1978 Leeds City Council election

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Elections to Leeds City Council were held on 4 May 1978, with one third of the council up for election, as well as an extra vacancy in Wetherby. Prior to the election, the Hunslet East and West incumbent, Dennis Peddar, had defected from the Liberals to Independent, and fought this election as such.

Contents

The election seen a returning swing to Labour, although gains and losses were spread fairly equitably, with Labour narrowly gaining from the Conservatives in Wortley and comfortably from the Independent in Hunslet East and West, but losing Burmantofts and Richmond Hill to the Liberals. The Conservative gain from the Liberals in Pudsey South left the two parties' totals unchanged. This resulted in the Conservatives retaining control of the council, with an unaltered majority of four. [1]

Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1978
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 1511045.443.886,707-4.3%
  Labour 1521145.440.580,070+6.6%
  Liberal 31109.112.224,057-3.2%
  Ecology 00000.01.22,422+1.1%
  National Front 00000.01.12,185+0.2%
  Independent 001-10.00.71,425+0.6%
  Communist 00000.00.5913+0.1%

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

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Conservatives5050
Labour3839
Liberals77
Independent10
Total9696
Working majority 4  4 

Ward results

Aireborough [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative W. Hudson5,20256.6+0.2
Labour M. Dunn2,42926.4−0.4
Liberal J. Brown1,55616.9+0.1
Majority2,77330.2+0.6
Turnout 9,187
Conservative hold Swing +0.3
Armley and Castleton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal M. Meadowcroft3,00745.0+4.5
Labour C. Buttery2,12231.8−1.3
Conservative C. Mathers1,33920.0−1.6
National Front M. Spink871.3+0.5
Ecology J. Garrett741.1+1.1
Communist J. Hodgson540.8−0.2
Majority88513.2+5.8
Turnout 6,683
Liberal hold Swing +2.9
Beeston and Holbeck [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Beevers4,40961.7+11.6
Conservative E. Lucas2,57436.0−3.3
National Front E. Thomas1612.3+2.3
Majority1,83525.7+14.8
Turnout 7,144
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Bramley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Atkinson2,76453.9+2.6
Conservative W. Broadbent1,33926.1−9.2
Liberal D. Selby91017.8+4.5
National Front S. Smith601.2+1.2
Communist J. Light521.0+1.0
Majority1,42527.8+11.8
Turnout 5,125
Labour hold Swing +5.9
Burley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour L. Cohen1,81154.2+14.5
Conservative A. Sexton1,30739.1−12.5
Ecology K. Baxter1334.0+4.0
Communist B. Jackson571.7−0.8
National Front C. Whitehead361.1−0.2
Majority50415.1+3.2
Turnout 3,344
Labour hold Swing +13.5
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal M. Clay3,90150.5+16.1
Labour Michael McGowan 2,72935.3−4.0
Conservative R. Simpson89711.6−7.5
National Front S. Rigby1191.5−1.1
Communist M. Monkman841.1−0.5
Majority1,17215.2+10.2
Turnout 7,730
Liberal gain from Labour Swing +10.0
Chapel Allerton and Scott Hall [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative P. Sparling4,03951.6−11.5
Labour J. Kerwin-Davey2,98438.1+10.3
Liberal D. Thorpe4956.3−2.8
National Front P. Jackson1481.9+1.9
Communist L. Willoughby1081.4+1.4
Ecology T. Bernstein540.7+0.7
Majority1,05513.5−21.8
Turnout 7,828
Conservative hold Swing -10.9
City and Woodhouse [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W. Merritt2,64464.3+12.1
Conservative C. Hudson1,09326.6−2.7
Liberal A. Ali1774.3−10.4
Communist J. Rodgers1303.2−0.7
National Front A. Rhodes691.7+1.7
Majority1,55137.7+14.8
Turnout 4,113
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Cookridge and Weetwood [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ralph David Hall6,20164.5−8.3
Labour John Illingworth2,09121.7+3.3
Liberal David Gazey1,13211.8+2.9
Ecology P. Lewenz1972.0+2.0
Majority4,11042.7−11.6
Turnout 9,621
Conservative hold Swing -5.8
Garforth North and Barwick [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative B. Rowley4,48760.5−4.0
Labour H. Martin2,45133.0+1.3
Ecology D. Corry4836.5+6.5
Majority2,03627.5−5.3
Turnout 7,421
Conservative hold Swing -2.6
Gipton and Whinmoor [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Dixon4,26562.3+12.4
Conservative W. Buckland2,36334.5−11.2
National Front B. Spink1372.0−2.4
Communist G. Thompson821.2+1.2
Majority1,90227.8+23.6
Turnout 6,847
Labour hold Swing +11.8
Halton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Dodgson4,03470.1−1.2
Labour D. Brown1,58627.6+1.5
National Front C. Dewar1342.3−0.3
Majority2,44842.5−2.8
Turnout 5,754
Conservative hold Swing -1.3
Harehills and Roundhay [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative P. Crotty4,13954.6−14.4
Labour M. Lyons2,82137.2+10.5
Liberal H. Bevans3965.2+5.2
Ecology A. Andrew1181.6+1.6
National Front C. Dewar1051.4−2.9
Majority1,31817.4−24.9
Turnout 7,579
Conservative hold Swing -12.4
Headingley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative E. Clark2,24045.1−11.3
Labour E. Whelan1,64533.1+6.9
Liberal D. Rolfe69213.9+0.7
Communist B. Cooper2104.2−0.1
Ecology K. Rushworth1853.7+3.7
Majority59512.0−18.2
Turnout 4,972
Conservative hold Swing -9.1
Horsforth [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal M. Crossfield3,41344.1+11.8
Conservative B. Pickard3,20141.4−9.0
Labour T. Watson86411.2−2.6
Ecology D. Darnborough2623.4+3.4
Majority2122.7−15.3
Turnout 7,740
Liberal hold Swing +10.4
Hunslet East and West [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Driver3,03549.9+6.9
Independent D. Pedder1,42523.4+23.4
Liberal J. Finnigan79513.1−31.3
Conservative R. Tetley67011.0+2.4
National Front N. Griffiths4622.7−0.6
Majority1,61026.4+24.9
Turnout 6,087
Labour gain from Independent Swing -8.2
Kippax and Swillington [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour K. Smith3,21959.0+5.4
Conservative B. King2,23441.0−0.8
Majority98518.0+6.2
Turnout 5,453
Labour hold Swing +3.1
Kirkstall [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Elizabeth Nash3,37356.8+6.0
Conservative T. Battersby2,32739.2−5.1
Liberal Laurence Keates2394.0+4.0
Majority1,04617.6+11.1
Turnout 5,939
Labour hold Swing +5.5
Middleton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Taylor3,15677.4+17.6
Conservative N. Landers78919.3−6.0
Communist R. Ward822.0−0.4
National Front R. Buck521.3+1.3
Majority2,36758.0+23.6
Turnout 4,079
Labour hold Swing +11.8
Moortown [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Redmond2,92662.9−2.6
Labour I. Levy1,56733.7+11.5
Ecology S. Waldenberg1603.4−0.3
Majority1,35929.2−14.1
Turnout 4,653
Conservative hold Swing -7.0
Morley North [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative B. Barker3,20950.7+0.1
Labour B. North3,11949.3+21.3
Majority901.4−21.3
Turnout 6,328
Conservative hold Swing -10.6
Morley South [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour B. Haydn3,31062.3+12.4
Conservative C. Rover1,99937.7−12.4
Majority1,31124.7+24.5
Turnout 5,309
Labour hold Swing +12.4
Osmondthorpe [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Gabb2,39966.7+11.7
Conservative D. Zucker1,08730.2−5.1
National Front L. Fella1133.1−2.1
Majority1,31236.5+16.9
Turnout 3,599
Labour hold Swing +8.4
Otley and Wharfedale [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative F. Atkinson3,93750.1+5.6
Liberal J. Spencer2,91037.0−7.1
Labour I. Swain96012.2+1.4
Communist A. Oddy540.7+0.0
Majority1,02713.1+12.8
Turnout 7,861
Conservative hold Swing +6.3
Pudsey North [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Carter3,72459.2+13.7
Labour P. Burrill1,75627.9+4.9
Liberal S. Hollingworth81212.9−18.5
Majority1,96831.3+17.2
Turnout 6,292
Conservative hold Swing +4.4
Pudsey South [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative L. Fletcher2,47543.0−2.3
Liberal G. Wilson2,06535.9+5.3
Labour W. Thurlow1,21121.1−3.0
Majority4107.1−7.6
Turnout 5,751
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing -3.8
Rothwell [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Lund4,93962.4+18.3
Conservative R. Harvey2,78135.1+6.5
National Front J. Duckenfield1942.5+2.5
Majority2,15827.3+11.8
Turnout 7,914
Labour hold Swing
Seacroft [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour I. Adams3,30370.4+12.7
Conservative D. Townsley1,25626.8−10.4
National Front C. Cannon1352.9−0.4
Majority2,04743.6+23.1
Turnout 4,694
Labour hold Swing +11.5
Stanningley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Miller2,69960.2+8.2
Conservative I. Benton1,39231.1−4.0
Liberal F. Upton3167.0−5.9
National Front M. Gibson761.7+1.7
Majority1,30729.1+12.2
Turnout 4,483
Labour hold Swing +6.1
Talbot [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative I. Bellow3,68769.4−2.4
Labour B. Walker1,06120.0+2.7
Liberal M. Phillips3206.0−4.9
Ecology S. Parkin2013.8+3.8
National Front L. Spink460.9+0.9
Majority2,62649.4−5.0
Turnout 5,315
Conservative hold Swing -4.0
Wetherby [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Hudson5,41971.5−3.2
Conservative J. Grange5,311
Labour J. Taylor96312.7−1.3
Labour M. Moynihan808
Liberal J. Scott6418.5−2.8
Ecology M. Sellers5557.3+7.3
Majority4,45658.8−1.8
Turnout 7,578
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing -0.9
Wortley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour P. Fathers2,38544.5+3.8
Conservative F. Stubley2,34043.7−3.5
Liberal W. Moss5199.7−2.4
National Front A. Smith1122.1+2.1
Majority450.8−5.7
Turnout 5,356
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +3.6

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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 "District results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post . 5 May 1978.
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