1986 Reading Borough Council election

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1986 Reading Borough Council election
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←  1984 8 May 1986 (1986-05-08) 1987  →
15 seats of 45 on council
23 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Lab
Con
Lib
LeaderMike OrtonDeryck MortonJim Day
Party Labour Conservative Liberal
Alliance Alliance
Seats before17235
Seats after22185
Seat changeIncrease2.svg5Decrease2.svg5Steady2.svg
Popular vote15,21313,73611,920
Percentage36.4%32.8%28.5%
SwingIncrease2.svg2.9%Decrease2.svg9.6%Increase2.svg5.3%

The 1986 Reading Borough Council election was held on 8 May 1986, 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 lose their majority on the council. Labour gained most seats, but remained one seat short of an overall majority, leaving the council with no overall control. After the election, Labour had 22 seats, the Conservatives had 18 seats, and the SDP-Liberal Alliance had 5 seats, all of whom were Liberals.

Labour subsequently took control of the council, with the support of two disaffected Conservatives. [1] The Labour leader, Mike Orton, took the council's top political job as chair of the policy committee. The Conservative leader, Deryck Morton, stood down as party leader immediately after the election, being replaced by Geoff Canning. [2] The Liberal leader remained Jim Day. Turnout was reported to be 39%. [3]

Results

Reading Borough Council Election, 1986
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 950+560.036.415,213+2.9
  Conservative 405-526.732.813,736-9.6
  Alliance 211013.328.511,920+5.3
  Green 00.02.3954+1.4

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] [3]

Abbey Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Dave Geary* 1,258 54.8 −2.9
Conservative Chris Webb47620.7−7.4
SDP Jeremy Lazenby40417.6+3.5
Green Peter Oldham1566.8n/a
Turnout 2,294
Labour hold Swing +2.25
Battle Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Graham Rush* 1,292 51.4 +8.1
SDP Clive Jones59723.7−10.5
Conservative Susan White51220.4+0.3
Green Ian Cooper1144.5+2.2
Turnout 2,515
Labour hold Swing +9.3
Caversham Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Fred Pugh* 1,624 54.7 −10.0
Labour Geoff Mander80327.1+2.6
SDP Mary Hargreaves54118.2+7.4
Turnout 2,968
Conservative hold Swing -6.3
Church Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour June Orton* 1,077 51.3 +2.1
Conservative Jennifer Abbott56927.1−8.3
Liberal Steve Begg45221.5+6.2
Turnout 2,098
Labour hold Swing +5.2
Katesgrove Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Mark Hendry 1,184 56.5 +5.7
Conservative Shirley Mills*62029.6−3.9
SDP Nikola Sergt29213.9+0.8
Turnout 2,096
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +4.8
Kentwood Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Ford 1,227 43.7 +7.3
Conservative Derek Browne*86530.8−9.1
Labour Linda Harper71425.4+1.8
Turnout 2,806
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +8.2
Minster Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Sage* 1,218 42.1 −12.6
Labour Brian Statter1,01435.0+5.0
SDP Steve Hanson56619.6+4.2
Green Andrew Hardy973.4n/a
Turnout 2,895
Conservative hold Swing -8.8
Norcot Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jo Lovelock 1,373 43.9 +3.0
Liberal John Freeman*1,16837.3−2.9
Conservative Peter Wells51816.5−2.4
Green Maureen Gray712.3n/a
Turnout 3,130
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +2.95
Park Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Gill Parker 1,530 51.4 +7.2
Conservative Norman Pearson*92130.9−7.6
SDP Robin Pratt35912.1−1.4
Green Philip Unsworth1675.6+1.8
Turnout 2,977
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 7.4
Peppard Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Geoff Canning* 1,479 44.5 −18.1
Liberal Ian Fenwick1,45243.6+19.5
Labour Phil Hingley39611.9−1.4
Turnout 3,327
Conservative hold Swing -18.8
Redlands Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rajinder Sohpal 1,105 34.1 −3.2
SDP David Cornes1,04332.2+7.9
Conservative Grace Wray91228.1−6.0
Green Chris Parr1815.6+1.3
Turnout 3,241
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +4.6
Southcote Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Christine Howell 1,430 44.0 +10.7
Conservative John Rimmer1,18736.5−9.2
SDP Andrew McLuskey63219.5−1.5
Turnout 3,249
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +9.95
Thames Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Hamza Fuad* 1,435 40.6 −19.7
Liberal Martyn Allies1,24835.3+7.7
Conservative Tony Markham†38110.8n/a
Labour Mark Drukker3068.6−3.5
Green Louise Barnes1684.7n/a
Turnout 3,538
Conservative hold Swing -13.7
Tilehurst Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Janet Bond* 1,614 59.5 +4.4
Conservative David Henderson65524.1−8.4
Labour Jim Toner44516.4+4.1
Turnout 2,714
Liberal hold Swing +6.4
Whitley Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Mike Orton* 1,286 65.1 +13.1
Conservative Barry Cummings36418.4−6.7
SDP John Wood32516.5−6.5
Turnout 1,975
Labour hold Swing +9.9

By-elections 1986–1987

Peppard By-Election 11 September 1986
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Ian Fenwick 1,564 46.6 +2.9
Conservative Frank Heyes1,40841.9−2.5
Labour Phil Hingley38511.5−0.4
Majority 1564.6
Turnout 3,35745.2
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.7

The Peppard ward by-election in 1986 was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Geoff Lowe. [5] [6]

References

  1. ↑ "Fuads give Labour reins of power". Evening Post. Reading. 21 May 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  2. ↑ "Geoff elected to lead Tories". Evening Post. Reading. 13 May 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Tory defeat in town means a hung council". Evening Post. Reading. 9 May 1986. p. 6. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "Power struggle for Reading: How they line up". Evening Post. Reading. 10 April 1986. p. 5. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "Leading Tory resigns his council seat". Evening Post. Reading. 16 July 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "By-election win boosts Alliance drive for victory". Evening Post. Reading. 12 September 1986. p. 1. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
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