1975 Leeds City Council election

Elections to Leeds City Council were held on 1 May 1975. One third of the seats, as well as an extra vacancy in Aireborough, were up for election. Labour had gained a seat from a by-election in Burley in the interim, prompted by the arrest of incumbent Conservative Ray Forbes in connection with arms smuggling.[1]

The election resulted in a substantial swing to the Conservatives, helping them gain six seats in total, with four from Labour (Burley, Kirkstall, Pudsey South and Wortley) and two from the Liberals (Horsforth and Otley). This established the Conservatives as the largest party on the council, but with the council remaining under no overall control.[2]

Election result
Leeds Local Election Result 1975
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 19 6 0 +6 57.6 49.8 86,036 +8.7%
  Labour 12 0 4 -4 36.3 31.5 54,379 -8.9%
  Liberal 2 0 2 -2 6.1 17.5 30,196 +1.2%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.7 1,262 -0.3%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.4 660 -0.3%
  National Front 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 73 -0.2%

This result has the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:

Party Previous council New council
Conservatives 37 43
Labour 45 41
Liberals 14 12
Total 96 96
Working majority  0   0 

Ward results
Aireborough[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Captwright 5,610 61.3 +8.4
Conservative J. Hutchinson 5,296
Labour R. Oddy 2,001 21.9 -10.5
Labour F. Harman 1,987
Liberal Jocelyn Cleasby 1,535 16.8 +2.1
Liberal Alice Horsfall 1,500
Majority 3,295 39.5 +18.9
Turnout 9,146
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing +9.4
Armley and Castleton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal B. Nelson 2,360 37.5 -22.9
Labour Michael McGowan 2,255 35.8 +8.4
Conservative A. Mathers 1,583 25.2 +14.7
Communist P. Wilton 93 1.5 -0.2
Majority 105 1.7 -31.3
Turnout 6,291
Liberal hold Swing -15.6
Beeston and Holbeck[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Booth 2,718 47.6 -6.8
Conservative G. Hartley 2,103 36.9 +7.5
Liberal J. Leighton 884 15.5 -0.7
Majority 615 10.8 -14.3
Turnout 5,705
Labour hold Swing -7.1
Bramley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Millett 1,650 52.8 -1.1
Conservative D. Mitchell 1,476 47.2 +24.2
Liberal Joy Clayforth
Majority 174 5.6 -25.2
Turnout
Labour hold Swing -12.6
Burley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Sexton 1,250 50.9 +15.2
Labour J. Roche 879 35.8 -3.5
Liberal N. Mackie 186 7.6 -13.8
National Front J. Duckenfield 73 3.0 +3.0
Communist B. Stinson 66 2.7 -0.8
Majority 371 15.1 +11.4
Turnout 2,454
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +9.3
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Mulet 2,620 48.1 -17.3
Liberal Margaret Clay 1,527 28.0 +28.0
Conservative G. Dimmock 1,220 22.4 -3.8
Communist B. Stockdale 84 1.5 -1.1
Majority 1,093 20.1 -19.1
Turnout 5,451
Labour hold Swing -22.6
Chapel Allerton and Scott Hall[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C. Thomas 3,933 62.1 -1.3
Labour G. Bloom 1,432 22.6 -10.6
Liberal J. Clay 871 13.8 +13.8
Communist M. Tomplak 96 1.5 -1.8
Majority 2,501 39.5 +9.3
Turnout 6,332
Conservative hold Swing +4.6
City and Woodhouse[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Morris 1,836 51.0 -18.5
Conservative T. Battersby 1,023 28.4 -2.0
Liberal D. Selby 608 16.9 +16.9
Communist M. Rodgers 131 3.6 +3.6
Majority 813 22.6 -16.5
Turnout 3,598
Labour hold Swing -8.2
Cookridge and Weetwood[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative K. Loudon 6,310 72.4 +8.6
Labour B. Selby 1,269 14.6 -13.9
Liberal Dorothea Leser 1,136 13.0 +13.0
Majority 5,041 57.8 +22.5
Turnout 8,715
Conservative hold Swing +11.2
Garforth #1 (Garforth North and Barwick)[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Hedley 4,945 65.4 +10.8
Labour C. Say 1,972 26.1 -19.3
Liberal N. Parnaby 639 8.5 +8.5
Majority 2,973 39.3 +30.0
Turnout 7,556
Conservative hold Swing +15.0
Garforth #2 (Kippax and Swillington)[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Noakes 2,565 80.5 +16.7
Independent P. Clements 420 13.2 +13.2
Conservative C. Taylor 202 6.3 -19.0
Majority 2,145 67.3 +28.9
Turnout 3,187
Labour hold Swing +1.7
Gipton and Whinmoor[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Vollans 2,597 47.3 -7.8
Conservative W. Buckland 2,510 45.7 +12.8
Liberal Kathleen Pedder 385 7.0 -3.2
Majority 87 1.6 -20.5
Turnout 5,492
Labour hold Swing -10.3
Halton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Wood 4,042 72.3 +2.6
Labour A. Maher 1,159 20.7 -9.5
Liberal R. Taylor 389 7.0 +7.0
Majority 2,883 51.6 +12.1
Turnout 5,590
Conservative hold Swing +6.0
Harehills and Roundhay[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peggy White 4,766 67.4 +2.5
Labour M. Simmons 1,668 23.6 +2.1
Liberal C. Farrer 641 9.1 -4.6
Majority 3,098 43.8 +0.4
Turnout 7,075
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
Headingley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Searie 2,230 54.7 +9.9
Labour I. Levy 1,037 25.4 -9.0
Liberal P. Holmes 812 19.9 -0.9
Majority 1,193 29.2 +18.9
Turnout 4,079
Conservative hold Swing +9.4
Horsforth[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Frame 3,736 52.6 +11.5
Liberal H. Stuttard 2,633 37.1 -9.0
Labour F. Wadwell 736 10.4 -2.5
Majority 1,103 15.5 +10.5
Turnout 7,105
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.2
Hunslet East and West[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. Taylor 2,528 48.1 -7.6
Labour Pat Fathers 2,096 39.9 +2.5
Conservative R. Blackburn 627 11.9 +5.1
Majority 432 8.2 -10.2
Turnout 5,251
Liberal hold Swing -5.0
Kirkstall[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Hamilton 2,366 47.1 +0.0
Labour K. Fenwick 2,279 45.4 -4.2
Liberal J. Stevens 379 7.5 +7.5
Majority 87 1.7 -0.8
Turnout 5,024
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +2.1
Middleton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Wood 1,801 56.0 -21.6
Conservative C. Hallas 808 25.1 +9.0
Liberal R. Heselwood 513 15.9 +15.9
Communist D. Priscott 95 3.0 -3.3
Majority 993 30.9 -30.6
Turnout 3,217
Labour hold Swing -15.3
Moortown[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Challenor 2,784 69.3 +3.3
Labour H. Gunnell 771 19.2 -14.8
Liberal S. Waldenberg 461 11.5 +11.5
Majority 2,013 50.1 +18.1
Turnout 4,016
Conservative hold Swing +9.0
Morley #1 (Morley North)[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Verity 3,591 67.3 +12.5
Labour K. Smith 1,744 32.7 -12.5
Majority 1,847 34.6 +24.9
Turnout 5,335
Conservative hold Swing +12.5
Morley #2 (Morley South)[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Welham 1,878 42.5 -21.4
Conservative K. Gray 1,563 35.8 -0.7
Company Director S. Whittaker 634 14.3 +14.3
Liberal Margaret Batley 346 7.8 +7.8
Majority 315 7.1 -20.7
Turnout 4,421
Labour hold Swing -10.3
Osmondthorpe[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Pritchard 1,506 53.1 -16.2
Conservative S. Nelmes 1,164 41.0 +10.3
Liberal Pat Lawson 168 5.9 +5.9
Majority 342 12.1 -26.5
Turnout 2,838
Labour hold Swing -13.2
Otley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S. Day 3,550 46.8 +5.7
Liberal D. Whitley 2,869 37.8 -2.4
Labour F. Emery 1,167 15.4 -3.3
Majority 681 9.0 +8.1
Turnout 7,586
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.0
Pudsey #1 (Pudsey North)[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C. Thompson 3,279 50.7 +16.4
Liberal R. Hainsworth 1,711 26.5 -7.2
Labour D. Trafford 1,475 22.8 -9.2
Majority 1,568 24.3 +23.6
Turnout 6,465
Conservative hold Swing +11.8
Pudsey #2 (Pudsey South)[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Kersting 2,964 46.0 +22.5
Labour J. Mann 1,945 30.2 -2.2
Liberal B. Lester 1,535 23.8 -15.0
Majority 1,019 15.8 +9.4
Turnout 6,444
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +12.3
Rothwell[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Arran 2,587 41.1 -24.1
Conservative K. Bragan 1,993 31.7 -3.0
Liberal P. Bower 1,708 27.2 +27.2
Majority 594 9.4 -21.2
Turnout 6,288
Labour hold Swing -10.5
Seacroft[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Mudie 2,016 57.6 -20.3
Conservative R. Ivey 1,388 39.7 +21.7
Communist A. Dale 95 2.7 -1.5
Majority 628 17.9 -42.1
Turnout 3,499
Labour hold Swing -21.0
Stanningley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Myers 1,573 42.6 -11.8
Conservative I. Benton 1,312 35.5 +7.1
Liberal R. Keighley 811 21.9 +4.7
Majority 261 7.1 -18.8
Turnout 3,696
Labour hold Swing -9.4
Talbot[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Feldman 3,249 70.8 +10.8
Labour D. Brown 690 15.0 +2.4
Liberal J. Miles 649 14.1 -13.2
Majority 2,559 55.8 +23.1
Turnout 4,588
Conservative hold Swing +4.2
Wetherby[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. Hill 5,853 71.9 +5.2
Liberal D. Tunstall 1,348 16.6 +16.6
Labour C. Brown 732 9.0 -14.7
Retired J. Shackleton 208 2.6 -7.1
Majority 4,505 55.3 +12.3
Turnout 8,141
Conservative hold Swing -5.7
Wortley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Robson 2,606 53.2 +11.1
Labour P. Shires 1,725 35.2 -6.5
Liberal Jeanette Bean 564 11.5 -4.6
Majority 881 18.0 +17.5
Turnout 4,895
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.8

References
  1. "Civil war threat in Ulster". The Montreal Gazette. 14 May 1974. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  2. "District results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 2 May 1975. Scans can be found here: 1 and 2
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.