1984 Epping Forest District Council election

1984 Epping Forest District Council election
3 May 1984 (1984-05-03)
20 seats to Epping Forest District Council
30 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Conservative Labour Loughton Residents
Last election 39 seats, 46.6% 13 seats, 27.1% 4 seats, 5.2%
Seats before 39 13 4
Seats after 36 12 6
Seat change 3 1 2
Popular vote 10,309 7,085 3,102
Percentage 40.2% 27.6% 12.1%
Swing 6.4% 0.5% 6.9%
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Party Alliance Independent
Last election 0 seats, 16.3% 2 seats, 1.3%
Seats before 0 2
Seats after 2 2
Seat change 2
Popular vote 3,772 1,259
Percentage 14.7% 4.9%
Swing 1.6% 3.6%
Winner of each seat at the 1984 Epping Forest District Council election
Leader before election


Conservative

Leader after election


Conservative

The 1984 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 3 May 1984 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 1984 Epping Forest District Council election was held on 3 May 1984 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England amid a turbulent year in Britain, marked by the miners’ strike, the Libyan Embassy Siege, and ongoing economic changes including the closure of Chatham Dockyard and the demonetisation of the halfpenny. The national mood was influenced by industrial unrest, technological progress such as the launch of the FTSE 100, and significant international developments, including Brunei's independence and Britain's diplomatic severing with Libya.

The Conservatives retained overall control of the council, but the political composition of the body became more diverse than ever before. For the first time, the SDP-Liberal Alliance won seats, reflecting the growing impact of the new centrist coalition on local politics. Their closest challenge came in Buckhurst Hill East and Grange Hill, highlighting an increasing appetite for alternatives to the traditional two-party dominance.

The Loughton Residents Association continued to expand, gaining a further two seats across Loughton wards and reinforcing its position as a localist force championing resident interests. Notably, Labour retained strongholds such as Broadway and Debden Green, demonstrating enduring support in certain wards despite national turbulence.

Voter turnout varied significantly across the district, with the highest engagement in wards such as High Ongar (59.2%) and the lowest in Passingford (29.7%). Overall, the election illustrated a more fragmented council, with five distinct groups—Conservatives, Labour, LRA, SDP-Liberal Alliance, and independents—represented, making 1984 the first year in Epping Forest council history with more than four groups holding seats simultaneously.

The results reflected both the stability of Conservative control and the growing influence of residents’ associations and the centrist Alliance, signalling a slow but steady diversification of local political representation in the district.

Results summary

Source:[1]
1984 Epping Forest District Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 10 3 50.0 26 36 61.0 10,309 40.2 6.4
  Labour 4 6.7 8 12 20.3 7,085 27.6 0.5
  Loughton Residents 2 1 3.3 4 6 10.1 3,102 12.1 6.9
  Liberal 2 2 1.6 0 2 3.3 3,772 14.7 1.6
  Independent 2 2 1.6 0 2 3.3 1,259 4.9 3.6
  Ind. Conservative 0 0.0 1 1 1.6 N/A N/A N/A
  Ecology 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 71 0.2 0.2

Ward results

Buckhurst Hill East

Buckhurst Hill East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Alliance A. Thompson 605 41.8 18.5
Conservative R. Braybrook* 579 40.0 12.4
Labour S. Goodwin 263 18.2 6.2
Majority 26 1.8 N/A
Turnout 1,447 37.9 0.6
Registered electors 3,821
Alliance gain from Conservative Swing

Buckhurst Hill West

Buckhurst Hill West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative L. Welch* 1,010 65.9 4.4
Alliance L. Martin 362 23.6 3.9
Labour J. Base 160 10.4 0.4
Majority 648 42.3 8.3
Turnout 1,532 32.2 6.4
Registered electors 4,751
Conservative hold Swing

Chigwell Village

Chigwell Village
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative N. Risdon* 641 69.2 6.8
Alliance G. Hallett 226 24.4 5.8
Labour P. Cook 59 6.4 1.0
Majority 415 44.8 12.7
Turnout 926 27.8 13.5
Registered electors 3,331
Conservative hold Swing

Debden Green

Debden Green
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Huckle 939 68.2 2.3
Loughton Residents M. Wardle 222 16.1 N/A
Conservative J. Phillips 216 15.7 4.0
Majority 717 52.1 5.9
Turnout 1,377 36.9 1.0
Registered electors 3,734
Labour hold Swing

Epping Hemnall

Epping Hemnall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Aldworth* 772 43.6 10.2
Labour P. Speake 462 26.1 6.1
Alliance J. Eves 320 18.1 5.4
Independent J. Durrant 217 12.3 N/A
Majority 310 17.5 12.8
Turnout 1,771 38.8 8.5
Registered electors 4,560
Conservative hold Swing

Epping Lindsey

Epping Lindsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Pocock* 841 42.9 6.0
Alliance K. Lees 560 28.6 0.3
Labour D. Sturrock 487 24.9 5.4
Ecology T. Broughton 71 3.6 0.3
Majority 281 14.3 6.3
Turnout 1,959 39.8 5.4
Registered electors 4,917
Conservative hold Swing

Grange Hill

Grange Hill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Alliance M. Heavens 747 52.2 23.2
Conservative M. Farnsworth* 578 40.4 19.8
Labour J. Faiz 106 7.4 1.5
Majority 169 11.8 N/A
Turnout 1,431 30.7 6.0
Registered electors 4,665
Alliance gain from Conservative Swing

High Ongar

High Ongar
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Morton* 302 55.1 7.5
Alliance S. Ormsby 127 23.2 N/A
Labour K. Tait 119 21.7 15.7
Majority 175 31.9 6.7
Turnout 548 59.2 2.6
Registered electors 926
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton Broadway

Loughton Broadway
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Worby 1,066 69.0 11.4
Conservative I. Holman 245 15.8 3.8
Alliance M. Pettman 235 15.2 7.6
Majority 821 53.2 18.4
Turnout 1,546 35.7 4.7
Registered electors 4,331
Labour hold Swing

Loughton Forest

Loughton Forest
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Loughton Residents H. Kleyn 744 54.0 0.9
Conservative D. James* 518 37.6 4.0
Labour A. Witham 62 4.5 0.3
Alliance E. Fibbens 55 4.0 3.3
Majority 226 16.4 N/A
Turnout 1,379 48.5 2.3
Registered electors 2,841
Loughton Residents gain from Conservative Swing

Loughton Roding

Loughton Roding
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Baddock* 795 42.2 9.9
Conservative N. Hagger 464 24.6 4.6
Loughton Residents R. Eveleigh 461 24.5 2.0
Alliance M. Posen 164 8.7 3.3
Majority 331 17.6 14.6
Turnout 1,884 43.9 5.9
Registered electors 4,292
Labour hold Swing

Loughton St. Johns

Loughton St. Johns
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ms J. Steele* 916 45.7 6.1
Loughton Residents Ms K. Ellis 829 41.3 8.3
Labour Ms M. Guy 181 9.0 0.9
Alliance P. Richardson 80 4.0 1.4
Majority 87 4.3 5.7
Turnout 2,006 47.8 2.0
Registered electors 4,197
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton St. Marys

Loughton St. Marys
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Loughton Residents Ms D. Paddon 846 60.8 11.2
Conservative Ms L. Scott* 366 26.3 13.3
Labour C. Gunby 117 8.4 0.2
Alliance A. Hall 62 4.5 1.9
Majority 480 34.5 N/A
Turnout 1,391 42.4 3.4
Registered electors 3,277
Loughton Residents gain from Conservative Swing

Passingford

Passingford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Pledge* 357 78.6 3.6
Labour D. Martin 97 21.4 3.6
Majority 260 57.3 7.3
Turnout 454 29.7 5.6
Registered electors 1,530
Conservative hold Swing

Roothing Country

Roothing Country
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ms G. Green 403 85.6 2.9
Labour J. Davy 68 14.4 2.9
Majority 335 71.1 5.8
Turnout 471 38.3 6.1
Registered electors 1,230
Conservative hold Swing

Roydon

Roydon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent W. Easton 642 58.7 N/A
Labour D. Grenville-Brown 451 41.3 22.2
Majority 191 17.5 N/A
Turnout 1,093 54.6 7.2
Registered electors 2,003
Independent gain from Independent Swing

Sheering

Sheering
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent M. Ridgewell 400 78.7 N/A
Labour J. McColl 108 21.3 N/A
Majority 292 57.5 N/A
Turnout 508 29.8 9.2
Registered electors 1,705
Independent gain from Independent Swing

Theydon Bois

Theydon Bois
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. Axon* 787 70.5 1.5
Alliance O. Dunseath 229 20.5 1.7
Labour F. Davy 100 9.0 2.5
Majority 558 50.0 4.2
Turnout 1,116 34.0 5.4
Registered electors 3,286
Conservative hold Swing

Waltham Abbey East

Waltham Abbey East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ms K Bellamy 813 52.8 4.6
Labour D. Sherman 727 47.2 22.2
Majority 86 5.6 N/A
Turnout 1,540 32.1 0.1
Registered electors 4,802
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Waltham Abbey Paternoster

Waltham Abbey Paternoster
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B. Mooney 718 58.9 3.5
Conservative J. Macdougall 501 41.1 4.6
Majority 217 17.8 0.9
Turnout 1,219 33.8 4.6
Registered electors 3,604
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. ^ 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.
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