1973 Wiltshire County Council election

1973 Wiltshire County Council election
← 1969 12 April 1973 1977 →
 
Party Conservative Labour Independent
 
Party Liberal
The County of Wiltshire within England
Elected Party

Conservative

Elections to Wiltshire County Council were held on Thursday, 12 April 1973. The whole council of seventy-nine members was up for election, and the Conservatives came within a whisker of taking formal control.

The Chairman of the Council since 1969, Sir Henry Langton, did not stand for re-election, and at the annual meeting later in April was succeeded by Frank Willan, who continued for the whole four years of the council's term of office.

Election result

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The Conservatives, with thirty-nine seats, took effective control of the county council. Labour ended with twenty-two county councillors, most of them in and around Swindon, while Independents ended the election with twelve seats and the Liberals six. The elections were not fiercely fought everywhere, with twenty-four of the sixty-seven divisions uncontested. Most of the uncontested seats, eighteen, went to Conservatives, five to Independents, and one to a Liberal, Jack Ainslie.[1]

Result of Wiltshire County Council election, 1973[1]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 39 49.4
  Labour 22 27.8
  Independent 12 15.2
  Liberal 6 7.6

Results by divisions

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Amesbury No. 1

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Amesbury No. 1 (two seats)[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. H. J. Heffernan 1,675 57.7
Conservative A. Hall 1,622
Labour P. Lumley 1,228 42.3
Labour P. Matthews 958
Majority 447

Amesbury No. 2

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Amesbury No. 2 [1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. E. Richardson 832 47.4
Labour S. Rudkin 799 45.6
Independent A. Whateley 123 7.0
Majority 33

Amesbury No. 3

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Amesbury No. 3[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S. Peacock 1,155
Labour C. Pude 571
Majority 584

Bedwyn

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Bedwyn[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C. E. Elliot-Cohen Unopposed
Majority n/a

Box

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Box
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Fudge 978 66.0
Independent D. Newman 503 34.0
Majority 475 32.0

Bradford

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Bradford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mrs M. Mizen 1,377 43.5
Conservative Captain P. S. Beale 1,119 35.4
Liberal A. Thomas 667 21.1
Majority 258

Bradford & Melksham No. 1

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Bradford & Melksham No. 1
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mrs D. L. Maulton Unopposed
Majority n/a

Bradford & Melksham No. 2

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Bradford & Melksham No. 2
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent W. Earle Unopposed
Majority n/a

Bremhill

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Bremhill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Earl of Shelburne Unopposed
Majority n/a

Brinkworth

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Brinkworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Shuter Unopposed
Majority n/a

Calne North

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Calne North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Carpenter 817 55.9
Liberal E. Hornby 644 44.1
Majority 173

Calne South

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Calne South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal F. C. Eley 512 60.1
Labour M. Jeary 340 39.9
Majority 172 20.2

Cannings

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Cannings
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lt Col. C. H. Antrobus Unopposed
Majority n/a

Chippenham Park

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Chippenham Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Burton Unopposed
Majority n/a

Chippenham Sheldon

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Chippenham Sheldon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Williamson 1,076 38.9
Liberal M. Whittle 921 33.3
Conservative G. Webb 767 27.7
Majority 155 5.6

Chippenham Town

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Chippenham Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. B. Jamieson 711 39.5
Liberal S. du Plat-Taylor 708 39.4
Labour J. Lawless 379 21.1
Majority 3

Collingbourne

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Collingbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. G. Bartlett Unopposed
Majority n/a

Corsham

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Corsham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent B. Fuller 1,592 59.9
Labour H. Shaw 1,065 49.1
Majority 527 10.8

Cricklade

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Cricklade
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F. Freeth 627 51.9
Independent C. Turner 581 48.1
Majority 46 3.8

Devizes No. 1 (East)

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Devizes No. 1 (East)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal F. Kirby 1,044 79.3
Conservative L. Coxon 273 20.7
Majority 771 58.6

Devizes No. 2

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Devizes No. 2
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Rendall 1,025 58.4
Labour Mrs M. Taylor 731 41.6
Majority 294 16.8

Downton

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Downton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative N. J. M. Anderson Unopposed
Majority n/a

Enford

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Enford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Brigadier George Wort 992 70.0
Labour J. Goodall 425 30.0
Majority 567 40.0

Fisherton

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Fisherton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mrs J. E. M. Smith 990 72.8
Labour H. Trevor-Cox 370 27.2
Majority 620 45.6

Highworth No. 1

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Highworth No. 1 (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Miles 3,475
Labour B. V. Cockbill 3,265
Labour K. R. Coello 3,045
Conservative G. Claspar 1,682
Conservative A. Stainer 1,606
Conservative R. Stainer 1,469
Majority 1,363

Highworth No. 2

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Highworth No. 2
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. McKanan-Jones 1,535 58.6
Labour E. Garrett 1,083 41.4
Majority 452 17.2

Highworth No. 3

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Highworth No. 3
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. G. W. Cooke 1,085 50.5
Liberal B. Schofield 1,062 49.5
Majority 23 1.0

Highworth No. 4

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Highworth No. 4
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. J. Bran Unopposed
Majority n/a

Highworth No. 5

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Highworth No. 5
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Barnett Unopposed
Majority n/a

Kington

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Kington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. McCarthy Unopposed
Majority n/a

Langley

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Langley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Featherston-Godley Unopposed
Majority n/a

Lavington

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Lavington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent J. Spencer 935 56.1
Independent C. Gillington 732 43.9
Majority 203 12.2

Malmesbury

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Malmesbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Major P. Sturgis Unopposed
Majority n/a

Marlborough

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Marlborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent P. Maurice 1,291 56.9
Conservative A. Gray 978 43.1
Majority 513 13.8

Melksham

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Melksham (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. B. Day 1,831 64.3
Labour Mrs M. E. Salisbury 1,798
Independent W. Dixon 1,016 35.7
Majority 782

Mere & Tisbury No. 1

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Mere & Tisbury No. 1 (Donhead & Tisbury)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Group Captain F. A. Willan Unopposed
Majority n/a

Mere & Tisbury No. 2

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Mere & Tisbury No. 2 (Mere)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent J. Underwood Unopposed
Majority n/a

New Sarum Bemerton

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New Sarum (Bemerton)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mrs B. D. Brown 927 63.5
Conservative D. Shergold 533 36.5
Majority 394 27.0

New Sarum Fisherton

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New Sarum (Fisherton)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mrs N. M. Locock Unopposed
Majority n/a

New Sarum St Edmund

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New Sarum (St Edmund)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. C. A. Townsend 1,307 55.5
Labour R. Pelly 1,048 44.5
Majority 259 11.0

New Sarum St Mark

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New Sarum (St Mark)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mrs M. J. Benson Unopposed
Majority n/a

New Sarum St Paul

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New Sarum (St Paul)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. W. Grandfield 808 53.4
Conservative W. Porter 705 46.6
Majority 103 6.8

New Sarum St Thomas

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New Sarum (St Thomas)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Mullins Unopposed
Majority n/a

Pewsey

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Pewsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent C. Lampard 1,336 66.7
Labour A. Wren 667 33.3
Majority 669 33.4

Potterne

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Potterne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent E. P. Awdry 1,142 55.9
Conservative A. Kidd 900 44.1
Majority 242 11.8

Preshute

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Preshute
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal J. B. Ainslie Unopposed
Majority n/a

Purton

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Purton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal T. Rowe 958 57.6
Conservative W. Wilton-Fitzgerald 704 42.4
Majority 254 15.2

Sherston

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Sherston
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Turner Unopposed
Majority n/a

Swindon East

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Swindon East (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Griffiths 1,504
Labour G. Rogers 1,372
Conservative D. Bampton 1,290
Conservative A. Moss 1,145
Majority 82

Swindon Kings

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Swindon Kings
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Miss M. E. Matthews 581 35.2
Labour M. Lane 559 33.9
Liberal R. Scarfe 509 30.9
Majority 22 1.3

Swindon North

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Swindon North (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. C. G. Durston 1,871 64.9
Labour M. Harbar 1,832
Labour F. Allen 1,750
Conservative F. Ashplant 687 23.8
Communist W. Reeves 323 11.2
Majority 1,063

Swindon Queens

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Swindon Queens
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Mrs B. A. Horsburgh 539 50.4
Labour W. Wilks 531 49.6
Majority 8 0.8

Swindon South No. 1

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Swindon South No. 1 (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mrs F. E. Mortimer 1,886
Conservative G. Keiller 1,842
Liberal J. Newman 1,043
Liberal J. Richards 1,019
Labour P. Cunnington 570
Labour A. Rutson 539
Majority 799

Swindon South No. 2

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Swindon South No. 2 (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Dowdall-Marsh 1,232 54.2
Labour W. Parkin 1,194
Liberal G. McMullen 744 32.7
Liberal R. Walker 654
Conservative W. Turpin 299 13.1
Majority

Swindon West

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Swindon West (three seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Miss E. C. M. Millin 2,394 49.4
Labour P. Peters 2,247
Labour J. Cordon 2,060
Conservative R. Savage 1,785 36.8
Conservative R. Dore 1,506
Conservative J. Pass 1,490
Liberal M. Powell 667 13.8
Liberal V. Horsburgh 667
Liberal I. Grigg 624
Majority 275

Trowbridge No. 1

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Trowbridge No. 1
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Walden 543 35.8
Labour J. Hungerford 528 34.8
Liberal A. Thomson 447 29.4
Majority 15 1.0

Trowbridge No. 2

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Trowbridge No. 2
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carmen Y. Cannell 807 51.0
Independent Anthony G. Phillips 774 49.0
Majority 33 2.0

Trowbridge No. 3

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Trowbridge No. 3
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Applegate 821 42.2
Liberal J. Stevens 648 33.3
Labour J. Madden 477 24.5
Majority 173 8.9

Warminster

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Warminster (two seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Wall 1,530 33.5
Independent Mrs D. J. Main 1,298 28.5
Liberal E. Rees 944 20.7
Liberal B. Cotton 807
Labour P. Morrison 790 17.3
Majority

Warminster & Westbury No. 1

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Warminster & Westbury No. 1
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mrs M. L. Rosser-Rees 1,232 66.8
Labour J. Arkwright 611 33.2
Majority 621 33.6

Warminster & Westbury No. 2

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Warminster & Westbury No. 2
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hon. James Morrison 1,132 58.0
Labour W. Vivash 819 42.0
Majority 313 16.0

Warminster & Westbury No. 3

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Warminster & Westbury No. 3
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent J. M. Stratton Unopposed
Majority n/a

Westbury

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Westbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brian J. Gray 1,350 70.2
Liberal Caroline Ball 574 29.8
Majority 776 40.4

Whiteparish

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Whiteparish
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lady Nye Unopposed
Majority n/a

Wilton

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Wilton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal C. E. Cooper 1,240 54.6
Conservative L. Gray 711 31.3
Independent M. Woodward 319 14.1
Majority 529 23.3

Wootton Bassett

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Wootton Bassett
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. G. Hobbs 1,174 42.9
Liberal B. Fitzwilliams 1,110 40.6
Labour J. Butcher 452 16.5
Majority 64 2.3

Wylye

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Wylye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lt Col. J. O. Jeans Unopposed
Majority n/a

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Colin Rallings, Michael Thrasher, Wiltshire County Council election Results 1973–2005 at electionscentre.co.uk

See also

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References

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  • The Municipal Year Book and Public Services Directory (1974)
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