1985 Wiltshire County Council election

1985 UK local government election

Elections to Wiltshire County Council were held on 2 May 1985. The whole council of seventy-five members was up for election and the result was that the Conservatives lost their majority, winning only thirty seats, resulting in no overall control. The Liberals gained seats, winning seventeen, the Social Democrats won eight seats, the first time they had been represented in the council, while Labour had losses, finishing like the Liberals with seventeen members. Three Independents, including one Ratepayer, were also elected.[1]

In an editorial on 4 May headed "Local Lessons", The Times commented that "The Conservatives predominate as the single largest party in the counties still. Generalizations from such elections are always flawed by local factors. Intra-party disputes help explain the loss of Conservative seats in Wiltshire".[2]

Following the elections, an informal agreement between the leader of the Liberal group, Jack Ainslie, and the leader of the Labour members, Mary Salisbury, led to the formation of a minority SDP–Liberal Alliance administration. Salisbury commented to The Times "Where the Liberals put forward what seem to be measures which are beneficial to the people of Wiltshire, we will support them."[3]

## Election result

[edit]

Wiltshire Local Election Result 1985[1] Party  | Seats  | Gains  | Losses  | Net gain/loss  | Seats %  | Votes %  | Votes  | +/−

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Conservative | 30  |  |  | -10  | 40.0  |  |  |
| Liberal | 17  |  |  | +5  | 22.7  |  |  |
| Labour | 17  |  |  | -3  | 22.7  |  |  |
| SDP | 8  |  |  | +8  | 10.7  |  |  |
| Independent | 3  |  |  | +1  | 4.0  |  |  |

## Results by divisions

[edit]

### Aldbourne and Ramsbury

[edit]

Aldbourne and Ramsbury  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | John Bernard Ainslie | 2,012  | 67.0  |
| Conservative | K. Eaton  | 855  | 28.5  |
| Labour | W. Barlow  | 136  | 4.5  |
Majority | 1157  |  |
| Alliance hold | Swing |  |

### Alderbury

[edit]

Alderbury  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | A. W. M. Christie-Miller  | 1,438  | 64.8  |
| Alliance | A. Maclachan  | 664  | 29.9  |
| Labour | I. Tomes  | 117  | 5.3  |
Majority | 774  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Amesbury

[edit]

Amesbury  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | A. J. F. Haywood  | 1,193  | 55.9  |
| Conservative | T. Heffernan  | 943  | 44.1  |
Majority | 250  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Bedwyn

[edit]

Bedwyn  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | H. D. Rogers  | 1,199  | 74.1  |
| Alliance | T. Williams  | 418  | 25.9  |
Majority |  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Blunsdon

[edit]

Blunsdon  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | J. W. H. Archer  | 1,520  | 57.9  |
| Alliance | Ms P. Pascoe  | 970  | 37.0  |
| Ecology | H. Stredder  | 133  | 5.1  |
Majority | 550  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Box

[edit]

Box  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | F. Naylor  | 1,054  | 40.2  |
| Alliance | Ms B. Oakes  | 870  | 33.2  |
| Labour | J. Eglinton  | 695  | 26.5  |
Majority | 184  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Bradford on Avon North

[edit]

Bradford on Avon North  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | H. J. Owen  | 1,601  | 56.2  |
| Conservative | Robert George Ian Elliott  | 1,246  | 43.8  |
Majority | 355  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Bradford on Avon South

[edit]

Bradford on Avon South  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Mrs Margaret Purves  | 909  | 40.9  |
| Alliance | G. Turner  | 883  | 39.8  |
| Labour | J. D. Childs  | 428  | 19.3  |
Majority | 26  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Bremhill and Calne Without

[edit]

Bremhill and Calne Without  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Robert Andrew Raymond Syms | 1,196  | 47.3  |
| Alliance | G. Greer  | 945  | 36.4  |
| Labour | H. Kirkbride  | 386  | 15.3  |
Majority | 251  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Brinkworth

[edit]

Brinkworth  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | R. Carter  | 1,530  |  |
| Alliance | Ms J. Stratton  | 858  |  |
| Labour | W. Andrews  | 142  |  |
Majority | 672  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Calne

[edit]

Calne  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | Mrs E. Hornby  | 1,200  |  |
| Conservative | E. Miller  | 594  |  |
| Labour | A. Donald  | 575  |  |
Majority | 606  |  |
| Alliance hold | Swing |  |

### Chippenham Park

[edit]

Chippenham Park  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | J. Henning  | 891  |  |
| Conservative | Ms E. Winterton  | 836  |  |
| Labour | R. Haynes  | 329  |  |
Majority | 55  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Chippenham Sheldon

[edit]

Chippenham Sheldon  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | June Margaret Wood  | 1,416  |  |
| Conservative | J. Scott  | 994  |  |
| Labour | A. Day  | 782  |  |
Majority | 422  |  |
| Alliance hold | Swing |  |

### Chippenham Town

[edit]

Chippenham Town  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | Ms M. Fallon  | 2,267  |  |
| Conservative | E. Taylor  | 1,209  |  |
| Labour | J. Coadwell  | 321  |  |
Majority | 1,058  |  |
| Alliance hold | Swing |  |

### Collingbourne

[edit]

Collingbourne  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | H. Crawford  | 1,130  |  |
| Conservative | D. Fopp  | 598  |  |
| Labour | J. Davidson  | 282  |  |
Majority | 532  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Corsham

[edit]

Corsham  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Bright | 1,054  |  |
| Alliance | D. Pope  | 899  |  |
| Labour | Ms C. Reid  | 282  |  |
Majority | 155  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Cricklade

[edit]

Cricklade  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | Reginald John Coole  | 1,480  |  |
| Conservative | R. Thompson  | 573  |  |
| Labour | J. D’Lemos  | 75  |  |
Majority | 907  |  |
| Alliance hold | Swing |  |

### Devizes

[edit]

Devizes  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | P. Gates  | 742  |  |
| Alliance | Ms P. A. Morris  | 696  |  |
| Labour | I. Hopkins  | 499  |  |
Majority | 46  |  |
| Conservative gain from Alliance | Swing |  |

### Devizes South and Cannings

[edit]

Devizes South and Cannings  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Patricia Rugg  | 1,416  |  |
| Alliance | C. Gillington  | 1,052  |  |
| Labour | Ms S. Williams  | 442  |  |
Majority | 364  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Downton

[edit]

Downton  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | R. Peach  | 1,216  |  |
| Alliance | C. Tate  | 667  |  |
| Labour | K. Willis  | 377  |  |
| Independent | H. Farris  | 336  |  |
Majority | 549  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Durrington

[edit]

Durrington  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | C. E. Robinson  | 651  |  |
| Independent | R. Steadman  | 589  |  |
| Labour | Ms A. Read  | 422  |  |
| Alliance | Ms F. Crombie  | 269  |  |
Majority | 62  |  |
| Conservative gain from Independent | Swing |  |

### Highworth

[edit]

Highworth  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Ms M. Haines  | 1,867  |  |
| Conservative | D. F. Morley  | 1,238  |  |
Majority | 629  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Holt

[edit]

Holt  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | George Frederick James Hawkins  | 1,232  |  |
| Conservative | P. Beale  | 983  |  |
Majority | 249  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Idmiston

[edit]

Idmiston  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ms H. Mead  | 1,004  |  |
| Alliance | Ms G. Gent  | 843  |  |
| Labour | M. Sheehan  | 157  |  |
Majority | 161  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Kington

[edit]

Kington  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | M. Adams  | 1,102  |  |
| Conservative | Brenda Margaret Wyrill  | 1,018  |  |
| Labour | C. Phillips  | 236  |  |
Majority | 84  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Laverstock

[edit]

Laverstock  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | R. C. Lodge  | 1,037  |  |
| Alliance | D. Crombie  | 765  |  |
| Labour | I. Hollingworth  | 202  |  |
Majority | 272  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Lavington

[edit]

Lavington  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Derek Bernard William Jarvis  | 1,460  |  |
| Labour | Ms P. Day  | 622  |  |
Majority | 838  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Malmesbury

[edit]

Malmesbury  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | H. Price  | 1,954  |  |
| Conservative | R. Clarke  | 1,307  |  |
| Labour | M. Tavener  | 223  |  |
Majority | 647  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Marlborough

[edit]

Marlborough  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Alliance | J. Spanton  | 1,242  |  |
| Conservative | B. Ashley  | 1,037  |  |
| Labour | Ms M. R. Urquhart  | 328  |  |
Majority | 205  |  |
| Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

### Melksham

[edit]

Melksham  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Mary E. Salisbury | 1,502  |  |
| Conservative | Ms P. Johnson  | 642  |  |
Majority | 860  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Melksham Without

[edit]

Melksham Without  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ms. E. Joyce  | 1,556  |  |
| Labour | P. Colegate  | 1,081  |  |
Majority | 475  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### Mere

[edit]

Mere  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Robert George Catton  | 1,236  |  |
| Alliance | S. Head  | 821  |  |
| Labour | Ms S. Potten  | 257  |  |
Majority | 415  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Hugh Clayton (Local Government Correspondent), 'Local Elections' in The Times of London, issue 62129 dated 4 May 1985, p. 4
2. ^ 'Local Lessons', editorial in The Times of London, issue 62129 dated 4 May 1985, p. 9
3. ^ Hugh Clayton (Local Government Correspondent), 'Emerging figure in new Lib-Lab pact: an Alliance shire leader cast in Tory mould', in The Times of London, issue 62135 dated 11 May 1985, p. 2

## External links

[edit]

* Colin Rallings, Michael Thrasher, Wiltshire County Council election Results 1973–2005 at electionscentre.co.uk

* v
* t
* e

(1984 ←)  1985 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1986)

County councils
(England)|

* Avon
* Bedfordshire
* Berkshire
* Buckinghamshire
* Cambridgeshire
* Cheshire
* Cleveland
* Cornwall
* Cumbria
* Derbyshire
* Devon
* Dorset
* Durham
* East Sussex
* Essex
* Gloucestershire
* Hampshire
* Hereford and Worcester
* Hertfordshire
* Humberside
* Isle of Wight
* Kent
* Lancashire
* Leicestershire
* Lincolnshire
* Norfolk
* North Yorkshire
* Northamptonshire
* Northumberland
* Nottinghamshire
* Oxfordshire
* Shropshire
* Somerset
* Staffordshire
* Suffolk
* Surrey
* Warwickshire
* West Sussex
* Wiltshire

County councils (Wales)|

* Clwyd
* Dyfed
* Gwent
* Gwynedd
* Mid Glamorgan
* Powys
* South Glamorgan
* West Glamorgan

District councils
(Northern Ireland|

* Antrim
* Ards
* Armagh
* Ballymena
* Ballymoney
* Banbridge
* Belfast
* Carrickfergus
* Castlereagh
* Coleraine
* Cookstown
* Craigavon
* Derry
* Down
* Dungannon
* Fermanagh
* Larne
* Limavady
* Lisburn
* Magherafelt
* Moyle
* Newry and Mourne
* Newtownabbey
* North Down
* Omagh
* Strabane

Sui generis|

* Isles of Scilly

* v
* t
* e

Council elections in Wiltshire

Wiltshire Council|

* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025

Swindon Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2018
* 2019
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Kennet District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* Abolished

North Wiltshire District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* Abolished

Salisbury District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* Abolished

Wiltshire County Council|

* 1889
* 1892
* 1895
* 1898
* 1901
* 1904
* 1907
* 1910
* 1913
* 1919
* 1922
* 1925
* 1928
* 1931
* 1934
* 1937
* 1946
* 1949
* 1952
* 1955
* 1958
* 1961
* 1964
* 1967
* 1970
* 1973
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* Abolished

West Wiltshire District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* Abolished

* See also: Divisions and wards
* Boundary changes

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template