1976 Colchester Borough Council election
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1976 UK local government election
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All 60 seats to Colchester Borough Council 31 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Winner of each seat at the 1976 Colchester Borough Council election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections to Colchester Borough Council were held in 1976 alongside other local elections across the country. The whole council was up for election on new ward boundaries.
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 39 | 5 | 1 | 65.0 | 55.9 | 51,152 | +12.8 | ||
| Labour | 18 | 0 | 3 | 30.0 | 31.7 | 29,001 | -12.7 | ||
| Residents | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 2,855 | +2.4 | ||
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1,339 | -3.9 | ||
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 7.9 | 7,199 | +1.5 | ||
Ward results
The following are the results for the election by ward.[1]
Berechurch
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | W. Ladbrook | 770 | 37.2 | ||
| Labour | C. Howe | 769 | 37.1 | ||
| Conservative | L. Long | 742 | 35.8 | ||
| Labour | R. McQuitty | 741 | 35.8 | ||
| Conservative | V. Worth | 675 | 32.6 | ||
| Conservative | Nigel Chapman | 642 | 31.0 | ||
| Liberal | M. Gage | 611 | 29.5 | ||
| Liberal | T. Davis | 389 | 18.8 | ||
| Turnout | 2,070 | 38.1 | |||
| Registered electors | 5,432 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Birch-Messing
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | T. Wayman | 546 | 70.0 | N/A | |
| Conservative | J. Crowe | 234 | 30.0 | −11.9 | |
| Majority | 312 | 40.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 780 | 61.6 | −9.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,267 | ||||
| Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |||
Boxted & Langham
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | A. Sexton | 699 | 85.2 | +14.0 | |
| Labour | T. Morecroft | 121 | 14.8 | +0.2 | |
| Majority | 576 | 70.4 | +13.8 | ||
| Turnout | 820 | 51.7 | +4.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,586 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing |  6.9 |
|||
Castle
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | S. Wills | 1,122 | 47.5 | ||
| Labour | J. Dunn | 1,048 | 44.4 | ||
| Labour | Ken Cooke | 1,025 | 43.4 | ||
| Conservative | D. Lamberth | 1,023 | 43.3 | ||
| Conservative | K. Wheeler | 995 | 42.1 | ||
| Conservative | K. Wilson | 969 | 41.0 | ||
| Liberal | O. Reeves | 196 | 8.3 | ||
| Liberal | D. Marshall | 185 | 7.8 | ||
| Liberal | P. Mills | 184 | 7.8 | ||
| Turnout | 2,361 | 49.2 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,799 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
Copford & Eight Ash Green
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | M. Wilde | 610 | 76.6 | +14.4 | |
| Labour | D. Clark | 186 | 23.4 | +5.7 | |
| Majority | 424 | 53.2 | +8.7 | ||
| Turnout | 796 | 47.6 | +8.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,554 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 4.4 |
|||
Dedham
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Jackson | 474 | 67.0 | +14.7 | |
| Independent | G. Curtis | 233 | 33.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 241 | 34.0 | +8.6 | ||
| Turnout | 707 | 52.3 | −6.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,355 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |||
East Donyland
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Sanderson | 482 | 57.6 | +7.3 | |
| Labour | E. Lilley | 355 | 42.4 | −7.3 | |
| Majority | 127 | 15.2 | +14.6 | ||
| Turnout | 837 | 67.3 | +10.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,245 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 7.3 |
|||
Fordham
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | G. Penrose | 448 | 55.2 | +17.6 | |
| Liberal | G. Williams | 363 | 44.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 85 | 10.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 811 | 63.8 | +9.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,275 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | N/A | |||
Great & Little Horkesley
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | W. Knighton | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 1,554 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Great Tey
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | R. Browning | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 1,341 | ||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Harbour
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J. Bird | 989 | 44.7 | ||
| Conservative | M. Coyne | 915 | 41.3 | ||
| Conservative | E. White | 877 | 39.6 | ||
| Labour | C. Parmenter | 839 | 37.9 | ||
| Labour | A. Blishen | 834 | 37.7 | ||
| Conservative | K. White | 827 | 37.4 | ||
| Liberal | D. Wisbey | 263 | 11.9 | ||
| Liberal | N. Wake | 261 | 11.8 | ||
| Turnout | 2,213 | 45.9 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,822 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Lexden
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Wheeler | 1,403 | 62.9 | ||
| Conservative | C. Sargeant | 1,402 | 62.9 | ||
| Conservative | D. Holt | 1,375 | 61.7 | ||
| Liberal | M. Fisher | 506 | 22.7 | ||
| Liberal | C. Cole | 441 | 19.8 | ||
| Liberal | Ian Trusler | 437 | 19.6 | ||
| Labour | J. Coombes | 362 | 16.2 | ||
| Turnout | 2,229 | 58.3 | |||
| Registered electors | 3,824 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Marks Tey
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | E. James | 566 | 78.2 | +9.7 | |
| Labour | Jim Orpe | 158 | 21.8 | −9.7 | |
| Majority | 408 | 56.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 724 | 47.7 | −5.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,525 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 9.7 |
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Mile End
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | D. Blackmore | 1,119 | 69.6 | ||
| Conservative | D. Fulford | 1,087 | |||
| Conservative | J. Fulford | 1,084 | |||
| Labour | P. Baker | 489 | 30.4 | ||
| Majority | 39.2 | ||||
| Turnout | 47.2 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
New Town
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Bob Russell | 1,284 | 56.6 | ||
| Labour | D. Williams | 1,191 | 52.5 | ||
| Labour | J. Bensusan-Butt | 1,078 | 47.5 | ||
| Conservative | E. Chapman | 640 | 28.2 | ||
| Conservative | C. Willburn | 606 | 26.7 | ||
| Conservative | M. Harvey | 541 | 23.9 | ||
| Liberal | T. Brady | 525 | 23.1 | ||
| Liberal | A. Grant | 408 | 18.0 | ||
| Liberal | M. Pawsey | 373 | 16.4 | ||
| Turnout | 2,268 | 48.7 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,656 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
Prettygate
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | E. Kent | 1,378 | 61.1 | ||
| Conservative | F. Clater | 1,362 | 60.4 | ||
| Conservative | D. Purvis | 1,356 | 60.1 | ||
| Labour | R. Read | 664 | 29.4 | ||
| Labour | B. Sawyer | 588 | 26.1 | ||
| Labour | P. Perera | 545 | 24.2 | ||
| Liberal | J. Smith | 415 | 18.4 | ||
| Turnout | 2,255 | 47.0 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,798 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Pyefleet
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | A. Parsonson | 562 | 75.0 | +4.5 | |
| Labour | J. Jopling | 187 | 25.0 | −4.5 | |
| Majority | 375 | 50.0 | +9.0 | ||
| Turnout | 749 | 61.2 | +24.6 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,231 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 4.5 |
|||
Shrub End
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | L. Woodrow | 939 | 41.6 | ||
| Labour | Frank Wilkin | 881 | 39.1 | ||
| Labour | E. Plowright | 866 | 38.4 | ||
| Conservative | I. Davis | 547 | 24.3 | ||
| Conservative | C. Barritt | 515 | 22.8 | ||
| Conservative | C. Crossley | 498 | 22.1 | ||
| Turnout | 2,255 | 47.3 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,760 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
St. Andrew's
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | A. Leighton | 1,345 | 77.3 | ||
| Labour | D. Braddy | 1,116 | 64.1 | ||
| Labour | Graham Bober | 1,068 | 61.3 | ||
| Conservative | J. Duke | 516 | 29.6 | ||
| Conservative | V. Watts | 476 | 27.3 | ||
| Conservative | G. Stubbs | 470 | 27.0 | ||
| Turnout | 1,741 | 31.9 | |||
| Registered electors | 5,456 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
St. Anne's
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Mary Frank | 771 | 50.6 | ||
| Labour | J. Fraser | 753 | 49.4 | ||
| Labour | G. Cooper | 717 | 47.0 | ||
| Conservative | W. Falk | 636 | 41.7 | ||
| Conservative | A. Dunlop | 635 | 41.7 | ||
| Conservative | A. Richardson | 629 | 41.3 | ||
| Turnout | 1,524 | 38.1 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,001 | ||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
St. John's
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | C. Diggens | 1,112 | 68.5 | ||
| Conservative | B. West | 1,041 | 64.1 | ||
| Conservative | M. Pinnock | 1,031 | 63.5 | ||
| Labour | P. Treacher | 522 | 32.1 | ||
| Turnout | 1,624 | 49.1 | |||
| Registered electors | 3,308 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
St. Mary's
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Brooks | 1,582 | 62.5 | ||
| Conservative | R. Spendlove | 1,348 | 53.2 | ||
| Conservative | R. Hilham | 1,264 | 49.9 | ||
| Labour | Tim Oxton | 564 | 22.3 | ||
| Liberal | Martin Hunt | 536 | 21.2 | ||
| Liberal | A. Spyvee | 534 | 21.1 | ||
| Liberal | L. Baker | 508 | 20.1 | ||
| Turnout | 2,532 | 50.8 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,985 | ||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Stanway
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | T. Claydon | 1,008 | 53.7 | ||
| Conservative | P. Holloway | 993 | 52.9 | ||
| Conservative | D. Arrondelle | 964 | 51.4 | ||
| Labour | E. Kirkby | 797 | 42.5 | ||
| Labour | J. Knight | 772 | 41.2 | ||
| Labour | K. Rodgers | 652 | 34.8 | ||
| Turnout | 1,876 | 52.2 | |||
| Registered electors | 3,593 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Labour | |||||
| Conservative gain from Labour | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
Tiptree
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | A. Garrod | 1,006 | 41.1 | ||
| Conservative | C. Cansdale | 1,005 | 41.0 | ||
| Residents | J. Webb | 966 | 39.4 | ||
| Residents | D. Burke | 883 | 36.1 | ||
| Conservative | R. Martin | 869 | 35.5 | ||
| Conservative | J. Lawrence | 743 | 30.3 | ||
| Labour | B. Jones | 566 | 23.1 | ||
| Turnout | 2,449 | 46.9 | |||
| Registered electors | 5,221 | ||||
| Residents win (new seat) | |||||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||
| Residents win (new seat) | |||||
West Bergholt
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Lampon | 662 | 81.5 | +15.0 | |
| Labour | T. Fleet | 86 | 10.6 | −9.9 | |
| Liberal | M. Livermore | 64 | 7.9 | N/A | |
| Majority | 576 | 70.9 | +24.8 | ||
| Turnout | 812 | 47.4 | +2.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,721 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 12.5 |
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West Mersea
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | A. Gray | 1,439 | 76.6 | ||
| Conservative | J. Williams | 1,285 | 68.4 | ||
| Conservative | G. Roberts | 1,238 | 65.9 | ||
| Independent | A. Smith | 518 | 27.6 | ||
| Labour | C. Barrett | 202 | 10.8 | ||
| Turnout | 1,879 | 46.7 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,024 | ||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
| Conservative gain from Independent | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Winstree
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | M. Fairhead | 823 | 72.8 | +12.4 | |
| Labour | S. McAndrew | 266 | 23.5 | −0.6 | |
| Independent | W. Judge | 42 | 3.7 | N/A | |
| Majority | 557 | 49.3 | +13.1 | ||
| Turnout | 1,131 | 60.6 | −6.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,875 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 6.5 |
|||
Wivenhoe
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | D. Wilkinson | 1,009 | 51.6 | ||
| Conservative | B. Grasby | 905 | 46.3 | ||
| Conservative | K. Brereton | 816 | 41.7 | ||
| Labour | G. Davies | 773 | 39.5 | ||
| Turnout | 1,956 | 42.9 | |||
| Registered electors | 4,560 | ||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
| Conservative gain from Labour | |||||
References
- ↑ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "Colchester Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Plymouth University. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
