Sheffield City Council election, 1970

The election was held on 8 May 1970 with one third of the council up for election as well as a double vacancy in Mosborough. Since the previous election the Liberals had gained a seat from the Conservatives in a by-election in Heeley. This election seen a consolidation of Labour control, with a further six gains, helped by a more favourable national trend - especially so in the South Yorkshire region. For the first time since the mid-sixties, Labour won the most votes, which a "delighted" Alderman - and head of the Labour grouping - Sir Ron Ironmonger attributed to the youth;

"I said we expected to win four seats, with Gleadless as a possibility, but Heeley was a bonus. The national swing obviously helped, but the really hopeful sign was the greatly increased Labour vote. Our vote was well up in places, and it must be the first time for some years that the Labour vote has been bigger than the Conservatives. I have got to give the credit for this to the youngsters. This is the only new factor, and they are entitled to the credit."

Sir Ron went on to express confidence in both Labour's prospects for the next year's elections, remarking "As things are looking at the moment we could have an absolute landslide next year", and their ability to retain control of the council until the upcoming reorganisation in 1973. The re-elected Labour governance promised its attentions would be focused on two key aspects: the environment, in which a committee - or possibly sub-committee of the already existent Town Planning committee - would address environmental questions, and a deputation on the replacement of St. Catherine's school - an important issue during the campaign - would be organised as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives, who had been hopeful of gaining several seats, seen their targets - Burngreave, Birley and Walkley - swing further away from their grasp. They also resounded to contest the Gleadless victor Colin Radcliffe's narrow win of six votes, headed by the Heeley agent Doreen Smith, claiming that unmarked ballot papers had been counted.[1]

Election result

Sheffield Local Election Result 1970
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 21 6 0 +6 75.0 52.9 72,019 +10.5%
  Conservative 7 0 5 -5 25.0 44.3 60,322 -8.5%
  Liberal 0 0 1 -1 0.0 2.0 2,743 +0.3%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.6 837 -1.1%
  Conservation 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 118 +0.1%

The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:

Party Previous council New council
Cllr Ald Cllr Ald
Labour 39 18 45 18
Conservatives 42 9 35 9
Liberals 2 0 1 0
Communists 0 0 0 0
Conservation 0 0 0 0
Total 81 27 81 27
108 108
Working majority  -3   9   9   9 
 6   18 

Ward results

Attercliffe[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Bill Robins 2,310 76.7 +5.7
Conservative Harold Mellor 701 23.3 -5.7
Majority 1,609 54.4 +11.4
Turnout 3,011
Labour hold Swing +5.7
Beauchief[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Frank Adams 5,184 76.6 -5.6
Labour Bill Michie 1,580 23.3 +5.6
Majority 3,604 53.3 -11.2
Turnout 6,764
Conservative hold Swing -5.6
Birley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Elsie Richardson 4,178 62.6 +12.8
Conservative Andrew Oxley 2,497 37.4 -7.7
Majority 1,681 25.2 +20.5
Turnout 6,675
Labour hold Swing +10.2
Brightside[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Adrian Molloy 2,555 67.8 +12.5
Conservative Kathleen Moore 1,124 29.8 -7.2
Communist Reg Arundel 91 2.4 +2.4
Majority 1,431 37.9 +19.8
Turnout 3,770
Labour hold Swing +9.8
Broomhill[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Myrtle Jackson 3,206 70.1 -7.2
Labour John Baxter 1,364 29.8 +12.9
Majority 1842 40.3 -20.1
Turnout 4,570
Conservative hold Swing -10.0
Burngreave[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Reggie Ellis 2,843 50.7 -5.2
Liberal Francis Butler 1,540 27.4 +27.4
Conservative Len Scott 1,179 21.0 -19.4
Communist Martin Ashworth 46 0.8 -2.8
Majority 1,303 23.2 +7.7
Turnout 5,608
Labour hold Swing -16.3
Castle[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Roy Munn 2,549 73.8 +6.3
Conservative Kenneth Whitehouse 819 23.7 -1.7
Communist Edna Ashworth 84 2.4 -4.5
Majority 1,730 50.1 +8.1
Turnout 3,452
Labour hold Swing +4.0
Darnall[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Roy Hattersley 3,486 69.0 +10.0
Conservative Roger Outram 1,566 31.0 -10.0
Majority 1,920 38.0 +19.9
Turnout 5,052
Labour hold Swing +10.0
Dore[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative William Blake 4,849 76.2 -3.5
Labour William Kirk 1,516 23.8 +3.5
Majority 3,333 52.3 -7.0
Turnout 6,365
Conservative hold Swing -3.5
Ecclesall[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Neill 4,267 79.8 -4.0
Labour Marie Rodgers 1,076 20.1 +4.0
Majority 5,343 59.7 -8.0
Turnout 3,191
Conservative hold Swing -4.0
Firth Park[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Valerie Potts 3,696 62.9 +19.2
Conservative Jack Kerton 2,080 35.4 -4.1
Communist Barry Bracken 99 1.7 -1.5
Majority 1,616 27.5 +23.4
Turnout 5,875
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.6
Gleadless[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Colin Radcliffe 3,535 46.2 +11.8
Conservative Clifford Godber 3,529 46.1 -10.9
Liberal Dennis Boothroyd 583 7.6 -0.9
Majority 6 0.1 -22.6
Turnout 7,647
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +11.4
Hallam[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hazel Black 3,859 73.5 +3.1
Labour Charlotte Ellis 1,388 26.4 +8.5
Majority 2,471 47.1 -5.4
Turnout 5,247
Labour hold Swing +2.7
Handsworth[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Len Cope 3,292 64.9 +9.1
Conservative William Morris 1,780 35.1 -9.1
Majority 1,512 29.8 +18.2
Turnout 5,072
Labour hold Swing +9.1
Heeley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Bernard Wilkinson 3,204 51.7 +15.0
Conservative James Garlick 2,856 46.1 -10.4
Communist Ken Turton 138 2.2 -4.6
Majority 348 5.6 -14.2
Turnout 6,198
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.7
Hillsborough[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ivor Wakley 3,332 55.7 -8.9
Labour Bill Meade 2,644 44.2 +8.9
Majority 688 11.5 -17.8
Turnout 5,976
Conservative hold Swing -8.9
Intake[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Arnold Wood 3,934 58.1 +11.0
Conservative Dennis Johnson 2,835 41.9 -11.0
Majority 1,099 16.2 +10.5
Turnout 6,769
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.0
Manor[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour George Armitage 2,889 76.9 +17.3
Conservative Peter Huddart 792 21.1 -12.9
Communist John Hukin 75 2.0 -4.4
Majority 2,097 55.8 +30.2
Turnout 3,756
Labour hold Swing +15.1
Mosborough[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Dorothy Walton 2,876 64.7 +1.9
Labour Harry Havenhand 2,826
Conservative Hugh Rowbotham 1,222 27.5 -9.7
Conservative Stanley Titerington 1,101
Liberal Colin Wood 344 7.7 +7.7
Majority 1,604 37.2 +11.6
Turnout 4,442
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.8
Nether Edge[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Michael Black 3,319 71.9 -8.0
Labour Adam Pemberton 1,179 25.5 +5.4
Conservation Barry Cummings 118 2.6 +2.6
Majority 2,140 46.3 -13.4
Turnout 4,616
Conservative hold Swing -6.7
Nether Shire[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Charles Simms 2,850 65.6 +13.5
Conservative Frank Dunn 1,118 25.7 -15.7
Liberal Albert Hattersley 276 6.3 +6.3
Communist Ken Hattersley 100 2.3 -4.2
Majority 1,732 39.9 +29.2
Turnout 4,344
Labour hold Swing +14.6
Netherthorpe[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Enid Hattersley 2,576 67.3 +9.7
Conservative Tony Hutt 1,251 32.7 -5.1
Majority 1,325 34.6 +14.8
Turnout 3,827
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Owlerton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Roy Thwaites 3,066 67.8 +5.9
Conservative Patrick Fenoughty 1,452 32.1 -5.9
Majority 1,614 35.7 +11.8
Turnout 4,518
Labour hold Swing +5.9
Park[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Peter Jones 3,174 77.4 +12.7
Conservative David Else 828 20.2 -8.4
Communist Cyril Morton 97 2.4 -4.3
Majority 2,346 57.2 +21.1
Turnout 4,099
Labour hold Swing +10.5
Sharrow[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Alfred Wood 2,833 60.4 +12.5
Conservative Colin Barnsley 1,859 39.6 -4.2
Majority 974 20.7 +16.7
Turnout 4,692
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +8.3
Southey Green[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour David Blunkett 2,619 79.9 +14.7
Conservative Charles Hughes 551 16.8 -10.1
Communist Gordon Ashberry 107 3.2 -4.5
Majority 2,068 63.1 +24.9
Turnout 3,277
Labour hold Swing +12.4
Walkley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Jack Towns 2,807 55.3 +15.4
Conservative Stanley Parnell 2,267 44.7 +5.1
Majority 540 10.6 +10.2
Turnout 5,074
Labour hold Swing +5.1

References

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