2016 Manchester City Council election

Manchester City Council Elections, 2016
← 2015 5 May 2016 2018 →
32 of 96 seats (One Third) to Manchester City Council
49 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Cllr Richard Lesse Cllr John Leech
Leader Richard Leese John Leech
Party Labour Liberal Democrats
Leader since 20 May 1996 5 May 2016
Last election 32 seats,
65.7% 		0 seats,
14.7%
Seats won 31 1
Seat change Decrease1 Increase1
Popular vote 68,668 11,920
Percentage 64.1% 11.1%
Swing Decrease1.6% Decrease3.6%
Leader of Largest Party before election

Richard Leese
Labour

Subsequent Leader of Largest Party

Richard Leese
Labour

Map of the results of the 2016 Manchester council election, with Labour in red and Liberal Democrats in yellow.

Elections to Manchester City Council were held on 5 May 2016. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate serving a two-year term of office, expiring in 2018, due to planned boundary changes. The Labour Party retained overall control of the council, managing to hold all but one seat contested and won by former Withington MP, John Leech. Leech's win signified the first gain for any party in Manchester other than Labour for the first time in six years.