Council election in England
1988 North Hertfordshire District Council election |
18 of 50 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council 26 seats needed for a majority |
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| First party | Second party | Third party | | Con | Lab | SDP | Leader | Bob Flatman | Judi Billing | Tony Quinn | Party | Conservative | Labour | SDP | Seats before | 26 | 13 | 4 | Seats after | 27 | 13 | 4 | Seat change | 1 | | | | | Fourth party | Fifth party | | SLD | RA | Party | SLD | Ratepayers | Seats before | 4 | 3 | Seats after | 3 | 3 | Seat change | 1 | | |
Leader before election Bob Flatman Conservative | Leader after election Bob Flatman Conservative | |
The 1988 North Hertfordshire District Council election was held on 5 May 1988, at the same time as other local elections across England and Scotland. There were 18 out of 50 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council up for election, being the usual third of the council plus a by-election in Codicote ward.[1]
The Conservatives made a net gain of one seat to increase their majority on the council. The former SDP–Liberal Alliance group of eight councillors had fragmented ahead of the election; four joined the new merged party of the Social and Liberal Democrats (renamed the Liberal Democrats the following year), but the other four (including former Alliance group leader, Tony Quinn) joined the breakaway continuing Social Democratic Party opposed to the merger.[2]
Overall results
The overall results were as follows:[3]
1988 North Hertfordshire District Council election |
Party | This election | Full council | This election |
Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| Conservative | 12 | 1 | 66.7 | 15 | 27 | 54.0 | 14,569 | 41.1 | +1.6 |
| Labour | 5 | | 27.8 | 8 | 13 | 26.0 | 11,412 | 32.2 | +7.8 |
| SLD | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | 6.0 | 6,094 | 17.2 | -14.5 |
| SDP | 0 | | 0.0 | 4 | 4 | 8.0 | 1,363 | 3.8 | new |
| Ratepayers | 1 | | 5.6 | 2 | 3 | 6.0 | 1,869 | 5.3 | +1.2 |
| Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 138 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
Ward results
The results for each ward were as follows. An asterisk(*) indicates a sitting councillor standing for re-election.[3]
Ashbrook ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Michael Tatham* | 667 | 64.6 | +9.2 |
| Labour | Keith Brydon | 253 | 24.5 | -2.7 |
| SLD | Jonathan Heath | 113 | 10.9 | -6.5 |
Turnout | | 50.0 | |
Registered electors | 2,046 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +6.0 | |
Baldock ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Bernard Crow | 1,595 | 50.7 | +4.0 |
| Labour | Alan Moir* | 1,327 | 42.2 | +15.1 |
| SLD | Sara Tustin | 221 | 7.0 | -19.1 |
Turnout | | 47.0 | |
Registered electors | 6,703 | | |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -5.6 | |
Cadwell ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Richard Lee | 538 | 55.1 | +17.4 |
| Labour | Charles MacNally (Charlie MacNally) | 327 | 33.5 | +6.5 |
| SLD | Richard Canning | 88 | 9.0 | -26.3 |
| SDP | Bernadette Hatch (Bernie Hatch) | 24 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
Turnout | | 54.0 | |
Registered electors | 1,801 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5 | |
Codicote ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Edward Ian Smith | 769 | 75.9 | +32.4 |
| Labour | Peter Read | 244 | 24.1 | -0.1 |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +16.3 | |
The by-election in Codicote ward was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Denis Winch.
Hitchin Bearton ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Judi Billing* | 1,174 | 54.1 | +14.1 |
| Conservative | Norman Frost | 624 | 28.7 | -8.4 |
| SLD | Penelope Cunningham (Penny Cunningham) | 171 | 7.9 | -15.0 |
| Ratepayers | John Edwards | 135 | 6.2 | +6.2 |
| Green | Christopher Studman | 68 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
Turnout | | 48.0 | |
Registered electors | 4,500 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +11.3 | |
Hitchin Highbury ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Phillip MacCormack* | 1,092 | 46.2 | -3.1 |
| SLD | Rosemary Read | 471 | 19.9 | -21.2 |
| Labour | David Tizzard | 359 | 15.2 | +5.5 |
| SDP | Carolyn Randall | 294 | 12.4 | +12.4 |
| Ratepayers | Jacqueline Tait | 150 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
Turnout | | 46.0 | |
Registered electors | 5,154 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +9.1 | |
Hitchin Oughton ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Joan Kirby | 1,022 | 70.5 | +19.5 |
| SLD | Michael John Edwards | 427 | 29.5 | +5.7 |
Turnout | | 35.0 | |
Registered electors | 4,225 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +6.9 | |
Hitchin Priory ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Francis Howett* (Frank Howett) | 832 | 65.8 | +8.7 |
| SLD | Jennifer Sefton (Jenny Sefton) | 265 | 21.0 | -6.8 |
| Labour | Roger Wood | 167 | 13.2 | -2.0 |
Turnout | | 46.0 | |
Registered electors | 2,737 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +7.8 | |
Hitchin Walsworth ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Ratepayers | Christopher Parker* | 1,584 | 62.0 | +13.8 |
| Labour | Roger Newby | 688 | 26.9 | +6.0 |
| SLD | Paul Clark | 213 | 8.3 | -5.0 |
| Green | Elizabeth Ann Roberts | 70 | 2.7 | +1.1 |
Turnout | | 42.0 | |
Registered electors | 6,096 | | |
| Ratepayers hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
Knebworth ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Margaret Hilton* | 917 | 62.4 | +4.8 |
| SLD | Michael Stiff (Mike Stiff) | 286 | 19.5 | -6.4 |
| Labour | Jack Nelson | 266 | 18.1 | +1.6 |
Turnout | | 43.0 | |
Registered electors | 3,416 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +5.6 | |
Letchworth East ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Lorna Kercher | 1,077 | 53.2 | +11.7 |
| Conservative | David Langridge | 607 | 30.0 | +4.1 |
| SLD | Keith Marr | 340 | 16.8 | -15.7 |
Turnout | | 48.0 | |
Registered electors | 4,199 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +3.8 | |
Letchworth Grange ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Kearns* | 1,302 | 42.6 | +8.6 |
| Conservative | Michael Muir | 861 | 28.2 | +1.1 |
| SLD | Alison Kingman | 729 | 23.9 | -12.6 |
| SDP | Sue Sinclair | 164 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
Turnout | | 58.0 | |
Registered electors | 5,215 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | +3.8 | |
Letchworth South East ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Pauline Wood | 1,158 | 39.1 | +5.8 |
| Labour | David Evans | 812 | 27.4 | +8.2 |
| SDP | James Bray | 707 | 23.9 | +23.9 |
| SLD | Harry Shipley | 287 | 9.7 | -37.9 |
Turnout | | 49.0 | |
Registered electors | 6,004 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -1.2 | |
Letchworth South West ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Geoffrey Woods* (Geoff Woods) | 1,203 | 48.3 | -3.7 |
| SLD | Ian Simpson | 697 | 28.0 | -10.0 |
| Labour | Tony McWalter | 418 | 16.8 | +6.7 |
| SDP | Robert Ashton | 174 | 7.0 | +7.0 |
Turnout | | 54.0 | |
Registered electors | 4,642 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
Letchworth Wilbury ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Peter Mardell | 1,010 | 46.1 | +8.1 |
| Conservative | Ray Bloxham* | 941 | 42.9 | -0.2 |
| SLD | Derek Hunter | 242 | 11.0 | -7.9 |
Turnout | | 54.0 | |
Registered electors | 4,036 | | |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.2 | |
Royston East ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Francis John Smith* | 1,146 | 58.3 | +6.1 |
| SLD | Jennifer Comley | 493 | 25.1 | -9.3 |
| Labour | Christopher Hills | 328 | 16.7 | +3.2 |
Turnout | | 47.0 | |
Registered electors | 4,170 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +7.7 | |
Royston West ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Mark Hughes | 1,216 | 46.8 | -1.7 |
| SLD | Gwyn Hardwicke | 855 | 32.9 | -2.2 |
| Labour | Robin King | 525 | 20.2 | +3.9 |
Turnout | | 46.0 | |
Registered electors | 5,652 | | |
| Conservative gain from SLD | Swing | +0.3 | |
Weston ward Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Robert Evans* | 403 | 56.6 | -4.3 |
| SLD | Stephen Jarvis | 196 | 27.5 | +4.6 |
| Labour | Rodney Leete | 113 | 15.9 | -0.3 |
Turnout | | 57.0 | |
Registered electors | 1,248 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | -4.5 | |
Changes 1988–1990
Royston West ward by-election, 27 October 1988 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Timothy Doyle (Tim Doyle) | 801 | 46.6 | -0.2 |
| SLD | Jenny Comley | 455 | 26.5 | -6.5 |
| Labour | Robin King | 363 | 21.1 | +0.9 |
| SDP | Michael Harrison | 100 | 5.8 | +5.8 |
Turnout | | 1000.0 | |
Registered electors | | | |
| Conservative gain from SLD | Swing | +3.2 | |
The Royston West by-election was triggered by the resignation of Social and Liberal Democrat councillor Fran Bate. Tim Doyle won the seat for the Conservatives.[4]
Hitchin Priory ward by-election, 22 February 1990 Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Richard Thake | | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Stephen Harbron | | | |
| Labour | David Billing | | | |
Turnout | | | |
Registered electors | | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The Hitchin Priory by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Frank Howett. The seat was retained for the Conservatives by Richard Thake. The number of votes was not reported, but it was said that the Conservative vote was down 20% from the last time the seat was contested and the Liberal Democrat share of the vote was 33%.[5][6]
References
- ^ The District of North Hertfordshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1977 (S.I. 1977/1442)
- ^ "Increased majority for happy Tories". Letchworth and Baldock Citizen. 11 May 1988. p. 11.
- ^ a b Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "North Hertfordshire District Council Election Results 1973–2012" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Plymouth University. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Tories make it a double". Cambridge Daily News. 31 October 1988. p. 7. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "Councillor Richard Thake". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "Worst Tory result". Letchworth and Baldock Gazette. 2 March 1990. p. 5.