Derwentside Independents is a
localist
Localism describes a range of political philosophies which prioritize the local. Generally, localism supports local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identi ...
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...
in
County Durham
County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly â€About North East E ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
It was established in 2001 to contest elections to
Derwentside District Council, later contesting elections to
Durham County Council following the establishment of a
unitary authority
A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...
in 2009.
Background
Founded by former Councillor Bill Stockdale, the party benefited from the lack of organised opposition to the
Labour Party from the main national political parties in Derwentside. Other officers are Ronald Weightman, nominating officer, and John Jopling, treasurer.
According to its 2007 accounts, the party had 23 elected members and 22 general members. However, as of 2012 this was reduced to 9 Elected Members and 22 general members.
The party describes itself as an association of like-minded people who formed a party participating in local governance without any specific particular political bias. Each member represents the people who elected them and are not whipped to follow the leader or follow party lines.
Election results
District Council elections
The party increased in strength following the
2003 local elections, gaining eight seats from the Labour Party in west and south Derwentside. At the final election to
Derwentside District Council in 2007, the party gained a further 10 seats, bringing its total to 24 and reducing Labour's majority to three.
County Council elections
In March 2008, after feeling the Derwentside Independents could not offer a county-wide alternative to Labour, Councillor Bob Cook resigned from their ranks and joined the Liberal Democrats. He lost his seat at the subsequent local elections.
A rival Durham County Council Independent Group led by John Shuttleworth formed in 2008.
Following the
2013 elections, the Derwentside Independents Party had 8 councillors on the unitary
Durham County Council.
Their representation had fallen to 7 councilors by 2016. The party is part of one of two groups of independents on the county council, and forms part of the opposition to the ruling
Labour Party.
UK Parliament elections
Its leader, councillor Watts Stelling, contested the
2005 general election in the
constituency
An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger State (polity), state (a country, administrative region, ...
of
North West Durham
North West Durham is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 12 December 2019 by Richard Holden of the Conservative Party.
Constituency profile
The constituency is in the north west of County Durham ...
.
References
{{Reflist, 2
Political parties established in 2001
Locally based political parties in England
Politics of County Durham
2001 establishments in England