1976 Leeds City Council election

Elections to Leeds City Council were held on 6 May 1976, with one third of the council up for election. In the interim between the seats first election in 1973, in addition to Labour's 1974 Burley gain, there had been a further three by-elections - and consequent successful defences of - Beeston & Holbeck and Burmantofts & Richmond Hill (Labour) and Headingley (Conservative).

The Conservatives managed to largely repeat their previous year's results, gaining a total of seven and winning control of the council. They gained three from Labour, in the wards of Morley South and Wortley, as well as winning back the aforementioned seat in Burley. The remaining four gains were from the Liberals in Horsforth, both of the Pudsey seats and Otley.[1]

Election result
Leeds Local Election Result 1976
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 18 7 0 +7 56.2 48.1 97,312 -1.7%
  Labour 12 0 3 -3 37.5 33.9 68,673 +2.4%
  Liberal 2 0 4 -4 6.2 15.4 31,155 -2.1%
  National Front 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.9 1,910 +0.9%
  Ratepayers 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.6 1,266 +0.6%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.4 873 +0.0%
British National 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 487 +0.2%
  Ind. Conservative 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 307 +0.1%
  Ecology 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 168 +0.1%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 163 -0.6%

This result has the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:

Party Previous council New council
Conservatives 43 50
Labour 41 38
Liberals 12 8
Total 96 96
Working majority  0   4 

Ward results
Aireborough[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Hutchinson 5,544 56.4 -5.0
Labour P. Jones 2,635 26.8 +4.9
Liberal B. Cleasby 1,655 16.8 +0.0
Majority 2,909 29.6 -9.9
Turnout 9,834
Conservative hold Swing -4.9
Armley and Castleton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal J. Wright 3,012 40.5 +3.0
Labour Michael McGowan 2,462 33.1 -2.8
Conservative J. Hastings 1,611 21.7 -3.5
British National J. Drury 226 3.0 +3.0
Communist P. Witton 72 1.0 -0.5
National Front Mabel Spink 58 0.8 +0.8
Majority 550 7.4 +5.7
Turnout 7,441
Liberal hold Swing +2.9
Beeston and Holbeck[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K. Fenwick 3,459 50.2 +2.5
Conservative E. Lucas 2,710 39.3 +2.4
Liberal C. Coultas 728 10.6 -4.9
Majority 749 10.9 +0.1
Turnout 6,897
Labour hold Swing +0.0
Bramley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Atkinson 2,338 51.4 -1.4
Conservative A. Mathers 1,609 35.3 -11.9
Liberal J. Spencer 605 13.3 +13.3
Majority 729 16.0 +10.4
Turnout 4,552
Labour hold Swing +5.2
Burley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Fletcher-Campbell 1,798 51.6 +0.6
Labour C. Buttery 1,384 39.7 +3.9
Liberal P. Sander 171 4.9 -2.7
Communist B. Jackson 87 2.5 -0.2
National Front Dorothy Waite 46 1.3 -1.7
Majority 414 11.9 -3.2
Turnout 3,486
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -1.6
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Sedler 2,733 39.3 -8.7
Liberal Margaret Clay 2,385 34.3 +6.3
Conservative G. Dimmock 1,329 19.1 -3.3
British National Eddy Morrison 211 3.0 +3.0
National Front C. Welsh 182 2.6 +2.6
Communist M. Monkman 110 1.6 +0.0
Majority 348 5.0 -15.1
Turnout 6,950
Labour hold Swing -7.5
Chapel Allerton and Scott Hall[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S. Symonds 4,334 63.1 +0.9
Labour A. Baum 1,911 27.8 +5.2
Liberal J. Clay 628 9.1 -4.6
Majority 2,423 35.3 -4.2
Turnout 6,873
Conservative hold Swing -2.1
City and Woodhouse[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Jenner 2,173 52.2 +1.2
Conservative T. Battersby 1,218 29.3 +0.8
Liberal D. Selby 611 14.7 -2.2
Communist J. Rodgers 162 3.9 +0.2
Majority 955 22.9 +0.3
Turnout 4,164
Labour hold Swing +0.2
Cookridge and Weetwood[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Carter 7,367 72.7 +0.3
Labour I. Levy 1,865 18.4 +3.9
Liberal D. Leser 895 8.8 -4.2
Majority 5,502 54.3 -3.5
Turnout 10,127
Conservative hold Swing -1.8
Garforth #1 (Garforth North and Barwick)[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Ives 5,191 64.5 -1.0
Labour B. Selby 2,556 31.7 +5.6
Ind. Conservative G. Kite 307 3.8 +3.8
Majority 2,635 32.7 -6.6
Turnout 8,054
Conservative hold Swing -3.3
Garforth #2 (Kippax and Swillington)[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Flatter 3,200 53.6 -26.9
Conservative A. Taylor 2,491 41.7 +35.4
Liberal N. Parnaby 278 4.7 +4.7
Majority 709 11.9 -55.4
Turnout 5,969
Labour hold Swing -31.1
Gipton and Whinmoor[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Coward 3,576 49.9 +2.6
Conservative W. Buckland 3,273 45.7 +0.0
National Front B. Spink 318 4.4 +4.4
Majority 308 4.2 +2.6
Turnout 7,167
Labour hold Swing +1.3
Halton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. Hyde 4,494 71.3 -1.0
Labour A. Maher 1,640 26.0 +5.3
National Front C. Dewar 165 2.6 +2.6
Majority 2,854 45.3 -6.3
Turnout 6,299
Conservative hold Swing -3.1
Harehills and Roundhay[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Challenor 5,014 69.0 +1.7
Labour C. Say 1,941 26.7 +3.1
National Front Catherine Dewar 309 4.3 +4.3
Majority 3,073 42.3 -1.5
Turnout 7,264
Conservative hold Swing -0.7
Headingley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Pedley 2,644 56.3 +1.7
Labour A. Shires 1,228 26.2 +0.7
Liberal P. Holmes 620 13.2 -6.7
Communist B. Cooper 202 4.3 +4.3
Majority 1,416 30.2 +1.0
Turnout 4,694
Conservative hold Swing +0.5
Horsforth[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Foyston 3,814 50.3 -2.3
Liberal J. Stevens 2,448 32.3 -4.8
Labour H. Outhwaite 1,045 13.8 +3.4
National Front J. Duckenfield 274 3.6 +3.6
Majority 1,366 18.0 +2.5
Turnout 7,581
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +1.2
Hunslet East and West[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ivan Lester 2,904 44.4 -3.7
Labour John Gunnell 2,807 42.9 +3.0
Conservative R. Blackburn 565 8.6 -3.3
National Front N. Griffiths 214 3.3 +3.3
British National S. Brown 50 0.8 +0.8
Majority 97 1.5 -6.7
Turnout 6,540
Liberal hold Swing -3.3
Kirkstall[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bernard Atha 2,906 50.8 +5.4
Conservative A. Castle 2,535 44.3 -2.8
Liberal L. Keates 282 4.9 -2.6
Majority 371 6.5 +4.8
Turnout 5,723
Labour hold Swing +4.1
Middleton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Kitchen 2,443 59.8 +3.8
Conservative C. Hallas 1,036 25.3 +0.2
Liberal L. Hirst 510 12.5 -3.5
Communist Daisy Triscott 99 2.4 -0.5
Majority 1,407 34.4 +3.5
Turnout 4,088
Labour hold Swing +1.8
Moortown[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative K. Sibbald 2,969 65.5 -3.8
Labour G. Dickinson 1,006 22.2 +3.0
Liberal S. Walderberg 388 8.6 -2.9
Ecology K. Rushworth 168 3.7 +3.7
Majority 1,963 43.3 -6.8
Turnout 4,531
Conservative hold Swing -3.4
Morley #1 (Morley North)[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Senior 3,372 50.6 -16.7
Labour K. Smith 1,862 27.9 -4.7
Ratepayers G. Jarratt 1,266 19.0 +19.0
Independent B. Morris 163 2.4 +2.4
Majority 1,510 22.7 -11.9
Turnout 1,266
Conservative hold Swing -6.0
Morley #2 (Morley South)[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Broadbent 2,571 50.1 +14.7
Labour T. Hewitt 2,562 49.9 +7.4
Majority 9 0.2 -6.9
Turnout 5,133
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +3.6
Osmondthorpe[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Hamilton 2,029 54.9 +1.9
Conservative S. Nelmes 1,304 35.3 -5.7
National Front L. Fella 194 5.3 +5.3
Liberal B. Stevenson 167 4.5 -1.4
Majority 725 19.6 +7.5
Turnout 3,694
Labour hold Swing +3.8
Otley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Francis 3,765 44.4 -2.4
Liberal G. Kirkland 3,736 44.1 +6.3
Labour D. Gagen 916 10.8 -4.6
Communist P. Punchard 55 0.6 +0.6
Majority 29 0.3 -8.7
Turnout 8,472
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing -4.3
Pudsey North[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Bashall 3,170 45.5 -5.2
Liberal J. Finnigan 2,190 31.4 +5.0
Labour D. Trafford 1,606 23.1 +0.2
Majority 980 14.1 -10.2
Turnout 6,966
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing -5.1
Pudsey South[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. Fairhurst 2,777 45.3 -0.7
Liberal R. Fairbank 1,876 30.6 +6.8
Labour F. Wadwell 1,474 24.1 -6.1
Majority 901 14.7 -1.1
Turnout 6,127
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing -3.7
Rothwell[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Benson 3,594 44.1 +3.0
Conservative M. Dyer 2,333 28.6 -3.1
Liberal P. Bower 2,218 27.2 +0.1
Majority 1,261 15.5 +6.1
Turnout 8,145
Labour hold Swing +3.0
Seacroft[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Stringer 2,609 57.6 +0.0
Conservative R. Ivey 1,681 37.1 -2.5
National Front K. Middleton 150 3.3 +3.3
Communist A. Dale 86 1.9 -0.8
Majority 928 20.5 +2.6
Turnout 4,526
Labour hold Swing +1.2
Stanningley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Mann 2,315 52.0 +9.5
Conservative K. Knapton 1,561 35.1 -0.4
Liberal A. Hillam 575 12.9 -9.0
Majority 754 16.9 +9.8
Turnout 4,451
Labour hold Swing +4.9
Talbot[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Sherwin 3,763 71.7 +0.9
Labour D. Brown 908 17.3 +2.3
Liberal G. Macolferson 575 11.0 -3.2
Majority 2,855 54.4 -1.4
Turnout 5,246
Conservative hold Swing -0.7
Wetherby[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative N. Brown 6,936 74.7 +2.8
Labour L. Adams 1,304 14.0 +5.0
Liberal D. Tunstall 1,050 11.3 -5.3
Majority 5,632 60.6 +5.3
Turnout 9,290
Conservative hold Swing -1.1
Wortley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. Connah 2,533 47.2 -6.0
Labour W. Thurlow 2,186 40.7 +5.5
Liberal J. Nelson 648 12.1 +0.6
Majority 347 6.5 -11.5
Turnout 5,367
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -5.7

References
  1. "District results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 7 May 1976. Scans: 1 and 2.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.