1978 Leeds City Council election

Elections to Leeds City Council were held on 4 May 1978, with one third of the council up for election, as well as an extra vacancy in Wetherby. Prior to the election, the Hunslet East and West incumbent, Dennis Peddar, had defected from the Liberals to Independent, and fought this election as such.

The election seen a returning swing to Labour, although gains and losses were spread fairly equitably, with Labour narrowly gaining from the Conservatives in Wortley and comfortably from the Independent in Hunslet East and West, but losing Burmantofts and Richmond Hill to the Liberals. The Conservative gain from the Liberals in Pudsey South left the two parties' totals unchanged. This resulted in the Conservatives retaining control of the council, with an unaltered majority of four.[1]

Election result
Leeds Local Election Result 1978
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 15 1 1 0 45.4 43.8 86,707 -4.3%
  Labour 15 2 1 1 45.4 40.5 80,070 +6.6%
  Liberal 3 1 1 0 9.1 12.2 24,057 -3.2%
  Ecology 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.2 2,422 +1.1%
  National Front 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.1 2,185 +0.2%
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0.0 0.7 1,425 +0.6%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.5 913 +0.1%

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

Party Previous council New council
Conservatives 50 50
Labour 38 39
Liberals 7 7
Independent 1 0
Total 96 96
Working majority  4   4 

Ward results
Aireborough[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. Hudson 5,202 56.6 +0.2
Labour M. Dunn 2,429 26.4 -0.4
Liberal J. Brown 1,556 16.9 +0.1
Majority 2,773 30.2 +0.6
Turnout 9,187
Conservative hold Swing +0.3
Armley and Castleton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. Meadowcroft 3,007 45.0 +4.5
Labour C. Buttery 2,122 31.8 -1.3
Conservative C. Mathers 1,339 20.0 -1.6
National Front M. Spink 87 1.3 +0.5
Ecology J. Garrett 74 1.1 +1.1
Communist J. Hodgson 54 0.8 -0.2
Majority 885 13.2 +5.8
Turnout 6,683
Liberal hold Swing +2.9
Beeston and Holbeck[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Beevers 4,409 61.7 +11.6
Conservative E. Lucas 2,574 36.0 -3.3
National Front E. Thomas 161 2.3 +2.3
Majority 1,835 25.7 +14.8
Turnout 7,144
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Bramley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Atkinson 2,764 53.9 +2.6
Conservative W. Broadbent 1,339 26.1 -9.2
Liberal D. Selby 910 17.8 +4.5
National Front S. Smith 60 1.2 +1.2
Communist J. Light 52 1.0 +1.0
Majority 1,425 27.8 +11.8
Turnout 5,125
Labour hold Swing +5.9
Burley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Cohen 1,811 54.2 +14.5
Conservative A. Sexton 1,307 39.1 -12.5
Ecology K. Baxter 133 4.0 +4.0
Communist B. Jackson 57 1.7 -0.8
National Front C. Whitehead 36 1.1 -0.2
Majority 504 15.1 +3.2
Turnout 3,344
Labour hold Swing +13.5
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. Clay 3,901 50.5 +16.1
Labour Michael McGowan 2,729 35.3 -4.0
Conservative R. Simpson 897 11.6 -7.5
National Front S. Rigby 119 1.5 -1.1
Communist M. Monkman 84 1.1 -0.5
Majority 1,172 15.2 +10.2
Turnout 7,730
Liberal gain from Labour Swing +10.0
Chapel Allerton and Scott Hall[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Sparling 4,039 51.6 -11.5
Labour J. Kerwin-Davey 2,984 38.1 +10.3
Liberal D. Thorpe 495 6.3 -2.8
National Front P. Jackson 148 1.9 +1.9
Communist L. Willoughby 108 1.4 +1.4
Ecology T. Bernstein 54 0.7 +0.7
Majority 1,055 13.5 -21.8
Turnout 7,828
Conservative hold Swing -10.9
City and Woodhouse[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Merritt 2,644 64.3 +12.1
Conservative C. Hudson 1,093 26.6 -2.7
Liberal A. Ali 177 4.3 -10.4
Communist J. Rodgers 130 3.2 -0.7
National Front A. Rhodes 69 1.7 +1.7
Majority 1,551 37.7 +14.8
Turnout 4,113
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Cookridge and Weetwood[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph David Hall 6,201 64.5 -8.3
Labour John Illingworth 2,091 21.7 +3.3
Liberal David Gazey 1,132 11.8 +2.9
Ecology P. Lewenz 197 2.0 +2.0
Majority 4,110 42.7 -11.6
Turnout 9,621
Conservative hold Swing -5.8
Garforth North and Barwick[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Rowley 4,487 60.5 -4.0
Labour H. Martin 2,451 33.0 +1.3
Ecology D. Corry 483 6.5 +6.5
Majority 2,036 27.5 -5.3
Turnout 7,421
Conservative hold Swing -2.6
Gipton and Whinmoor[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Dixon 4,265 62.3 +12.4
Conservative W. Buckland 2,363 34.5 -11.2
National Front B. Spink 137 2.0 -2.4
Communist G. Thompson 82 1.2 +1.2
Majority 1,902 27.8 +23.6
Turnout 6,847
Labour hold Swing +11.8
Halton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Dodgson 4,034 70.1 -1.2
Labour D. Brown 1,586 27.6 +1.5
National Front C. Dewar 134 2.3 -0.3
Majority 2,448 42.5 -2.8
Turnout 5,754
Conservative hold Swing -1.3
Harehills and Roundhay[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Crotty 4,139 54.6 -14.4
Labour M. Lyons 2,821 37.2 +10.5
Liberal H. Bevans 396 5.2 +5.2
Ecology A. Andrew 118 1.6 +1.6
National Front C. Dewar 105 1.4 -2.9
Majority 1,318 17.4 -24.9
Turnout 7,579
Conservative hold Swing -12.4
Headingley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative E. Clark 2,240 45.1 -11.3
Labour E. Whelan 1,645 33.1 +6.9
Liberal D. Rolfe 692 13.9 +0.7
Communist B. Cooper 210 4.2 -0.1
Ecology K. Rushworth 185 3.7 +3.7
Majority 595 12.0 -18.2
Turnout 4,972
Conservative hold Swing -9.1
Horsforth[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. Crossfield 3,413 44.1 +11.8
Conservative B. Pickard 3,201 41.4 -9.0
Labour T. Watson 864 11.2 -2.6
Ecology D. Darnborough 262 3.4 +3.4
Majority 212 2.7 -15.3
Turnout 7,740
Liberal hold Swing +10.4
Hunslet East and West[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Driver 3,035 49.9 +6.9
Independent D. Pedder 1,425 23.4 +23.4
Liberal J. Finnigan 795 13.1 -31.3
Conservative R. Tetley 670 11.0 +2.4
National Front N. Griffiths 462 2.7 -0.6
Majority 1,610 26.4 +24.9
Turnout 6,087
Labour gain from Independent Swing -8.2
Kippax and Swillington[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K. Smith 3,219 59.0 +5.4
Conservative B. King 2,234 41.0 -0.8
Majority 985 18.0 +6.2
Turnout 5,453
Labour hold Swing +3.1
Kirkstall[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Elizabeth Nash 3,373 56.8 +6.0
Conservative T. Battersby 2,327 39.2 -5.1
Liberal Laurence Keates 239 4.0 +4.0
Majority 1,046 17.6 +11.1
Turnout 5,939
Labour hold Swing +5.5
Middleton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Taylor 3,156 77.4 +17.6
Conservative N. Landers 789 19.3 -6.0
Communist R. Ward 82 2.0 -0.4
National Front R. Buck 52 1.3 +1.3
Majority 2,367 58.0 +23.6
Turnout 4,079
Labour hold Swing +11.8
Moortown[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Redmond 2,926 62.9 -2.6
Labour I. Levy 1,567 33.7 +11.5
Ecology S. Waldenberg 160 3.4 -0.3
Majority 1,359 29.2 -14.1
Turnout 4,653
Conservative hold Swing -7.0
Morley North[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Barker 3,209 50.7 +0.1
Labour B. North 3,119 49.3 +21.3
Majority 90 1.4 -21.3
Turnout 6,328
Conservative hold Swing -10.6
Morley South[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B. Haydn 3,310 62.3 +12.4
Conservative C. Rover 1,999 37.7 -12.4
Majority 1,311 24.7 +24.5
Turnout 5,309
Labour hold Swing +12.4
Osmondthorpe[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Gabb 2,399 66.7 +11.7
Conservative D. Zucker 1,087 30.2 -5.1
National Front L. Fella 113 3.1 -2.1
Majority 1,312 36.5 +16.9
Turnout 3,599
Labour hold Swing +8.4
Otley and Wharfedale[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F. Atkinson 3,937 50.1 +5.6
Liberal J. Spencer 2,910 37.0 -7.1
Labour I. Swain 960 12.2 +1.4
Communist A. Oddy 54 0.7 +0.0
Majority 1,027 13.1 +12.8
Turnout 7,861
Conservative hold Swing +6.3
Pudsey North[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Carter 3,724 59.2 +13.7
Labour P. Burrill 1,756 27.9 +4.9
Liberal S. Hollingworth 812 12.9 -18.5
Majority 1,968 31.3 +17.2
Turnout 6,292
Conservative hold Swing +4.4
Pudsey South[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative L. Fletcher 2,475 43.0 -2.3
Liberal G. Wilson 2,065 35.9 +5.3
Labour W. Thurlow 1,211 21.1 -3.0
Majority 410 7.1 -7.6
Turnout 5,751
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing -3.8
Rothwell[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Lund 4,939 62.4 +18.3
Conservative R. Harvey 2,781 35.1 +6.5
National Front J. Duckenfield 194 2.5 +2.5
Majority 2,158 27.3 +11.8
Turnout 7,914
Labour hold Swing
Seacroft[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour I. Adams 3,303 70.4 +12.7
Conservative D. Townsley 1,256 26.8 -10.4
National Front C. Cannon 135 2.9 -0.4
Majority 2,047 43.6 +23.1
Turnout 4,694
Labour hold Swing +11.5
Stanningley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Miller 2,699 60.2 +8.2
Conservative I. Benton 1,392 31.1 -4.0
Liberal F. Upton 316 7.0 -5.9
National Front M. Gibson 76 1.7 +1.7
Majority 1,307 29.1 +12.2
Turnout 4,483
Labour hold Swing +6.1
Talbot[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative I. Bellow 3,687 69.4 -2.4
Labour B. Walker 1,061 20.0 +2.7
Liberal M. Phillips 320 6.0 -4.9
Ecology S. Parkin 201 3.8 +3.8
National Front L. Spink 46 0.9 +0.9
Majority 2,626 49.4 -5.0
Turnout 5,315
Conservative hold Swing -4.0
Wetherby[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Hudson 5,419 71.5 -3.2
Conservative J. Grange 5,311
Labour J. Taylor 963 12.7 -1.3
Labour M. Moynihan 808
Liberal J. Scott 641 8.5 -2.8
Ecology M. Sellers 555 7.3 +7.3
Majority 4,456 58.8 -1.8
Turnout 7,578
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing -0.9
Wortley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P. Fathers 2,385 44.5 +3.8
Conservative F. Stubley 2,340 43.7 -3.5
Liberal W. Moss 519 9.7 -2.4
National Front A. Smith 112 2.1 +2.1
Majority 45 0.8 -5.7
Turnout 5,356
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +3.6

References
  1. "District results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 5 May 1978.
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