1983 Epping Forest District Council election

Last updated
1983 Epping Forest District Council election
Flag of Essex.svg
  1982 5 May 1983 (1983-05-05)1984 

20 seats to Epping Forest District Council
30 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
Party Conservative Labour Loughton Residents
Last election42 seats, 47.5%12 seats, 20.4%3 seats, 8.8%
Seats before42123
Seats after39134
Seat changeDecrease2.svg3Increase2.svg1Increase2.svg1
Popular vote13,1197,6411,482
Percentage46.6%27.1%5.2%
SwingDecrease2.svg0.9%Increase2.svg6.4%Decrease2.svg3.6%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
Party Independent Ind. Conservative Alliance
Last election2 seats, 0.5%0 seats, N/A0 seats, 21.6%
Seats before200
Seats after210
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg1Steady2.svg
Popular vote3827684,602
Percentage1.3%2.7%16.3%
SwingIncrease2.svg0.8%N/ADecrease2.svg5.3%

1983 Epping Forest District Council local election results map.png
Winner of each seat at the 1983 Epping Forest District Council election

Leader before election


Conservative

Leader after election


Conservative

Background

The 1983 Epping Forest District Council election was held on 5 May 1983 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. The election occurred amid significant political and social developments nationally, including rising unemployment, the continued prominence of the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher, and the rise of the Liberal-SDP Alliance, which had formed in 1981 following the split of several moderate Labour MPs. The election was also notable locally for the continued growth of the Loughton Residents Association (LRA), a local political group formed in 1981 to advocate for greater transparency and resident involvement in council decision-making.

Contents

The Conservatives retained control of Epping Forest District Council but faced challenges on multiple fronts. In Loughton, the LRA continued to gain seats from the Conservatives, winning an additional seat in Loughton St. Johns, demonstrating the growing influence of residents’ groups in the district. Labour remained a smaller but established presence, while the Liberal-SDP Alliance made significant inroads, coming closest to winning their first council seat in Chipping Ongar, where they finished just 34 votes behind the Conservative candidate.

Another highlight of the election was the election of Richard Morgan in Moreton and Matching, beginning a 40-year tenure on the council that would last until 2027. Morgan’s victory marked the start of one of the longest continuous periods of service by a single councillor in Epping Forest’s history, the other being Cllr Stephen Murray (elected in 1982)

Nationally, the election took place during a period of political tension and social change. The United Kingdom was experiencing record unemployment, the introduction of new economic measures by the Thatcher government, and debates over the one-pound coin and other fiscal policies.

Summary

Source: [1]

1983 Epping Forest District Council election
PartyThis electionFull councilThis election
SeatsNetSeats %OtherTotalTotal %VotesVotes %+/−
  Conservative 13Decrease2.svg372.2263966.113,11946.6Decrease2.svg0.9
  Labour 4Increase2.svg16.791322.07,64127.1Decrease2.svg6.4
  Loughton Residents 1Increase2.svg11.6346.71,4825.2Decrease2.svg3.6
  Independent 0Steady2.svg0.0223.33821.3Increase2.svg0.8
  Ind. Conservative 1Increase2.svg11.6111.67682.7N/A
  Liberal 0Steady2.svg0.0000.04,60216.3Decrease2.svg5.3
  Ecology 0Steady2.svg0.0000.01040.4Increase2.svg0.1

Results

Buckhurst Hill East

Buckhurst Hill East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Perry* 752 52.4 Increase2.svg2.6
Labour L. Baddock35124.4Increase2.svg6.2
Alliance A. Hall33323.2Decrease2.svg8.8
Majority 40127.9Increase2.svg10.1
Turnout 1,43637.3Decrease2.svg9.0
Registered electors 3,853
Conservative hold Swing

Buckhurst Hill West

Buckhurst Hill West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative I. Beattie* 1,264 70.3 Increase2.svg5.2
Alliance R. Eveling35519.7Decrease2.svg6.5
Labour T. Green17910.0Increase2.svg1.3
Majority 90950.6Increase2.svg11.7
Turnout 1,79838.6Decrease2.svg0.3
Registered electors 4,658
Conservative hold Swing

Chipping Ongar

Chipping Ongar
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative F. Love* 366 52.4 Decrease2.svg16.1
Alliance D. James33247.6N/A
Majority 344.9Decrease2.svg32.2
Turnout 69855.0Increase2.svg17.9
Registered electors 1,270
Conservative hold Swing

Debden Green

Debden Green
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Cornell 891 65.9 Increase2.svg19.9
Conservative J. Phillips26719.7Increase2.svg1.7
Alliance R. Millett19414.3Decrease2.svg2.9
Majority 62446.2Increase2.svg18.9
Turnout 1,35235.9Decrease2.svg0.8
Registered electors 3,762
Labour hold Swing

Epping Hemnall

Epping Hemnall
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative B. Carpenter 1,049 53.8 Increase2.svg5.5
Alliance J. Eves45823.5Decrease2.svg9.5
Labour P. Speake39020.0Increase2.svg2.9
Ecology R. Boenke522.7Increase2.svg1.1
Majority 59130.3Increase2.svg15.0
Turnout 1,94943.1Increase2.svg2.7
Registered electors 4,522
Conservative hold Swing

Epping Lindsey

Epping Lindsey
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. O'Brien* 1,080 48.9 Increase2.svg4.7
Alliance A. Payne62528.3Decrease2.svg1.6
Labour F. Davy43119.5Increase2.svg3.7
Ecology T. Broughton723.3Increase2.svg1.0
Majority 45520.6Increase2.svg6.2
Turnout 2,20845.2Decrease2.svg0.1
Registered electors 4,880
Conservative hold Swing

Grange Hill

Grange Hill
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Bryant* 1,019 62.2 Decrease2.svg4.3
Alliance A. Thompson47429.0Increase2.svg4.4
Labour I. Prince1448.8Decrease2.svg0.1
Majority 54533.3Decrease2.svg8.6
Turnout 1,63736.7Increase2.svg1.2
Registered electors 4,456
Conservative hold Swing

Greensted & Marden Ash

Greensted & Marden Ash
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Maclennan 503 56.5 Decrease2.svg10.4
Labour F. Barnes19521.9Decrease2.svg11.2
Alliance L. Searl19221.6N/A
Majority 30834.6Increase2.svg0.7
Turnout 89049.0Decrease2.svg30.6
Registered electors 1,815
Conservative hold Swing

High Beech

High Beech
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative H. Taylor* 419 54.6 Steady2.svg
Alliance F. Little17622.9N/A
Ind. Conservative R. Knibb17222.4Decrease2.svg2.9
Majority 24331.7Increase2.svg2.3
Turnout 76735.2Decrease2.svg37.6
Registered electors 2,181
Conservative hold Swing

Lambourne

Lambourne
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Amanet* 541 57.6 Increase2.svg2.8
Labour C. Huckle39842.4Decrease2.svg2.8
Majority 14315.2Increase2.svg5.6
Turnout 93964.8Decrease2.svg8.6
Registered electors 1,450
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton Broadway

Loughton Broadway
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Davis* 1,019 57.6 Increase2.svg13.2
Alliance M. Pettman40422.8Decrease2.svg14.6
Conservative I. Holman34619.6Increase2.svg1.2
Majority 61534.8Increase2.svg4.9
Turnout 1,76940.4Increase2.svg0.7
Registered electors 4,380
Labour hold Swing

Loughton Roding

Loughton Roding
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour M. Newman 652 32.3 Decrease2.svg1.2
Conservative T. Swallow59129.2Decrease2.svg14.1
Loughton Residents C. Johnson53626.5N/A
Alliance J. Lowe24212.0Increase2.svg11.2
Majority 613.0Decrease2.svg6.8
Turnout 2,02149.8Increase2.svg4.4
Registered electors 4,056
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Loughton St. Johns

Loughton St. Johns
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Loughton Residents R. Curtis 946 49.6 Increase2.svg6.1
Conservative R. Brady*75539.6Increase2.svg2.0
Labour J. Markham1558.1Increase2.svg1.4
Alliance P. Richardson502.6Decrease2.svg8.6
Majority 19110.0N/A
Turnout 1,90645.8Increase2.svg0.3
Registered electors 4,161
Loughton Residents gain from Conservative Swing

Moreton & Matching

Moreton & Matching
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Ind. Conservative Richard Morgan 596 73.9 N/A
Alliance J. Carter21126.1N/A
Majority 38547.7N/A
Turnout 80786.7N/A
Registered electors 931
Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative Swing

Nazeing

Nazeing
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative E. Downes 1,012 70.2 Decrease2.svg4.4
Labour I. Brent43029.8Increase2.svg4.4
Majority 58240.4Decrease2.svg8.8
Turnout 1,44239.1Increase2.svg3.4
Registered electors 3,689
Conservative hold Swing

North Weald Bassett

North Weald Bassett
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative I. Abbey* 988 58.2 Decrease2.svg2.0
Independent R. Wyness38222.5Increase2.svg11.7
Labour D. Grenville-Brown32819.3Decrease2.svg9.7
Majority 60635.7Increase2.svg4.5
Turnout 1,69841.9Increase2.svg0.4
Registered electors 4,055
Conservative hold Swing

Shelley

Shelley
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Barnes* 562 78.3 Increase2.svg17.3
Conservative M. Docherty15621.7Decrease2.svg17.3
Majority 40656.5Increase2.svg34.6
Turnout 71851.5Decrease2.svg25.7
Registered electors 1,393
Labour hold Swing

Waltham Abbey East

Waltham Abbey East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Esau* 864 57.4 Decrease2.svg0.3
Labour F. Harewood37925.2Decrease2.svg1.0
Alliance G. Pettman26117.4Increase2.svg1.3
Majority 48532.2Increase2.svg0.7
Turnout 1,50432.0Decrease2.svg7.4
Registered electors 4,693
Conservative hold Swing

Waltham Abbey Paternoster

Waltham Abbey Paternoster
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C. Hewins* 763 55.4 Increase2.svg10.1
Conservative K. Bellamy50336.5Increase2.svg5.5
Alliance J. Fuller1118.1Decrease2.svg15.5
Majority 26018.9Increase2.svg4.6
Turnout 1,37738.4Increase2.svg1.4
Registered electors 3,588
Labour hold Swing

Waltham Abbey West

Waltham Abbey West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative H. Smith* 644 49.2 Increase2.svg7.5
Labour D. Murray48136.7Increase2.svg8.0
Alliance J. Jenkinson18414.1Decrease2.svg15.5
Majority 16312.5Increase2.svg0.4
Turnout 1,30935.4Increase2.svg0.6
Registered electors 3,694
Conservative 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.