Peckham (electoral division)

Peckham
Former electoral division for the Greater London Council
Peckham electoral division boundaries
District	Southwark
Electorate	63,953 (1973) 58,655 (1977) 58,538 (1981)
Major settlements	Peckham
Area	615 hectares (6.15 km2) (1973) 638 hectares (6.38 km2) (1977/1981)
Former electoral division
Created	1973
Abolished	1986
Member(s)	1
Created from	Southwark

Peckham 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 Southwark formed the Southwark 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 Peckham parliamentary constituency. ^[1]

The area was in a long-term period of population decline that was yet to reverse. The electorate reduced from 63,953 in 1973 to 58,538 in 1981. It covered an area of 615 hectares (6.15 km²) in 1973. Revisions to ward boundaries in the London Borough of Southwark changed the area of the division to 638 hectares (6.38 km²) for the 1977 and 1981 elections.

Elections

The Peckham 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 63,953 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 25.6%. 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: Peckham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Harvey William Hinds	14,134
	Conservative	N. B. Baker	2,214
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 58,655 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 31.1%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term.

1977 Greater London Council election: Peckham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Harvey William Hinds	10,312
	Conservative	A. S. Dalton	5,091
	National Front	J. R. Perryman	1,482
	National Party	R. A. W. Jackson	708
	Liberal	T. J. Minahan	576
Turnout
	Labour hold		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 58,538 and one Labour Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 31.3%. 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: Peckham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Harvey William Hinds	12,461
	Conservative	John Alan Redwood	2,702
	Liberal	Gillian Isabel Clemens	1,669
	National Front	Wayne L Martin	971
	Communist	Eric L Hodson	313
	Abolish the GLC	Brian W Dames	116
Turnout
	Labour hold		Swing

John Alan Redwood unsuccessfully stood to be an MP at the 1982 Peckham by-election.

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 23 July 2023.
3. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 5 May 1977. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
4. "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 7 May 1981. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
5. Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Southwark". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
6. "The London Councillors Order 1976" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 17 February 1976. Retrieved 25 July 2023.