1976 West Dorset District Council election

← 1973

7 May 1976 (1976-05-07)

1979 →

All 55 seats to West Dorset District Council
28 seats needed for a majority

	First party	Second party	Third party
	Ind	Lib	Lab
Party	Independent	Liberal	Labour
Last election	44 seats, 60.2%	9 seats, 23.9%	2 seats, 15.9%
Seats won	45	7	1
Seat change	1	2	1
Popular vote	17,669	9,030	2,962
Percentage	56.9%	29.1%	9.5%
Swing	3.3%	5.2%	6.4%

	Fourth party	Fifth party
	Con	IndC
Party	Conservative	Ind. Conservative
Last election	Did not stand	Did not stand
Seats won	1	1
Seat change	1	1
Popular vote	1,178	220
Percentage	3.8%	0.7%
Swing	3.8%	0.7%

Council control before election

Independent

Council control after election

Independent

The 1976 West Dorset District Council election was held on Thursday 6 May 1976 to elect councillors to West Dorset District Council in England. It took place on the same day as other district council elections in the United Kingdom. This was the second election to the district council.

The 1976 election saw the Independent councillors maintain their majority control on the Council.

Ward results

Beaminster

Beaminster (2 seats)^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	R. Bugler *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Independent	A. Hudson *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			2,265
	Independent hold
	Independent hold

Bothenhampton

Bothenhampton^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Y. Skyrme	501	67.2	*N/A*
	Liberal	B. Hammond	245	32.8	N/A
Majority			256	34.4	N/A
Turnout				55.8	N/A
Registered electors			1,347
	Independent gain from Independent

Bradford Abbas

Bradford Abbas^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E. Garrett	499	69.0	*N/A*
	Liberal	M. Winder *	224	31.0	–19.9
Majority			275	38.0	N/A
Turnout				59.5	+17.1
Registered electors			1,239
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing

Bradpole

Bradpole^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	R. Coatsworth	332	48.7	*N/A*
	Independent	E. Kingsnorth	214	31.4	N/A
	Labour	B. Cole	136	19.9	N/A
Majority			118	17.3	N/A
Turnout				53.1	N/A
Registered electors			1,291
	Independent gain from Liberal

Bridport

Bridport (5 seats)^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	P. Norfolk *	1,140	–	*N/A*
	Independent	C. Samways	1,057	–	*N/A*
	Liberal	A. Tiltman *	1,018	34.0	+6.7
	Labour	L. Dibden *	834	27.9	+1.6
	Independent	W. Hicks	829	–	*N/A*
	Labour	H. Skevington *	816	–	N/A
Turnout				40.2	–19.4
Registered electors			5,142
	Independent hold		Swing
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing
	Liberal hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Broadmayne

Broadmayne^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	B. Course	261	54.6	*N/A*
	Independent	W. White *	217	45.4	–10.7
Majority			44	9.2	N/A
Turnout				43.4	+12.6
Registered electors			1,123
	Liberal gain from Independent		Swing

Broadwindsor

Broadwindsor^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	C. Coate *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			970
	Independent hold

Burton Bradstock

Burton Bradstock^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	G. Cheney *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,063
	Independent hold

Caundle Vale

Caundle Vale^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	N. White *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			984
	Independent hold

Cerne Valley

Cerne Valley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dione Digby, Lady Digby	426	69.4	*N/A*
	Independent	T. Mills	188	30.6	N/A
Majority			238	38.8	N/A
Turnout				63.4	N/A
Registered electors			968
	Independent gain from Independent

Charminster

Charminster^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E. Hanford *	392	72.7	*N/A*
	Liberal	R. Goucher	147	27.3	N/A
Majority			245	45.4	N/A
Turnout				43.2	N/A
Registered electors			1,256
	Independent hold

Charmouth

Charmouth^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W. McLellan	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,171
	Independent gain from Independent

Chesil Bank

Chesil Bank^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	M. Pengelly *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,056
	Independent hold

Chickerell

Chickerell (2 seats)^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	L. Bennett *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Independent	W. McCarthy *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			2,618
	Independent hold
	Independent hold

Dorchester Central

Dorchester Central^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	L. Phillips *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,058
	Independent hold

Dorchester East

Dorchester East (4 seats)^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Parsons *	1,251	–
	Independent	R. Collins *	1,191	–
	Conservative	P. Seaton	1,178	34.3	*N/A*
	Liberal	Enid Stella Jones *	1,004	29.2	–3.6
	Liberal	D. Smith	923	–
	Liberal	R. Brissenden *	894	–
	Independent	C. Worth	846	–	N/A
Turnout				50.6	–17.7
Registered electors			4,239
	Independent hold		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing
	Liberal hold		Swing

Dorchester West

Dorchester West (5 seats)^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	G. Powell *	1,304	–
	Independent	H. Durrant *	1,146	–
	Liberal	David Trevor Jones *	1,110	36.8	+2.9
	Independent	C. Lucas	1,105	–	*N/A*
	Liberal	E. Boothman	1,018	–
	Liberal	B. Clay	992	–
	Liberal	J. Sellingham	865	–
	Labour	G. Standfield	604	20.0	–3.6
	Labour	P. Gregory	572	–
Turnout				47.2	–24.0
Registered electors			5,098
	Independent hold		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing
	Liberal hold		Swing
	Independent gain from Liberal		Swing
	Liberal hold		Swing

Frome Valley

Frome Valley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	B. Bryant *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			971
	Independent hold

Halstock

Halstock^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T. Frost *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,115
	Independent hold

Holnest

Holnest^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	M. Cockburn *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,085
	Independent hold

Loders

Loders^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E. Golding *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			894
	Independent hold

Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis (3 seats)^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Nuttall	1,006	–	*N/A*
	Independent	J. Broom *	891	–
	Independent	E. Hallett *	791	–
	Independent	V. Homyer *	506	–
Turnout				52.7	+30.0
Registered electors			2,808
	Independent gain from Independent		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing

Maiden Newton

Maiden Newton^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	H. Haward *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,008
	Independent hold

Netherbury

Netherbury^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	C. Poole	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,248
	Independent gain from Independent

Owermoigne

Owermoigne^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	R. Symes	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,070
	Independent gain from Independent

Piddle Valley

Piddle Valley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	C. Green *	385	63.2	–26.4
	Independent	M. Walker	224	36.8	N/A
Majority			161	26.4	–13.7
Turnout				57.2	+17.1
Registered electors			1,064
	Independent hold		Swing

Puddletown

Puddletown^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	M. Bown *	355	81.6	*N/A*
	Independent	M. Fermor	80	18.4	N/A
Majority			275	63.2	N/A
Turnout				51.1	N/A
Registered electors			870
	Independent hold

Queen Thorne

Queen Thorne^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Brewer *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,033
	Independent hold

Sherborne

Sherborne (5 seats)^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E. King *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Independent	E. Dyke *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Liberal	J. Charles	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Liberal	M. Matson *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
	Independent	R. Farrant *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			5,692
	Independent hold
	Independent hold
	Liberal hold
	Liberal gain from Independent
	Independent hold

Stinsford

Stinsford^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	L. Coleman	291	77.4	*N/A*
	Independent	I. Birchenhough	85	22.6	N/A
Majority			206	54.8	N/A
Turnout				46.6	–18.1
Registered electors			809
	Independent gain from Independent

Symondsbury

Symondsbury^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	G. Summers	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,182
	Independent gain from Independent

Thorncombe

Thorncombe^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	P. Atyeo *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,020
	Independent hold

Tolpuddle

Tolpuddle^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	M. Kraft *	314	78.9	*N/A*
	Liberal	P. Noble	84	21.1	N/A
Majority			230	57.8	N/A
Turnout				56.5	N/A
Registered electors			705
	Independent hold

Whitchurch Canonicorum

Whitchurch Canonicorum^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W. Fowell *	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			1,069
	Independent hold

Winterborne St Martin

Winterborne St Martin^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	S. Slade	unopposed	*N/A*	*N/A*
Registered electors			946
	Independent gain from Independent

Yetminster

Yetminster^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ind. Conservative	W. Anderson	348	61.3	*N/A*
	Independent	F. Lawrence *	220	38.7	N/A
Majority			128	22.6	N/A
Turnout				51.7	N/A
Registered electors			1,113
	Ind. Conservative gain from Independent

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj "West Dorset District Council Election Results 1973-2011" (PDF). The Elections Centre (Plymouth University). Retrieved 21 April 2020.

v t e Council elections in Dorset
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council	2019 2023
Dorset Council	2019 2024
Dorset County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 Abolished
Bournemouth Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1996 1998 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Abolished
Christchurch Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Abolished
East Dorset District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Abolished
North Dorset District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Abolished
Poole Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1996 1998 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Abolished
Purbeck District Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 Abolished
West Dorset District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1984 1986 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 Abolished
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes

v t e (1975 ←) 1976 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1977)
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District councils (England)	Adur Allerdale Alnwick Amber Valley Arun Ashfield Ashford Aylesbury Vale Babergh Barrow-in-Furness Basildon Basingstoke Bassetlaw Bath Beaconsfield Berwick-upon-Tweed Beverley Blaby Blackburn Blackpool Blyth Valley Bolsover Boothferry Boston Bournemouth Bracknell Braintree Breckland Brentwood Bridgnorth Brighton Bristol Broadland Bromsgrove Broxbourne Broxtowe Burnley Cambridge Cannock Chase Canterbury Caradon Carlisle Carrick Castle Morpeth Castle Point Charnwood Chelmsford Cheltenham Cherwell Chester Chesterfield Chester-le-Street Chichester Chiltern Chorley Christchurch Cleethorpes Colchester Congleton Copeland Corby Cotswold Craven Crawley Crewe and Nantwich Dacorum Darlington Dartford Daventry Derby Derwentside Dover Durham Easington East Cambridgeshire East Devon East Hampshire East Hertfordshire East Lindsey East Northamptonshire East Staffordshire Eastbourne Eastleigh Eden Ellesmere Port Elmbridge Epping Forest Epsom and Ewell Erewash Exeter Fareham Fenland Forest Heath Forest of Dean Fylde Gedling Gillingham Glanford Gloucester Gosport Gravesham Great Yarmouth Grimsby Guildford Halton Hambleton Harborough Harlow Harrogate Hart Hartlepool Hastings Havant Hereford Hertsmere High Peak Hinckley and Bosworth Holderness Horsham Hove Hull Huntingdon Hyndburn Ipswich Kennet Kerrier Kettering Kingswood Lancaster Langbaurgh Leicester Leominster Lewes Lichfield Lincoln Langbaurgh Macclesfield Maidstone Maldon Malvern Hills Mansfield Medina Medway Melton Mendip Mid Bedfordshire Mid Suffolk Mid Sussex Middlesbrough Milton Keynes Mole Valley New Forest Newbury Newark Newcastle-under-Lyme North Bedfordshire North Cornwall North Devon North Dorset North East Derbyshire North Hertfordshire North Kesteven North Norfolk North Shropshire North Warwickshire North West Leicestershire North Wiltshire North Wolds Northampton Northavon Norwich Nottingham Nuneaton Oadby and Wigston Oswestry Oxford Pendle Penwith Peterborough Plymouth Poole Portsmouth Preston Purbeck Reading Redditch Reigate and Banstead Restormel Ribble Valley Richmondshire Rochford Rossendale Rother Rugby Runnymede Rushcliffe Rushmoor Rutland Ryedale Salisbury Scarborough Scunthorpe Sedgefield Sedgemoor Selby Sevenoaks Shepway Shrewsbury and Atcham Slough South Bedfordshire South Cambridgeshire South Derbyshire South Hams South Herefordshire South Holland South Kesteven South Lakeland South Norfolk South Northamptonshire South Oxfordshire South Ribble South Staffordshire South Shropshire South Wight Southampton Southend-on-Sea Spelthorne St Albans St Edmundsbury Stafford Staffordshire Moorlands Stevenage Stockton-on-Tees Stoke-on-Trent Stratford-on-Avon Stroud Suffolk Coastal Surrey Heath Swale Tamworth Tandridge Taunton Deane Teesdale Teignbridge Tendring Test Valley Tewkesbury Thamesdown Thanet The Wrekin Three Rivers Thurrock Tiverton Tonbridge and Malling Torbay Torridge Tunbridge Wells Tynedale Uttlesford Vale of White Horse Vale Royal Wansbeck Wansdyke Warrington Warwick Watford Waveney Waverley Wealden Wear Valley Wellingborough Welwyn Hatfield West Derbyshire West Devon West Dorset West Lancashire West Lindsey West Norfolk West Oxfordshire West Somerset West Wiltshire Weymouth and Portland Wimborne Winchester Windsor and Maidenhead Woking Wokingham Woodspring Worcester Worthing Wychavon Wycombe Wyre Wyre Forest Yeovil York
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This page was last edited on 5 June 2023, at 16:34