# 1985 Wiltshire County Council election

Elections to Wiltshire County Council were held on 2 May 1985. The whole council of seventy-five members was up for election and the result was that the Conservatives lost their majority, winning only thirty seats, resulting in no overall control. The Liberals gained seats, winning seventeen, the Social Democrats won eight seats, the first time they had been represented in the council, while Labour had losses, finishing like the Liberals with seventeen members. Three Independents, including one Ratepayer, were also elected.
In an editorial on 4 May headed "Local Lessons", The Times commented that "The Conservatives predominate as the single largest party in the counties still. Generalizations from such elections are always flawed by local factors. Intra-party disputes help explain the loss of Conservative seats in Wiltshire".
Following the elections, an informal agreement between the leader of the Liberal group, Jack Ainslie, and the leader of the Labour members, Mary Salisbury, led to the formation of a minority SDP–Liberal Alliance administration. Salisbury commented to The Times "Where the Liberals put forward what seem to be measures which are beneficial to the people of Wiltshire, we will support them."

## Election result

Wiltshire Local Election Result 1985 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % |
| Conservative | 30 | -10 | 40.0 |
| Liberal | 17 | +5 | 22.7 |
| Labour | 17 | -3 | 22.7 |
| SDP | 8 | +8 | 10.7 |
| Independent | 3 | +1 | 4.0 |

## Results by divisions
### Aldbourne and Ramsbury

Aldbourne and Ramsbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Alliance | John Bernard Ainslie | 2,012 | 67.0 |
| | Conservative | K. Eaton | 855 | 28.5 |
| | Labour | W. Barlow | 136 | 4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1157 | |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing | |

### Alderbury

Alderbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | A. W. M. Christie-Miller | 1,438 | 64.8 |
| | Alliance | A. Maclachan | 664 | 29.9 |
| | Labour | I. Tomes | 117 | 5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 774 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Amesbury

Amesbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Alliance | A. J. F. Haywood | 1,193 | 55.9 |
| | Conservative | T. Heffernan | 943 | 44.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 | |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing | |

### Bedwyn

Bedwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | H. D. Rogers | 1,199 | 74.1 |
| | Alliance | T. Williams | 418 | 25.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Blunsdon

Blunsdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. W. H. Archer | 1,520 | 57.9 |
| | Alliance | Ms P. Pascoe | 970 | 37.0 |
| | Ecology | H. Stredder | 133 | 5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 550 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Box

Box :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | F. Naylor | 1,054 | 40.2 |
| | Alliance | Ms B. Oakes | 870 | 33.2 |
| | Labour | J. Eglinton | 695 | 26.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 184 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Bradford on Avon North

Bradford on Avon North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Alliance | H. J. Owen | 1,601 | 56.2 |
| | Conservative | Robert George Ian Elliott | 1,246 | 43.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 355 | |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing | |

### Bradford on Avon South

Bradford on Avon South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Mrs Margaret Purves | 909 | 40.9 |
| | Alliance | G. Turner | 883 | 39.8 |
| | Labour | J. D. Childs | 428 | 19.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Bremhill and Calne Without

Bremhill and Calne Without :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Andrew Raymond Syms | 1,196 | 47.3 |
| | Alliance | G. Greer | 945 | 36.4 |
| | Labour | H. Kirkbride | 386 | 15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 251 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Brinkworth

Brinkworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | R. Carter | 1,530 |
| | Alliance | Ms J. Stratton | 858 |
| | Labour | W. Andrews | 142 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 672 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Calne

Calne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | Mrs E. Hornby | 1,200 |
| | Conservative | E. Miller | 594 |
| | Labour | A. Donald | 575 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 606 |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing |

### Chippenham Park

Chippenham Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | J. Henning | 891 |
| | Conservative | Ms E. Winterton | 836 |
| | Labour | R. Haynes | 329 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |

### Chippenham Sheldon

Chippenham Sheldon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | June Margaret Wood | 1,416 |
| | Conservative | J. Scott | 994 |
| | Labour | A. Day | 782 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 422 |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing |

### Chippenham Town

Chippenham Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | Ms M. Fallon | 2,267 |
| | Conservative | E. Taylor | 1,209 |
| | Labour | J. Coadwell | 321 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,058 |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing |

### Collingbourne

Collingbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | H. Crawford | 1,130 |
| | Conservative | D. Fopp | 598 |
| | Labour | J. Davidson | 282 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 532 |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |

### Corsham

Corsham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | John Bright | 1,054 |
| | Alliance | D. Pope | 899 |
| | Labour | Ms C. Reid | 282 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 155 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Cricklade

Cricklade :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | Reginald John Coole | 1,480 |
| | Conservative | R. Thompson | 573 |
| | Labour | J. D’Lemos | 75 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 907 |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing |

### Devizes

Devizes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | P. Gates | 742 |
| | Alliance | Ms P. A. Morris | 696 |
| | Labour | I. Hopkins | 499 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46 |
| | Conservative gain from Alliance | Conservative gain from Alliance | Swing |

### Devizes South and Cannings

Devizes South and Cannings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Patricia Rugg | 1,416 |
| | Alliance | C. Gillington | 1,052 |
| | Labour | Ms S. Williams | 442 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 364 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Downton

Downton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | R. Peach | 1,216 |
| | Alliance | C. Tate | 667 |
| | Labour | K. Willis | 377 |
| | Independent | H. Farris | 336 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 549 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Durrington

Durrington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | C. E. Robinson | 651 |
| | Independent | R. Steadman | 589 |
| | Labour | Ms A. Read | 422 |
| | Alliance | Ms F. Crombie | 269 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing |

### Highworth

Highworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Ms M. Haines | 1,867 |
| | Conservative | D. F. Morley | 1,238 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 629 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Holt

Holt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | George Frederick James Hawkins | 1,232 |
| | Conservative | P. Beale | 983 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 249 |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |

### Idmiston

Idmiston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Ms H. Mead | 1,004 |
| | Alliance | Ms G. Gent | 843 |
| | Labour | M. Sheehan | 157 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Kington

Kington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | M. Adams | 1,102 |
| | Conservative | Brenda Margaret Wyrill | 1,018 |
| | Labour | C. Phillips | 236 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 276 |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |

### Laverstock

Laverstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | R. C. Lodge | 1,037 |
| | Alliance | D. Crombie | 765 |
| | Labour | I. Hollingworth | 202 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 272 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Lavington

Lavington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Derek Bernard William Jarvis | 1,460 |
| | Labour | Ms P. Day | 622 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 838 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Malmesbury

Malmesbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | H. Price | 1,954 |
| | Conservative | R. Clarke | 1,307 |
| | Labour | M. Tavener | 223 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 647 |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |

### Marlborough

Marlborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Alliance | J. Spanton | 1,242 |
| | Conservative | B. Ashley | 1,037 |
| | Labour | Ms M. R. Urquhart | 328 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 205 |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing |

### Melksham

Melksham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Mary E. Salisbury | 1,502 |
| | Conservative | Ms P. Johnson | 642 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 860 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Melksham Without

Melksham Without :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Ms. E. Joyce | 1,556 |
| | Labour | P. Colegate | 1,081 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 475 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Mere

Mere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Robert George Catton | 1,236 |
| | Alliance | S. Head | 821 |
| | Labour | Ms S. Potten | 257 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 415 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |