Council election in England
1980 North Hertfordshire District Council election |
17 of 50 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council 26 seats needed for a majority |
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| First party | Second party | | Con | Lab | Leader | Bob Flatman | | Party | Conservative | Labour | Seats before | 34 | 12 | Seats after | 32 | 14 | Seat change | 2 | 2 | | | Third party | Fourth party | | Ind | RA | Party | Independent | Ratepayers | Seats before | 2 | 2 | Seats after | 2 | 2 | Seat change | | | |
Leader before election Bob Flatman Conservative | Leader after election Bob Flatman Conservative | |
The 1980 North Hertfordshire District Council election was held on 1 May 1980, at the same time as other local elections across England and Scotland. There were 17 out of 50 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council up for election, being the usual third of the council.[1]
The election saw Labour take the largest share of the vote, winning two seats from the Conservatives, but the Conservatives retained their majority on the council.[2]
Overall results
The overall results were as follows:[3]
1980 North Hertfordshire District Council election |
Party | This election | Full council | This election |
Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| Labour | 8 | 2 | 47.1 | 6 | 14 | 28.0 | 13,923 | 47.7 | +13.9 |
| Conservative | 8 | 2 | 47.1 | 24 | 32 | 64.0 | 12,306 | 42.2 | -9.8 |
| Liberal | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,096 | 3.8 | -0.9 |
| Ratepayers | 0 | | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | 4.0 | 777 | 2.7 | -0.9 |
| Ecology | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 595 | 2.0 | +1.0 |
| Independent | 1 | | 5.9 | 1 | 1 | 4.0 | 438 | 1.5 | -3.1 |
| National Front | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 59 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
Ward results
The results for each ward were as follows. An asterisk(*) indicates a sitting councillor standing for re-election.[3][4][2]
Ashbrook ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Michael Tatham* | 685 | 62.2 | −1.1 |
| Labour | Keith Brydon | 416 | 37.8 | +1.1 |
Turnout | | 53.2 | |
Registered electors | 2,068 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
Baldock ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Willy Page* | 1,305 | 56.5 | +18.7 |
| Conservative | Colin Vaughan | 798 | 34.6 | −8.3 |
| Ecology | Stephen Toogood | 205 | 8.9 | +8.9 |
Turnout | | 45.8 | |
Registered electors | 5,039 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +13.5 | |
Cadwell ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ron Lodge* | 438 | 59.3 | +7.2 |
| Conservative | Allison Ashley | 163 | 22.1 | −11.6 |
| Labour | Joan Kirby | 137 | 18.6 | +7.7 |
Turnout | | 42.3 | |
Registered electors | 1,745 | | |
| Independent hold | Swing | +9.4 | |
Hitchin Bearton ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Judi Smith | 1,013 | 52.9 | +8.1 |
| Conservative | Terry Keaveney | 902 | 47.1 | −3.7 |
Turnout | | 44.0 | |
Registered electors | 4,352 | | |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.9 | |
Hitchin Highbury ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Phillip MacCormack | 1,361 | 66.7 | −5.1 |
| Labour | Keith Ruff | 480 | 23.5 | −4.7 |
| Ecology | Brian Goodale | 200 | 9.8 | +9.8 |
Turnout | | 41.1 | |
Registered electors | 4,966 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
Hitchin Oughton ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Martin Stears* | 1,291 | 69.5 | +16.6 |
| Conservative | Derrick Ashley | 508 | 27.3 | −11.2 |
| National Front | Victor Logan | 59 | 3.2 | −5.4 |
Turnout | | 41.8 | |
Registered electors | 4,445 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +13.9 | |
Hitchin Priory ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Frank Howett | 965 | 83.6 | +4.5 |
| Labour | Paul Prescott | 189 | 16.4 | −4.5 |
Turnout | | 41.0 | |
Registered electors | 2,815 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
Hitchin Walsworth ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Fred Peacock* | 1,202 | 52.1 | +21.5 |
| Ratepayers | Basil Emery | 777 | 33.7 | −7.9 |
| Liberal | Bob Lord | 252 | 10.9 | +10.9 |
| Ecology | Melanie Hutchins | 77 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
Turnout | | 44.0 | |
Registered electors | 5,245 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +14.7 | |
Knebworth ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Alfred Grosse* | 888 | 58.5 | −1.4 |
| Labour | Herrmann | 630 | 41.5 | +23.6 |
Turnout | | 49.6 | |
Registered electors | 3,060 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -12.5 | |
Letchworth Grange ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Kearns* | 1,348 | 64.4 | +1.9 |
| Conservative | Christine Barclay | 746 | 35.6 | −1.9 |
Turnout | | 42.7 | |
Registered electors | 4,904 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
Letchworth South East ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Rod Playford | 1,432 | 70.9 | +25.8 |
| Conservative | Jenny Ritchie* | 475 | 23.5 | −31.4 |
| Ecology | Elspeth Rolls | 113 | 5.6 | +5.6 |
Turnout | | 48.4 | |
Registered electors | 4,174 | | |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +28.6 | |
Letchworth South West ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Geoff Woods* | 1,329 | 57.1 | −9.4 |
| Labour | Steve Spencer | 997 | 42.8 | +9.4 |
Turnout | | 57.1 | |
Registered electors | 4,074 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -9.4 | |
Letchworth Wilbury ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Ian Mantle* | 1,216 | 54.8 | +15.5 |
| Conservative | Jeff Smith | 808 | 36.4 | −7.3 |
| Liberal | Ian McGinlay | 197 | 8.9 | −8.1 |
Turnout | | 57.0 | |
Registered electors | 3,896 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +11.4 | |
Royston East ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Francis John Smith* | 863 | 61.3 | +3.1 |
| Labour | Jessie Grace Etheridge | 301 | 21.4 | +0.9 |
| Liberal | Sydney Charles McLennan | 243 | 17.3 | −4.0 |
Turnout | | 37.3 | |
Registered electors | 3,772 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 | |
Royston West ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Terence Bernard Botfield | 698 | 42.7 | −9.2 |
| Labour | Michael William Kernaghan | 533 | 32.6 | +7.3 |
| Liberal | Hazel Priscilla Lord | 404 | 24.7 | +1.9 |
Turnout | | 37.3 | |
Registered electors | 4,383 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -8.3 | |
Weston ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Robert Evans* | 354 | 64.5 | −5.4 |
| Labour | John Schofield | 195 | 35.5 | +5.4 |
Turnout | | 49.5 | |
Registered electors | 1,109 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -5.4 | |
Changes 1980–1982
Three by-elections were held on 19 March 1981. The by-election in Letchworth South West ward was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Bob Saunders. The two by-elections in Letchworth South East ward were triggered by the death of Conservative councillor John Yates and the resignation of Labour councillor Rod Playford. The Conservatives retained the Letchworth South West seat, but Labour won both Letchworth South East seats.[5]
Letchworth South East ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Evans | 1,261 | 42.1 | −28.8 |
| Labour | Joan Kirby | 1,123 | | |
| Conservative | Norman Prior | 898 | 30.0 | +6.5 |
| Conservative | James Robertson | 860 | | |
| Liberal | Robert Stevens | 836 | 27.9 | +27.9 |
| Labour hold | Swing | -17.7 | |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Letchworth South West ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | John Talbot | 977 | 44.0 | −21.8 |
| Liberal | William Armitage | 640 | 28.8 | +28.8 |
| Labour | Pat Watson Blake | 602 | 27.1 | −22.2 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -25.3 | |
References
- ^ The District of North Hertfordshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1977 (S.I. 1977/1442)
- ^ a b "Swinging Labour: Now we're set for control!". The Comet. Hitchin. 7 May 1980. p. 52.
- ^ a b Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "North Hertfordshire District Council Election Results 1973–2012" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Plymouth University. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Election results in city and districts". Cambridge Daily News. 13 May 1980. p. 6. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "Delight at Labour victories". Letchworth and Baldock Citizen Gazette. 26 March 1981. p. 7.