in Queensbury the rout continued when Tory Andrew Smith romped to victory after Labour's high profile Jack Womersley stepped down because of the pressures of the job.

But Labour managed to claw back one seat - the Tory-held Toller ward. The new man at City Hall is Amir Hussain who took the seat from Arshad Hussain.

The new councillor Hussain was in tears after the result was announced and told his constituents: "It's an historic day for Toller ward and its people.

"Rather than just politics, it is about having genuine concern for your community and your neighbours."

But there were no celebrations for Jim Flood whose only comment was: "The electorate has spoken. That's democracy. I can now get myself a life again but politically I shall not be dead, just sleeping. I needed a sabbatical anyway."

He refused to speculate if the schools shake-up was responsible for the result.

But for Robin Owens, the new Conservative councillor for Bingley by 532 votes, victory was "incredibly sweet".

He added: "We now have two Conservative councillors working for Bingley and I hope the town will profit from it. I will share the task of looking after Bingley with Colin Gill. It is a great result, brilliant.''

In Worth Valley, the Conservatives claimed a major scalp in Bradford's chairman of social services Mike Young, when they won back the seat he snatched from them four years ago.

"I am disappointed I lost because I have worked very hard," he said.

Mr Young, whose day job is for Kirklees social services, says he will now enjoy spending more time with his wife Sheri and daughters Clare and Grace.

In Little Horton, council leader Ian Greenwood held his seat with an 800 majority.

Of the total 90 seats, Labour now hold 54, Conservatives 26, and Liberal Democrats 10 - giving Labour a majority of 18.

Officials from a church hall used as a polling station are to make an official complaint after it was damaged by fire. Men's toilets at Trinity Methodist Church hall in Lilycroft Road, Bradford, were damaged in the blaze shortly after 2pm yesterday.

Susan Baxter, the church's property secretary, said a plastic bin full of paper towels appeared to have been deliberately set alight.

"If the Council is going to hire our rooms there ought to be some sort of vigilance,'' she said.

Voters in spotlight

A live link-up by camera was used for the first time at the Toller ward count.

Police and council officials, anxious to avoid a repeat of the disturbances at St George's Hall last year, put cameras in the room with the candidates while the public watched from two giant TV screens in a separate hall.

Teams of security staff searched youths as they entered the count at Thornton Recreation Centre. And more than 30 officers manned the area to avoid any signs of trouble after Labour won the seat from the Conservatives with a 330 majority.

Labour candidate Amir Hussain, said: "It shows that people with different political views can still conduct things in a proper manner."

Arshad Hussain, who lost his post after four years, said: "Although I'm disappointed with the result, I'm very glad that it's been a peaceful night and my thanks go to the police."

Sergeant Roy Wensley, from Toller Lane police station, said "We wanted to make sure the night went peacefully and the system seems to have worked."

Shock as chief loses his seat

One of the district's best-known councillors lost his seat in the Worth Valley ward.

Coun Mike Young - chairman of Bradford's social services committee - was defeated by Glen Miller by 344 in one of the big shocks of the night in Bradford.

In Keighley, all three seats were retained by Labour.

In Keighley West, the council's leisure chairman and former Lord Mayor Barry Thorne kept his seat with a healthy majority, while in Keighley North, Malcolm Slater, chairman of the licensing sub-committee, also won through.

In Keighley South, Lynne Joyce had a 1,188 majority over her Conservative opponent.

Bingley Rural was retained by Conservative Simon Cooke with a 1,478 majority over Labour.

The Conservatives took overall control of Craven district's hung council after winning six extra seats.

With 13 seats already held, they needed just 18 to take control, but managed 19. They already had two victories in the uncontested seats of Skipton Central and Cowling.

Labour's only sitting Craven councillor, Jan Gordon, lost her seat after she was defeated by Conservative newcomer Beryl Beresford.

Tory duo beat off challengers

There was little change in the Wharfedale seats on Bradford Council.

Two Conservatives - Martin Smith and Richard Wightman - retained Ilkley and Rombalds seats respectively with healthy majorities.

Mr Smith had a 1,332 majority over Labour's Peter Cheney, while Mr Wightman beat Alfred James Benjamin by 1,329.

Leeds Council remains firmly under Labour control, despite losing seven seats to the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

In Aireborough, Labour's Michael Dunn retained his seat with a 200-seat majority; and in Otley and Wharfedale, Ruth Margaret Blackwell held on with a 579 majority.

In Horsforth, the Liberal Democrats retained the seat with Brian Cleasby polling a 1,153 majority.

Overall, Labour has 71 seats - down from 78 before the election - and there are 14 Liberal Democrats, 12 Conservatives, one Green Party and one Independent Socialist.

There were 36 seats up for election including three by-elections caused by the resignation of sitting councillors.

Shock as control is lost in two councils

Labour lost control of both Kirklees and Calderdale Councils.

In Kirklees, Labour lost eight seats including Michael Williams' seat in Birstall and Birkenshaw.

The authority became hung with the Liberal Democrats taking four seats from Labour, the Conservatives three and the Greens one. Labour, with 35 seats, remains the biggest single party followed by the Liberal-Democrats (23), Conservatives (ten), Greens (three) and independent (one).

Kirklees Labour councillor Gary Dimmock, who kept his Paddock seat, had been leader of the Council until Labour was ousted. He said: "This is a disappointing night, but it's too early to say what went wrong. We are still the biggest single party and in my view we are going to form the administration. Neither of the other main parties are fit to run Kirklees."

Cleckheaton Liberal Democrat councillor Kath Pinnock, who retained her seat, said her party would aim to create an administration shared between all non-Labour councillors.

"The electorate has decisively rejected Labour and clearly does not want them to form the administration," she said.

It was a similar picture in Calderdale where Labour lost seven seats, six to the Tories and one to the Liberal Democrats.

Before last night, Labour was in charge of Calderdale Council due to the Mayor's casting vote. But the Conservatives now hold 19 seats to Labour's 20, the Liberal Democrats have 14 and there is one independent councillor. Trouble flared outside the main count at North Bridge Leisure Centre in Halifax, with one arrest.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.