1979 Reading Borough Council election

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1979 Reading Borough Council election
←  1976 3 May 1979 (1979-05-03) 1983  →
49 seats (whole council)
25 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Con
Lab
Lib
LeaderDeryck MortonGeoff ManderGeoff Salisbury
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Seats before241312
Seats after221611
Seat changeDecrease2.svg2Increase2.svg3Decrease2.svg1
Popular vote123,22486,59168,404
Percentage44.231.124.6

The 1979 Reading Borough Council election was held on 3 May 1979, alongside local elections across England and Wales and the general election. All 49 seats on Reading Borough Council were contested.

Contents

Prior to the election, the council had been under no overall control, with the Conservatives the largest party. Labour saw the biggest net increase in its seats, gaining three, but the council remained under no overall control with the Conservatives as the largest party. After the election the Conservatives had 22 seats (down from 24), Labour had 16 seats (up from 13), and the Liberals had 11 seats (down from 12). [1]

The party leaders on the council ahead of the election were Deryck Morton for the Conservatives, Geoff Mander for Labour, and Geoff Salisbury for the Liberals. Geoff Salisbury did not stand at the election, and the Liberals' former leader Jim Day became party leader again after the election, having spent the 1978–1979 civic year as mayor of Reading. [2] [3] Deryck Morton was re-appointed to the council's most senior political role as chair of the policy committee after the election, effectively leading a Conservative minority administration. [4]

Results

Reading Borough Council Election, 1979
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 2213-244.9%44.2%123,224
  Labour 1630+332.7%31.1%86,591
  Liberal 1101-122.4%24.6%68,404
  Independent 00%0.1%176
  Communist 00%0.0%139

Ward results

The results in each ward were as follows (candidates with an asterisk(*) were the previous incumbent standing for re-election, candidates with a dagger(†) were sitting councillors contesting different wards): [5] [6] [7] [8] [1]

Abbey Ward (two seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Graham Ransley Chapman 676
Labour Helen Ruth Kayes 649
Conservative Keith John Hardie592
Conservative John Norman Pearson566
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Battle Ward (two seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Antony William Page† 1,480
Labour Frances Margaret (Bunty) Nash 1,474
Conservative Roy Ernest Simmonds1,043
Conservative Adel Hamza Fuad1,009
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Castle Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Graham Anthony Rush* 1,848
Labour Moira Elizabeth Dickenson 1,705
Labour Ronald John Williams 1,694
Conservative Maurice Gordon Lidgley1,658
Conservative Roy Tranter1,657
Conservative Richard Charles Young1,547
Communist Stanley Frederick Cooke139
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Caversham Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ronald William Jewitt* 3,248
Conservative George Frank Robinson* 2,641
Conservative Frederick Llywelyn Pugh* 2,624
Labour Thomas Henry Clifton1,329
Labour David Daniel Malvern1,251
Labour Alexander Pravda1,113
Liberal David Henry Oliphant578
Liberal Jennifer Ann Lewis516
Liberal David Michael Williams440
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Caversham Park Ward (two seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Hamish Macbeth 1,622
Conservative Geoffrey Alan Lowe* 1,544
Liberal Harold Arnold Stoddart*1,437
Liberal Derek Michael Nathan1,171
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Christchurch Ward (four seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Marian Jeanne Absolom* 2,741
Labour Peter Francis (Dave) Absolom 2,733
Labour Christopher John Goodall 2,527
Labour June Elizabeth Orton 2,389
Conservative Robert Douglas Cox*2,053
Conservative Reginald Bishop*2,015
Conservative Gladys Emily Matthews1,857
Conservative Vivienne Joy Rose1,722
Liberal Philip Ernest Gash1,045
Liberal Elizabeth Margaret O'Rourke910
Liberal Gladys Ilfreda Massam896
Liberal David James Wilson853
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Katesgrove Ward (two seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Geoffrey Robert Mander* 1,801
Labour Margaret Stella Singh* 1,703
Conservative Christina Margaret Rowland1,185
Conservative Vera Anne Sutton1,107
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Minster Ward (six seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Adelina Ethel Baker* 4,235
Conservative Joseph Edwin Slater 4,128
Conservative Simon Christopher Coombs* 4,056
Conservative Charles Frederick Sage* 4,040
Conservative Lynne Geraldine Bradley 4,033
Conservative Sydney Harry Harris 3,813
Labour William George Mander†3,053
Labour Kenneth Alan Diment3,008
Labour Douglas Ivor Buckley2,929
Labour Alaster James Rutherford2,797
Labour Frederick John Silverthorne2,755
Labour Robert Mitchell2,603
Liberal Christopher Bucke1,448
Liberal David George Hobbs1,416
Liberal Mary Laura Clark1,400
Liberal Daphne Janet Holmes1,340
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* 3,376
Liberal Peter Beard* 3,290
Liberal Terence James Francis* 3,252
Liberal John Freeman* 3,233
Liberal Ann Joan Grant 3,134
Liberal Max Thomas Heydeman 2,957
Conservative Martin John Chapman2,553
Conservative Cherry Lesley Clark2,513
Conservative Mary Irwin2,508
Conservative Geoffrey Gascoigne Lawrence†2,477
Conservative Peter William Wells2,364
Conservative Anthony James Markham2,362
Labour Reginald Harry (Joe) Bristow†2,352
Labour George Edward Cruse2,266
Labour Frank Alfred Harris2,234
Labour Peter John Ranson2,206
Labour Helen Muriel Hathaway2,125
Labour Paul Francis Schofield2,029
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* 1,795
Conservative Stephen John Foley 1,727
Conservative Frank Neil Rowberry 1,671
Labour John Francis Ryan1,605
Labour Joyclyn Alden (Joe) Williams1,550
Labour Ian Warrick1,528
Liberal Anthony Paul Dodd1,048
Liberal David Paul Gasson1,015
Liberal Charles William Looker909
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Redlands Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Michael Oliver* 1,824
Conservative John Derrick Lawford* 1,805
Conservative Martin Charles Lower* 1,765
Labour Norman Barry Jones1,123
Labour Peter Kenneth Jones1,103
Labour Verina R. Jones1,055
Liberal David Charles Johnson1,051
Liberal Liam Gavin Grant1,047
Liberal Suzette Milano961
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Thames Ward (five seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Geoffrey Walter Canning 5,845
Conservative Brian Anthony Fowles 5,704
Conservative Eric Gordon Davies* 5,687
Conservative Kathleen Lucy Sage* 5,638
Conservative Deryck Mitchell Morton* 5,270
Liberal Edgar Martyn Allies1,994
Liberal Katherine Elizabeth Gwinnell1,810
Liberal Jill Marianne Green1,771
Labour Patricia Mary Mander1,556
Liberal Margaret Imogen Pravda1,529
Labour Michael William Johnson1,446
Liberal Gary Paul Wilkins1,368
Labour Gillian Angela Lidbetter1,322
Labour Susan Barbara Malvern1,285
Labour Graeme Francis St Clair1,238
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Tilehurst Ward (five seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Ronald James (Jim) Day* 4,499
Liberal Florence Teresa (Paddy) Day* 4,350
Liberal Janet Brenda Bond 3,651
Liberal George Henry Ford* 3,610
Liberal Teresa Macfarlane 3,406
Conservative Michael John Caseley2,412
Conservative Clive Anthony (Robert) Coles2,262
Conservative John Maxwell Coote2,204
Conservative Terence Kelly2,177
Conservative Gillian Glencairn Waite2,054
Labour Jennifer Susan Cottee1,438
Labour William Phillip Gothard1,365
Labour Ann Joan Gothard1,347
Labour Sylvia Mary Steele1,330
Labour Eric Edgar Merry1,323
Independent Maurice Reginald White176
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Liberal hold Swing
Whitley Ward (three seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Doris Ellen Lawrence* 2,662
Labour Michael Edward Orton* 2,524
Labour John Rees (Jack) Price* 2,321
Conservative Joan Eileen Cox1,620
Conservative John Gordon Cleminson1,565
Conservative Gerald Arthur Hughes1,427
Liberal Richard Wilfred Church585
Liberal Jean Valerie Parkin569
Liberal Norman Arthur Edwards539
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

By-elections 1979–1983

Thames by-election 1980

Thames By-Election 24 January 1980
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Hamza Fuad 2,320 61.7 -3.1
Liberal Martyn Allies94425.1+5.6
Labour Pat Mander49713.2-2.5
Majority1,37636.6
Turnout 3,76134
Conservative hold Swing

The Thames ward by-election in 1980 was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Eric Davies. [9] [10]

Christchurch and Redlands by-elections 1981

By-elections for the two wards of Christchurch and Redlands were held on 7 May 1981, alongside elections to Berkshire County Council. The Christchurch by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Chris Goodall, and the Redlands by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor John Lawford. [11] [12] [13]

Christchurch By-Election 7 May 1981
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sandy Scaife 1,762 59.1
Liberal Felicity Kaplan1,22140.9
Majority54118.1
Turnout 2,983
Labour hold Swing
Redlands By-Election 7 May 1981
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tony Markham 934 34.8 -11.1
Labour Jill Lake89433.3+5.4
Liberal Richard Church85331.8+5.7
Majority401.5
Turnout 2,681
Conservative hold Swing -8.25

Abbey by-election 1981

Abbey By-Election 24 September 1981
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Silverthorne 437 47.4 -6.0
Conservative Norman Pearson24426.5-20.2
SDP Howard Rodaway24126.1n/a
Majority19320.9
Turnout 922
Labour hold Swing +7.1

The Abbey ward by-election in 1981 was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Graham Chapman. [14] [15]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Labour gains but it's still a 'hung council'". Evening Post. Reading. 8 May 1979. p. 4. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  2. ↑ "Ex-mayor is quitting council life". Evening Post. Reading. 17 March 1979. p. 3. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  3. ↑ "Officers names". Evening Post. Reading. 17 May 1979. p. 12. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "Council meeting over in a flash - then comes scramble". Evening Post. Reading. 10 May 1979. p. 8. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "Petition handed to council". Evening Post. Reading. 14 March 1979. p. 3. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "A Communist takes on the big three". Evening Post. Reading. 11 April 1979. p. 3. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Here's how they line up in Reading elections". Evening Post. Reading. 24 April 1979. p. 4. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. ↑ "Reading Borough Council results". Evening Post. Reading. 5 May 1979. p. 2. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "Housing chief 'hounded out' by socialists". Evening Post. Reading. 18 October 1979. p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  10. ↑ "Tories sweep to victory in Thames ward poll". Evening Post. Reading. 25 January 1980. p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Leading Tory dies suddenly at his home". Evening Post. Reading. 16 March 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Labour man quits to fight county seat". Evening Post. Reading. 11 March 1981. p. 9. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  13. ↑ "Close fight as Tories hold Redlands ward". Evening Post. Reading. 8 May 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  14. ↑ "SDP may stand in Reading council election". Evening Post. Reading. 3 August 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  15. ↑ "Joy for Labour as SDP slumps in election". Evening Post. Reading. 25 September 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
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