Islington South and Finsbury (electoral division)

Islington South and Finsbury
Former electoral division for the Greater London Council
Islington South and Finsbury electoral division boundaries
District	Islington
Electorate	43,979 (1973) 36,527 (1977) 38,393 (1981)
Area	487 hectares (4.87 km2)
Former electoral division
Created	1973
Abolished	1986
Member(s)	1
Created from	Islington

Islington South and Finsbury 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 Islington formed the Islington 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 Islington South and Finsbury parliamentary constituency. ^[1]

It covered an area of 487 hectares (4.87 km²).

Elections

The Islington South and Finsbury 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 43,979 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 30.4%. 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: Islington South and Finsbury

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Arthur Ernest Wicks	9,850
	Conservative	S. G. Parker	2,969
	Communist	M. Betteridge	538

1977 election

The fifth election to the GLC (and second using revised boundaries) was held on 5 May 1977. The electorate was 36,527 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 35.6%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term.

1977 Greater London Council election: Islington South and Finsbury

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Arthur Ernest Wicks	5,911
	Conservative	C. I. Price	5,589
	National Front	P. T. Kavanagh	1,453
	Liberal	A. J. Dean	734
	Communist	E. C. Archer	380

1981 election

The sixth and final election to the GLC (and third using revised boundaries) was held on 7 May 1981. The electorate was 38,393 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 37.4%. 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: Islington South and Finsbury

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Frances Maine Morrell	7,296
	Conservative	John D. E. Gallagher	3,014
	Social Democratic Alliance	John P. Hudson	2,707
	Liberal	John P. Hudson	696
	National Front	John B. Donegan	447
	Constitutional Movement	Francis T. Theobald	109
	Socialist (GB)	Barry K. McNeeney	83

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: Islington". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
6. "The London Councillors Order 1976" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 17 February 1976. Retrieved 9 September 2023.