1984 Reading Borough Council election

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1984 Reading Borough Council election
←  1983 3 May 1984 (1984-05-03) 1986  →
15 seats of 45 on council
23 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Con
Lab
Lib
LeaderDeryck MortonMike OrtonBasil Dunning
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Alliance Alliance
Seats before26136
Seats after23175
Seat changeDecrease2.svg3Increase2.svg4Decrease2.svg1
Popular vote16,84313,2869,216
Percentage42.433.523.2
SwingDecrease2.svg3.7Increase2.svg3.6Decrease2.svg0.1

The 1984 Reading Borough Council election was held on 3 May 1984, at the same time as other local elections across England and Scotland. One third of Reading Borough Council's 45 seats were up for election.

Contents

The election saw the Conservatives' majority on the council reduced to just one seat. After the election, the Conservatives had 23 seats, Labour had 17 seats, and the SDP-Liberal Alliance had 5 seats. [1] [2]

The leader of the Conservative group was Deryck Morton, and the leader of the Labour group was Mike Orton, both remaining in post after the election. The Liberal leader on the council prior to the election was Basil Dunning, but he was replaced immediately after the election by former leader Jim Day, who had lost his seat in 1983 but regained it at this election. [3]

Results

Reading Borough Council Election, 1984
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 603-340.0%42.4%16,843-3.7%
  Labour 840+453.3%33.5%13,286+3.6%
  Alliance 101-16.7%23.2%9,216-0.1%
  Ecology 00%0.9%363+0.1%

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): [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Abbey Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Silverthorne* 1,285 57.7 +5.3
Conservative Jerry Wray62828.2-3.4
Liberal John Riley31414.1+0.8
Turnout 2,227
Labour hold Swing +4.35
Battle Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Joe Bristow 927 44.5 +4.2
Conservative George Robinson†80638.7+0.9
Liberal George Ford28113.5-8.5
Ecology Ian Cooper693.3n/a
Turnout 2,083
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +1.65
Caversham Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Pauline Palmer 1,907 64.8 -2.9
Labour Pat Mander72024.4+3.5
Liberal Imogen Pravda31810.8-0.7
Turnout 2,945
Conservative hold Swing -3.2
Church Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Maureen Lockey* 1,053 49.2 +5.1
Conservative Grace Wray75835.4-1.2
Liberal Steve Begg32815.3-3.9
Turnout 2,139
Labour hold Swing +3.15
Katesgrove Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ron Williams* 1,030 50.7 +5.4
Conservative Stephen Foley68033.5-10.7
SDP Andrew McLuskey26713.2+5.4
Ecology Mark Roberts532.6-0.1
Turnout 2,030
Labour hold Swing +8.05
Kentwood Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Stephen Thomas* 1,190 40.0 -2.6
Liberal Tom Heydeman†86530.8+2.6
Labour Pete Watkins70423.60.0
Turnout 2,978
Conservative hold Swing -2.6
Minster Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Deryck Morton† 1,464 54.6 -4.4
Labour Phil Armson80530.0+4.0
SDP Alan Jackson41115.3+0.4
Turnout 2,680
Conservative hold Swing -4.2
Norcot Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Helen Hathaway 1,024 40.8 +7.7
Liberal Joyce Wicks1,00840.2+0.3
Conservative Dharam Ahuja47619.0-8.0
Turnout 2,508
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +4.0
Park Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Martin Salter 1,388 44.2 +9.7
Conservative Simon Oliver*1,21138.5-1.1
SDP Rod Campbell42413.5-8.5
Ecology Philip Unsworth1203.8-0.1
Turnout 3,143
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.4
Peppard Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Mary Irwin* 1,859 62.6 +3.8
SDP Clive Jones71724.1-8.0
Labour Gerald (Bob) Scott39413.3+4.2
Turnout 2,970
Conservative hold Swing +5.9
Redlands Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Robert Dimmick 1,053 37.3 +5.7
Conservative Martin Lower*96334.1-4.3
SDP Howard Rodaway68724.3-2.7
Ecology Chris Parr1214.3+1.4
Turnout 2,824
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.0
Southcote Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jack Irwin* 1,307 45.7 -5.8
Labour Norma Sinclair95133.3+1.6
SDP Charles Bond59921.0+4.2
Turnout 2,857
Conservative hold Swing -5.0
Thames Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Pam Fuad 2,045 60.3 -6.5
Liberal Martyn Allies93527.6+5.8
Labour Phil Hingley41112.1+0.6
Turnout 3,391
Conservative hold Swing -6.15
Tilehurst Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Jim Day 1,681 55.1 +8.4
Conservative Pat Layton99332.6-7.0
Labour Jim Toner37612.3-0.9
Turnout 3,050
Liberal hold Swing +7.7
Whitley Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tony Jones 1,165 61.9 +2.8
Conservative Jack Cleminson55629.5-0.6
SDP Sean O'Connell1628.6-2.2
Turnout 1,883
Labour hold Swing +1.7

By-elections 1984–1986

Church by-election 1984

Church By-Election 6 December 1984
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Kay Everett 909 52.0 +2.7
Conservative Grace Wray43925.1-10.3
Liberal Steve Begg40122.9+7.6
Majority47026.9
Turnout 1,74926.5
Labour hold Swing +6.5

The Church ward by-election in 1984 was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Dave Absolom. [11] [12]

Battle by-election 1985

Battle By-Election 25 July 1985
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Clive Chandler 908 43.3 -1.2
SDP Clive Jones71934.3+20.8
Conservative Sue White42120.1-18.6
Majority1899.0
Turnout 2,09731.5
Labour hold Swing -11.0

The Battle ward by-election in 1985 was triggered by the death of Labour councillor Joe Bristow. [13] [14]

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References

  1. ↑ "Tories walk tightrope with majority of one". Evening Post. Reading. 4 May 1984. p. 13. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  2. ↑ "Knife-edge Tories face fitness tests". Reading. 4 May 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  3. ↑ "Jim's bid foiled by independent". Evening Post. Reading. 5 May 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "Campaign focus". Evening Post. Reading. 13 April 1984. p. 5. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "Ecology Party's high-tech profile". Evening Post. Reading. 7 April 1984. p. 3. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "On the campaign trail". Evening Post. Reading. 26 April 1984. p. 5. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Council boss changes seats". Evening Post. Reading. 19 April 1984. p. 10. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  8. ↑ "Campaign report". Evening Post. Reading. 2 May 1984. p. 5. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "Liberals complete election line-up". Evening Post. Reading. 22 March 1984. p. 9. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  10. ↑ "Campaign report". Evening Post. Reading. 25 April 1984. p. 7. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Leading Labour councillor quits". Evening Post. Reading. 30 October 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Swing to Labour but low turn-out". Evening Post. Reading. 7 December 1984. p. 11.
  13. ↑ "Popular former mayor Joe dies suddenly". Evening Post. Reading. 14 June 1985. p. 1. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  14. ↑ "By-election win for Labour". Evening Post. Reading. 26 July 1985. p. 1. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
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