1980 Epping Forest District Council election
1 May 1980
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20 seats to Epping Forest District Council 30 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Winner of each seat at the 1980 Epping Forest District Council election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1980 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 1 May 1980 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. 20 members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex were elected. The council remained under Conservative majority control.
Background
The 1980 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 1 May 1980 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. A total of 18 of the 58 seats were contested, representing roughly one-third of the council. The election occurred against the backdrop of national political and economic challenges, with the Conservative Party retaining control of the council, though losing two seats to Labour in Loughton Roding and Waltham Abbey East.
The election took place during a period of industrial unrest and economic difficulty in the United Kingdom. Earlier in the year, workers at the British Steel Corporation staged a nationwide strike over pay, the first major steel strike since 1926, affecting some 90,000 employees. By March, an Evening Standard opinion poll indicated growing public dissatisfaction with the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher, who had become Prime Minister following the 1979 general election. Rising unemployment and austerity measures, including halved benefits to striking workers announced in February, were major national concerns influencing local voting behaviour.
The Conservatives maintained a majority on the council despite minor losses, and voter turnout was far lower than in the previous 1979 election. The election results illustrated the continuing strength of the Conservative Party in Epping Forest, while also highlighting Labour’s ability to regain ground in selected wards.
Results summary
| 1980 Epping Forest District Council election | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | This election | Full council | This election | |||||||
| Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− | ||
| Conservative | 13 | 2 | 72.2 | 32 | 45 | 76.2 | 11,463 | 51.8 | 2.7 | |
| Labour | 5 | 2 | 27.7 | 7 | 12 | 20.3 | 8,234 | 37.2 | 0.9 | |
| Independent | 2 | 3.3 | 0 | 2 | 3.3 | 922 | 4.1 | 2.8 | ||
| Liberal | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,492 | 6.7 | 0.3 | ||
Ward results
Buckhurst Hill East
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | R. Braybrook | 614 | 51.9 | 3.7 | |
| Labour | B. Mooney | 381 | 32.2 | 2.9 | |
| Liberal | G. Chapman | 187 | 15.8 | 6.7 | |
| Majority | 233 | 19.7 | 0.8 | ||
| Turnout | 1,182 | 30.3 | 45.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,907 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Buckhurst Hill West
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | L. Welch* | 1,097 | 67.5 | ||
| Liberal | R. Eveling | 345 | 21.2 | 0.2 | |
| Labour | L. Timson | 184 | 11.3 | 0.3 | |
| Majority | 752 | 46.2 | 0.3 | ||
| Turnout | 1,626 | 33.7 | 44.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 4,832 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Chigwell Village
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | N. Risdon* | 784 | 90.5 | 9.5 | |
| Labour | M. Cornell | 82 | 9.5 | N/A | |
| Majority | 702 | 81.1 | 18.9 | ||
| Turnout | 866 | 48.9 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 1,772 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Debden Green
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | B. Whitlock* | 945 | 75.8 | 13.5 | |
| Conservative | A. Mitchell | 301 | 24.2 | 13.5 | |
| Majority | 644 | 51.7 | 27.1 | ||
| Turnout | 1,246 | 31.8 | 33.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,924 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Epping Hemnall
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | M. Aldworth* | 829 | 49.3 | 50.7 | |
| Labour | Ms M. Jackson | 507 | 30.1 | N/A | |
| Liberal | J. Eves | 347 | 20.6 | N/A | |
| Majority | 322 | 19.1 | 80.9 | ||
| Turnout | 1,683 | 37.5 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 4,489 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Epping Lindsey
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | R. Pocock | 955 | 48.9 | 51.1 | |
| Labour | L. Scales | 644 | 33.0 | N/A | |
| Liberal | O. Dunseath | 355 | 18.2 | N/A | |
| Majority | 311 | 15.9 | 84.1 | ||
| Turnout | 1,954 | 38.6 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 5,058 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Grange Hill
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Ms M. Farnsworth* | 794 | 82.8 | 17.2 | |
| Labour | R. Cornell | 165 | 17.2 | N/A | |
| Majority | 629 | 65.6 | 24.4 | ||
| Turnout | 959 | 23.0 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 4,167 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
High Ongar
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | D. Morton* | 328 | 62.6 | 7.2 | |
| Labour | J. Stephenson | 196 | 37.4 | 7.2 | |
| Majority | 132 | 25.2 | 14.5 | ||
| Turnout | 524 | 56.6 | 23.6 | ||
| Registered electors | 925 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Loughton Broadway
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | M. Pettman* | 1,286 | 85.1 | 24.5 | |
| Conservative | F. Fernandez | 225 | 14.9 | 24.5 | |
| Majority | 1,061 | 70.2 | 48.9 | ||
| Turnout | 1,511 | 33.1 | 36.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 4,568 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Loughton Forest
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | D. James* | 776 | 75.4 | 10.0 | |
| Liberal | L. Baddock | 160 | 15.5 | 6.5 | |
| Labour | G. Mathieson | 93 | 9.0 | 3.6 | |
| Majority | 616 | 59.9 | 16.5 | ||
| Turnout | 1,029 | 34.9 | 43.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,950 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Loughton Roding
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | R. Baddock | 998 | 55.8 | 8.1 | |
| Conservative | G. Beldom* | 790 | 44.2 | 8.1 | |
| Majority | 208 | 11.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,788 | 39.9 | 28.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 4,484 | ||||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Loughton St. Johns
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Ms J. Steele | 931 | 71.1 | 8.9 | |
| Labour | Ms G. Pettman | 280 | 21.4 | 3.1 | |
| Liberal | W. Randall | 98 | 7.5 | 12.0 | |
| Majority | 651 | 49.6 | 6.9 | ||
| Turnout | 1,309 | 30.8 | 49.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 4,250 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Loughton St. Marys
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Ms L. Scott | 700 | 68.8 | 8.5 | |
| Labour | P. Kelly | 280 | 31.2 | 10.5 | |
| Majority | 220 | 37.7 | 1.8 | ||
| Turnout | 980 | 31.1 | 47.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,265 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Passingford
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Pledge | 404 | 75.0 | 25.0 | |
| Labour | C. Huckle | 135 | 25.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 269 | 50.0 | 50.0 | ||
| Turnout | 539 | 35.3 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 1,529 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Roothing Country
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | E. Pye | 483 | 88.5 | 11.5 | |
| Labour | M. Hayton | 63 | 11.5 | N/A | |
| Majority | 420 | 76.9 | 23.1 | ||
| Turnout | 546 | 44.4 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 1,229 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Roydon
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | A. Vare* | 576 | 80.9 | 19.1 | |
| Labour | D. Sherman | 136 | 19.1 | N/A | |
| Majority | 440 | 61.8 | 38.2 | ||
| Turnout | 712 | 36.7 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 1,529 | ||||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Sheering
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | W. Brown | 346 | 59.9 | N/A | |
| Conservative | R. Knibb | 232 | 40.1 | N/A | |
| Majority | 114 | 19.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 578 | 39.0 | 41.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,482 | ||||
| Independent gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
Theydon Bois
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | W. Axon | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Majority | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| Turnout | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 3,308 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
Waltham Abbey East
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J. Hewick | 939 | 51.7 | 2.0 | |
| Conservative | J. O'Reilly* | 876 | 48.3 | 2.0 | |
| Majority | 63 | 3.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,815 | 37.6 | 31.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 4,830 | ||||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Waltham Abbey Paternoster
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J. Hewins | 920 | 72.8 | 15.1 | |
| Conservative | A. Laws | 344 | 27.2 | 15.1 | |
| Majority | 576 | 45.6 | 30.3 | ||
| Turnout | 1,264 | 35.8 | 34.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,529 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
References
- ^ Colin Rallings; Michael Thrasher (2013). "Epping Forest District Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). The elections centre. Plymouth University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-02-02.