Edmonton (electoral division)

Edmonton
Former electoral division for the Greater London Council
District	Enfield
Electorate	61,148 (1973) 60,839 (1977) 59,287 (1981) 60,798 (1984)
Major settlements	Edmonton
Area	1,539 hectares (15.39 km2)
Former electoral division
Created	1973
Abolished	1986
Member(s)	1
Created from	Enfield

Edmonton was an electoral division for the purposes of elections to the Greater London Council. The constituency elected one councillor for a four-year term in 1973, 1977 and 1981, with the final term extended for an extra year ahead of the abolition of the Greater London Council.

History

It was planned to use the same boundaries as the Westminster Parliament constituencies for election of councillors to the Greater London Council (GLC), as had been the practice for elections to the predecessor London County Council, but those that existed in 1965 crossed the Greater London boundary. Until new constituencies could be settled, the 32 London boroughs were used as electoral areas. The London Borough of Enfield formed the Enfield electoral division. This was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1964, 1967 and 1970.

The new constituencies were settled following the Second Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and the new electoral division matched the boundaries of the Edmonton parliamentary constituency. ^[1]

It covered an area of 1,539 hectares (15.39 km²).

Elections

The Edmonton constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1973, ^[2] 1977 ^[3] and 1981. ^[4] One councillor was elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting. ^[5]

1973 election

The fourth election to the GLC (and first using revised boundaries) was held on 12 April 1973. The electorate was 61,148 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 33.8%. The councillor was elected for a three-year term. This was extended for an extra year in 1976 when the electoral cycle was switched to four-yearly. ^[6]

1973 Greater London Council election: Edmonton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Bernard Stephen Mason	11,058
	Conservative	John William Victor Attwood	7,256
	Liberal	Ralph J R Scott	1,870
	Action	Martin F. Moloney	457
Turnout
	Labour win (new seat)

1977 election

The fifth election to the GLC (and second using revised boundaries) was held on 5 May 1977. The electorate was 60,839 and one Conservative Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 42.8%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term.

1977 Greater London Council election: Edmonton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Harry William Corpe	12,429
	Labour	John Golden Warren	9,480
	National Front	Royston Clive Pert	2,545
	Liberal	J. Simkins	1,064
	GLC Abolitionist Campaign	Terence Jiggins	507
Turnout
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

1981 election

The sixth and final election to the GLC (and third using revised boundaries) was held on 7 May 1981. The electorate was 59,287 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 42.0%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term, extended by an extra year by the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984, ahead of the abolition of the council.

1981 Greater London Council election: Edmonton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Kenneth Watson Little	13,831
	Conservative	Ellen E. Saul	7,813
	Liberal	Barbara G. Adams	2,360
	NNF	David J. Bruce	496
	Abolish the GLC	Pamela J. Adams	235
	Constitutional Movement	David Izzard	145
Turnout
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

1984 by-election

A by-election was held on 20 September 1984, following the resignation of Kenneth Watson Little. The by-election coincided with others in Hayes and Harlington, Lewisham West and Paddington. ^[7]

The electorate was 60,798 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 20.4%. ^[8]

Edmonton by-election, 1984

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Kenneth Watson Little	9,340
	Alliance	Alan J. Wall	2,007
	Ind. Conservative	Kevin Miller	802
	National Front	Brent A. Cheetham	167
	Ecology	Stephen Rooney	87
Turnout
	Labour hold		Swing

References

1. "The Greater London (Electoral Areas) Order 1972" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 20 June 1972. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
2. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 12 April 1973. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
3. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 5 May 1977. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
4. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 7 May 1981. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
5. Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Enfield". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
6. "The London Councillors Order 1976" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 17 February 1976. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
7. Clayton, Hugh (21 September 1984). "Livingstone poll win denounced as 'stunt'". The Times. No. 61942. London, England.
8. "Appendix B By-elections for Greater London councillors, May 1981 to May 1986" (PDF). London Datastore. Retrieved 9 September 2023.