Broomhill, a student-heavy area of the city, was one of the wards that changed from Lib Dem to Labour control.
Groups of Independents have grown in recent years as an alternative to the traditional Labour control of the mining communities of Wakefield, Barnsley and Doncaster.
Political horse-trading is continuing in councils across Wales after Labour lost control of several local authorities.
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The party's win in Crawley stripped Labour of control of the town for the first time since the early 1970s.
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When Labour took control of Telford and Wrekin Council last year, they promptly declared themselves a co-op council, committed to finding practical ways of helping the community.
When Labour assumed control of the council in May, one of its first decisions was to withdraw the extra support offered by the council for schools following this route.
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The outcome, in particular Caerphilly, dashed that hope, with Labour conclusively retaking control.
But local Labour councillors who control their local authorities also find themselves in the role of the employer.
Plaid remains the second party in many south Wales valleys councils, but for some years has not threatened Labour's control.
Labour have taken control of Chorley council from a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition and have substantial gains elsewhere in Lancashire.
The information came to light during an audit of some contracts started before the new Labour administration took control in last May's election.
Seven months after it closed the ruling Labour group lost control of the city council for the first time in 28 years with the leisure centre seen as a key factor.
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"The feeling that things had got to such an extent that unless this was delivered, proposed, endorsed by the people, then the result would be that Labour would lose control over its heartlands and fiefdoms, " he said.
Labour has gained overall control of South Lanarkshire Council after winning an SNP seat in a by-election.
With 37 councillors to Labour's 49, the Liberal Democrats need to capture only seven Labour seats to take control.
Labour, which took control of Sheffield Council in May, said the budget savings were originally put forward by the Liberal Democrat administration in March when saving measures were introduced.
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Mr Milburn said Labour wanted to hand over control and budgets to front-line staff.
Only one force in the Labour Party remains beyond his control: the trade unions.
In Pendle there is no overall control, although Labour recorded two gains.
The Lib Dems will face particularly stiff challenges in Cardiff and Swansea as Labour tries to wrestle back control of the cities' local councils.
Its employees have no control of its Labour-supporting allegiance.
Meanwhile, the council - led by Plaid Cymru - has been keen to stress that its problems are those inherited from the previous Labour administration when it took control of the authority in May last year.
The scheming is ultimately aimed, most local party members think, at winning control of Renfrewshire Labour politics in order to secure nominations for Mr Graham's allies in safe Labour seats at Westminster or in the putative Scottish parliament.
These days Labour has cast aside the old control freak tendencies associated with its tenure of Millbank Tower.
Ms Cooper also asked whether preparations were in place for a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPim) - but warned it would be weaker than the control order created by Labour but scrapped by the coalition.
The Conservatives gained nine seats to take control with 26, while Labour gained 10 to finish with 15 members.
If Labour lose seven it would lose outright control of the council.
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