# 1959 Leeds City Council election

The 1959 Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 7 May 1959, with one third of the seats and extra vacancies in East Hunslet and Stanningley up for election.
Mirroring their national recovery, the Conservatives achieved a 3% swing to win the popular vote and make the only gain of the night in the marginal Wortley. The Liberals fielded their greatest number of candidates since 1951, and as such received their highest vote since then. Turnout fell by just under a percentage point from the year before to 36.3%.

## Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1959 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 19 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 63.3 | 46.5 | 59,182 | -3.3 |
| Conservative | 11 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 36.7 | 49.0 | 62,414 | +2.9 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 5,046 | +0.3 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 630 | +0.1 |
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 |
| | Labour | 55 | 18 | 54 | 18 |
| | Conservatives | 29 | 10 | 30 | 10 |
| Total | Total | 84 | 28 | 84 | 28 |
| Total | Total | 112 | 112 | 112 | 112 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 26 | 8 | 24 | 8 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 34 | 34 | 32 | 32 |

## Ward results

Allerton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Mustill | 4,704 | 87.4 | +1.4 |
| | Labour | A. Baum | 681 | 12.6 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,023 | 74.8 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,385 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
Armley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Bissell | 2,341 | 57.1 | −1.3 |
| | Conservative | J. Ashworth | 1,756 | 42.9 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 585 | 14.2 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,097 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.3 | |
Beeston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Woodward | 3,555 | 46.6 | +3.8 |
| | Labour | N. Billington | 3,250 | 42.6 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal | H. Passmore | 820 | 10.8 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 305 | 4.0 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,625 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
Blenheim :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Merritt | 1,861 | 63.4 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | J. Butterfield | 1,076 | 36.6 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 785 | 26.7 | −11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,937 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.7 | |
Bramley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Lord | 2,723 | 50.3 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | C. Dean | 2,214 | 40.9 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal | George Petch | 474 | 8.8 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 509 | 9.4 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,411 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.2 | |
Burmantofts :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Murray | 2,058 | 68.3 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative | H. Robinson | 956 | 31.7 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,102 | 36.6 | −7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,014 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.9 | |
City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bernard Atha | 1,373 | 64.6 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | B. Emmett | 751 | 35.4 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 622 | 29.3 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,124 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.7 | |
Cross Gates :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Harrison | 3,273 | 63.6 | −5.2 |
| | Conservative | F. Hodges | 1,874 | 36.4 | +5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,399 | 27.2 | −10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,147 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.2 | |
East Hunslet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Kavanagh | 2,349 | 74.5 | −2.2 |
| | Labour | E. Haughton | 2,149 | | |
| | Conservative | D. Mowbray | 802 | 25.5 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,347 | 49.1 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,151 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.2 | |
Far Headingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Dovenor | 4,351 | 65.1 | −12.9 |
| | Labour | J. Stephenson | 1,212 | 18.1 | −3.9 |
| | Liberal | John Humphrey Morrish | 1,122 | 16.8 | +16.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,139 | 47.0 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,685 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.5 | |
Halton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Dougray | 4,349 | 75.8 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | J. Taylor | 1,391 | 24.2 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,958 | 51.5 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,740 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
Harehills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Patrick Crotty | 3,177 | 55.6 | +2.1 |
| | Labour | J. Klineberg | 2,532 | 44.4 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 645 | 11.3 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,709 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.1 | |
Holbeck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Bray | 2,148 | 59.0 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | B. Morland | 882 | 24.2 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal | H. Fearnley | 608 | 16.7 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,266 | 34.8 | −7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,638 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.2 | |
Hunslet Carr :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Parker | 2,442 | 69.1 | −6.4 |
| | Conservative | A. Roberts | 700 | 19.8 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal | J.T. Hill | 392 | 11.1 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,742 | 49.3 | −15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,534 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.6 | |
Hyde Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Walmsley | 2,713 | 63.9 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | W. Fanning | 1,532 | 36.1 | −6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,181 | 27.8 | +11.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,245 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.0 | |
Kirkstall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Matthews | 3,053 | 58.2 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | S. Codd | 2,195 | 41.8 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 858 | 16.3 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,248 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.8 | |
Meanwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. Kirkby | 3,696 | 73.3 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | E. Webber | 1,347 | 26.7 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,349 | 46.6 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,043 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.7 | |
Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Binns | 2,694 | 76.8 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative | A. Hartley | 491 | 14.0 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal | Walter Holdsworth | 219 | 6.2 | −6.5 |
| | Communist | E. Moore | 105 | 3.0 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,203 | 62.8 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,509 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.0 | |
Moortown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | L. Henson | 4,606 | 76.8 | +0.0 |
| | Labour | L. Steele | 1,388 | 23.2 | −0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,218 | 53.7 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,994 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.0 | |
Osmondthorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L. Walsh | 3,162 | 74.3 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | F. Barry | 1,094 | 25.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,068 | 48.6 | −5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,256 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.7 | |
Potternewton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | L. Lyons | 2,266 | 65.8 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | V. Zermansky | 1,021 | 29.7 | −8.5 |
| | Communist | H. Fawcett | 156 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,245 | 36.2 | +12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,443 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.2 | |
Richmond Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Cain | 1,496 | 76.1 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative | H. Flockton | 469 | 23.9 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,027 | 52.3 | −7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,965 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.9 | |
Roundhay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Jowitt | 4,142 | 70.3 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | E. Colley | 1,747 | 29.7 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,395 | 40.7 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,889 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.8 | |
Stanningley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Marshall | 2,441 | 45.9 | −6.0 |
| | Labour | E. Coward | 2,436 | | |
| | Conservative | A. Vickers | 1,890 | 35.5 | +7.9 |
| | Conservative | D. Vickers | 1,658 | | |
| | Liberal | J. Grimshaw | 991 | 18.6 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal | Julius Blum | 617 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 551 | 10.4 | −13.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,322 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.9 | |
Wellington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Underwood | 2,129 | 74.0 | −5.2 |
| | Conservative | B. Pearce | 548 | 19.1 | +4.6 |
| | Communist | G. Hodgson | 199 | 6.9 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,581 | 55.0 | −9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,876 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.9 | |
Westfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stan Cohen | 2,141 | 51.8 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | May Sexton | 1,992 | 48.2 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 149 | 3.6 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,133 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.3 | |
Woodhouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Bretherick | 2,153 | 47.9 | −12.0 |
| | Conservative | A. Chadwick | 1,755 | 39.0 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal | Wilfred Ernest Hopper | 420 | 9.3 | +9.3 |
| | Communist | D. Banks | 170 | 3.8 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 398 | 8.8 | −11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,498 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.4 | |
Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F. Stubley | 3,410 | 51.2 | +1.8 |
| | Labour | W. Smart | 3,244 | 48.8 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 166 | 2.5 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,654 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +1.8 | |