1984 North Hertfordshire District Council election
# 1984 North Hertfordshire District Council election

The 1984 North Hertfordshire District Council election was held on 3 May 1984, at the same time as other local elections across England and Scotland. There were 17 out of 50 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council up for election, being the usual third of the council.

The Conservatives remained in overall control of the council, increasing their majority by one seat. Labour lost three seats, despite its share of the vote actually increasing compared to the 1983 election. The Labour group leader, Ian Mantle, was one of those who lost his seat.

## Overall results

The overall results were as follows:

1984 North Hertfordshire District Council election :

| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 9 | 1 | 52.9 | 22 | 31 | 62.0 | 13,805 | 39.0 | -3.1 |
| | Labour | 5 | 3 | 29.4 | 7 | 12 | 24.0 | 11,434 | 32.3 | +3.2 |
| | Alliance | 1 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 2 | 4.0 | 8,517 | 24.1 | 0.0 |
| | Ratepayers | 1 | 1 | 5.9 | 2 | 3 | 6.0 | 1,094 | 3.1 | -1.6 |
| | Independent | 1 | | 5.9 | 1 | 2 | 4.0 | 525 | 1.5 | +1.5 |

Liberal and SDP votes are counted together in the summary above as part of the Alliance. In the ward results below, where the individual party affiliation of Alliance candidates was reported it is shown instead.

## Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows. An asterisk(*) indicates a sitting councillor standing for re-election.

Ashbrook ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Michael Tatham* | 633 | 55.4 | -6.8 |
| | Labour | Keith Brydon | 311 | 27.2 | -10.6 |
| | Alliance | John Seabrook | 199 | 17.4 | +17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 55.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,057 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 | |

Baldock ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Alan Moir | 1,163 | 40.8 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Alan Ford | 1,050 | 36.9 | -10.4 |
| | Alliance | Bill Gore | 636 | 22.3 | +5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,839 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.8 | |

Cadwell ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Ron Lodge | 525 | 61.0 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Mark Baker | 205 | 23.8 | +5.3 |
| | SDP | Ann Milner | 130 | 15.1 | +15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,773 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | -1.8 | |

Hitchin Bearton ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Judi Billing* | 1,056 | 47.0 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | Jean Saunders | 893 | 39.7 | -1.9 |
| | SDP | Harry Shipley | 299 | 13.3 | -3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 50.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,450 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.7 | |

* ↑ Previously elected in 1980 as Judi Smith.

Hitchin Highbury ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Phillip MacCormack* | 1,247 | 51.9 | -13.8 |
| | SDP | Mary Burton | 772 | 32.1 | +11.8 |
| | Labour | Teresa Trangmar | 386 | 16.0 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 47.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,105 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -12.8 | |

Hitchin Oughton ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Martin Stears* | 1,096 | 60.4 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | Derrick Ashley | 459 | 25.3 | -7.2 |
| | Alliance | Lorna Maclean | 260 | 14.3 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,377 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.7 | |

Hitchin Priory ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Frank Howett* | 858 | 67.7 | +2.7 |
| | SDP | Aileen Burford-Mason | 275 | 21.7 | -6.5 |
| | Labour | Nigel Agar | 135 | 10.6 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,769 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.6 | |

Hitchin Walsworth ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Ratepayers | Chris Parker | 1,094 | 36.2 | -10.2 |
| | Labour | Veronica Sharp | 938 | 31.0 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Julian Glynne Jones (Glynne Jones) | 595 | 19.7 | +1.0 |
| | Alliance | Jenny Sefton | 397 | 13.1 | +3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 50.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,941 | | |
| | Ratepayers gain from Labour | Ratepayers gain from Labour | Swing | -8.2 | |

Knebworth ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Margaret Hilton | 797 | 52.1 | -5.9 |
| | Alliance | Andy Hudson | 445 | 29.1 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | Brian Kelly | 288 | 18.8 | -1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,188 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.4 | |

Letchworth East ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Headley Parkins* | 1,073 | 43.3 | +3.2 |
| | Alliance | Martin Fisher | 871 | 35.1 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas King | 536 | 21.6 | -6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,841 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.2 | |

Letchworth Grange ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | David Kearns* | 1,122 | 41.1 | +3.9 |
| | SDP | Brian Nicholson | 934 | 34.2 | -0.7 |
| | Conservative | Richard Sturman | 673 | 24.7 | -3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 52.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,179 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |

Letchworth South East ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Gordon Whalley | 1,173 | 34.2 | -2.1 |
| | SDP | David Attwood | 1,150 | 33.5 | -4.1 |
| | Labour | David Evans* | 1,107 | 32.3 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,954 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +1.0 | |

Letchworth South West ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Woods* | 1,294 | 54.3 | -0.7 |
| | Labour | John Preston | 596 | 25.0 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal | Rosemary Ryden | 494 | 20.7 | -0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,491 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.8 | |

Letchworth Wilbury ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Ray Bloxham | 1,062 | 44.4 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Ian Mantle* | 1,007 | 42.1 | -3.1 |
| | Alliance | Hans Mulder | 325 | 13.6 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 59.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,016 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +2.8 | |

Royston East ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Francis John Smith* (John Smith) | 1,133 | 72.4 | +17.3 |
| | Labour | Mandy Webb | 432 | 27.6 | +16.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,996 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3 | |

Royston West ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal | Harold Margolis | 1,157 | 46.3 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Terence Bernard Botfield* (Terry Botfield) | 943 | 37.8 | -5.8 |
| | Labour | Eunice King | 397 | 15.9 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,319 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.4 | |

Weston ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Robert Evans* | 459 | 60.9 | -3.6 |
| | Alliance | Gary Barker | 173 | 22.9 | +22.9 |
| | Labour | Roger McFall | 122 | 16.2 | -19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 54.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,396 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -13.3 | |

## Changes 1984–1986

Two by-elections were held on 28 March 1985. The by-election in Cadwell ward was triggered by the death of independent councillor Ron Lodge, and the by-election in Letchworth South West ward was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor John Talbot. The SDP–Liberal Alliance won the Letchworth South West seat from the Conservatives. In Cadwell ward the Conservatives won the seat which had previously been independent.

Cadwell ward by-election, 28 March 1985 :

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Conservative | Linda Turner | 293 | 37.7 | -23.4 |
| SDP | John Seabrook | 275 | 35.3 | +11.5 |
| Labour | Jan Gosling | 210 | 27.0 | +11.9 |
| Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | -17.5 | |

Letchworth South West ward by-election, 28 March 1985 :

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Liberal | William Armitage | 1,202 | 45.5 | +24.7 |
| Conservative | Ron Edwards | 937 | 35.4 | -18.8 |
| Labour | Bill Miller | 505 | 19.1 | -5.9 |
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +21.8 | |
