Croydon Council election, 1998
Encyclopedia
Elections to Croydon
Council in London
, England
were held on 7 May 1998. The whole council was up for election and the Labour party
stayed in overall control of the council. For the first time in a local election two polling stations were situated in supermarket
s.
Before the election the council had been seen as a top target for the Conservatives
who only needed a small swing
of 2 percent to take control. The Labour party had taken control of the council for the first time in the council's history in the previous election in 1994. The removal of mounted patrols from parks and an increase in nursery places were seen as important issues in the election. Both main parties concentrated on trying to get their vote out and were targeting several key wards
.
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
Council in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
were held on 7 May 1998. The whole council was up for election and the Labour party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
stayed in overall control of the council. For the first time in a local election two polling stations were situated in supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s.
Before the election the council had been seen as a top target for the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
who only needed a small swing
Swing (politics)
An electoral swing analysis shows the extent of change in voter support from one election to another. It is an indicator of voter support for individual candidates or political parties, or voter preference between two or more candidates or parties...
of 2 percent to take control. The Labour party had taken control of the council for the first time in the council's history in the previous election in 1994. The removal of mounted patrols from parks and an increase in nursery places were seen as important issues in the election. Both main parties concentrated on trying to get their vote out and were targeting several key wards
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
.