1980 Epping Forest District Council election

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1980 Epping Forest District Council election
Flag of Essex.svg
  1979 1 May 1980 (1980-05-01) 1982  

18 seats to Epping Forest District Council
30 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
Party Conservative Labour
Last election47 seats, 54.5%10 seat, 36.3%
Seats before4710
Seats after4512
Seat changeDecrease2.svg2Increase2.svg2
Popular vote11,4638,234
Percentage51.8%37.2%
SwingDecrease2.svg2.7%Increase2.svg0.9%

 Third partyFourth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
Party Liberal Independent
Last election0 seats, 7.0%2 seats, 1.3%
Seats before02
Seats after02
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote1,492922
Percentage6.7%4.1%
SwingDecrease2.svg0.3%Increase2.svg2.8%

1980 Epping Forest District Council local election results map.png
Winner of each seat at the 1980 Epping Forest District Council election

Leader before election


Conservative

Leader after election


Conservative

Background

The 1980 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 1 May 1980 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. A total of 18 of the 58 seats were contested, representing roughly one-third of the council. The election occurred against the backdrop of national political and economic challenges, with the Conservative Party retaining control of the council, though losing two seats to Labour in Loughton Roding and Waltham Abbey East.

Contents

The election took place during a period of industrial unrest and economic difficulty in the United Kingdom. Earlier in the year, workers at the British Steel Corporation staged a nationwide strike over pay, the first major steel strike since 1926, affecting some 90,000 employees. By March, an Evening Standard opinion poll indicated growing public dissatisfaction with the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher, who had become Prime Minister following the 1979 general election. Rising unemployment and austerity measures, including halved benefits to striking workers announced in February, were major national concerns influencing local voting behaviour.

The Conservatives maintained a majority on the council despite minor losses, and voter turnout was far lower than in the previous 1979 election. The election results illustrated the continuing strength of the Conservative Party in Epping Forest, while also highlighting Labour’s ability to regain ground in selected wards.

Summary

Source: [1]

1980 Epping Forest District Council election
PartyThis electionFull councilThis election
SeatsNetSeats %OtherTotalTotal %VotesVotes %+/−
  Conservative 13Decrease2.svg272.2324576.211,46351.8Decrease2.svg2.7
  Labour 5Increase2.svg227.771220.38,23437.2Increase2.svg0.9
  Independent 2Steady2.svg3.3023.39224.1Increase2.svg2.8
  Liberal 0Steady2.svg0.0000.01,4926.7Decrease2.svg0.3

Results

Buckhurst Hill East

Buckhurst Hill East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Braybrook 614 51.9 Increase2.svg3.7
Labour B. Mooney38132.2Increase2.svg2.9
Liberal G. Chapman18715.8Decrease2.svg6.7
Majority 23319.7Increase2.svg0.8
Turnout 1,18230.3Decrease2.svg45.7
Registered electors 3,907
Conservative hold Swing

Buckhurst Hill West

Buckhurst Hill West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative L. Welch* 1,097 67.5 Steady2.svg
Liberal R. Eveling34521.2Decrease2.svg0.2
Labour L. Timson18411.3Increase2.svg0.3
Majority 75246.2Increase2.svg0.3
Turnout 1,62633.7Decrease2.svg44.3
Registered electors 4,832
Conservative hold Swing

Chigwell Village

Chigwell Village
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative N. Risdon* 784 90.5 Decrease2.svg9.5
Labour M. Cornell829.5N/A
Majority 70281.1Decrease2.svg18.9
Turnout 86648.9N/A
Registered electors 1,772
Conservative hold Swing

Debden Green

Debden Green
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour B. Whitlock* 945 75.8 Increase2.svg13.5
Conservative A. Mitchell30124.2Decrease2.svg13.5
Majority 64451.7Increase2.svg27.1
Turnout 1,24631.8Decrease2.svg33.3
Registered electors 3,924
Labour hold Swing

Epping Hemnall

Epping Hemnall
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Aldworth* 829 49.3 Decrease2.svg50.7
Labour Ms M. Jackson50730.1N/A
Liberal J. Eves34720.6N/A
Majority 32219.1Decrease2.svg80.9
Turnout 1,68337.5N/A
Registered electors 4,489
Conservative hold Swing

Epping Lindsey

Epping Lindsey
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Pocock 955 48.9 Decrease2.svg51.1
Labour L. Scales64433.0N/A
Liberal O. Dunseath35518.2N/A
Majority 31115.9Decrease2.svg84.1
Turnout 1,95438.6N/A
Registered electors 5,058
Conservative hold Swing

Grange Hill

Grange Hill
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ms M. Farnsworth* 794 82.8 Decrease2.svg17.2
Labour R. Cornell16517.2N/A
Majority 62965.6Decrease2.svg24.4
Turnout 95923.0N/A
Registered electors 4,167
Conservative hold Swing

High Ongar

High Ongar
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Morton* 328 62.6 Decrease2.svg7.2
Labour J. Stephenson19637.4Increase2.svg7.2
Majority 13225.2Decrease2.svg14.5
Turnout 52456.6Decrease2.svg23.6
Registered electors 925
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton Broadway

Loughton Broadway
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour M. Pettman* 1,286 85.1 Increase2.svg24.5
Conservative F. Fernandez22514.9Decrease2.svg24.5
Majority 1,06170.2Increase2.svg48.9
Turnout 1,51133.1Decrease2.svg36.4
Registered electors 4,568
Labour hold Swing

Loughton Forest

Loughton Forest
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. James* 776 75.4 Increase2.svg10.0
Liberal L. Baddock16015.5Decrease2.svg6.5
Labour G. Mathieson939.0Decrease2.svg3.6
Majority 61659.9Increase2.svg16.5
Turnout 1,02934.9Decrease2.svg43.7
Registered electors 2,950
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton Roding

Loughton Roding
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Baddock 998 55.8 Increase2.svg8.1
Conservative G. Beldom*79044.2Decrease2.svg8.1
Majority 20811.6N/A
Turnout 1,78839.9Decrease2.svg28.4
Registered electors 4,484
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Loughton St. Johns

Loughton St. Johns
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ms J. Steele 931 71.1 Increase2.svg8.9
Labour Ms G. Pettman28021.4Increase2.svg3.1
Liberal W. Randall987.5Decrease2.svg12.0
Majority 65149.6Increase2.svg6.9
Turnout 1,30930.8Decrease2.svg49.5
Registered electors 4,250
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton St. Marys

Loughton St. Marys
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ms L. Scott 700 68.8 Increase2.svg8.5
Labour P. Kelly28031.2Increase2.svg10.5
Majority 22037.7Decrease2.svg1.8
Turnout 98031.1Decrease2.svg47.8
Registered electors 3,265
Conservative hold Swing

Passingford

Passingford
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Pledge 404 75.0 Decrease2.svg25.0
Labour C. Huckle13525.0N/A
Majority 26950.0Decrease2.svg50.0
Turnout 53935.3N/A
Registered electors 1,529
Conservative hold Swing

Roothing Country

Roothing Country
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative E. Pye 483 88.5 Decrease2.svg11.5
Labour M. Hayton6311.5N/A
Majority 42076.9Decrease2.svg23.1
Turnout 54644.4N/A
Registered electors 1,229
Conservative hold Swing

Roydon

Roydon
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent A. Vare* 576 80.9 Decrease2.svg19.1
Labour D. Sherman13619.1N/A
Majority 44061.8Decrease2.svg38.2
Turnout 71236.7N/A
Registered electors 1,529
Independent hold Swing

Sheering

Sheering
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent W. Brown 346 59.9 N/A
Conservative R. Knibb23240.1N/A
Majority 11419.7N/A
Turnout 57839.0Decrease2.svg41.3
Registered electors 1,482
Independent gain from Independent Swing

Theydon Bois

Theydon Bois
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative W. Axon N/AN/AN/A
Majority N/AN/AN/A
Turnout N/AN/AN/A
Registered electors 3,308
Conservative hold Swing

Waltham Abbey East

Waltham Abbey East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Hewick 939 51.7 Increase2.svg2.0
Conservative J. O'Reilly*87648.3Decrease2.svg2.0
Majority 633.5N/A
Turnout 1,81537.6Decrease2.svg31.5
Registered electors 4,830
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Waltham Abbey Paternoster

Waltham Abbey Paternoster
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Hewins 920 72.8 Increase2.svg15.1
Conservative A. Laws34427.2Decrease2.svg15.1
Majority 57645.6Increase2.svg30.3
Turnout 1,26435.8Decrease2.svg34.7
Registered electors 3,529
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. Colin Rallings; Michael Thrasher (2013). "Epping Forest District Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). The elections centre. Plymouth University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-02-02.