The previous 26 wards of the London Borough of Lewisham divided into 6 areas, used from 1978 to 1998
Previously the borough was divided into 26 wards and 6 areas, used for elections from 1978 to 1998. Some of these former wards had the same names as the present wards, but their borders were different. When the wards were revised for 2002, some became larger, absorbing parts of other previous wards, the number of wards changed from 26 to 18. The previous wards and areas used from 1978 to 1998 were:
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. In 2018 Labour won every seat for the first time.
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)
By-elections in the 2006 council
(winning party shown)
13 September 2007 – Whitefoot (Lib Dem)
19 February 2009 – 2x Downham (2x Lib Dem)
Election results 1978–1998
In 1978 the council was increased to 67 seats as the ward boundaries were reviewed and changed. Also, the Government changed the law to extend Council terms everywhere from three to four years, so the 1974 council was given an extra year of life.
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
Bellingham
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Blackheath
Lab 2
Con 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Blythe Hill
Con 2
Con 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Catford
Con 2
Con 2
Con 2
Con 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Churchdown
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Crofton Park
Con 3
Con 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Downham
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lib Dem 3
Lib Dem 3
Lib Dem 3
Drake
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Evelyn
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Forest Hill
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Grinling Gibbons
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Grove Park
1 Lab / 1 Con
Lab 2
1 Lab / 1 Con
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Hither Green
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Horniman
Con 3
Con 3
Con 3
Lab 2 / Con 1
Lab 3
Lab 3
Ladywell
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Manor Lee
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Marlowe
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Pepys
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Perry Hill
Con 3
Lab 3
Con 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Rushey Green
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
St Andrews
Con 2
Con 2
Con 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
St Margaret
1 Lab / 1 Con
Con 2
1 Lab / 1 Con
Lab 2
Lab 2
Lab 2
St Mildred
Con 3
Con 3
Con 3
Con 3
2 Lab / 1 Con
2 Con / 1 Lab
Sydenham East
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Sydenham West
Con 3
Con 3
2 Lab / 1 Con
Lab 3
Lab 3
Lab 3
Whitefoot
Lab 2
Con 2
1 Lab / 1 Con
Lab 2
Lab 2
1 Lab / 1 Lib Dem
Wards used in the London Borough of Lewisham from 1978 to 1998
(winning party shown)
8 November 2001 – Bellingham (Labour)
8 February 2001 – Marlowe (Labour)
23 November 2000 – Pepys (Socialist)
15 July 1999 – Churchdown (Labour)
10 June 1999 – Pepys (Socialist)
8 April 1999 – Downham (Lib Dem)
25 November 1998 – Grinling Gibbons (Labour)
Election results 1964–1974
Between 1964 and 1974 the council was elected on wards created before the borough was created: 18 councillors in 6 wards from the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford and 42 councillors in 17 wards from the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham. The election of the first council in 1964 constituted the practical creation of the London Borough of Lewisham. It operated in 'shadow' form and did not take over administration of services until a year later. 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.