# 1979 Horsham District Council election

The 1979 Horsham District Council election took place on 3 May 1979 to elect members of Horsham District Council in England. It was held on the same day as other local elections and the 1979 United Kingdom general election. The Conservatives retained control of the council with 33 seats, a majority of 12. The Independents had eight councillors elected, a decrease of three from last time. The Liberals gained a seat in Bramber & Upper Beeding and the Residents' association held on to their Henfield seat.

## Council composition

Prior to the election, the composition of the council was:
| 30 | 12 | 1 |
| Con | Ind | RA |
After the election, the composition of the council was:
| 33 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Con | Ind | Lib | RA |

## Results summary

1979 Horsham District Council election :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 33 | 3 | 76.7 | 60.6 | 46,817 | +6.4 |
| Independent | 8 | 4 | 18.6 | 11.5 | 8,899 | -8.8 |
| Liberal | 1 | 1 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 4,087 | +0.5 |
| RA | 1 | | 2.3 | 2.9 | 2,246 | +0.5 |
| Labour | 0 | | 0.0 | 17.9 | 13,862 | -0.1 |
| Other | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1,368 | - |

## Ward results
### Billingshurst

Billingshurst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Linney C. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Independent | Griffin C. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Bramber & Upper Beeding

Bramber & Upper Beeding :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Campbell J. Ms. | 1,658 | 42.1 | +24.2 |
| | Independent | Sanford L. | 1,218 | 30.9 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | Goss P. Ms. | 1,061 | 26.9 | −19.3 |
| | Conservative | Wright C. | 1,007 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.4 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Broadbridge Heath

Broadbridge Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | McGregor R. | 762 | 59.3 |
| | Labour | Lamb H. Ms. | 522 | 40.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Chanctonbury

Chanctonbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brazier F. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Jenkins E. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Cowfold

Cowfold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Fowler S. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Fowler S. was elected unopposed in Cowfold as an Independent in 1976, when this seat was last contested.

### Denne

Denne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pinion G. | 2,022 | 62.2 | |
| | Conservative | Windrum A. | 2,013 | | |
| | Conservative | Berkley P. Ms. | 2,008 | | |
| | Labour | Lyons J. | 1,231 | 37.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.9 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Forest

Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Miller E. | 2,507 | 61.5 | |
| | Conservative | Taylor J. | 2,416 | | |
| | Conservative | Sheppard A. | 2,269 | | |
| | Labour | Battersby R. | 1,572 | 38.5 | |
| | Labour | Lamb P. | 1,473 | | |
| | Labour | Nevins R. | 1,404 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Henfield

Henfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | RA | Jones K. | 2,246 | 45.5 | +14.8 |
| | Independent | Corp G. | 1,517 | 30.7 | +30.7 |
| | Conservative | Jones T. | 1,173 | 23.8 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 74.7 | |
| | RA hold | RA hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Corp G. was elected in Henfield as a Conservative in 1976, when this seat was last contested.

### Itchingfield & Shipley

Itchingfield & Shipley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keen D. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Keen D. was elected unopposed in Shipley as an Independent in 1976.

### Nuthurst

Nuthurst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mackenzie J. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Pulborough & Coldwatham

Pulborough & Coldwatham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Cousins B. | 2,080 | 73.7 |
| | Conservative | Gocher H. | 2,022 | |
| | | Bodman A. | 742 | 26.3 |
| | | Doyle M. | 626 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Riverside

Riverside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Watson B. | 2,614 | 57.1 | |
| | Conservative | Mauchel E. Ms. | 2,401 | | |
| | Conservative | Roberts W. | 2,399 | | |
| | Labour | Clements R. | 1,964 | 42.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.7 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Roffey

Roffey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bosanquet D. | 2,336 | 42.2 | −36.4 |
| | Conservative | Houghton I. Ms. | 2,051 | | |
| | Independent | Gue P. Ms. | 1,949 | 35.2 | +35.2 |
| | Conservative | Chick D. | 1,850 | | |
| | Labour | McMillan A. | 1,255 | 22.7 | +1.3 |
| | Labour | Ivatts J. | 1,200 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Rudgwick

Rudgwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Henderson P. Ms. | 882 | 65.1 |
| | Conservative | Taylor E. Ms. | 473 | 34.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.6 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Rusper

Rusper :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Calvert H. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Phelps A. Ms. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Slinfold

Slinfold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Maydwell R. | 520 | 62.9 |
| | Independent | Shields N. | 307 | 37.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Southwater

Southwater :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Albrecht R. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Charman M. Ms. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Charman M. Ms. was elected unopposed as an Independent in 1976, when this seat was last contested.

### Steyning

Steyning :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Honeywood M. Ms. | 1,193 | 36.3 | +14.6 |
| | Independent | Mimmack J. | 1,190 | 36.2 | +8.9 |
| | Conservative | Scott J. | 929 | | |
| | Liberal | Campbell J. | 905 | 27.5 | +17.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.3 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Storrington

Storrington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shepherd F. | 1,813 | 64.4 | +14.8 |
| | Conservative | Tunnell R. | 1,567 | | |
| | Liberal | Wigg R. | 1,003 | 35.6 | +13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 74.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Sullington

Sullington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Armour-Milne J. | 715 | 57.8 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal | Dean P. | 521 | 42.2 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Trafalgar

Trafalgar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Walters J. | 2,081 | 41.0 | |
| | Conservative | West H. Ms. | 1,871 | | |
| | Independent | Parsons W. | 1,836 | 36.2 | |
| | Labour | Evenden R. | 1,155 | 22.8 | |
| | Labour | Thurston J. Ms. | 906 | | |
| | Labour | Shopland E. | 744 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 82.2 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Warnham

Warnham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hodgson A. | 664 | 60.4 | −10.1 |
| | Labour | Ward G. | 436 | 39.6 | +10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### West Chiltington

West Chiltington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dolphin C. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### West Grinstead

West Grinstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Scragg J. | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | N/A | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |