1977 Dorset County Council election

1977 Dorset County Council election
	The County of Dorset within England
Council control before election; Conservative;	Council control after election ; Conservative;

Elections to Dorset County Council were held on Thursday, 5 May 1977. The whole council of 91 members was up for election and the result was that the Conservatives comfortably retained their control, winning seventy-nine seats, a gain of 19, of which nine were from Labour and seven from the Liberals. Labour, the Liberals, and the Independents ended with only four county councillors each.^[1]

Results

Result of Dorset County Council election, 1977^[1]
	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %
Conservative	79	19	0	+ 19	86.8
Independent	4	0	3	– 3	4.4
Labour	4	0	9	– 9	4.4
Liberal	4	0	7	– 7	4.4

Election result by division

Bournemouth (25 seats)

Bournemouth (Boscombe East)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	M Green	1,187	85.0
	Labour	E Hourihane	210	15.0
Turnout			1,397	29.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Boscombe West)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	R Wotton	1,390	68.3
	Ind. Conservative	H Mears	483	23.7
	Labour	I Evison	162	8.0
Turnout			2,035	31.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Central)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Williams	1,214	77.2
	Liberal	J Stone	227	14.4
	Labour	J Reidy	131	8.3
Turnout			1,572	27.4
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (East Cliff)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Curtis	1,575	87.7
	Labour	N Howard	220	12.3
Turnout			1,795	30.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Kings Park) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	E Hollies-Smith	1,748
	Conservative	D Jenkinson	1,616
	Liberal	R Beale	498
	Liberal	B Leake	405
	Labour	N Copage	311
Turnout				38.2
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative gain from Independent Liberal		Swing

Bournemouth (Kinson North) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	L Cade	1,852
	Conservative	L Cox	1,609
	Residents	R Haskell	1,467
	Labour	R Bennett	1,129
	Labour	L Bennett	1,124
	Liberal	D Cobb	619
Turnout				42.4
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Bournemouth (Kinson South) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	K Baily	2,188
	Conservative	G Graham	1,878
	Labour	G Spicer	1,551
	Labour	P Brushett	1,377
Turnout				35.7
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Bournemouth (Moordown North) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	R Whittaker	2,539
	Conservative	S McQueen	2,122
	Labour	A Tankard	656
Turnout				46.2
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Moordown South)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	W Sayers	753	46.9
	Liberal	P Bamborough	643	40.0
	Labour	N Pankhurst	211	13.1
Turnout			1,607	36.9
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Bournemouth (Queens Park) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	P Hogarth	2,032
	Conservative	G Knops	1,438
	Residents	C Dyer	1,270
	Residents	G Griffiths	683
	Labour	H Cutler	405
Turnout				33.3
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Redhill Park) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Ind. Conservative	P Whitelegg	2,031
	Conservative	G Masters	1,762
	Conservative	B Wallace-Smith	704
	Labour	W Bishop	240
	Labour	V Williams	212
Turnout				38.9
	Ind. Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Southbourne) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	E Day	1,971
	Conservative	B Beckett	1,954
	Ind. Conservative	E Ruston	1,778
	Labour	D Dykes	390
Turnout				35.3
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (West Cliff) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	R Judd	1,656
	Conservative	S Dunscombe	1,633
	Residents	H Nettleton-Walker	256
	Labour	A Shead	250
Turnout				30.2
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (West Southbourne)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	D Scott	1,415	63.7
	Liberal	D Eyre	637	28.7
	Labour	W Gaskin	170	7.7
Turnout			2,222	36.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Westbourne) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	B Bicknell	3,093
	Conservative	L Pardy	2,891
	Labour	R Woodley	274
Turnout				37.3
	Conservative hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bournemouth (Winton)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	P Haley	1,180	57.2
	Labour	B Grower	882	42.8
Turnout			2,062	40.7
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Christchurch (6 seats)

Christchurch No. 1 (Central)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Richardson	1,041	61.3
	Labour	T Staniforth	656	38.7
Turnout			1,697	41.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

Christchurch No. 2 (Highcliffe East)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J Beattie	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Christchurch No. 3 (Highcliffe West)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M Williams	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Christchurch No. 4 (Mudeford)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W Freestone	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Christchurch No. 5
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	D Fox	1,850	83.3
	Labour	H Blake	372	16.7
Turnout			2,222	30.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

Christchurch No. 6
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	A Green	1,553	56.3
	Labour	R Holloway	799	29.0
	Liberal	B Toms	405	14.7
Turnout			2,757	44.6
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

East Dorset (9 seats)

Ringwood and Fordingbridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J Slater	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wimborne and Cranborne No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	P Hargreaves	1,192	55.7
	Residents	J Williams	665	31.1
	Liberal	P Smith	283	13.2
Turnout			2,140	36.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wimborne and Cranborne No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	W Iremonger	2,773	74.5
	Liberal	M Herridge	949	25.5
Turnout			3,722	38.4
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wimborne and Cranborne No. 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	A Morgan	1,065	52.2
	Residents	G Hibbs	828	40.1
	Liberal	F Goater	149	7.3
Turnout			2,042	42.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wimborne and Cranborne No. 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Guarella	1,489	68.6
	Liberal	F Beal	682	31.4
Turnout			2,171	35.4
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing

Wimborne and Cranborne No. 5
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	J Bingham	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Wimborne and Cranborne No. 6
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M Wicken	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wimborne and Cranborne No. 7
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	W Wells	1,236	63.5
	Liberal	D Bussey	710	36.5
Turnout			1,946	47.4
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Wimborne Minster
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W Tapper	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

North Dorset (7 seats)

Blandford
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	D Trench	1,298	81.2
	Labour	P Cheater	300	18.8
Turnout			1,598	33.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Blandford Rural No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C Mitchell	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Blandford Rural No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D Jones	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Shaftesbury
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	D Newman	1,892	60.2
	Liberal	K Waights	1,252	39.8
Turnout			3,144	52.6
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Shaftesbury Rural
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	N Scott	2,197	73.1
	Liberal	V Cane	809	26.9
Turnout			3,006	49.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Sturminster Rural No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J Rose	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Sturminster Rural No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R Rose	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole (17 seats)

Poole No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	E Weeks	1,034	39.0
	Conservative	J Gardner	983	37.0
	Labour	H Rosser	637	24.0
Turnout			2,654	36.2
	Liberal hold		Swing

Poole No. 2 (East)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	I Duncan	1,620	59.4
	Liberal	R Feltham	642	23.6
	Labour	M Knight	464	17.0
Turnout			2,726	42.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 2 (West)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	E Webster	1,454	66.2
	Labour	G Partington	376	17.1
	Liberal	B Clements	366	16.7
Turnout			2,196	41.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 3 (North)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Bradley	711	51.3
	Independent Socialist	M Pauley	332	24.0
	Labour	D Coleman	191	13.8
	Liberal	J Allen	152	11.0
Turnout			1,386	35.3
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Poole No. 3 (South)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	K McIntyre	925	68.6
	Labour	R Ledwith	297	22.0
	Liberal	J Brown	126	9.3
Turnout			1,348	40.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 4 (North)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	A Watts	1,145	63.1
	Liberal	W Rigler	670	36.9
Turnout			1,815	46.1
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Poole No. 4 (South)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	V Braham	1,199	70.0
	Residents	D Ward	418	24.4
	Liberal	P Rowland	95	5.5
Turnout			1,712	36.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 5 (North)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Peters	960	69.6
	Liberal	M Churchill	419	30.4
Turnout			1,379	36.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 5 (South)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	B McIntyre	1,690	91.6
	Liberal	A Giles	154	8.4
Turnout			1,844	51.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 6
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Bisgood	2,511	96.3
	Liberal	F Kara	96	3.7
Turnout			2,607	43.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 7
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	F Rowe	1,684	63.8
	Liberal	G Goode	957	36.2
Turnout			2,641	38.9
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Poole No. 8 (North)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	R Buyers	641	57.0
	Labour	J Payne	483	43.0
Turnout			1,124	31.2
	Liberal gain from Labour		Swing

Poole No. 8 (South)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	H Ballam	unopposed
	Liberal hold		Swing

Poole No. 9 (North)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	S Hodge	385	37.5
	Independent	J Dyke	374	36.4
	Liberal	S Beauchamp	269	26.2
Turnout			1,028	25.4
	Labour hold		Swing

Poole No. 9 (South)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	D Gooding	546	61.1
	Liberal	C Vincent	348	38.9
Turnout			894	24.6
	Labour hold		Swing

Poole No. 10 (North)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	E Adams	2,849	79.1
	Liberal	D James	754	20.9
Turnout			3,603	48.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

Poole No. 10 (South)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	R Hann	1,490	73.3
	Liberal	A Foster	542	26.7
Turnout			2,032	34.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Purbeck (6 seats)

Swanage
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R Montague-Jones	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wareham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C Hodge	unopposed
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing

Wareham and Purbeck No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	K Ferguson	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wareham and Purbeck No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	D Franklin	1,620	78.6
	Labour	S Shinn	440	21.4
Turnout			2,060	44.8
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing

Wareham and Purbeck No. 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	C Perkins	1,340	78.3
	Liberal	M Dawson	372	21.7
Turnout			1,712	38.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wareham and Purbeck No. 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	M Bond	1,688	69.6
	Labour	W Bartlett	738	30.4
Turnout			2,426	46.2
	Conservative gain from Independent		Swing

West Dorset (12 seats)

Beaminster Rural No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	G Best	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Beaminster Rural No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	R Earle	1,393	67.1
	Independent	K Macksey	682	32.9
Turnout			2,075	43.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bridport
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Stickland	1,057	57.7
	Independent	J Booker	776	42.3
Turnout			1,833	36.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bridport Rural
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J Mallinson	2,383	87.7
	Labour	J McKenzie	333	12.3
Turnout			2,716	46.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Dorchester No. 1 (West)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	C Lucas	1,200	54.6
	Liberal	R Brissenden	526	23.9
	Labour	R Wakely	473	21.5
Turnout			2,199	41.9
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Dorchester No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	P Seaton	1,476	63.5
	Liberal	D Smith	593	23.5
	Labour	G Standfield	254	10.9
Turnout			2,323	44.8
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Dorchester Rural No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H Bond	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Dorchester Rural No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Lord Digby	1,641	75.4
	Labour	P Gregory	536	24.6
Turnout			2,177	49.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

Dorchester Rural No. 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	P Meaden	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Lyme Regis
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J Nuttall	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Sherborne
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	G Buchanan	1,620	48.5
	Liberal	P Winch	1,051	31.4
	Labour	E Noake	671	20.1
Turnout			3,342	59.0
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

Sherborne Rural
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H Chapman	unopposed
	Conservative hold		Swing

Weymouth and Portland (9 seats)

Portland (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	J Morris	1,401
	Conservative	E Wright	1,287
	Residents	J Neimer	1,075
	Conservative	W Perry	696
	Labour	F Morris	470
	Labour	J Bishop	404
Turnout				36.7
	Independent hold		Swing
	Conservative hold		Swing

Weymouth No. 1
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	R Russell	1,172	70.6
	Labour	C Cousins	488	29.4
Turnout			1,660	40.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

Weymouth No. 2
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	L Hill	1,069	74.2
	Labour	P Rendall	372	25.8
Turnout			1,441	33.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

Weymouth No. 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	A Biles	1,721	80.5
	Labour	R Clayton	417	19.5
Turnout			2,138	40.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Weymouth No. 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J O'Brien	1,879	85.9
	Labour	V McCarthy	309	14.1
Turnout			2,188	37.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Weymouth No. 5
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	P Jevons	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Weymouth No. 6
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	A Griffin	1,145	57.7
	Labour	M Jewkes	839	42.3
Turnout			1,984	46.1
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Weymouth No. 7
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R Gainey	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

References

^ ^a ^b 'Conservatives triumph in Greater London and metropolitan counties' in The Times of London, issue 59997 dated 7 May 1977, p. 3

[times-1] 'Conservatives triumph in Greater London and metropolitan counties' in The Times of London, issue 59997 dated 7 May 1977, p. 3

[1]