The 1973 Gwent County Council election was held on Thursday 12 April 1973 to elect councillors to the new Gwent County Council, governing the new county of Gwent, Wales. It took place on the same day as other county council elections in the United Kingdom.
These were the first elections to the new county council, which would come into effect on 1 April 1974. Future elections would take place every four years, with the next one scheduled for April 1977.
The 1973 election saw the Labour Party win a strong majority on the Council.
Gwent was created following local government reorganisation enacted by the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the area of Monmouthshire and Newport County Borough, which would be transferred from England to Wales in 1974.
The 1973 elections were the first to the new local authorities, with councillors acting in a shadow capacity until 1 April 1974 when the new councils took full effect. [1]
The position of alderman on the local authorities was abolished, with all members of the new councils being elected ward councillors. [1]
Seventy-eight Gwent County Council seats in 66 electoral wards were up for election in April 1973. Labour overall increased its presence in comparison with the old councils, though there were some close battles between Labour, the Liberals and Independents in some wards. [2]
In Cwmbran Labour did not fare so well, with an Independent and a Ratepayer candidate winning seats, and the Conservatives polling strongly. [2]
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 59 | N/A | 75.6 | N/A | |||||
Conservative | 12 | N/A | 15.3 | N/A | |||||
Liberal | 3 | N/A | 3.8 | N/A | |||||
Plaid Cymru | 1 | N/A | 1.2 | N/A | |||||
Communist | 0 | N/A | 0.0 | 1,185 | N/A | ||||
Ratepayers | 2 | N/A | 2.5 | N/A | |||||
Independent | 1 | N/A | 1.2 | N/A |
Contests took place in 49 wards, with candidates in seventeen of the wards being elected unopposed. [2] [lower-alpha 1] [3]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plaid Cymru | I. Lewis | 1,415 | |||
Labour | H. Snellgrove | 1,295 | |||
Turnout | 58.8 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 4,608 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. J. Williams | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | R. Smith | 947 | |||
Labour | P. Stockham | 522 | |||
Turnout | 39.2 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 3,745 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | P. Williams | 1,000 | |||
Labour | J. Pardoe-James | 904 | |||
Turnout | 56.4 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 3,376 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Smith | 891 | |||
Communist | G. Williams | 222 | |||
Turnout | 48.6 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 2,288 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gertrude Morgan | 891 | |||
Communist | G. Mills | 794 | |||
Turnout | 57.8 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 2.916 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. G. Owen | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Jones | 1,067 | |||
Plaid Cymru | D. Hughes | 308 | |||
Turnout | 49.1 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 2,802 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | S. Miller | 1,464 | |||
Liberal | D. Owen | 778 | |||
Labour | S. Seaman | 343 | |||
Turnout | 48.2 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 5,360 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Turner | 1,718 | |||
Labour | R. Murray | 1,439 | |||
Conservative | T. Tranter | 951 | |||
Conservative | (Mrs) D. Griffiths | 856 | |||
Liberal | H. Clark | 834 | |||
Turnout | 53.3 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 6,569 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | P. Grimmer | 1,027 | |||
Labour | T. Lewis | 638 | |||
Liberal | I. Wasgett | 401 | |||
Turnout | 46.2 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 4,474 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Jenkins | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | (Mrs) O. G. Lloyd | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Marsh | 1,322 | |||
Liberal | (Mrs) W. Crowther | 1,143 | |||
Labour | G. Purnell | 1,081 | |||
Conservative | T. Elliot | 975 | |||
Conservative | W. Wright | 812 | |||
Plaid Cymru | G. Lee | 308 | |||
Turnout | 62.9 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 5,961 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Morgan | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Bosley | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Puddle | 1,568 | |||
Ratepayer | W. Arnold | 1,481 | |||
Independent | W. Edwards [lower-alpha 9] | 209 | |||
Turnout | 63.4 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 5,137 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Fenton | 1,756 | |||
Plaid Cymru | R. Williams | 737 | |||
Conservative | V. Jones | 535 | |||
Turnout | 68.8 | n/a | |||
Registered electors | 4,399 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Kirkwood | 1,274 | |||
Plaid Cymru | (Mrs) L. Lewis | 952 | |||
Liberal | R. Zeal | 498 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S. Baldwin | 1,203 | |||
Conservative | L. Horton | 1,169 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Powell | 1,917 | |||
Conservative | M. Shirington | 772 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. Hames | 1,276 | |||
Conservative | C. Courtney | 653 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. O'Neill | 1,240 | |||
Plaid Cymru | E. Spanswick [lower-alpha 11] | 219 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Jones | 622 | |||
Independent | T. Thomas | 491 | |||
Independent | William Morris | 375 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J. Davies | 940 | |||
Labour | E. Blour | 567 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. E. England | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Oliver James | 1,263 | |||
Independent | D. Miles | 831 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | T. Mytton | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | F. Watley | 1,771 | |||
Ratepayer | W. Jones | 1,723 | |||
Ratepayer | A. Pope | 1,689 | |||
Labour | K. Barnes | 1,665 | |||
Plaid Cymru | J. Evans | 1,231 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Rogers | 3,792 | |||
Labour | R. Morgan | 3,667 | |||
Labour | P. Cross | 3,070 | |||
Ratepayer | A. O'Donovan | 2,965 | |||
Ratepayer | M. Jones | 2,357 | |||
Plaid Cymru | D. Kerwick | 1,937 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Wellington | 1,319 | |||
Communist | D. Clarke | 169 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | D. Duthie | 1,227 | |||
Labour | J. Murphy | 855 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | C. Williams | 1,143 | |||
Labour | H. Gail | 712 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | M. Thomas | 2,114 | |||
Labour | R. Hill | 1,968 | |||
Conservative | N. Davies | 1,346 | |||
Conservative | D. Chappell | 1,298 | |||
Independent | F. Hole | 601 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Rice | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Lloyd | 1,527 | |||
Labour | H. Herbert | 1,422 | |||
Conservative | J. Maynard [lower-alpha 17] | 1,010 | |||
Conservative | E. Di Villa | 842 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | K. James | 1,864 | |||
Labour | M. Lewis | 1,754 | |||
Conservative | D. Jewett | 1,177 | |||
Conservative | M. Bellew | 1,128 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J. Lewis | 1,363 | |||
Labour | T. Flynn | 757 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S. Lloyd | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | K. Jayne | 1,909 | |||
Independent | W. Chard | 1,418 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | P. Abraham | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | T. Matthews | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Derrick Rex | 784 | |||
Labour | B. Smith | 737 |
Councillor Rex was a credit company agent and had been a member of Cwmbran Urban Council for 16 years. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | James D. Touhig | 1,683 | |||
Independent | C. Irving | 932 |
This was local newspaper reporter Don Touhig's first ever election, which he won by over 700 votes. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. Skuse | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | B. Chicken | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ratepayer | P. Pritchard | 973 | |||
Labour | P. Maplestone | 537 |
Councillor Pritchard was General Secretary of the Monmouthshire Federation of Ratepayers. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S. Ball | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Gibson | 448 | |||
Plaid Cymru | E. Palmer | 312 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | P. Strickland | 671 | |||
Plaid Cymru | P. Palmer | 151 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | I. Card | Unopposed | |||
Labour | F. Edwards | Unopposed |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Griffiths | 918 | |||
Independent | D. Rees | 160 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. West | 1,022 | |||
Progressive Independent [lower-alpha 20] | M. Bevan | 473 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Bendall | 1,579 | |||
Independent | R. Webster | 877 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Scrivens | 1,178 | |||
Independent | G. Howell | 939 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Bosley | 1,574 | |||
Conservative | D. Davies | 839 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | I. Heath | 1,192 | |||
Labour | A. Huntley | 402 | |||
Ratepayer | D. Millard | 286 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Ovens | 1,595 | |||
Conservative | W. Morris | 1,468 | |||
Conservative | R. Thomas | 1,425 | |||
Labour | R. Soni | 1,387 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Pembridge | 1,884 | |||
Labour | L. Turnbull | 1,729 | |||
Liberal | D. Hando | 1,364 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Angus Donaldson | 2,172 | |||
Labour | William Harry | 1,856 |
Bill Harry had been one of four Monmouthshire county councillors in Tredegar for 13 years, but Gwent County Council would only have three Tredegar county councillors, with Harry being the loser against Angus Donaldson who was a sitting Liberal Monmouthshire councillor for Tredegar. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Price | 925 | |||
Liberal | A. Holley | 663 | |||
Independent | L. Perriam | 143 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Douglas Thomas | 1,425 | |||
Labour | Oliver Williams | 1,383 |
Councillor Thomas won after a recount. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Price | 745 | |||
Independent | J. Price | 273 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | V. Etheridge | 2,033 | |||
Labour | J. Davies | 677 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Patrick Geraghty | 1,333 | |||
Conservative | Percy Jones | 1,075 |
Percy Jones, an alderman and former major of Newport County Borough had been a council member in Newport for 20 years. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Evans | Unopposed |
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Torfaen is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. Torfaen is bordered by the county of Monmouthshire to the east, the city of Newport to the south, and the county boroughs of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent to the south-west and north-west. It is within the boundaries of the historic county of Monmouthshire, and between 1974 and 1996 was a district of Gwent, until it was reconstituted as a principal area in 1996.
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These are the most important local elections in living memory. This year for the first time every council will be elected together. Formerly one-third came up for election each year ... For the year following the elections the new councils will gradually take over from the old ones. Then, when the year is up, the old councils will meet for the last time and the new ones take full responsibility. Because aldermen, who at present make up a quarter of the county and county borough councils, are to be abolished several of those now serving will have to contest elections if they want a seat on the new councils ...