1972 Leeds City Council election

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The final Leeds County Borough municipal elections were held on 5 May 1972, with a third of the councillors up for re-election. The wide-reaching reforms set out in the Local Government Act 1972 had scheduled the council's abolition to coincide with its replacement by the enlarged successor Leeds metropolitan district on 1 April 1974. Prior to the election, a by-election had resulted in Labour gaining the seat in Castleton from the Liberals. [1]

Contents

Labour repeated all of the gains of the previous year's gains (in the 1971 Leeds City Council election), with the exceptions of the Castleton and Osmondthorpe seats - both of which they already held; the latter being their solitary gain in the 1969 election. Much like Labour's performance in the 1969 election, the Conservatives halted their decline - at least in vote share (like Labour, their total vote actually fell a further 5,000, setting a new party low). Having won full representation in West Hunslet, the Liberals defended the seat and retained their total of four. Turnout fell to 34.4%, from 37.8% the year before. [1]

The reaction from the Labour leader, Albert King, was one of contentment: "This is a satisfactory evening for us, and the gains were more or less in line with what I expected". The Conservatives meanwhile were reported to be relieved, with their leader Frank Marshall commenting that the results were better than expected a couple of months ago, and pointing to a significantly reduced Labour vote in Burley from the year before as a reason for optimism for the future. [1]

The sixteen gains for Labour were enough to re-take control of the council from the Conservatives for its last years of existence. [1]

Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1972
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 21150+1570.052.663,893-4.3
  Conservative 8015-1526.736.043,775-0.4
  Liberal 10003.38.910,834+2.9
  Independent 00000.01.61,902+1.6
  Communist 00000.00.91,057+0.2

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

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Cllr Ald CllrAld
Labour41145614
Conservatives45163016
Liberals4040
Total90309030
120120
Working majority  0  -2  22   -2 
 -2  20 

Ward results

Armley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Dixon2,47847.4-8.8
Conservative C. Mathers1,36926.2-4.8
Liberal R. Meadowcroft1,32525.3+13.2
Communist P. Wilton601.1+0.4
Majority1,10921.2-4.0
Turnout 5,232
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -2.0
Beeston [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Barnard2,64352.3-4.3
Conservative A. Dunn2,11141.8+2.9
Liberal L. Ellis2965.9+1.4
Majority53210.5-7.3
Turnout 5,050
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -3.6
Bramley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Millett2,83465.8-1.3
Conservative M. Robinson1,47634.2+1.3
Majority1,35831.6-2.6
Turnout 4,310
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -1.3
Burley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Donohoe1,79158.4-3.1
Conservative D. Ramsden1,17538.3+1.5
Communist T. Flynn1023.3+1.5
Majority61620.1-4.6
Turnout 3,068
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -2.3
Burmantofts [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Blower3,00572.6-1.3
Conservative C. Thomas1,04225.2+0.7
Communist F. Stockdale932.2+0.6
Majority1,96347.4-2.0
Turnout 4,140
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -1.0
Castleton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour K. Dockwray2,12453.1+4.2
Liberal B. Nelson1,56939.2-6.3
Conservative M. Mathews2626.6+2.1
Communist K. Robinson441.1+0.0
Majority55513.9+10.5
Turnout 3,999
Labour hold Swing +5.2
Chapel Allerton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Hunt2,39274.7+3.5
Labour L. Fineberg63819.9+0.6
Liberal O. Braham1745.4-4.2
Majority1,75454.8+2.9
Turnout 3,204
Conservative hold Swing +1.4
City [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Doreen Jenner2,05582.6-3.2
Conservative W. Annan33813.6-0.6
Liberal S. Waldenburg963.9+3.9
Majority1,71769.0-2.6
Turnout 2,489
Labour hold Swing -1.3
Cookridge [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Jenkins2,83155.0+5.3
Labour L. Morrison1,70633.1-2.7
Liberal V. Finkle61011.9-2.6
Majority1,12521.9+8.0
Turnout 5,147
Conservative hold Swing +4.0
East Hunslet [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Bowsley2,26765.8-18.3
Liberal T. Clarkson97928.4+22.0
Conservative B. Cresswell1995.8-3.7
Majority1,28837.4-37.2
Turnout 3,445
Labour hold Swing -20.1
Gipton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arthur Vollans2,78164.1-0.3
Conservative M. Suttenstall1,27129.3-3.1
Liberal K. Pedder1884.3+2.4
Communist J. Bellamy972.2+0.9
Majority1,51034.8+2.8
Turnout 4,337
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +1.4
Halton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Martin Dodgson2,10853.4-12.4
Labour K. Jeffrey1,24431.5-2.6
Liberal S. Roome59415.1+15.1
Majority86421.9-9.8
Turnout 3,946
Conservative hold Swing -4.9
Harehills [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C. Green1,92251.7+3.7
Conservative J. Moran1,60643.2-4.2
Liberal R. Farrar1925.2+0.5
Majority3168.5+7.9
Turnout 3,720
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +3.9
Headingley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative E. Clark2,21951.5-7.9
Labour T. Donohoe1,69539.3-1.3
Liberal J. Coates3949.1+9.1
Majority52412.2-6.5
Turnout 4,308
Conservative hold Swing -3.3
Holbeck [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Bernard Atha2,25378.7-4.4
Liberal R. Whitelock32311.3+5.9
Conservative L. Dobkin28710.0-1.5
Majority1,93067.4-4.1
Turnout 2,863
Conservative hold Swing -5.1
Kirkstall [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Elizabeth Nash3,47458.3-1.9
Conservative J. Horrocks2,40640.4+1.9
Communist J. Sidebottom771.3+0.0
Majority1,06817.9-3.8
Turnout 5,957
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -1.9
Middleton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Kitchen2,80283.7-0.2
Conservative P. Johnson42612.7+3.9
Communist D. Priscott1213.6+0.7
Majority2,37671.0-4.1
Turnout 3,349
Labour hold Swing -2.0
Moortown [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Redmond2,36159.3+7.1
Labour M. Cliff1,27231.9-5.9
Liberal L. Waldenburg3508.8-1.2
Majority1,08927.3+13.0
Turnout 3,983
Conservative hold Swing +6.5
Osmondthorpe [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W. Prichard3,12276.2+0.9
Conservative Doreen Wood92122.5-2.2
Communist D. Cook541.3+1.3
Majority2,20153.7+3.1
Turnout 4,097
Labour hold Swing +1.5
Richmond Hill [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Cooke2,58773.7-4.4
Conservative G. Dimmock87324.9+4.6
Communist D. Fawcett481.4-0.2
Majority1,71448.9-8.9
Turnout 3,508
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -4.5
Roundhay [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Johnson2,92079.0+0.7
Labour L. Milburn58815.9-5.8
Liberal D. Freethby1895.1+5.1
Majority2,33263.1+6.5
Turnout 3,697
Conservative hold Swing +3.2
Scott Hall [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Baum1,83761.1-6.8
Conservative V. Darton91530.4+0.1
Liberal D. Thorpe2006.6+6.6
Communist M. Temple561.9+0.0
Majority92230.7-6.9
Turnout 3,008
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -3.4
Seacroft [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. Stringer4,56478.8+0.2
Conservative D. Ball1,15219.9-0.5
Communist A. Dale751.3+0.3
Majority3,41258.9+0.7
Turnout 5,791
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +0.3
Stanningley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Miller2,87465.9-3.1
Conservative I. Benton1,42932.8+3.4
Communist R. Quarmby551.3-0.3
Majority1,44533.2-6.5
Turnout 4,358
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -3.2
Talbot [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ronnie Feldman2,47865.9-4.6
Labour L. Naylor87323.2-0.4
Liberal M. Phillips41010.9+5.0
Majority1,60542.7-4.2
Turnout 3,761
Conservative hold Swing -2.1
Weetwood [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative S. Rostron2,90555.2-26.2
Independent E. Firth1,90236.1+36.1
Labour S. Akbar4578.7-9.9
Majority1,00319.1-43.7
Turnout 5,264
Conservative hold Swing -31.1
West Hunslet [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Dennis Pedder2,34760.9+8.8
Labour J. Wright1,14429.7-5.6
Conservative J. Dawson3639.4-3.2
Majority1,20331.2+14.4
Turnout 3,854
Liberal hold Swing +7.2
Whinmoor [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. Davis2,56371.0-4.8
Conservative P. White98327.2+4.1
Communist H. Besser621.7+0.6
Majority1,58043.8-8.9
Turnout 3,608
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -4.4
Woodhouse [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Roche1,52147.0-10.8
Conservative P. Fingret1,00531.0-7.9
Liberal M. Baker59818.5+18.5
Communist L. Morris1133.5+0.2
Majority51615.9-2.9
Turnout 3,237
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -1.4
Wortley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. Selby2,77958.7+0.2
Conservative F. Stubley1,95241.3+7.0
Majority82717.5-6.8
Turnout 4,731
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -3.4

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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 29 30 31 32 33 34 "Labour sweeps in with 20 majority in Leeds". The Yorkshire Post . 6 May 1972. Scan here