1970 Sheffield City Council election

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1970 Sheffield City Council election
Flag of England.svg
  1969 8 May 1970 1971  

28 councillors to Sheffield City Council
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Party Labour Conservative Liberal
Seats won2170
Seat changeIncrease2.svg6Decrease2.svg5Decrease2.svg1

1970 Sheffield City Council election map-en.png

Majority party before election

Labour Party (UK)

Majority party after election

Labour Party (UK)

The 1970 Sheffield City Council election was held on 8 May 1970 with one third of the council up for election as well as a double vacancy in Mosborough. Since the previous election the Liberals had gained a seat from the Conservatives in a by-election in Heeley. This election seen a consolidation of Labour control, with a further six gains, helped by a more favourable national trend - especially so in the South Yorkshire region. For the first time since the mid-sixties, Labour won the most votes, which a "delighted" Alderman - and head of the Labour grouping - Sir Ron Ironmonger attributed to the youth;

Contents

"I said we expected to win four seats, with Gleadless as a possibility, but Heeley was a bonus. The national swing obviously helped, but the really hopeful sign was the greatly increased Labour vote. Our vote was well up in places, and it must be the first time for some years that the Labour vote has been bigger than the Conservatives. I have got to give the credit for this to the youngsters. This is the only new factor, and they are entitled to the credit."

Sir Ron went on to express confidence in both Labour's prospects for the next year's elections, remarking "As things are looking at the moment we could have an absolute landslide next year", and their ability to retain control of the council until the upcoming reorganisation in 1973. The re-elected Labour governance promised its attentions would be focused on two key aspects: the environment, in which a committee - or possibly sub-committee of the already existent Town Planning committee - would address environmental questions, and a deputation on the replacement of St. Catherine's school - an important issue during the campaign - would be organised as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives, who had been hopeful of gaining several seats, seen their targets - Burngreave, Birley and Walkley - swing further away from their grasp. They also resounded to contest the Gleadless victor Colin Radcliffe's narrow win of six votes, headed by the Heeley agent Doreen Smith, claiming that unmarked ballot papers had been counted. [1]

Election result

Sheffield Local Election Result 1970
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 2160+675.052.972,019+10.5
  Conservative 705-525.044.360,322-8.5
  Liberal 001-10.02.02,743+0.3
  Communist 00000.00.6837-1.1
 Conservation00000.00.1118+0.1

The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Cllr Ald Cllr Ald
Labour39184518
Conservatives429359
Liberals2010
Communists0000
Conservation0000
Total81278127
108108
Working majority -3  9  9  9 
 6  18 

Ward results

Attercliffe [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Bill Robins 2,310 76.7 +5.7
Conservative Harold Mellor70123.3-5.7
Majority1,60954.4+11.4
Turnout 3,011
Labour hold Swing +5.7
Beauchief [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frank Adams 5,184 76.6 -5.6
Labour Bill Michie 1,58023.3+5.6
Majority3,60453.3-11.2
Turnout 6,764
Conservative hold Swing -5.6
Birley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Elsie Richardson 4,178 62.6 +12.8
Conservative Andrew Oxley2,49737.4-7.7
Majority1,68125.2+20.5
Turnout 6,675
Labour hold Swing +10.2
Brightside [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Adrian Molloy 2,555 67.8 +12.5
Conservative Kathleen Moore1,12429.8-7.2
Communist Reg Arundel912.4+2.4
Majority1,43137.9+19.8
Turnout 3,770
Labour hold Swing +9.8
Broomhill [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Myrtle Jackson 3,206 70.1 -7.2
Labour John Baxter1,36429.8+12.9
Majority184240.3-20.1
Turnout 4,570
Conservative hold Swing -10.0
Burngreave [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Reggie Ellis 2,843 50.7 -5.2
Liberal Francis Butler1,54027.4+27.4
Conservative Len Scott1,17921.0-19.4
Communist Martin Ashworth460.8-2.8
Majority1,30323.2+7.7
Turnout 5,608
Labour hold Swing -16.3
Castle [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roy Munn 2,549 73.8 +6.3
Conservative Kenneth Whitehouse81923.7-1.7
Communist Edna Ashworth842.4-4.5
Majority1,73050.1+8.1
Turnout 3,452
Labour hold Swing +4.0
Darnall [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roy Hattersley 3,486 69.0 +10.0
Conservative Roger Outram1,56631.0-10.0
Majority1,92038.0+19.9
Turnout 5,052
Labour hold Swing +10.0
Dore [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Blake 4,849 76.2 -3.5
Labour William Kirk1,51623.8+3.5
Majority3,33352.4-7.0
Turnout 6,365
Conservative hold Swing -3.5
Ecclesall [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Neill 4,267 79.8 -4.0
Labour Marie Rodgers1,07620.1+4.0
Majority5,34359.7-8.0
Turnout 3,191
Conservative hold Swing -4.0
Firth Park [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Valerie Potts 3,696 62.9 +19.2
Conservative Jack Kerton2,08035.4-4.1
Communist Barry Bracken991.7-1.5
Majority1,61627.5+23.4
Turnout 5,875
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.6
Gleadless [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Colin Radcliffe 3,535 46.2 +11.8
Conservative Clifford Godber3,52946.1-10.9
Liberal Dennis Boothroyd5837.6-0.9
Majority60.1-22.6
Turnout 7,647
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +11.4
Hallam [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Hazel Black 3,859 73.5 +3.1
Labour Charlotte Ellis1,38826.4+8.5
Majority2,47147.1-5.4
Turnout 5,247
Labour hold Swing +2.7
Handsworth [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Len Cope 3,292 64.9 +9.1
Conservative William Morris1,78035.1-9.1
Majority1,51229.8+18.2
Turnout 5,072
Labour hold Swing +9.1
Heeley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Bernard Wilkinson 3,204 51.7 +15.0
Conservative James Garlick2,85646.1-10.4
Communist Ken Turton1382.2-4.6
Majority3485.6-14.2
Turnout 6,198
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.7
Hillsborough [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ivor Wakley 3,332 55.7 -8.9
Labour Bill Meade2,64444.2+8.9
Majority68811.5-17.8
Turnout 5,976
Conservative hold Swing -8.9
Intake [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arnold Wood 3,934 58.1 +11.0
Conservative Dennis Johnson2,83541.9-11.0
Majority1,09916.2+10.5
Turnout 6,769
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.0
Manor [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour George Armitage 2,889 76.9 +17.3
Conservative Peter Huddart79221.1-12.9
Communist John Hukin752.0-4.4
Majority2,09755.8+30.2
Turnout 3,756
Labour hold Swing +15.1
Mosborough [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Dorothy Walton 2,876 64.7 +1.9
Labour Harry Havenhand 2,826
Conservative Hugh Rowbotham1,22227.5-9.7
Conservative Stanley Titerington1,101
Liberal Colin Wood3447.7+7.7
Majority1,60437.2+11.6
Turnout 4,442
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.8
Nether Edge [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Michael Black 3,319 71.9 -8.0
Labour Adam Pemberton1,17925.5+5.4
ConservationBarry Cummings1182.6+2.6
Majority2,14046.4-13.4
Turnout 4,616
Conservative hold Swing -6.7
Nether Shire [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Charles Simms 2,850 65.6 +13.5
Conservative Frank Dunn1,11825.7-15.7
Liberal Albert Hattersley2766.3+6.3
Communist Ken Hattersley1002.3-4.2
Majority1,73239.9+29.2
Turnout 4,344
Labour hold Swing +14.6
Netherthorpe [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Enid Hattersley 2,576 67.3 +9.7
Conservative Tony Hutt1,25132.7-5.1
Majority1,32534.6+14.8
Turnout 3,827
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Owlerton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Roy Thwaites 3,066 67.8 +5.9
Conservative Patrick Fenoughty1,45232.1-5.9
Majority1,61435.7+11.8
Turnout 4,518
Labour hold Swing +5.9
Park [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Peter Jones 3,174 77.4 +12.7
Conservative David Else82820.2-8.4
Communist Cyril Morton972.4-4.3
Majority2,34657.2+21.1
Turnout 4,099
Labour hold Swing +10.5
Sharrow [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Alfred Wood 2,833 60.4 +12.5
Conservative Colin Barnsley1,85939.6-4.2
Majority97420.8+16.7
Turnout 4,692
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +8.3
Southey Green [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour David Blunkett 2,619 79.9 +14.7
Conservative Charles Hughes55116.8-10.1
Communist Gordon Ashberry1073.2-4.5
Majority2,06863.1+24.9
Turnout 3,277
Labour hold Swing +12.4
Walkley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jack Towns 2,807 55.3 +15.4
Conservative Stanley Parnell2,26744.7+5.1
Majority54010.6+10.2
Turnout 5,074
Labour hold Swing +5.1

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 "Sheffield Local Elections 1960–1995 scans" . Retrieved 2 December 2011.