1975 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election

1975 local election in England

Main article: 1975 United Kingdom local elections

1975 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election

* * *

| ← 1973 | 1 May 1975 (1975-05-01) | 1976 →

|
|

* * *

22 of 66 seats (One Third)
to Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
34 seats needed for a majority
Turnout| 36.7% (4.4%)[1]
|   | First party  | Second party  | Third party

|
|
|

Con

Lab

Leader  | Malcolm Thornton | Bill Wells  | Gruff Evans
Party  | Conservative | Labour | Liberal
Leader's seat  | North Liscard-Upper Brighton Street | Leasowe | Cathcart-Claughton-Cleveland
Last election  | 29 seats,
42.9% | 24 seats,
32.6% | 13 seats,
22.6%
Seats before  | 29  | 24  | 13
Seats won  | 16  | 5  | 1
Seats after  | 36  | 21  | 9
Seat change  | 7 | 3 | 3
Popular vote  | 51,547  | 23,603  | 18,570
Percentage  | 54.7%  | 25.0%  | 19.7%
Swing  | 11.8% | 7.6% | 2.9%

* * *

Map of results of 1975 election

* * *

| Leader of the Council before election

Malcolm Thornton (Conservative)
No Overall Control

| Leader of the Council after election

Malcolm Thornton
Conservative

|

The 1975 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 1 May 1975 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England.[2] This election was held on the same day as other local elections.

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Party | Seats | ±

|
|

| Conservative | 36 | 7
| Labour | 21 | 3
| Liberal | 9 | 4

[3]

## Election results

[edit]

### Overall election result

[edit]

Overall result compared with 1973.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election results, 1975

Party  | Candidates  | Votes
Stood  | Elected  | Gained  | Unseated  | Net  | % of total  | %  | No. | Net %
| Conservative | 22  | 16  | 7  | 0  | 7 | 72.7  | 54.7  | 51,547  | 11.8
| Labour | 21  | 5  | 0  | 3  | 3 | 22.7  | 25.0  | 23,603  | 7.6
| Liberal | 19  | 1  | 0  | 4  | 4 | 4.5  | 19.7  | 18,570  | 2.9
| National Front | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | 0.0  | 0.3  | 249  | N/A
| Communist | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | 0.0  | 0.2  | 200  |
| Independent | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | 0.0  | 0.1  | 107  | N/A

[1][2]

## Ward results

[edit]

Results compared directly with the last local election in 1973.

### Birkenhead

[edit]

#### No. 1 (Argyle-Clifton-Holt)

[edit]

Argyle-Clifton-Holt Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Arthur Smith  | 1,096  | 44.6  | 28.2
| Liberal | D. Boxer  | 954  | 38.8  | New
| Conservative | L. Peers  | 410  | 16.7  | 10.5
Majority | 142  | 5.8  | 39.8
Registered electors | 8,590  |  |
Turnout |  | 28.6  | 4.5
| Labour hold | Swing | 19.9  |

[2]

#### No. 2 (Bebington and Mersey)

[edit]

Bebington and Mersey Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | L. Welsh  | 1,108  | 44.8  | 7.1
| Labour | A. Price | 944  | 38.1  | 6.6
| Liberal | G. Quinn  | 423  | 17.1  | 0.5
Majority | 164  | 6.7  | N/A
Registered electors | 7,958  |  |
Turnout |  | 31.1  | 3.8
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 6.9  |

[2]

#### No. 3 (Cathcart-Claughton-Cleveland)

[edit]

Cathcart-Claughton-Cleveland Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | A. Jones | 1,641  | 43.3  | 10.5
| Conservative | R. Stretch  | 1,172  | 30.9  | 7.4
| Labour | Walter Smith  | 979  | 25.8  | 3.0
Majority | 469  | 12.4  | 17.9
Registered electors | 9,882  |  |
Turnout |  | 38.4  | 7.1
| Liberal hold | Swing | 9.0  |

[2][4]

#### No. 4 (Devonshire and Egerton)

[edit]

Devonshire and Egerton Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | K. Allen  | 1,644  | 38.2  | 7.4
| Liberal | Roy Perkins  | 1,603  | 37.3  | 5.0
| Labour | J. MacDougall  | 1,052  | 24.5  | 2.4
Majority | 41  | 0.9  | N/A
Registered electors | 12,378  |  |
Turnout |  | 34.7  | 6.8
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | 6.2  |

[2]

#### No. 5 (Gilbrook and St James)

[edit]

Gilbrook and St James Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | P. Roberts | 1,369  | 57.1  | 2.8
| Liberal | K. Henron  | 531  | 22.2  | 8.4
| Conservative | H. Kirkby  | 496  | 20.7  | 11.2
Majority | 838  | 34.9  | 5.6
Registered electors | 8,654  |  |
Turnout |  | 27.7  | 10.1
| Labour hold | Swing | 2.8  |

[2]

#### No. 6 (Grange and Oxton)

[edit]

Grange and Oxton Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | R. Hodkinson  | 2,293  | 50.1  | 17.1
| Liberal | G. Edwards  | 1,520  | 33.2  | 17.3
| Labour | A. Jones  | 764  | 16.7  | 0.2
Majority | 773  | 16.9  | N/A
Registered electors | 12,602  |  |
Turnout |  | 36.3  | 6.2
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | 17.2  |

[2]

#### No. 7 (Prenton)

[edit]

Prenton Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Porter | 3,088  | 55.3  | 3.6
| Labour | J. Pennington  | 1,504  | 26.9  | 15.6
| Liberal | J. Edwards  | 997  | 17.8  | New
Majority | 1,584  | 28.4  | 19.2
Registered electors | 15,605  |  |
Turnout |  | 35.8  | 1.2
| Conservative hold | Swing | 9.6  |

[2]

#### No. 8 (Upton)

[edit]

Upton Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | J. Roberts | 3,134  | 55.3  | 8.7
| Labour | Bernard Gilfoyle  | 1,885  | 33.3  | 11.0
| Liberal | S. Gayford  | 448  | 7.9  | New
| Communist | G. Hughes  | 200  | 3.5  | 0.3
Majority | 1,249  | 22.0  | 20.1
Registered electors | 20,752  |  |
Turnout |  | 27.3  | 1.8
| Conservative hold | Swing | 10.1  |

[2]

### Wallasey

[edit]

#### No. 9 (Leasowe)

[edit]

Leasowe Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Ken Fox | 1,590  | 51.6  | 18.8
| Conservative | J. Merrill  | 1,383  | 44.9  | 15.3
| Independent | G. Smith  | 107  | 3.5  | New
Majority | 207  | 6.7  | 34.1
Registered electors | 11,733  |  |
Turnout |  | 26.3  | 0.1
| Labour hold | Swing | 17.1  |

[2]

#### No. 10 (Marlowe-Egremont-South Liscard)

[edit]

Marlowe-Egremont-South Liscard Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Hale  | 3,090  | 67.9  | 24.3
| Labour | Vincent McGee  | 1,458  | 32.1  | 9.1
Majority | 1,632  | 35.8  | 33.4
Registered electors | 13,083  |  |
Turnout |  | 34.8  | 2.6
| Conservative hold | Swing | 16.7  |

[2][5]

#### No. 11 (Moreton and Saughall Massie)

[edit]

Moreton and Saughall Massie Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Williams  | 1,552  | 60.9  | 20.4
| Labour | E. Lewis | 998  | 39.1  | 8.1
Majority | 554  | 21.8  | N/A
Registered electors | 7,057  |  |
Turnout |  | 36.1  | 3.4
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 14.3  |

#### No. 12 (New Brighton-Wallasey-Warren)

[edit]

New Brighton-Wallasey-Warren Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | R. Ievers  | 4,394  | 62.9  | 23.0
| Liberal | J. Southworth | 1,792  | 25.6  | 18.5
| Labour | M. Hirons  | 553  | 7.9  | 1.9
| National Front | John Fishwick [n 1] | 249  | 3.6  | 6.4
Majority | 2,602  | 37.3  | N/A
Registered electors | 14,888  |  |
Turnout |  | 46.9  | 7.4
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | 20.8  |

[2]

#### No. 13 (North Liscard-Upper Brighton Street)

[edit]

North Liscard-Upper Brighton Street Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Thornton | 2,909  | 70.2  | 28.3
| Labour | M. Laskier  | 622  | 15.0  | 0.5
| Liberal | R. Edge  | 611  | 14.8  | 19.6
Majority | 2,287  | 55.2  | 47.7
Registered electors | 11,640  |  |
Turnout |  | 35.6  | 3.9
| Conservative hold | Swing | 23.9  |

[2]

#### No. 14 (Seacombe-Poulton-Somerville)

[edit]

Seacombe-Poulton-Somerville Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | S. Wickham | 1,618  | 50.0  | 15.8
| Conservative | R. Atkinson  | 1,408  | 43.5  | 17.6
| Liberal | E. Taylor  | 213  | 6.6  | 1.7
Majority | 210  | 6.5  | 33.4
Registered electors | 12,043  |  |
Turnout |  | 26.9  | 1.6
| Labour hold | Swing | 16.7  |

[2]

### Bebington

[edit]

#### No. 15 (Higher Bebington and Woodhey)

[edit]

Higher Bebington and Woodhey Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | E. Pike | 3,197  | 69.8  | 15.2
| Labour | M. Irvine  | 906  | 19.8  | 5.7
| Liberal | G. Spencer  | 476  | 10.4  | 9.5
Majority | 2,291  | 50.0  | 20.9
Registered electors | 10,031  |  |
Turnout |  | 45.6  | 1.7
| Conservative hold | Swing | 10.5  |

[2]

#### No. 16 (Park-New Ferry-North Bromborough)

[edit]

Park-New Ferry-North Bromborough Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | F. Gregory | 1,606  | 46.2  | 15.0
| Conservative | R. Gittins  | 1,367  | 39.3  | 0.5
| Liberal | W. Walsh  | 505  | 14.5  | New
Majority | 239  | 6.9  | 15.5
Registered electors | 9,785  |  |
Turnout |  | 35.5  | 7.4
| Labour hold | Swing | 7.8  |

[2]

#### No. 17 (South Bromborough and Eastham)

[edit]

South Bromborough and Eastham Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | David Allan  | 2,723  | 47.7  | 11.2
| Labour | William Lungley | 1,882  | 33.0  | 14.2
| Liberal | Phillip Gilchrist  | 1,105  | 19.4  | 3.1
Majority | 841  | 14.7  | N/A
Registered electors | 13,301  |  |
Turnout |  | 42.9  | 2.2
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 12.7  |

[2][6]

#### No. 18 (Lower Bebington and Poulton)

[edit]

Lower Bebington and Poulton Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Dorothy Goodfellow | 3,119  | 61.1  | 9.5
| Liberal | Thomas Harney  | 1,144  | 22.4  | 3.5
| Labour | D. Roscoe  | 839  | 16.4  | 6.1
Majority | 1,975  | 38.7  | 13.0
Registered electors | 12,052  |  |
Turnout |  | 42.3  | 2.0
| Conservative hold | Swing | 6.5  |

[2][7]

### Hoylake

[edit]

#### No. 19 (Caldy and Frankby)

[edit]

Caldy and Frankby Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Reg Cumpstey | 3,497  | 73.2  | 3.0
| Liberal | B. Crosbie  | 790  | 16.5  | New
| Labour | J. Seaman  | 493  | 10.3  | 13.5
Majority | 2,707  | 56.7  | 4.3
Registered electors | 12,575  |  |
Turnout |  | 38.0  | 1.8
| Conservative hold | Swing | 2.2  |

[2]

#### No. 20 (Central-Hoose-Meols-Park)

[edit]

Central-Hoose-Meols-Park Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | W. Tickle  | 3,121  | 55.7  | 9.2
| Liberal | J. Thomas | 2,486  | 44.3  | 2.4
Majority | 635  | 11.4  | 6.8
Registered electors | 11,776  |  |
Turnout |  | 47.6  | 19.6
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | 3.4  |

[2]

### Wirral

[edit]

#### No. 21 (Barnston-Gayton-Heswall-Oldfield)

[edit]

Barnston-Gayton-Heswall-Oldfield Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | V. Robertson  | 4,001  | 78.5  | 12.4
| Liberal | G. Collins  | 911  | 17.9  | 10.0
| Labour | W. Gamet  | 185  | 3.6  | 2.5
Majority | 3,090  | 60.6  | 22.4
Registered electors | 11,003  |  |
Turnout |  | 46.3  | 1.1
| Conservative hold | Swing | 11.2  |

[2]

#### No. 22 (Irby-Pensby-Thurstaston)

[edit]

Irby-Pensby-Thurstaston Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | W. Leigh  | 2,441  | 59.2  | 5.0
| Labour | S. Dunn  | 1,260  | 30.6  | 5.2
| Liberal | A. Conway  | 420  | 10.2  | New
Majority | 1,181  | 28.6  | 0.2
Registered electors | 9,322  |  |
Turnout |  | 44.2  | 1.3
| Conservative hold | Swing | 0.1  |

[2]

## Changes between 1975 and 1976

[edit]

Date  | Ward  | Name  | Previous affiliation  | New affiliation  | Circumstance

|
|
|
|
|

September 1975  | New Brighton-Wallasey-Warren | Kate Wood  |  | Liberal |  | Conservative | Defected.

## Notes

[edit]

• italics denote the sitting councillor • bold denotes the winning candidate

1. ^ Stood as an Ind. Conservative in 1973. Results compared.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Local Election Summaries 1975". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Metropolitan Borough of Wirral Election Results 1973-2012 (Pg. 2)" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
3. ^ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
4. ^ "Councillor Walter Smith". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
5. ^ "Councillor John Hale". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
6. ^ "Councillor Phil Gilchrist". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
7. ^ "Councillor Tom Harney". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.

Mellows-Facer, Adam (10 May 2006). "Local election 2006". parliament.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
"BBC NEWS VOTE 2003 WIRRAL". BBC News. 1 May 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2018.

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