# 1979 Reading Borough Council election

The 1979 Reading Borough Council election was held on 3 May 1979, alongside local elections across England and Wales and the general election. All 49 seats on Reading Borough Council were contested.
Prior to the election, the council had been under no overall control, with the Conservatives the largest party. Labour saw the biggest net increase in its seats, gaining three, but the council remained under no overall control with the Conservatives as the largest party. After the election the Conservatives had 22 seats (down from 24), Labour had 16 seats (up from 13), and the Liberals had 11 seats (down from 12).
The party leaders on the council ahead of the election were Deryck Morton for the Conservatives, Geoff Mander for Labour, and Geoff Salisbury for the Liberals. Geoff Salisbury did not stand at the election, and the Liberals' former leader Jim Day became party leader again after the election, having spent the 1978–1979 civic year as mayor of Reading. Deryck Morton was re-appointed to the council's most senior political role as chair of the policy committee after the election, effectively leading a Conservative minority administration.

## Results

Reading Borough Council Election, 1979 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Conservative | 22 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 44.9% | 44.2% | 123,224 |
| Labour | 16 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 32.7% | 31.1% | 86,591 |
| Liberal | 11 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 22.4% | 24.6% | 68,404 |
| Independent | 0 | | | | 0% | 0.1% | 176 |
| Communist | 0 | | | | 0% | 0.0% | 139 |

### Ward results

The results in each ward were as follows (candidates with an asterisk(*) were the previous incumbent standing for re-election, candidates with a dagger(†) were sitting councillors contesting different wards):
Abbey Ward (two seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Graham Ransley Chapman | 676 |
| Labour | Helen Ruth Kayes | 649 |
| Conservative | Keith John Hardie | 592 |
| Conservative | John Norman Pearson | 566 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Battle Ward (two seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Antony William Page† | 1,480 |
| Labour | Frances Margaret (Bunty) Nash | 1,474 |
| Conservative | Roy Ernest Simmonds | 1,043 |
| Conservative | Adel Hamza Fuad | 1,009 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
Castle Ward (three seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Graham Anthony Rush* | 1,848 |
| Labour | Moira Elizabeth Dickenson | 1,705 |
| Labour | Ronald John Williams | 1,694 |
| Conservative | Maurice Gordon Lidgley | 1,658 |
| Conservative | Roy Tranter | 1,657 |
| Conservative | Richard Charles Young | 1,547 |
| Communist | Stanley Frederick Cooke | 139 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
Caversham Ward (three seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Ronald William Jewitt* | 3,248 |
| Conservative | George Frank Robinson* | 2,641 |
| Conservative | Frederick Llywelyn Pugh* | 2,624 |
| Labour | Thomas Henry Clifton | 1,329 |
| Labour | David Daniel Malvern | 1,251 |
| Labour | Alexander Pravda | 1,113 |
| Liberal | David Henry Oliphant | 578 |
| Liberal | Jennifer Ann Lewis | 516 |
| Liberal | David Michael Williams | 440 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
Caversham Park Ward (two seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Hamish Macbeth | 1,622 |
| Conservative | Geoffrey Alan Lowe* | 1,544 |
| Liberal | Harold Arnold Stoddart* | 1,437 |
| Liberal | Derek Michael Nathan | 1,171 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing |
Christchurch Ward (four seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Marian Jeanne Absolom* | 2,741 |
| Labour | Peter Francis (Dave) Absolom | 2,733 |
| Labour | Christopher John Goodall | 2,527 |
| Labour | June Elizabeth Orton | 2,389 |
| Conservative | Robert Douglas Cox* | 2,053 |
| Conservative | Reginald Bishop* | 2,015 |
| Conservative | Gladys Emily Matthews | 1,857 |
| Conservative | Vivienne Joy Rose | 1,722 |
| Liberal | Philip Ernest Gash | 1,045 |
| Liberal | Elizabeth Margaret O'Rourke | 910 |
| Liberal | Gladys Ilfreda Massam | 896 |
| Liberal | David James Wilson | 853 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Katesgrove Ward (two seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Geoffrey Robert Mander* | 1,801 |
| Labour | Margaret Stella Singh* | 1,703 |
| Conservative | Christina Margaret Rowland | 1,185 |
| Conservative | Vera Anne Sutton | 1,107 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
Minster Ward (six seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Adelina Ethel Baker* | 4,235 |
| Conservative | Joseph Edwin Slater | 4,128 |
| Conservative | Simon Christopher Coombs* | 4,056 |
| Conservative | Charles Frederick Sage* | 4,040 |
| Conservative | Lynne Geraldine Bradley | 4,033 |
| Conservative | Sydney Harry Harris | 3,813 |
| Labour | William George Mander† | 3,053 |
| Labour | Kenneth Alan Diment | 3,008 |
| Labour | Douglas Ivor Buckley | 2,929 |
| Labour | Alaster James Rutherford | 2,797 |
| Labour | Frederick John Silverthorne | 2,755 |
| Labour | Robert Mitchell | 2,603 |
| Liberal | Christopher Bucke | 1,448 |
| Liberal | David George Hobbs | 1,416 |
| Liberal | Mary Laura Clark | 1,400 |
| Liberal | Daphne Janet Holmes | 1,340 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
Norcot Ward (six seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Liberal | Leslie Basil Dunning* | 3,376 |
| Liberal | Peter Beard* | 3,290 |
| Liberal | Terence James Francis* | 3,252 |
| Liberal | John Freeman* | 3,233 |
| Liberal | Ann Joan Grant | 3,134 |
| Liberal | Max Thomas Heydeman | 2,957 |
| Conservative | Martin John Chapman | 2,553 |
| Conservative | Cherry Lesley Clark | 2,513 |
| Conservative | Mary Irwin | 2,508 |
| Conservative | Geoffrey Gascoigne Lawrence† | 2,477 |
| Conservative | Peter William Wells | 2,364 |
| Conservative | Anthony James Markham | 2,362 |
| Labour | Reginald Harry (Joe) Bristow† | 2,352 |
| Labour | George Edward Cruse | 2,266 |
| Labour | Frank Alfred Harris | 2,234 |
| Labour | Peter John Ranson | 2,206 |
| Labour | Helen Muriel Hathaway | 2,125 |
| Labour | Paul Francis Schofield | 2,029 |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
Park Ward (three seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Douglas Alan Chilvers* | 1,795 |
| Conservative | Stephen John Foley | 1,727 |
| Conservative | Frank Neil Rowberry | 1,671 |
| Labour | John Francis Ryan | 1,605 |
| Labour | Joyclyn Alden (Joe) Williams | 1,550 |
| Labour | Ian Warrick | 1,528 |
| Liberal | Anthony Paul Dodd | 1,048 |
| Liberal | David Paul Gasson | 1,015 |
| Liberal | Charles William Looker | 909 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
Redlands Ward (three seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | John Michael Oliver* | 1,824 |
| Conservative | John Derrick Lawford* | 1,805 |
| Conservative | Martin Charles Lower* | 1,765 |
| Labour | Norman Barry Jones | 1,123 |
| Labour | Peter Kenneth Jones | 1,103 |
| Labour | Verina R. Jones | 1,055 |
| Liberal | David Charles Johnson | 1,051 |
| Liberal | Liam Gavin Grant | 1,047 |
| Liberal | Suzette Milano | 961 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
Thames Ward (five seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Geoffrey Walter Canning | 5,845 |
| Conservative | Brian Anthony Fowles | 5,704 |
| Conservative | Eric Gordon Davies* | 5,687 |
| Conservative | Kathleen Lucy Sage* | 5,638 |
| Conservative | Deryck Mitchell Morton* | 5,270 |
| Liberal | Edgar Martyn Allies | 1,994 |
| Liberal | Katherine Elizabeth Gwinnell | 1,810 |
| Liberal | Jill Marianne Green | 1,771 |
| Labour | Patricia Mary Mander | 1,556 |
| Liberal | Margaret Imogen Pravda | 1,529 |
| Labour | Michael William Johnson | 1,446 |
| Liberal | Gary Paul Wilkins | 1,368 |
| Labour | Gillian Angela Lidbetter | 1,322 |
| Labour | Susan Barbara Malvern | 1,285 |
| Labour | Graeme Francis St Clair | 1,238 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
Tilehurst Ward (five seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Liberal | Ronald James (Jim) Day* | 4,499 |
| Liberal | Florence Teresa (Paddy) Day* | 4,350 |
| Liberal | Janet Brenda Bond | 3,651 |
| Liberal | George Henry Ford* | 3,610 |
| Liberal | Teresa Macfarlane | 3,406 |
| Conservative | Michael John Caseley | 2,412 |
| Conservative | Clive Anthony (Robert) Coles | 2,262 |
| Conservative | John Maxwell Coote | 2,204 |
| Conservative | Terence Kelly | 2,177 |
| Conservative | Gillian Glencairn Waite | 2,054 |
| Labour | Jennifer Susan Cottee | 1,438 |
| Labour | William Phillip Gothard | 1,365 |
| Labour | Ann Joan Gothard | 1,347 |
| Labour | Sylvia Mary Steele | 1,330 |
| Labour | Eric Edgar Merry | 1,323 |
| Independent | Maurice Reginald White | 176 |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
| Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
Whitley Ward (three seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Doris Ellen Lawrence* | 2,662 |
| Labour | Michael Edward Orton* | 2,524 |
| Labour | John Rees (Jack) Price* | 2,321 |
| Conservative | Joan Eileen Cox | 1,620 |
| Conservative | John Gordon Cleminson | 1,565 |
| Conservative | Gerald Arthur Hughes | 1,427 |
| Liberal | Richard Wilfred Church | 585 |
| Liberal | Jean Valerie Parkin | 569 |
| Liberal | Norman Arthur Edwards | 539 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

## By-elections 1979–1983
### Thames by-election 1980

Thames By-Election 24 January 1980 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hamza Fuad | 2,320 | 61.7 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal | Martyn Allies | 944 | 25.1 | +5.6 |
| | Labour | Pat Mander | 497 | 13.2 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,376 | 36.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,761 | 34 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The Thames ward by-election in 1980 was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Eric Davies.

### Christchurch and Redlands by-elections 1981

By-elections for the two wards of Christchurch and Redlands were held on 7 May 1981, alongside elections to Berkshire County Council. The Christchurch by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Chris Goodall, and the Redlands by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor John Lawford.
Christchurch By-Election 7 May 1981 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Sandy Scaife | 1,762 | 59.1 |
| | Liberal | Felicity Kaplan | 1,221 | 40.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 541 | 18.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,983 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Redlands By-Election 7 May 1981 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Markham | 934 | 34.8 | −11.1 |
| | Labour | Jill Lake | 894 | 33.3 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal | Richard Church | 853 | 31.8 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 40 | 1.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,681 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.25 | |

### Abbey by-election 1981

Abbey By-Election 24 September 1981 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Silverthorne | 437 | 47.4 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | Norman Pearson | 244 | 26.5 | −20.2 |
| | SDP | Howard Rodaway | 241 | 26.1 | n/a |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 193 | 20.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 922 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.1 | |
The Abbey ward by-election in 1981 was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Graham Chapman.