1980 Epping Forest District Council election

1980 Epping Forest District Council election

←  1979 1 May 1980 (1980-05-01) 1982  →
20 seats to Epping Forest District Council 30 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Conservative Labour Last election 47 seats, 54.5% 10 seat, 36.3% Seats before 47 10 Seats after 45 12 Seat change 2 2 Popular vote 11,463 8,234 Percentage 51.8% 37.2% Swing 2.7% 0.9%   Third party Fourth party   Party Liberal Independent Last election 0 seats, 7.0% 2 seats, 1.3% Seats before 0 2 Seats after 0 2 Seat change Popular vote 1,492 922 Percentage 6.7% 4.1% Swing 0.3% 2.8%
Winner of each seat at the 1980 Epping Forest District Council election
Leader before election Conservative Leader after election Conservative

The 1980 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 1 May 1980 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. 20 members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex were elected. The council remained under Conservative majority control.

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.

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.

Results summary

Source: ^[1]

1980 Epping Forest District Council election
Party		This election			Full council			This election
		Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Conservative	13	2	72.2	32	45	76.2	11,463	51.8	2.7
	Labour	5	2	27.7	7	12	20.3	8,234	37.2	0.9
	Independent	2		3.3	0	2	3.3	922	4.1	2.8
	Liberal	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	1,492	6.7	0.3

Ward results

Buckhurst Hill East

Buckhurst Hill East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R. Braybrook	614	51.9	3.7
	Labour	B. Mooney	381	32.2	2.9
	Liberal	G. Chapman	187	15.8	6.7
Majority			233	19.7	0.8
Turnout			1,182	30.3	45.7
Registered electors			3,907
	Conservative hold		Swing

Buckhurst Hill West

Buckhurst Hill West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	L. Welch*	1,097	67.5
	Liberal	R. Eveling	345	21.2	0.2
	Labour	L. Timson	184	11.3	0.3
Majority			752	46.2	0.3
Turnout			1,626	33.7	44.3
Registered electors			4,832
	Conservative hold		Swing

Chigwell Village

Chigwell Village

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	N. Risdon*	784	90.5	9.5
	Labour	M. Cornell	82	9.5	N/A
Majority			702	81.1	18.9
Turnout			866	48.9	N/A
Registered electors			1,772
	Conservative hold		Swing

Debden Green

Debden Green

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	B. Whitlock*	945	75.8	13.5
	Conservative	A. Mitchell	301	24.2	13.5
Majority			644	51.7	27.1
Turnout			1,246	31.8	33.3
Registered electors			3,924
	Labour hold		Swing

Epping Hemnall

Epping Hemnall

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M. Aldworth*	829	49.3	50.7
	Labour	Ms M. Jackson	507	30.1	N/A
	Liberal	J. Eves	347	20.6	N/A
Majority			322	19.1	80.9
Turnout			1,683	37.5	N/A
Registered electors			4,489
	Conservative hold		Swing

Epping Lindsey

Epping Lindsey

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R. Pocock	955	48.9	51.1
	Labour	L. Scales	644	33.0	N/A
	Liberal	O. Dunseath	355	18.2	N/A
Majority			311	15.9	84.1
Turnout			1,954	38.6	N/A
Registered electors			5,058
	Conservative hold		Swing

Grange Hill

Grange Hill

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ms M. Farnsworth*	794	82.8	17.2
	Labour	R. Cornell	165	17.2	N/A
Majority			629	65.6	24.4
Turnout			959	23.0	N/A
Registered electors			4,167
	Conservative hold		Swing

High Ongar

High Ongar

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D. Morton*	328	62.6	7.2
	Labour	J. Stephenson	196	37.4	7.2
Majority			132	25.2	14.5
Turnout			524	56.6	23.6
Registered electors			925
	Conservative hold		Swing

Loughton Broadway

Loughton Broadway

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M. Pettman*	1,286	85.1	24.5
	Conservative	F. Fernandez	225	14.9	24.5
Majority			1,061	70.2	48.9
Turnout			1,511	33.1	36.4
Registered electors			4,568
	Labour hold		Swing

Loughton Forest

Loughton Forest

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D. James*	776	75.4	10.0
	Liberal	L. Baddock	160	15.5	6.5
	Labour	G. Mathieson	93	9.0	3.6
Majority			616	59.9	16.5
Turnout			1,029	34.9	43.7
Registered electors			2,950
	Conservative hold		Swing

Loughton Roding

Loughton Roding

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R. Baddock	998	55.8	8.1
	Conservative	G. Beldom*	790	44.2	8.1
Majority			208	11.6	N/A
Turnout			1,788	39.9	28.4
Registered electors			4,484
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Loughton St. Johns

Loughton St. Johns

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ms J. Steele	931	71.1	8.9
	Labour	Ms G. Pettman	280	21.4	3.1
	Liberal	W. Randall	98	7.5	12.0
Majority			651	49.6	6.9
Turnout			1,309	30.8	49.5
Registered electors			4,250
	Conservative hold		Swing

Loughton St. Marys

Loughton St. Marys

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ms L. Scott	700	68.8	8.5
	Labour	P. Kelly	280	31.2	10.5
Majority			220	37.7	1.8
Turnout			980	31.1	47.8
Registered electors			3,265
	Conservative hold		Swing

Passingford

Passingford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Pledge	404	75.0	25.0
	Labour	C. Huckle	135	25.0	N/A
Majority			269	50.0	50.0
Turnout			539	35.3	N/A
Registered electors			1,529
	Conservative hold		Swing

Roothing Country

Roothing Country

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Pye	483	88.5	11.5
	Labour	M. Hayton	63	11.5	N/A
Majority			420	76.9	23.1
Turnout			546	44.4	N/A
Registered electors			1,229
	Conservative hold		Swing

Roydon

Roydon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	A. Vare*	576	80.9	19.1
	Labour	D. Sherman	136	19.1	N/A
Majority			440	61.8	38.2
Turnout			712	36.7	N/A
Registered electors			1,529
	Independent hold		Swing

Sheering

Sheering

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W. Brown	346	59.9	N/A
	Conservative	R. Knibb	232	40.1	N/A
Majority			114	19.7	N/A
Turnout			578	39.0	41.3
Registered electors			1,482
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing

Theydon Bois

Theydon Bois

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W. Axon	N/A	N/A	N/A
Majority			N/A	N/A	N/A
Turnout			N/A	N/A	N/A
Registered electors			3,308
	Conservative hold		Swing

Waltham Abbey East

Waltham Abbey East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Hewick	939	51.7	2.0
	Conservative	J. O'Reilly*	876	48.3	2.0
Majority			63	3.5	N/A
Turnout			1,815	37.6	31.5
Registered electors			4,830
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Waltham Abbey Paternoster

Waltham Abbey Paternoster

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Hewins	920	72.8	15.1
	Conservative	A. Laws	344	27.2	15.1
Majority			576	45.6	30.3
Turnout			1,264	35.8	34.7
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.