United Kingdom local elections, 1973

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The first elections to the new local authorities established by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales and the new Northern Ireland district councils created by the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 took place in 1973. Elections to the existing Greater London Council also took place.

Contents

[edit] England and Wales

The elections took place on three dates:

Elections took place for all the seats on the councils. In the case of the new councils, they became shadow authorities, taking over from the existing local authorities on April 1, 1974. The elections for the new councils had been brought forward from an originally planned date in November 1973, to allow the councils more time to act as shadow authorities - the final dates were set in May 1972.[1] [2]

[edit] The April elections

The elections held on April 12 saw a very good performance by the Labour Party, which regained contol of the Greater London Council and took control of all six of the new metropolitan county councils. In the rest of England they won seven county councils, including two of the new "estuary" counties: Cleveland and Humberside. The party also won Gwent and the three Glamorgan county councils in Wales.

The poor Conservative vote in London and the metropolitan counties was somewhat compensated by winning thirteen of the non-metropolitan counties. Failure to gain Essex or Hertfordshire were disappointments to the party, but taking control of Gloucestershire was a success. The party also failed to gain its only realistic Welsh prospect, South Glamorgan.

There were no great successes for the Liberal party, which found itself in third place in all the metropolitan counties. They did however regain representation on the GLC winning two seats at Sutton and Cheam and Richmond on Thames. This followed the previous year's bielection success in winning the Sutton and Cheam parliamentary seat from the Conservatives.

Independents won two English counties outright: Cornwall and the Isle of Wight. They also formed the largest grouping on a number of other councils, and entered agreements with the Conservatives in the running of some of these. In Wales, Independents controlled three mainly rural counties.[3][4]

[edit] The May elections

The results of the elections in May saw an improvement in the performance by the Conservatives since the county council elections, and a slight fall back in the Labour vote. The Liberals had a notable success, becoming the largest group on Liverpool council.

The Conservatives took control of five metropolitan districts, gaining seats in areas where they had been beaten in the elections to the county councils. They also gained one Welsh district, Monmouth.

The Labour party declared it was pleased with the results, especially as opinion polls had shown them losing support. They took control of most of the metropolitan districts, making a clean sweep of councils in Tyne and Wear and South Yorkshire and important councils such as Birmingham, Coventry and Manchester. Labour also took control of most districts in South Wales including Cardiff. The party's organiser for Wales also pointed to the fact that official Labour candidates won rural seats in north and west Wales for the first time.

Apart from forming a minority administration in Liverpool, the Liberals were able to hold the balance of power at Leeds, Stockport and Wirral. They were however disappointed with their performance at Calderdale which was won by Labour.[5]

[edit] The June elections

In the June elections for 296 non-metropolitan districts, Labour won control of 71, the Conservatives 59, the Liberals 1, Democratic Labour 1, and Independents 67. 97 councils were under no overall control: in many of these councils Conservative and Independent groups formed an administration.

The Labour party won 4,327 seats, the Conservatives 4,286, Independents 3,534, and the Liberals 919; with the remaining 449 seats going to various other groupings.

It was a good result for the Liberal party who took control of Eastbourne and became the largest group on Adur, Newbury, Pendle and Waverley councils. The other two main parties also had notable successes: Labour considered control of Cambridge, Dacorum, Ipswich and Oxford to be good results; while the Conservatives celebrated taking Gloucester, Great Yarmouth, Lewes and Warrington councils.[6][7]

The break-away Democratic Labour Association won twenty of the thirty seats on Lincoln district council. The group were supporters of Dick Taverne, member of parliament for Lincoln who had been expelled from the Labour Party. Taverne had earlier in the year resigned his seat to force a bielection in protest against his expulsion, which he won against the official Labour candidate.

[edit] The Results

[edit] Metropolitan county councils

Council Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Greater Manchester 23 69 13 1 0 Labour
Merseyside 26 53 19 0 Ratepayers 1 Labour
South Yorkshire 13 82 1 4 0 Labour
Tyne and Wear 26 74 1 3 0 Labour
West Midlands 26 74 4 0 0 Labour
West Yorkshire 25 51 11 1 0 Labour

[edit] Non-metropolitan county councils

Council Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Avon 36 32 2 3 0 NOC
Bedfordshire 32 39 8 3 1 Vacancy NOC
Berkshire 42 26 13 5 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Buckinghamshire 36 18 4 12 0 CON
Cambridgeshire 28 22 5 13 0 NOC
Cheshire 31 29 1 6 0 NOC
Cleveland 35 52 0 2 0 Labour
Cornwall 3 1 0 75 0 Independent
Cumbria 31 38 1 6 0 NOC
Derbyshire 26 60 5 7 0 Labour
Devon 54 20 11 12 0 Conservative
Dorset 47 13 11 20 0 Conservative
Durham 2 56 6 7 0 Labour
East Sussex 48 19 9 8 0 Conservative
Essex 47 40 5 5 0 NOC
Gloucestershire 31 18 5 7 0 Conservative
Hampshire 44 27 6 20 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Hereford and Worcester 37 30 8 17 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Hertfordshire 33 33 3 2 Ratepayers 1 NOC
Humberside 36 51 3 7 2 Vacancies Labour
Isle of Wight 6 6 7 23 0 Independent
Kent 63 31 7 2 0 Conservative
Lancashire 52 33 7 3 Ratepayers 1 Conservative
Leicestershire 41 37 7 8 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Lincolnshire 34 10 3 22 0 NOC
Norfolk 52 27 0 4 0 Conservative
North Yorkshire 39 12 12 29 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Northamptonshire 38 46 3 4 2 Vacancies Labour
Northumberland 10 28 0 21 0 NOC
Nottinghamshire 35 54 0 0 0 Labour
Oxfordshire 36 21 0 10 0 Conservative
Salop 14 16 3 30 0 NOC
Somerset 35 7 2 12 0 Conservative
Staffordshire 28 47 1 9 0 Labour
Surrey 46 12 9 5 0 Conservative
Warwickshire 27 21 5 2 0 NOC
West Sussex 52 10 7 13 Ratepayers 1 Conservative
Wiltshire 40 22 6 11 0 Conservative

[edit] Welsh county councils

Council Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Clwyd 11 20 4 30 1 Vacancy NOC
Dyfed 0 29 8 40 Plaid Cymru 1
Ratepayers 1		 Independent
Gwent 12 59 3 1 Ratepayers

Plaid Cymru 1

 Labour
Gwynedd 0 4 0 56 Plaid Cymru 6 Independent
Mid Glamorgan 3 63 2 6 Plaid Cymru 6
Communist 2		 Labour
Powys           Independent
South Glamorgan 35 42 0 3 0 Labour
West Glamorgan 9 52 2 4 Plaid Cymru 1

Progressive Labour 1
Ratepayers 1

 Labour

[edit] Greater London Council

Main article: Greater London Council election, 1973
Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
32 58 2 0 0 Labour

[edit] Metropolitan Districts

District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Barnsley South Yorkshire 0 57 0 1 Independent Labour 1

Democratic Labour 1

 Labour
Birmingham West Midlands 44 73 9 0 0 Labour
Bolton Greater Manchester 35 31 2 1 0 Conservative
Bradford West Yorkshire 53 31 9 0 0 Conservative
Bury Greater Manchester 21 20 7 0 0 NOC
Calderdale West Yorkshire 18 28 5 0 0 Labour
Coventry West Midlands 12 42 0 0 0 Labour
Doncaster South Yorkshire 12 43 0 4 Democratic Labour 1 Labour
Dudley West Midlands 24 40 1 1 Independent Labour 1 Labour
Gateshead Tyne and Wear 6 71 0 0 Rent and Ratepayers 1 Labour
Kirklees West Yorkshire 18 45 8 1 0 Labour
Knowsley Merseyside 6 52 4 0 Kirkby Householders Federation 1 Labour
Leeds West Yorkshire 38 44 14 0 0 NOC
Liverpool Merseyside 9 42 48 0 0 NOC(1)
Manchester Greater Manchester 40 59 0 0 0 Labour
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Tyne and Wear 23 51 1 3 0 Labour
North Tyneside Tyne and Wear 19 48 7 4 0 Labour
Oldham Greater Manchester 6 42 5 1 3 Vacancies Labour
Rochdale Greater Manchester 14 37 9 0 0 Labour
Rotherham South Yorkshire 3 50 0 1 0 Labour
Sandwell West Midlands 24 66 0 0 0 Labour
St Helens Merseyside 9 36 0 0 0 Labour
Salford Greater Manchester 15 50 1 0 0 Labour
Sefton Merseyside 37 24 5 2 Ratepayers 3 Conservative
Sheffield South Yorkshire 18 69 3 0 0 Labour
Solihull West Midlands 28 12 2 9 0 Conservative
South Tyneside Tyne and Wear 3 45 0 0 Progressive 18 Labour
Stockport Greater Manchester 27 16 13 4 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Sunderland Tyne and Wear 21 56 0 1 0 Labour
Tameside Greater Manchester 14 38 2 0 0 Labour
Trafford Greater Manchester 32 16 12 0 0 Conservative
Wakefield West Yorkshire 6 58 0 1 1 Labour
Walsall West Midlands 11 44 0 2 Ratepayers 3 Labour
Wigan Greater Manchester 5 66 0 1 0 Labour
Wirral Merseyside 29 24 13 0 0 NOC
Wolverhampton West Midlands 20 40 0 0 0 Labour

(1) A minority Liberal administration was formed

[edit] Welsh Districts

District County Conservative Labour Liberal Plaid Cymru Independent Other Control
Aberconwy Gwynedd 4 3 0 0 34 0 Independent
Alyn-Dee Clwyd 9 25 4 0 7 0 Labour
Afan West Glamorgan 0 21 0 0 0 Tenants Association 3

Ratepayers 5 Unofficial Labour 1

 Labour
Arfon Gwynedd 0 8 0 5 27 0 Independent
Blaenau Gwent Gwent 0 31 3 1 1 Independent Labour 7

Ratepayers 7
Tenants and Residents 1

 Labour
Brecknock Powys 4 17 1 0 29 0 Independent
Cardiff South Glamorgan 33 42 0 0 0 0 Labour
Carmarthen Dyfed 0 7 0 0 28 Ratepayers 1 Independent
Ceredigion Dyfed 0 4 9 0 30 0 Independent
Colwyn Clwyd 1 0 10 0 22 0 Independent
Cynon Valley Mid Glamorgan 0 23 0 12 0 3 Labour
Delyn Clwyd 1 11 0 2 26 0 Independent
Dinefwr Dyfed 0 17 1 0 13 Independent Socialist 1 Labour
Dwyfor Gwynedd 0 0 0 1 28 0 Independent
Glyndŵr Clwyd 0 3 0 0 30 0 Independent
Islwyn Gwent 0 30 0 2 3 Communist 1 Labour
Llanelli Dyfed 0 29 0 0 4 0 Labour
Lliw Valley West Glamorgan 0 27 0 2 3 0 Labour
Meirionydd Gwynedd 0 0 0 0 39 0 Independent
Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan 0 25 0 4 1 3 Labour
Monmouth Gwent 29 9 0 0 1 0 Conservative
Montgomery Powys 0 2 3 0 44 0 Independent
Neath West Glamorgan 0 24 0 2 2 Ratepayers 1

4 Vacancies

 Labour
Newport Gwent 8 36 2 0 5 0 Labour
Ogwr Mid Glamorgan 6 42 1 1 3 Ratepayers 3

Independent Labour 1

 Labour
Preseli Dyfed 0 0 0 0 43 0 Independent
Radnor Powys 0 0 0 0 31 0 Independent
Rhondda Mid Glamorgan 0 30 0 1 0 Ratepayers 1

Communist 1

 Labour
Rhuddlan Clwyd 9 4 1 0 22 0 Independent
Rhymney Valley Mid Glamorgan 0 38 0 4 2 Ratepayers 4 Labour
South Pembrokeshire Dyfed 0 0 0 1 30 0 Independent
Swansea West Glamorgan 12 30 1 0 3 Independent Ratepayers 3

Ratepayers 2

 Labour
Taff-Ely Mid Glamorgan 0 30 4 2 7 Ratepayers 4 Labour
Torfaen Gwent 0 36 0 0 2 Communist 2

Rent and Ratepayers 3

 Labour
Vale of Glamorgan South Glamorgan 15 23 0 0 11 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Wrexham Maelor Clwyd 4 24 2 1 14 0 Labour
Ynys Môn (Anglesey) Gwynedd 0 4 0 0 41 0 Independent

[edit] Non-metropolitan Districts

[edit] A
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Adur West Sussex 13 6 16 0 Shoreham Beach Residents Association 4 NOC
Allerdale Cumbria 4 25 0 27 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Alnwick Northumberland 0 4 0 24 0 Independent
Amber Valley Derbyshire 4 32 3 0 21 Labour
Arun West Sussex 33 4 4 5 1 Conservative
Ashfield Nottinghamshire 1 52 0 2 0 Labour
Ashford Kent 22 8 10 4 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Aylesbury Vale Buckinghamshire 10 12 1 31 0 Independent

[edit] B
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Babergh Suffolk 7 11 0 20 0 Independent
Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria 6 25 0 2 0 Labour
Basildon Essex 9 31 0 0 6 Labour
Basingstoke Hampshire 18 14 3 20 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Bassetlaw Nottinghamshire 11 29 0 10 1 Labour
Bath Avon 19 17 9 0 0 NOC
Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire 27 1 3 9 2 Conservative
Bedford Bedfordshire 20 22 2 12 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Berwick-upon-Tweed Northumberland 0 2 0 26 0 Independent
Beverley Humberside 16 1 7 36 0 Independent
Blackburn Lancashire 19 27 11 3 0 NOC
Blaby Leicestershire 8 0 7 20 0 Independent
Blackpool Lancashire 40 10 3 3 0 Conservative
Blyth Valley Northumberland 5 29 12 12 2 Labour
Bolsover Nottinghamshire 1 28 0 4 3 Labour
Boothferry Humberside 4 5 0 26 0 Independent
Boston Lincolnshire 9 5 5 15 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Bosworth Leicestershire 4 14 8 13 0 NOC
Bournemouth Dorset 38 14 3 2 0 Conservative
Bracknell Berkshire 9 17 1 1 Ratepayers 3 Labour
Braintree Essex 14 19 1 21 Ratepayers 1 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Brentwood Lincolnshire 24 11 1 2 0 Conservative
Breckland Norfolk 19 10 0 21 Independent Conservative 1 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Bridgnorth Salop 0 0 1 31 0 Independent
Brighton East Sussex 31 28 0 0 0 Conservative
Bristol Avon 25 56 3 0 0 Labour
Broadland Norfolk 19 6 0 24 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Bromsgrove Hereford and Worcester 25 13 0 0 Ratepayers 4 Conservative
Broxbourne Hertfordshire 28 12 0 0 0 Conservative
Broxtowe Nottinghamshire 24 20 0 1 Socialist Independent 1 Conservative
Burnley Lancashire 12 39 1 2 0 Labour

[edit] C
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Cannock Chase Staffordshire 1 36 0 0 0 Labour
Canterbury Kent 34 5 2 5 Ratepayers 3 0
Caradon Cornwall 0 0 0 41 0 Independent
Carlisle Cumbria 12 25 1 10 0 Labour
Carrick Cornwall 4 5 4 32 0 Independent
Castle Morpeth Northumberland 11 7 2 13 Ratepayers 1 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Castle Point Essex 19 20 0 0 0 Labour
Charnwood Leicestershire 28 14 5 13 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Chelmsford Essex 31 16 8 5 0 Conservative
Cheltenham Gloucestershire 21 7 4 2 2 Conservative
Cherwell Oxfordshire 15 16 0 14 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Chester Cheshire 43 15 0 4 0 Conservative
Chesterfield Derbyshire 7 45 2 0 0 Labour
Chester-le-Street Durham 0 23 6 4 0 Labour
Chichester West Sussex 13 0 6 28 3 Independent
Chiltern Buckinghamshire 26 11 0 7 Ratepayers 3

Residents 4

 Conservative
Chorley Lancashire 17 21 0 7 0

Independent Labour 2

 NOC
Christchurch Dorset 10 4 5 1 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Cleethorpes Humberside 9 14 6 19 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Colchester Essex 28 27 1 4 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Copeland Cumbria 6 30 0 12 0 Labour
Corby Northamptonshire 1 29 0 2 Independent Socialist 1 Labour
Cotswold Gloucestershire 1 2 0 42 0 Independent
Craven North Yorkshire 14 6 9 6 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Crawley West Sussex 5 25 0 1 Ratepayers 1 Labour
Crewe Cheshire 2 35 2 21 0 Labour

[edit] D
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Dacorum Hertfordshire 26 33 0 3 0 Labour
Darlington Durham 8 28 8 5 0 Labour
Dartford Kent 14 30 0 0 0 Labour
Daventry Northamptonshire 16 9 0 10 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Derby Derbyshire 14 34 6 0 0 Labour
Derwentside Durham 1 45 5 3 3 Labour
Dover Kent 29 21 0 5 0 Conservative
Durham Durham 0 40 7 14 0 Labour

[edit] E
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Easington Durham 0 56 0 3 Independent Labour 1 Labour
Eastbourne East Sussex 10 4 19 0 0 Liberal
East Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire 0 1 0 33 1 Vacancy Independent
Eastleigh Hampshire 13 20 5 4 0 NOC
East Lindsey Lincolnshire 5 1 3 5 Independent Conservative 2

Others 42

 Non Party
East Northamptonshire Northamptonshire 5 14 0 0 17 NOC
Eden Cumbria 0 0 0 37 0 Independent
East Devon Devon 14 1 3 42 0 Independent
East Hertfordshire Hertfordshire 16 10 0 16 6 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
East Staffordshire Staffordshire 22 24 0 14 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Elmbridge Surrey 39 7 5 0 Ratepayers 14 Conservative
Ellesmere Port Cheshire 14 27 0 1 0 Labour
Epping Forest Essex 44 10 0 5 0 Conservative
Epsom and Ewell Surrey 0 3 0 0 Ratepayers 37 Ratepayers
Erewash Derbyshire 9 36 5 4 0 Labour
Exeter Devon 14 13 6 1 0 NOC

[edit] F
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Fareham Hampshire 16 2 5 2 Ratepayers 11 NOC (Conservative-Ratepayers)
Fenland Cambridgeshire 18 8 0 14 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Forest Heath Suffolk 12 0 0 3 Others 9

1 Vacancy

 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Forest of Dean Gloucestershire 0 21 1 25 0 NOC
Fylde Lancashire 28 2 2 4 Others 9 Conservative

[edit] G
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Gedling Nottinghamshire 32 19 0 0 Independent Ratepayers 4 Conservative
Gillingham Kent 13 14 8 0 0 NOC
Glanford Humberside 0 1 0 33 0 Independent
Gloucester Gloucestershire 31 2 0 0 0 Conservative
Gosport Hampshire 9 19 0 2 Ratepayers 1 Labour
Gravesham Kent 15 28 0 0 Ratepayers 1 Labour
Great Yarmouth Norfolk 26 17 2 3 0 Conservative
Grimsby Humberside 14 20 7 1 0 NOC
Guildford Surrey 29 6 5 2 0 Conservative

[edit] H
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Halton Cheshire 8 30 1 3 Moderate Party 1 Labour
Hambleton North Yorkshire 4 1 1 42 0 Independent
Harborough Leicestershire 37 28 2 0 0 Conservative
Harrogate North Yorkshire 35 2 15 7 1 Vacancy Conservative
Harlow Essex 0 38 4 0 0 Labour
Hartlepool Cleveland 15 30 0 1 0 Labour
Hartley Wintney Hampshire 7 0 0 23 3 Independent
Hastings East Sussex 12 11 9 1 0 NOC
Havant Hampshire 8 8 10 4 Ratepayers 12 NOC
Hereford Hereford and Worcester 0 10 8 3 Independent Conservative 3 NOC
Hertsmere Hertfordshire 25 17 13 0 0 NOC
High Peak Derbyshire 23 17 3 10 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Holderness Humberside 0 0 0 29 0 Independent
Horsham West Sussex 18 0 2 23 0 Independent
Hove East Sussex 24 6 0 3 3 Vacancies Conservative
Huntingdon Cambridgeshire 15 9 0 26 0 Independent
Hyndburn Lancashire 21 24 3 0 0 NOC

[edit] I
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Ipswich Suffolk 11 36 0 0 0 Labour

[edit] K
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Kennet Wiltshire 7 0 2 28 0 Independent
Kerrier Cornwall 5 3 0 34 0 Independent
Kettering Northamptonshire 14 16 7 8 0 NOC
Kingston-upon-Hull Humberside 8 55 0 0 0 Labour
Kingswood Avon 4 19 6 6 10 NOC

[edit] L
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Lancaster Lancashire 32 18 1 6 Ratepayers 3 Conservative
Langbaurgh Cleveland 27 32 0 5 0 NOC
Leicester Leicestershire 11 37 0 0 0 Labour
Leominster Hereford and Worcester 1 2 0 33 0 Independent
Lewes East Sussex 26 10 0 6 Ratepayers 5 Conservative
Lichfield Staffordshire 17 25 0 11 Ratepayers 1 NOC
Lincoln Lincolnshire 6 1 0 3 Democratic Labour 20 Democratic Labour
Luton Bedfordshire 12 30 6 0 0 Labour

[edit] M
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Macclesfield Cheshire 25 10 10 12 Ratepayers 5 NOC
Maidstone Kent 13 12 19 9 7 NOC
Maldon Essex 9 4 3 14 0 NOC
Malvern Hills (district) Hereford and Worcester 1 2 11 8 23 NOC
Mansfield Nottinghamshire 7 38 0 0 0 Labour
Medway Kent 22 32 5 0 0 Labour
Melton Leicestershire 12 2 0 6 4 NOC
Mendip Somerset 11 7 2 23 1 Vacancy Independent
Mid Bedfordshire Bedfordshire 5 8 1 35 0 Independent
Mid Suffolk Suffolk 6 9 1 24 0 Independent
Mid Sussex West Sussex 25 3 5 21 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Middlesbrough Cleveland 17 39 0 0 0 Labour
Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire 8 27 0 5 0 Labour
Mole Valley Surrey 16 3 5 9 Residents 9 NOC

[edit] N
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Newark Nottinghamshire 20 29 0 3 0 Labour
Newbury Berkshire 10 1 24 22 0 NOC
Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire Conservative-Independent coalition 29 31 2 See Conservative column 0 NOC
New Forest Hampshire 12 1 5 37 3 Independent
Northampton Northamptonshire 23 25 0 0 0 Labour
Northavon Avon 26 19 1 1 Residents Association 1

2 Vacancies

 NOC
North Cornwall Cornwall 0 0 3 23 0 Independent
North East Derbyshire Derbyshire 10 32 0 9 0 Labour
North Devon Devon 0 1 15 28 0 Independent
North Dorset Dorset 0 0 4 27 0 Independent
North Hertfordshire Hertfordshire 23 17 0 7 Ratepayers 1 NOC
North West Leicestershire Leicestershire 8 25 0 10 0 Labour
North Kesteven Lincolnshire 8 2 0 27 0 Independent
North Shropshire Shropshire 0 1 2 36 0 Independent
North Warwickshire Warwickshire 8 19 0 4 Ratepayers 2 Labour
North Wiltshire Wiltshire 24 4 7 11 0 Conservative
North Wolds Humberside 3 2 1 37 0 Independent
Norwich Norfolk 11 37 0 0 0 Labour
Nottingham Nottinghamshire 10 44 0 0 0 Labour
Nuneaton Warwickshire 7 26 2 0 0 Labour

[edit] O
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Oadby and Wigston Leicestershire 18 7 5 3 0 Conservative
Oswestry Shropshire 0 1 3 18 0 Independent
Oxford Oxfordshire 12 30 3 0 0 Labour

[edit] P
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Pastonacres Norfolk 6 4 0 37 0 Independent
Pendle Lancashire 6 19 23 2 7 NOC
Penwith Cornwall 0 1 1 38 0 Independent
Peterborough Cambridgeshire 19 28 1 0 0 Labour
Petersfield Hampshire 16 6 0 20 0 NOC
Plymouth Devon 37 29 0 0 0 Conservative
Poole Dorset 22 3 9 2 0 Conservative
Portsmouth Hampshire 28 17 0 3 0 Conservative
Preston Lancashire 19 38 0 0 0 Labour
Purbeck Dorset 5 3 0 13 0 Independent

[edit] R
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Reading Berkshire 16 16 14 0 NOC
Redditch Hereford and Worcester 6 19 0 0 0 NOC
Reigate and Banstead Surrey 29 15 4 2 0 Conservative
Restormel Cambridgeshire 0 0 2 36 0 Independent
Ribble Valley Lancashire 30 1 0 7 0 Conservative
Richmondshire North Yorkshire 0 0 0 35 0 Independent
Rochford Essex 19 12 1 8 0 NOC
Rossendale Lancashire 17 15 4 0 0 NOC
Rother East Sussex 9 5 1 30 0 Independent
Rugby Warwickshire 22 18 3 2 Ratepayers 3 NOC
Runnymede Surrey 23 15 0 2 0 Conservative
Rushmoor Hampshire 20 9 7 0 Ratepayers 7 NOC
Rutland Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 20 Others
Ryedale North Yorkshire 0 5 0 40 0 Independent

[edit] S
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
St Albans Hertfordshire 32 14 7 1 0 Conservative
St Edmundsbury Suffolk 26 11 0 6 Independent Conservative 1 Conservative
Salisbury Wiltshire 16 13 8 17 Ratepayers 2

2 Vacancies

 NOC
Scarborough North Yorkshire 15 5 11 16 1 Vacancy NOC
Scunthorpe Humberside 4 35 0 0 Independent Labour 1 Labour
Sedgefield Durham 1 40 4 8 0 Labour
Sedgemoor Somerset 19 14 3 12 0 NOC
Selby North Yorkshire 16 7 0 20 1 Vacancy Independent
Sevenoaks Kent 28 6 6 14 0 Conservative
Shepway Kent 33 12 1 8 0 Conservative
Shrewsbury Shropshire 12 15 7 11 0 NOC
Slough Berkshire 2 34 4 0 0 Labour
Southampton Hampshire 20 31 0 0 0 Labour
South Bedfordshire Bedfordshire 17 13 8 7 0 NOC
South Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire 0 7 3 43 0 Independent
South Hams Devon 2 0 0 40 0 Independent
South Herefordshire Hereford and Worcester 1 0 0 35 0 Independent
South Holland Lincolnshire 6 2 0 27 0 Independent
South Kesteven Lincolnshire 13 12 0 9 21 NOC
South Lakeland Cumbria 7 2 7 37 Independent Conservative 1 Independent
South Northamptonshire Northamptonshire 15 2 2 17 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
South Ribble Lancashire 30 16 2 1 0 Conservative
South Shropshire Shropshire 0 0 1 35 0 Independent
South Staffordshire Staffordshire 22 8 1 15 2 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
South Wight Isle of Wight 1 0 1 22 0 Independent
Stafford Staffordshire 18 15 0 23 Independent Labour 1 NOC
Staffordshire Moorlands Staffordshire 12 14 2 26 0 NOC (Independent minority)
Stevenage Hertfordshire 3 31 0 0 0 Labour
Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland 25 33 0 2 0 Labour
Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire 8 60 3 1 0 Labour
Stratford on Avon Warwickshire 15 2 5 32 0 Independent
Stroud Gloucestershire 14 14
(Including 2 Labour & Co-Operative)		 8 17 3 Vacancies NOC
Suffolk Coastal Suffolk 27 9 0 18 Independent Conservative 1 NOC
Surrey Heath Surrey 35 0 0 1 0 Conservative
Swale Kent 17 25 3 5 0 NOC

[edit] T
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Tamworth Staffordshire 0 18 0 6 0 Labour
Tandridge Surrey 26 3 10 3 0 Conservative
Taunton Deane Somerset 21 14 0 13 0 NOC
Teesdale Durham 0 0 0 29 0 Independent
Teignbridge Devon 0 7 0 48 Independent Trade Unionist 1 Independent
Tendring Essex 31 4 11 11 Ratepayers 3 Conservative
Test Valley Hampshire 10 5 7 21 0 NOC
Tewkesbury Gloucestershire 22 0 3 26 0 Independent
Thamesdown Wiltshire 18 26 0 2 0 Labour
Thanet Kent 33 14 5 11 0 Conservative
Three Rivers Hertfordshire 19 12 13 0 0 NOC
Thurrock Essex 13 33 0 3 0 Labour
Tiverton Devon 0 3 5 32 0 Independent
Tonbridge and Malling Kent 30 11 8 4 0 Conservative
Torbay Devon 30 6 0 0 0 Conservative
Torridge Devon 0 1 6 29 0 Independent
Tunbridge Wells Kent 29 7 2 9 0 Conservative
Tynedale Northumberland 4 10 3 25 3 Independent

[edit] U
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Uttlesford Essex 21 7 2 12 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)

[edit] V
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Vale of White Horse Oxfordshire 27 8 3 10 0 Conservative
Vale Royal Cheshire 10 16 6 25 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)

[edit] W
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Wallingford Oxfordshire 25 9 7 20 Progressive Independent 1 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Wansbeck Northumberland 0 44 0 1 0 Labour
Wansdyke Avon 12 22 0 11 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Warrington Cheshire 32 22 3 3 0 Conservative
Warwick Warwickshire 26 25 7 0 0 NOC
Watford Hertfordshire 9 21 6 0 0 Labour
Waveney Suffolk 22 27 5 2 0 NOC
Waverley Surrey 28 2 25 6 0 NOC
Wealden East Sussex 25 1 2 23 5 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Wear Valley Durham 0 21 9 10 People's Representative 1 Labour
Wellingborough Northamptonshire 14 13 0 5 Ratepayers 1 NOC
Welwyn Hatfield Hertfordshire 19 24 0 0 0 Labour
West Derbyshire Derbyshire 18 5 4 13 0 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
West Devon Devon 0 0 0 30 0 Independent
West Dorset Dorset 0 2 9 44 0 Independent
West Lancashire Lancashire 10 23 3 14 0 NOC
West Lindsey Lincolnshire 1 5 6 25 0 Independent
West Norfolk Norfolk 14 22 0 24 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
West Oxfordshire Oxfordshire 1 7 1 35 Independent Liberal 1 Independent
West Somerset Somerset 3 1 1 27 0 Independent
West Wiltshire Wiltshire 13 10 2 17 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
Weymouth and Portland Dorset 18 21 0 0 0 Labour
Wimborne Dorset 2 0 9 21 1 Vacancy Independent
Winchester Hampshire 14 5 5 25 Ratepayers 1

Tenants 1

 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Windsor and Maidenhead Berkshire 53 3 0 3 0 Conservative
Woking Surrey 19 12 1 0 0 Conservative
Wokingham Berkshire 23 0 13 15 Ratepayers 1 NOC (Conservative-Independent)
Woodspring Avon 40 10 3 8 0 Conservative
Worcester Hereford and Worcester 18 18 0 0 0 NOC
Worthing West Sussex 17 1 0 12 0 Conservative
Wrekin Shropshire 8 32 0 14 Independent Labour 1 Labour
Wychavon Hereford and Worcester 10 4 2 29 0 Independent
Wyre Lancashire 45 2 0 8 0 Conservative
Wyre Forest Hereford and Worcester 30 20 9 1 Ratepayers 2 NOC

[edit] Y
District County Conservative Labour Liberal Independent Other Control
Yeovil Somerset 20 8 2 30 0 NOC (Independent-Conservative)
York North Yorkshire 17 17 5 0 0 NOC

[edit] Future elections

The next county council elections took place in 1977.

Future elections to Metropolitan District councils were to be by thirds, with the one third of seats being elected in 1975.

The next election of non-metropolitan district councils and Welsh district councils was to in 1976.[8]

[edit] Northern Ireland

Local government in Northern Ireland was reorganised in 1973 by the Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 and the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. The county councils, county borough and municipal borough corporations and urban and rural district councils were replaced by twenty-six Local Government districts.

Elections took place for all the seats on the district councils on May 30. Elections were by proportional representation, using the single transferable vote system. The district councils came into their powers on October 1.[9] [10] [11] [12]

District Official
Unionist		 Democratic
Unionist		 Vanguard
Unionist		 Loyalist
Coalition		 Independent
Unionist		 SDLP Republican
Clubs		 Nationalist
and Unity
Parties		 Alliance Northern Ireland
Labour Party		 Others Control
Antrim 8 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 Independent 2 NOC (Unionist)
Ards 11 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 Independent 1 Official Unionist
Armagh 10 2 0 0 1 4 1 0 1 0 Independent 1 NOC (Unionist)
Ballymena 9 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Independent 2

Non-Party 3

 NOC (Unionist)
Ballymoney 4 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 Independent 1
Non-Party 5		 NOC
Banbridge 8 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 Independent 3 NOC (Unionist)
Belfast 25 2 1 0 2 7 2 0 8 2 Unionist Loyalist 2 NOC (Unionist)
Carrickfergus 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Unionist Loyalist 5

Loyalist 1
Non-Party 1

 NOC (Unionist)
Castlereagh 8 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 5 0 Unionist Loyalist 2
Independent 1		 NOC (Unionist)
Coleraine 12 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 3 0 Independent 1
Non-party 1		 Official Unionist
Cookstown 7 0 0 1 1 3 1 0 0 0 Independent 1
Non-Party 1		 NOC (Unionist)
Craigavon 7 3 2 3 3 2 0 0 4 0 Independent 1 NOC (Unionist)
Down 8 0 1 0 0 8 0 0 2 0 Independent 1 NOC
Dungannon 11 0 0 0 0 5 0 Unity 2
Republican 2		 0 0 0 Official Unionist
Fermanagh 5 0 0 0 3 4 0 Unity 4 0 0 Independent 1
Unionist Unity 2
Non-Party 1		 NOC
Larne 1 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 3 0 Independent 2
Non-Party 1		 Loyalist
Limavady 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 United Unionists 8
Independent 1		 United Unionists
Lisburn 14 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 Official Unionist
Londonderry 0 0 0 United Loyalists 9 0 10 1 Nationalist 3 0 0 0 NOC (Nationalist)
Magherafelt 4 0 1 United Loyalist 1 0 6 1 0 0 0 Independent 1 NOC
Moyle 4 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 Independent 5
Non-Party 4		 NOC
Newry and Mourne 3 0 0 0 0 13 2 0 0 0 Non-Party 6
Independent 2		 NOC
Newtownabbey 9 3 0 0 Unionist 3
United Loyalist 1
Loyalist 1		 0 0 0 3 1 0 NOC (Unionist)
North Down 9 0 0 Loyalist 3 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 NOC
Omagh 6 0 0 0 Unionist Unity 2 4 0 Nationalist 1
Official Republican 1		 0 0 3 Non-Party Community NOC
Strabane 6 0 0 Unionist Coalition 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 Independent 2 NOC

[edit] References

  1. ^ Councils offered five more months before changes. The Times. February 18, 1972.
  2. ^ Election dates in 1973 for new local councils. The Times. May 26, 1972.
  3. ^ Labour sweep to victory in London and all six of the metropolitan counties, The Times, April 13, 1973
  4. ^ Labour take over metropolitan counties and 11 other councils, The Times, April 14 1973
  5. ^ Three major parties find cause for satisfaction in local election results despite low poll, The Times, 12 May, 1973
  6. ^ Final poll result may lie with Independents, June 8, 1973
  7. ^ Liberals capture Eastbourne and exceed ambition to win 1,000 local government seats, June 8, 1973
  8. ^ Local Government Act 1972, sections 7 and 26
  9. ^ Local Government Elections 1973 (Ark Social & Political Archive)[1]
  10. ^ Big Roman Catholic turnout in poll despite threats, The Times, May 31, 1973
  11. ^ Party accused over Ulster poll, The Times, May 31, 1973
  12. ^ Unionist supporters elect many hard-line men in Ulster local government poll, The Times, June 2, 1973


Preceded by:
'		 UK local elections Succeeded by:
United Kingdom local elections, 1975
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