1976 Reading Borough Council election

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1976 Reading Borough Council election
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←  1973 5 May 1976 (1976-05-05) 1979  →
46 seats (whole council)
24 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Con
Lab
Lib
LeaderDeryck MortonChris GoodallJim Day
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Seats before161614
Seats after211411
Seat changeIncrease2.svg5Decrease2.svg2Decrease2.svg3

The 1976 Reading Borough Council election was held on 6 May 1976, at the same time as other local elections across England and Wales. All 46 seats on Reading Borough Council were up for election. The council remained under no overall control, but with the Conservatives becoming the largest party. The Conservative group leader, Deryck Morton, subsequently took the council's most senior political job as chairman of the policy committee, leading a Conservative minority administration. [1]

Contents

Ward results

The results in each ward were as follows: [2] [3]

Abbey Ward (two seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour William George Mander
(Bill Mander)		383
Conservative Barclay Lane 373
Conservative J. Pearson369
Labour R. Williams339
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Battle Ward (two seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Reginald Harry Bristow
(Joe Bristow)		894
Labour Thomas Frank Wise
(Frank Wise)		883
Conservative M. Irwin519
Conservative J. Harper515
Liberal J. Dickson146
Liberal E. Dickson143
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Castle Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Robert J. Garnett
(Bob Garnett)		1,028
Labour Graham Anthony Rush 962
Labour Antony William Page
(Tony Page)		947
Conservative E. Farmer801
Conservative P. Brigham792
Conservative B. Jones773
Liberal C. Milsom440
Liberal R. Harris434
Liberal J. Mennear430
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Caversham Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ronald William Jewitt
(Ron Jewitt)		2,190
Conservative George Frank Robinson 1,840
Conservative Frederick Llywelyn Pugh
(Fred Pugh)		1,812
Labour T. Clifton937
Labour M. Johnson891
Labour A. Tolan862
Independent A. Freeman277
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Christchurch Ward (four seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Marianne Jeanne Absolom 1,315
Labour William Maurice John Huntley
(John Huntley)		1,241
Labour Nigel Webb 1,185
Conservative R. Bishop 1,178
Conservative R. Cox1,172
Labour H. Young1,165
Conservative C. Cross1,147
Conservative C. Hembrow1,092
Liberal H. Crichton547
Liberal D. O'Rourke484
Liberal N. James422
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Katesgrove Ward (two seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Geoffrey Robert Mander
(Geoff Mander)		848
Labour Margaret Stella Singh 765
Conservative N. Rowberry724
Conservative J. Wilkins655
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Minster Ward (six seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Adelina Ethel Baker
(Lena Baker)		2,538
Conservative Simon Christopher Coombs 2,516
Conservative Geoffrey Gascoigne Lawrence 2,500
Conservative Charles Frederick Sage 2,451
Conservative Joyce A. Talbot 2,427
Conservative Kenneth Loder
(Ken Loder)		2,422
Labour C. Bosley1,828
Labour D. Buckley1,800
Labour A. Knott1,750
Labour K. Davison1,742
Labour K. Diment1,736
Labour F. Silverthorne1,699
Liberal M. Clarke688
Liberal C. Bucke659
Liberal H. Goodacre635
Liberal D. Holmes615
Liberal P. Pratt614
Liberal D. Hobbs600
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Norcot Ward (six seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Leslie Basil Dunning
(Basil Dunning)		1,711
Liberal Terence James Francis
(Terry Francis)		1,687
Liberal John Freeman 1,657
Liberal Geoffrey David Salisbury 1,633
Liberal Peter Beard 1,626
Liberal Dennis Hopkins 1,594
Conservative P. Madges1,519
Conservative J. Pacey1,504
Conservative F. Rogers1,475
Conservative R. Hinckley1,467
Conservative G. Waite1,458
Conservative F. Rose1,391
Labour W. Gothard1,072
Labour F. Harris1,059
Labour H. Hathaway1,033
Labour H. Hinder981
Labour R. Smith959
Labour A. Pravda934
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Park Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Douglas Alan Chilvers 1,333
Conservative Veronica Horman 1,255
Conservative Michael Francis 1,251
Labour P. Jones943
Labour S. Harvey904
Labour B. Lyons889
Liberal N. Edwards697
Liberal M. Bliss633
Liberal A. Looker606
Independent V. Short51
Independent K. Pullen45
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Redlands Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Michael Oliver 1,316
Conservative John Derrick Lawford 1,277
Conservative Martin Charles Lower 1,249
Liberal V. Angell1,151
Liberal R. Brough1,055
Liberal S. Milano999
Labour P. Jones455
Labour V. Jones406
Labour G. Kennedy406
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Thames Ward (four seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Cyril William Aucock 2,906
Conservative Kathleen Lucy Sage 2,900
Conservative Eric Gordon Davies 2,884
Conservative Deryck Mitchell Morton 2,701
Liberal K. Gwinnell951
Liberal J. Green933
Liberal K. Elliott838
Labour P. Mander686
Labour K. Sainsbury633
Labour G. Lidbetter599
Labour R. Hammersley569
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Tilehurst Ward (five seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Ronald James Day
(Jim Day)		2,475
Liberal Frances Teresa Day
(Paddy Day)		2,367
Liberal Desmond A. Allen
(Des Allen)		2,194
Liberal George Henry Ford 2,175
Liberal Michael Ingrey 2,122
Conservative A. Davis1,441
Conservative M. Caseley1,423
Conservative S. Foley1,323
Conservative J. Stevens1,315
Conservative I. Grant1,304
Labour J. Cottee821
Labour D. Bull777
Labour A. Gothard777
Labour L. Hinder772
Labour M. Steele748
Independent M. White60
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Whitley Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Michael Edward Orton
(Mike Orton)		1,187
Labour John Rees Price
(Jack Price)		1,186
Labour Doris Ellen Lawrence 1,185
Conservative G. Matthews797
Conservative P. Wickens623
Conservative R. Woodroff536
Liberal B. Trussell275
Liberal M. Law234
Liberal H. Trussell231
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

By-elections 1976–1979

Christchurch by-election 1977

Christchurch By-Election 31 March 1977
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Robert Douglas (Bob) Cox 1,061 39.0 −2.9
Labour Maurice Dixon1,02337.6−7.2
Liberal Max Thomas Heydeman63723.4+10.1
Majority 381.4
Turnout 2,721
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +2.15

The Christchurch ward by-election in 1977 was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor John Huntley. [4] [5]

Thames by-election April 1977

On 1 April 1977 the borough was enlarged by the addition of parts of the parishes of Eye and Dunsden, Kidmore End and Mapledurham, all from South Oxfordshire. The number of councillors on Reading Borough Council was increased from 46 to 49 as a result. The two South Oxfordshire district councillors representing much of the transferred area automatically became Reading borough councillors without needing to be re-elected, representing a new ward of Caversham Park. These two were Geoff Lowe and Harold Stoddart, both Liberals (although Lowe later defected to the Conservatives in 1978). [6] Reading's existing Thames and Caversham wards were also enlarged, and the increase in the size of Thames ward justified a fifth councillor being elected for that ward, for which a by-election was held on 21 April 1977, which was won by the Conservatives. After the by-election and two transfers, the balance of the council was 23 Conservatives, 13 Labour and 13 Liberals. [7] [8]

Thames By-Election 21 April 1977
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Brian Fowles 2,619 75.3
Liberal Katherine Gwinnell48513.9
Labour Pat Mander37310.7
Majority 2,13461.4
Turnout 3,47733
Conservative win (new seat)

Thames by-election September 1977

Thames By-Election 22 September 1977
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Stevens 2,121 74.1 −1.2
Liberal Katherine Gwinnell38713.5−0.4
Labour Helen Kayes35412.4+1.6
Majority 1,73460.6−0.8
Turnout 2,86230−3
Conservative hold Swing -0.4

The September 1977 by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Cyril Aucock. [9] [10]

Minster by-election 1977

Minster By-Election 1 December 1977
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Roseanna Rowberry 1,911 57.1
Labour Bunty Nash1,14334.1
Liberal Janet Holmes2938.8
Majority 76822.9
Turnout 3,34729
Conservative hold Swing

The Minster ward by-election in 1977 was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Joyce Talbot. [11]

References

  1. ↑ "Councillors slam hotel decision". Evening Post. Reading. 7 January 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 21 April 2022. Policy committee chairman Councillor Deryck Morton...
  2. ↑ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. Reading Borough Council Election Results 1973-1996 (PDF). Plymouth: The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  3. ↑ "Council expenses". Evening Post. Reading. 4 July 1977. p. 7. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "'Give busy councillors a fairer deal'". Evening Post. Reading. 17 February 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "Tories take ward off Labour". Evening Post. Reading. p. 15. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "Tories welcome new council convert". Evening Post. Reading. 4 May 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Reading prepared for its 8,000 'migrants'". Evening Post. Reading. 23 March 1977. p. 4. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. ↑ "Tory wins in Thames ward". Evening Post. Reading. 22 April 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "Reading councillor's funeral". Evening Post. Reading. 1 July 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  10. ↑ "Tory holds Thames ward seat". Evening Post. Reading. 23 September 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Tories' easy by-election win". Evening Post. Reading. 2 December 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
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