# 1968 Sheffield City Council election

The 1968 Sheffield City Council election was held on 9 May 1968, with a third of the council up for vote, alongside three double vacancies in Broomhill, Handsworth and Mosborough. Overall turnout was 33.9%, a continuation of the preceding year's improvement.
Following on from the previous year's momentous wins by the Conservatives, this historic night seen them surpass those and win control of the council for the first time since 1932, when it won as the Conservative-Liberal combination Progressives party. This election and the previous followed the national trend of Labour suffering massive losses around the country, even in their heartlands, with only two cities left Labour-controlled after these elections - Hull and Stoke - and even there the Tories were making significant inroads.
The results were met with jubilant scenes in the town hall, where the Conservatives opened bottles of champagne and celebrated. The leader of the Conservative group, alderman Harold Hebblethwaite, remarked:
"Tonight is a wonderful night. It is a narrow majority, nevertheless, it is a workable majority. This victory is the plum which the Conservative Party have been looking for nationally, and here it is. I am not used to making emotional statements such as 'to the victors the spoils' but it follows naturally from our victory that we shall take the committee chairmanships and deputy chairmanships. We will have to do that to control policy. We have a majority of only four but I would emphasise that if we had had this majority last year with the opportunity to manipulate aldermanic seats our majority on the council floor would have been 14."
Labour Park councillor Joe Ashton, wrote "we will return" on the wall of the Town Hall whip's office in response to the defeat.
The Conservatives gained seven seats from Labour in Birley, Darnall, Firth Park, Netherthorpe, Owlerton, Sharrow and Walkley, as well as the sole Independent seat in Mosborough. These gains transformed a narrow deficit in councillors, to a thirteen-strong majority. A poll of voters in the Darnall ward (an invariably Labour-won seat since 1945) was commissioned by the Morning Telegraph four days prior to the election, correctly predicting a Conservative gain with a swing to the Conservatives of 5.5% - a figure that was exceeded by one per cent on the night. Unfortunately for the Conservatives, the aldermanic elections weren't until 1970, and two-thirds of those currently represented Labour, reducing their majority to just 4, and as such, difficult to govern with. Aside from numerical difficulties, the recent report from the City's Treasurer precipitated financial restraint, so the incoming governments options were one of either cuts to the council's services, or rises in the city's rates.

## Election result

Sheffield Local Election Result 1968 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 22 | 8 | 0 | +8 | 73.3 | 57.4 | 72,763 | +7.0 |
| Labour | 8 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 26.7 | 36.0 | 45,555 | -2.2 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 3,006 | -2.0 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 2,697 | -2.1 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 2,652 | -0.6 |
The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:
| Party | Party | Previous council | Previous council | New council | New council |
| Party | Party | Cllr | Ald | Cllr | Ald |
| | Conservatives | 39 | 9 | 47 | 9 |
| | Labour | 41 | 18 | 34 | 18 |
| | Communists | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Liberals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 81 | 27 | 81 | 27 |
| Total | Total | 108 | 108 | 108 | 108 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 1 | 9 | 13 | -9 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 10 | 10 | 4 | 4 |

## Ward results

Attercliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harry Firth | 2,257 | 66.4 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | Harold Mellor | 1,141 | 33.6 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,116 | 32.8 | −9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,398 | 21.2 | −1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.7 | |
Beauchief :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Crewe | 6,303 | 82.9 | +11.4 |
| | Labour | Kenneth Morgan | 1,300 | 17.1 | −11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,003 | 65.8 | +22.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,603 | 53.1 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.4 | |
Birley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Danny George | 2,507 | 54.1 | +15.8 |
| | Labour | Leonard Stones | 1,903 | 41.1 | +0.5 |
| | Independent | Laurence Gillatt | 221 | 4.8 | −16.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 604 | 13.0 | +10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,631 | 31.2 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +7.6 | |
Brightside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Wilson | 1,838 | 52.8 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | Leonard Scott | 1,261 | 36.2 | +6.7 |
| | National Front | George Clark | 214 | 6.1 | −3.7 |
| | Communist | Joe Stevens | 170 | 4.9 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 577 | 16.6 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,483 | 27.1 | +1.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.7 | |
Broomhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Cheetham | 3,560 | 66.4 | −10.8 |
| | Conservative | A. Smith | 3,419 | | |
| | Labour | Annie Britton | 999 | 18.6 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | J. Garb | 804 | 15.0 | +15.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,561 | 47.7 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,363 | 33.1 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.3 | |
Burngreave :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jack Osborne | 1,842 | 49.7 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | Harry Hall | 1,567 | 42.3 | +4.6 |
| | Communist | Jim Ashurst | 172 | 4.6 | −4.5 |
| | | D. Biddles | 124 | 3.4 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 275 | 7.4 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,705 | 27.3 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.2 | |
Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roy Munn | 1,759 | 54.0 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | Simon Newall | 1,109 | 34.0 | −2.6 |
| | | G. May | 217 | 4.8 | +4.8 |
| | Communist | Edna Ashworth | 174 | 5.3 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 650 | 19.9 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,259 | 28.9 | +2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
Darnall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Heath | 2,395 | 50.9 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | Arnold Wood | 2,312 | 49.1 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 1.7 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,707 | 30.4 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +6.6 | |
Dore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Patricia Santhouse | 5,039 | 80.3 | +2.5 |
| | Labour | John Cornwell | 1,235 | 19.7 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,804 | 60.3 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,274 | 48.7 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 | |
Ecclesall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Cook | 4,844 | 78.1 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal | A. Barrett | 720 | 11.6 | −5.5 |
| | Labour | Leon Harris | 636 | 10.2 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,124 | 67.9 | +16.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,200 | 42.7 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.4 | |
Firth Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Madge Kerton | 2,163 | 46.0 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | Tom Lowe | 1,846 | 39.3 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal | Francis Butler | 471 | 10.0 | −2.4 |
| | Communist | R. Wilkinson | 217 | 4.6 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 317 | 6.7 | 5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,697 | 32.8 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +2.4 | |
Gleadless :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Davison | 4,089 | 63.8 | +8.3 |
| | Labour | Alfred Wood | 1,952 | 30.4 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal | Dennis Boothroyd | 370 | 5.8 | −5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,137 | 33.3 | +10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,411 | 46.5 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.3 | |
Hallam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Guy Walker | 4,321 | 79.6 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | Jack Watson | 1,108 | 20.4 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,213 | 59.2 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,429 | 39.5 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.2 | |
Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Brookes | 2,105 | 50.5 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Jack Kerton | 2,073 | | |
| | Labour | James Pearson | 2,066 | 49.5 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | George Nicholls | 2,064 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 0.9 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,171 | 32.7 | −5.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.0 | |
Heeley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Swain | 3,855 | 57.7 | +8.9 |
| | Labour | Peter Jones | 2,413 | 36.1 | −5.4 |
| | Communist | Robert Moody | 407 | 6.1 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,442 | 21.6 | +14.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,675 | 40.5 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.1 | |
Hillsborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Irvine Patnick | 4,309 | 68.3 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | Albert Morris | 1,997 | 31.7 | −8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,312 | 36.7 | +17.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,306 | 42.8 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.8 | |
Intake :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frank Woodger | 2,920 | 57.2 | +5.3 |
| | Labour | Joseph Albaya | 2,181 | 42.7 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 739 | 14.5 | +10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,101 | 32.6 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.3 | |
Manor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Machin | 1,785 | 49.3 | +3.5 |
| | Conservative | Raymond Brown | 1,410 | 38.9 | +5.7 |
| | Communist | John Hukin | 425 | 11.7 | −9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 375 | 10.3 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,620 | 25.8 | −1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
Mosborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hugh Rowbotham | 1,532 | 50.5 | +24.1 |
| | Labour | Dorothy Walton | 1,498 | 49.4 | +13.6 |
| | Labour | Harry Havenhand | 1,415 | | |
| | Conservative | Eric Vawser | 1,317 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 1.1 | −0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,030 | 33.6 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.2 | |
Nether Edge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Macdonald | 4,515 | 82.8 | +17.7 |
| | Labour | Charles Hayward | 938 | 17.2 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,577 | 65.6 | +19.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,453 | 39.8 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.5 | |
Nether Shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Staton | 1,928 | 39.5 | +1.7 |
| | Conservative | Michael Black | 1,792 | 36.7 | +3.8 |
| | | R. Hewitt | 567 | 11.6 | +11.6 |
| | Liberal | Albert Hattersley | 332 | 6.8 | −9.7 |
| | Communist | Ken Hattersley | 266 | 5.4 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 2.8 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,885 | 39.4 | +4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.0 | |
Netherthorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jean Grindrod | 1,486 | 45.9 | +8.7 |
| | Labour | Marie Rodgers | 1,483 | 45.8 | −1.5 |
| | Communist | Roy Barrett | 270 | 8.3 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 0.1 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,239 | 28.9 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +5.1 | |
Owlerton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nesta Bennett | 1,509 | 45.8 | +15.3 |
| | Labour | John Yeardley | 1,435 | 43.6 | −3.0 |
| | Communist | Dave Jeffery | 349 | 10.6 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 74 | 2.2 | −13.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,293 | 22.5 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +9.1 | |
Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dennis Dunn | 1,726 | 47.0 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | June Harris | 1,145 | 31.1 | −2.6 |
| | | M. Macdonald | 631 | 12.1 | +12.1 |
| | Communist | Cyril Morton | 172 | 4.7 | −9.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 581 | 15.8 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,674 | 24.8 | −1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.0 | |
Sharrow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Pashley | 2,388 | 51.5 | +11.2 |
| | Labour | Ethel Evans | 2,039 | 44.0 | +4.7 |
| | National Front | Barrie Bolton | 204 | 4.5 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 349 | 7.5 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,631 | 39.3 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.2 | |
Southey Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Francis O'Shaughnessy | 1,478 | 52.1 | −0.0 |
| | Conservative | Charles Hughes | 975 | 34.4 | +2.4 |
| | Communist | Gordon Ashberry | 384 | 13.5 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 503 | 17.7 | −2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,837 | 21.0 | −0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.2 | |
Walkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Goodram | 2,248 | 48.9 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | Bernard Kidd | 1,876 | 40.8 | −4.7 |
| | National Front | Alan Holmes | 244 | 5.3 | −3.7 |
| | | G. Bohannon | 230 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 372 | 8.1 | +8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,598 | 31.5 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +4.0 | |