# 1980 North Hertfordshire District Council election

The 1980 North Hertfordshire District Council election was held on 1 May 1980, at the same time as other local elections across England and Scotland. There were 17 out of 50 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council up for election, being the usual third of the council.
The election saw Labour take the largest share of the vote, winning two seats from the Conservatives, but the Conservatives retained their majority on the council.

## Overall results

The overall results were as follows:
1980 North Hertfordshire District Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 8 | 2 | 47.1 | 6 | 14 | 28.0 | 13,923 | 47.7 | +13.9 |
| | Conservative | 8 | 2 | 47.1 | 24 | 32 | 64.0 | 12,306 | 42.2 | -9.8 |
| | Liberal | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,096 | 3.8 | -0.9 |
| | Ratepayers | 0 | | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | 4.0 | 777 | 2.7 | -0.9 |
| | Ecology | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 595 | 2.0 | +1.0 |
| | Independent | 1 | | 5.9 | 1 | 1 | 4.0 | 438 | 1.5 | -3.1 |
| | National Front | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 59 | 0.2 | 0.0 |

## Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows. An asterisk(*) indicates a sitting councillor standing for re-election.
Ashbrook ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Tatham* | 685 | 62.2 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | Keith Brydon | 416 | 37.8 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,068 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
Baldock ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Willy Page* | 1,305 | 56.5 | +18.7 |
| | Conservative | Colin Vaughan | 798 | 34.6 | −8.3 |
| | Ecology | Stephen Toogood | 205 | 8.9 | +8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,039 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +13.5 | |
Cadwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ron Lodge* | 438 | 59.3 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Allison Ashley | 163 | 22.1 | −11.6 |
| | Labour | Joan Kirby | 137 | 18.6 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,745 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +9.4 | |
Hitchin Bearton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Judi Smith | 1,013 | 52.9 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Terry Keaveney | 902 | 47.1 | −3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,352 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.9 | |
Hitchin Highbury ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip MacCormack | 1,361 | 66.7 | −5.1 |
| | Labour | Keith Ruff | 480 | 23.5 | −4.7 |
| | Ecology | Brian Goodale | 200 | 9.8 | +9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,966 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
Hitchin Oughton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Stears* | 1,291 | 69.5 | +16.6 |
| | Conservative | Derrick Ashley | 508 | 27.3 | −11.2 |
| | National Front | Victor Logan | 59 | 3.2 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,445 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +13.9 | |
Hitchin Priory ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frank Howett | 965 | 83.6 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | Paul Prescott | 189 | 16.4 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,815 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
Hitchin Walsworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Peacock* | 1,202 | 52.1 | +21.5 |
| | Ratepayers | Basil Emery | 777 | 33.7 | −7.9 |
| | Liberal | Bob Lord | 252 | 10.9 | +10.9 |
| | Ecology | Melanie Hutchins | 77 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,245 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +14.7 | |
Knebworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alfred Grosse* | 888 | 58.5 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Herrmann | 630 | 41.5 | +23.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,060 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -12.5 | |
Letchworth East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tony McWalter* | 1,238 | 61.9 | +16.8 |
| | Conservative | Allan Brett | 763 | 38.1 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,084 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.6 | |
Letchworth Grange ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Kearns* | 1,348 | 64.4 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Christine Barclay | 746 | 35.6 | −1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,904 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
Letchworth South East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rod Playford | 1,432 | 70.9 | +25.8 |
| | Conservative | Jenny Ritchie* | 475 | 23.5 | −31.4 |
| | Ecology | Elspeth Rolls | 113 | 5.6 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,174 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +28.6 | |
Letchworth South West ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Geoff Woods* | 1,329 | 57.1 | −9.4 |
| | Labour | Steve Spencer | 997 | 42.8 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,074 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -9.4 | |
Letchworth Wilbury ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Mantle* | 1,216 | 54.8 | +15.5 |
| | Conservative | Jeff Smith | 808 | 36.4 | −7.3 |
| | Liberal | Ian McGinlay | 197 | 8.9 | −8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,896 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +11.4 | |
Royston East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis John Smith* | 863 | 61.3 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Jessie Grace Etheridge | 301 | 21.4 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal | Sydney Charles McLennan | 243 | 17.3 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,772 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 | |
Royston West ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Terence Bernard Botfield | 698 | 42.7 | −9.2 |
| | Labour | Michael William Kernaghan | 533 | 32.6 | +7.3 |
| | Liberal | Hazel Priscilla Lord | 404 | 24.7 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,383 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.3 | |
Weston ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Evans* | 354 | 64.5 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | John Schofield | 195 | 35.5 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,109 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.4 | |

## Changes 1980–1982

Three by-elections were held on 19 March 1981. The by-election in Letchworth South West ward was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Bob Saunders. The two by-elections in Letchworth South East ward were triggered by the death of Conservative councillor John Yates and the resignation of Labour councillor Rod Playford. The Conservatives retained the Letchworth South West seat, but Labour won both Letchworth South East seats.
Letchworth South East ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Evans | 1,261 | 42.1 | −28.8 |
| Labour | Joan Kirby | 1,123 | | |
| Conservative | Norman Prior | 898 | 30.0 | +6.5 |
| Conservative | James Robertson | 860 | | |
| Liberal | Robert Stevens | 836 | 27.9 | +27.9 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -17.7 | |
| Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Letchworth South West ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | John Talbot | 977 | 44.0 | −21.8 |
| Liberal | William Armitage | 640 | 28.8 | +28.8 |
| Labour | Pat Watson Blake | 602 | 27.1 | −22.2 |
| Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -25.3 | |