1975 Leeds City Council election

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Elections to Leeds City Council were held on 1 May 1975. One third of the seats, as well as an extra vacancy in Aireborough, were up for election. Labour had gained a seat from a by-election in Burley in the interim, prompted by the arrest of incumbent Conservative Ray Forbes in connection with arms smuggling. [1]

Contents

The election resulted in a substantial swing to the Conservatives, helping them gain six seats in total, with four from Labour (Burley, Kirkstall, Pudsey South and Wortley) and two from the Liberals (Horsforth and Otley). This established the Conservatives as the largest party on the council, but with the council remaining under no overall control. [2]

Election result

Leeds local election result 1975
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 1960+657.649.886,036+8.7%
  Labour 1204-436.331.554,379-8.9%
  Liberal 202-26.117.530,196+1.2%
  Independent 00000.00.71,262-0.3%
  Communist 00000.00.4660-0.3%
  National Front 00000.00.073-0.2%

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

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Conservatives3743
Labour4541
Liberals1412
Total9696
Working majority 0  0 

Ward results

Aireborough [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Captwright5,61061.3+8.4
Conservative J. Hutchinson5,296
Labour R. Oddy2,00121.9−10.5
Labour F. Harman1,987
Liberal Jocelyn Cleasby1,53516.8+2.1
Liberal Alice Horsfall1,500
Majority 3,29539.5+18.9
Turnout 9,146
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing +9.4
Armley and Castleton [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal B. Nelson2,36037.5−22.9
Labour Michael McGowan 2,25535.8+8.4
Conservative A. Mathers1,58325.2+14.7
Communist P. Wilton931.5−0.2
Majority 1051.7−31.3
Turnout 6,291
Liberal hold Swing -15.6
Beeston and Holbeck [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour H. Booth2,71847.6−6.8
Conservative G. Hartley2,10336.9+7.5
Liberal J. Leighton88415.5−0.7
Majority 61510.8−14.3
Turnout 5,705
Labour hold Swing -7.1
Bramley [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Millett1,65052.8−1.1
Conservative D. Mitchell1,47647.2+24.2
Liberal Joy Clayforth
Majority 1745.6−25.2
Turnout
Labour hold Swing -12.6
Burley [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Sexton1,25050.9+15.2
Labour J. Roche87935.8−3.5
Liberal N. Mackie1867.6−13.8
National Front J. Duckenfield733.0+3.0
Communist B. Stinson662.7−0.8
Majority 37115.1+11.4
Turnout 2,454
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +9.3
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Mulet2,62048.1−17.3
Liberal Margaret Clay1,52728.0+28.0
Conservative G. Dimmock1,22022.4−3.8
Communist B. Stockdale841.5−1.1
Majority 1,09320.1−19.1
Turnout 5,451
Labour hold Swing -22.6
Chapel Allerton and Scott Hall [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Thomas3,93362.1−1.3
Labour G. Bloom1,43222.6−10.6
Liberal J. Clay87113.8+13.8
Communist M. Tomplak961.5−1.8
Majority 2,50139.5+9.3
Turnout 6,332
Conservative hold Swing +4.6
City and Woodhouse [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Morris1,83651.0−18.5
Conservative T. Battersby1,02328.4−2.0
Liberal D. Selby60816.9+16.9
Communist M. Rodgers1313.6+3.6
Majority 81322.6−16.5
Turnout 3,598
Labour hold Swing -8.2
Cookridge and Weetwood [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative K. Loudon6,31072.4+8.6
Labour B. Selby1,26914.6−13.9
Liberal Dorothea Leser1,13613.0+13.0
Majority 5,04157.8+22.5
Turnout 8,715
Conservative hold Swing +11.2
Garforth #1 (Garforth North and Barwick) [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Hedley4,94565.4+10.8
Labour C. Say1,97226.1−19.3
Liberal N. Parnaby6398.5+8.5
Majority 2,97339.3+30.0
Turnout 7,556
Conservative hold Swing +15.0
Garforth #2 (Kippax and Swillington) [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Noakes2,56580.5+16.7
Independent P. Clements42013.2+13.2
Conservative C. Taylor2026.3−19.0
Majority 2,14567.3+28.9
Turnout 3,187
Labour hold Swing +1.7
Gipton and Whinmoor [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Vollans2,59747.3−7.8
Conservative W. Buckland2,51045.7+12.8
Liberal Kathleen Pedder3857.0−3.2
Majority 871.6−20.5
Turnout 5,492
Labour hold Swing -10.3
Halton [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Wood4,04272.3+2.6
Labour A. Maher1,15920.7−9.5
Liberal R. Taylor3897.0+7.0
Majority 2,88351.6+12.1
Turnout 5,590
Conservative hold Swing +6.0
Harehills and Roundhay [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peggy White4,76667.4+2.5
Labour M. Simmons1,66823.6+2.1
Liberal C. Farrer6419.1−4.6
Majority 3,09843.8+0.4
Turnout 7,075
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
Headingley [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Searie2,23054.7+9.9
Labour I. Levy1,03725.4−9.0
Liberal P. Holmes81219.9−0.9
Majority 1,19329.2+18.9
Turnout 4,079
Conservative hold Swing +9.4
Horsforth [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Frame3,73652.6+11.5
Liberal H. Stuttard2,63337.1−9.0
Labour F. Wadwell73610.4−2.5
Majority 1,10315.5+10.5
Turnout 7,105
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.2
Hunslet East and West [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal M. Taylor2,52848.1−7.6
Labour Pat Fathers2,09639.9+2.5
Conservative R. Blackburn62711.9+5.1
Majority 4328.2−10.2
Turnout 5,251
Liberal hold Swing -5.0
Kirkstall [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Hamilton2,36647.1+0.0
Labour K. Fenwick2,27945.4−4.2
Liberal J. Stevens3797.5+7.5
Majority 871.7−0.8
Turnout 5,024
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +2.1
Middleton [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Wood1,80156.0−21.6
Conservative C. Hallas80825.1+9.0
Liberal R. Heselwood51315.9+15.9
Communist D. Priscott953.0−3.3
Majority 99330.9−30.6
Turnout 3,217
Labour hold Swing -15.3
Moortown [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Challenor2,78469.3+3.3
Labour H. Gunnell77119.2−14.8
Liberal S. Waldenberg46111.5+11.5
Majority 2,01350.1+18.1
Turnout 4,016
Conservative hold Swing +9.0
Morley #1 (Morley North) [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Verity3,59167.3+12.5
Labour K. Smith1,74432.7−12.5
Majority 1,84734.6+24.9
Turnout 5,335
Conservative hold Swing +12.5
Morley #2 (Morley South) [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. Welham1,87842.5−21.4
Conservative K. Gray1,56335.8−0.7
Company DirectorS. Whittaker63414.3+14.3
Liberal Margaret Batley3467.8+7.8
Majority 3157.1−20.7
Turnout 4,421
Labour hold Swing -10.3
Osmondthorpe [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Pritchard1,50653.1−16.2
Conservative S. Nelmes1,16441.0+10.3
Liberal Pat Lawson1685.9+5.9
Majority 34212.1−26.5
Turnout 2,838
Labour hold Swing -13.2
Otley [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative S. Day3,55046.8+5.7
Liberal D. Whitley2,86937.8−2.4
Labour F. Emery1,16715.4−3.3
Majority 6819.0+8.1
Turnout 7,586
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.0
Pudsey #1 (Pudsey North) [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Thompson3,27950.7+16.4
Liberal R. Hainsworth1,71126.5−7.2
Labour D. Trafford1,47522.8−9.2
Majority 1,56824.3+23.6
Turnout 6,465
Conservative hold Swing +11.8
Pudsey #2 (Pudsey South) [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative P. Kersting2,96446.0+22.5
Labour J. Mann1,94530.2−2.2
Liberal B. Lester1,53523.8−15.0
Majority 1,01915.8+9.4
Turnout 6,444
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +12.3
Rothwell [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. Arran2,58741.1−24.1
Conservative K. Bragan1,99331.7−3.0
Liberal P. Bower1,70827.2+27.2
Majority 5949.4−21.2
Turnout 6,288
Labour hold Swing -10.5
Seacroft [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Mudie2,01657.6−20.3
Conservative R. Ivey1,38839.7+21.7
Communist A. Dale952.7−1.5
Majority 62817.9−42.1
Turnout 3,499
Labour hold Swing -21.0
Stanningley [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C. Myers1,57342.6−11.8
Conservative I. Benton1,31235.5+7.1
Liberal R. Keighley81121.9+4.7
Majority 2617.1−18.8
Turnout 3,696
Labour hold Swing -9.4
Talbot [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Feldman3,24970.8+10.8
Labour D. Brown69015.0+2.4
Liberal J. Miles64914.1−13.2
Majority 2,55955.8+23.1
Turnout 4,588
Conservative hold Swing +4.2
Wetherby [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative W. Hill5,85371.9+5.2
Liberal D. Tunstall1,34816.6+16.6
Labour C. Brown7329.0−14.7
RetiredJ. Shackleton2082.6−7.1
Majority 4,50555.3+12.3
Turnout 8,141
Conservative hold Swing -5.7
Wortley [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Robson2,60653.2+11.1
Labour P. Shires1,72535.2−6.5
Liberal Jeanette Bean56411.5−4.6
Majority 88118.0+17.5
Turnout 4,895
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.8

References

  1. "Civil war threat in Ulster". The Montreal Gazette . 14 May 1974. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  2. 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 "District results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post . 2 May 1975. Scans can be found here: 1 and 2