# 1976 North Hertfordshire District Council election

The 1976 North Hertfordshire District Council election was held on 6 May 1976, at the same time as other local elections across England and Wales. All 48 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council were up for election.
The election saw the Conservatives take a majority of the seats on the council, which had previously been under no overall control, being led by a Conservative minority administration. The Conservative group leader, Bob Flatman, continued to serve as leader of the council after the election. The Labour group leader, John Goldsmith, lost his seat and was replaced as group leader by Bill Miller.

## Overall results

The overall results were as follows:
North Hertfordshire District Council Election, 1976 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 30 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 62.5 | 49.8 | 19,994 | +7.1 |
| Labour | 11 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 22.9 | 28.8 | 11,566 | -4.0 |
| Independent | 5 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 10.4 | 12.3 | 4,938 | -7.3 |
| Ratepayers | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 2,082 | +2.1 |
| Liberal | 0 | | | | 0.0 | 3.9 | 1,545 | +2.1 |

## Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows. An asterisk(*) indicates a sitting councillor standing for re-election. A double dagger (‡) indicates a sitting councillor contesting a different ward.
Ward 1: Baldock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Nora Burgess* | 1,240 | 40.3 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Roger Gazely | 873 | 28.4 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | John Barton* | 839 | | |
| | Labour | George York* | 716 | 23.3 | −3.8 |
| | Labour | Stanley Watson | 628 | | |
| | Labour | Roger McFall | 607 | | |
| | Conservative | Alfred Bickell | 511 | | |
| | Liberal | Ronald Littleford (Ron Littleford) | 248 | 8.1 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,631 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | -1.4 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 2: Hitchin Oughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Audrey Carss* | 1,038 | 55.2 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Jim Reilly* | 957 | | |
| | Labour | David Kendall | 902 | | |
| | Conservative | Raymond Shanks | 841 | 44.8 | +18.6 |
| | Conservative | John Wallace | 836 | | |
| | Conservative | Andree Boddington | 714 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,835 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -8.1 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ward 3: Hitchin Bearton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Ingram | 1,063 | 64.0 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | David Roberts | 1,048 | | |
| | Labour | Keith Ruff | 450 | 27.1 | −15.9 |
| | Labour | Brian Abrahams | 408 | | |
| | Liberal | George Fisher | 148 | 8.9 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal | Christopher Freel | 115 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 47.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,534 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 4: Hitchin Priory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Stanley Flatman* (Bob Flatman) | 1,372 | 74.3 | +14.8 |
| | Conservative | Derek Alfred Doel* | 1,272 | | |
| | Conservative | Michael John Frederick Hillman ‡ | 1,212 | | |
| | Labour | William Edward Harmer | 322 | 17.4 | +1.0 |
| | Labour | Doris Marian Reilly | 311 | | |
| | Labour | Crystal Anne Toleman | 294 | | |
| | Liberal | Jane Elizabeth Brine | 152 | 8.2 | −15.8 |
| | Liberal | Handel Thomas Robert Leonard | 152 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,406 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 5: Hitchin Walsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ratepayers | Kenneth William Logan* (Ken Logan) | 1,555 | 42.5 | +10.4 |
| | Ratepayers | Brian Robert Worbey | 1,276 | | |
| | Labour | Frederick George Peacock (Fred Peacock) | 1,106 | 30.2 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | Frederick Stanley Scott (Fred Scott) | 1,001 | 27.3 | −3.9 |
| | Labour | John Henry Goldsmith* | 812 | | |
| | Labour | Martin John Stears | 726 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,380 | | |
| | Ratepayers hold | Ratepayers hold | Swing | +8.5 | |
| | Ratepayers gain from Labour | Ratepayers gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ward 6: Hitchin Highbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Beryl Faith Wearmouth* | 1,726 | 80.2 | +26.9 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Arthur Whaley | 1,597 | | |
| | Conservative | Betty May Goble | 1,594 | | |
| | Labour | Walter Patrick Guymer | 425 | 19.8 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | Stewart Patrick Faulkner | 360 | | |
| | Labour | Harold Alexander Smith | 336 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 52.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,137 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 7: Letchworth Norton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Miller* | 1,467 | 47.1 | −15.7 |
| | Labour | David Evans | 1,461 | | |
| | Labour | Donald Kitchiner* (Don Kitchiner) | 1,458 | | |
| | Labour | Rodney Playford | 1,435 | | |
| | Conservative | William Charles Bifield (Charles Bifield) | 1,288 | 41.4 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Walter Gurney | 1,276 | | |
| | Conservative | Barry Jackson | 1,196 | | |
| | Conservative | Dominic Alphonsus Murphy | 1,091 | | |
| | Independent | Roger Leach | 358 | 11.5 | +11.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,366 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ward 8: Letchworth Pixmore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernest Brown* (Ernie Brown) | 1,374 | 67.5 | −7.8 |
| | Labour | David Arthur Griffiths* | 1,322 | | |
| | Labour | Reginald Hall* | 1,301 | | |
| | Conservative | Jean May Sherwood | 662 | 32.5 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Pauline Margaret Wood | 637 | | |
| | Conservative | Richard Edward Markiewicz | 619 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,535 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.8 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ward 9: Letchworth Wilbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Raynor Bloxham (Ray Bloxham) | 1,182 | 53.2 | +12.7 |
| | Conservative | Roland Baker | 1,156 | | |
| | Conservative | Paul Shipman | 1,136 | | |
| | Labour | Mamie Briercliffe* | 1,041 | 46.8 | −12.7 |
| | Labour | David Gallard* | 1,020 | | |
| | Labour | Ian Mantle* | 933 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,846 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +12.7 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Ward 10: Letchworth Westbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Clifford John Marshall* | 1,011 | 65.5 | +11.0 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Peter Woods (Geoff Woods) | 921 | | |
| | Labour | Headley Valentine Parkins | 533 | 34.5 | −11.0 |
| | Labour | Ormond Paul Simpson | 517 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 66.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,311 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 11: Letchworth Central and Willian :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Gregory Burrows | 1,786 | 83.0 | +23.1 |
| | Conservative | Robert Saunders* (Bob Saunders) | 1,742 | | |
| | Labour | Henry Fuller | 366 | 17.0 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 55.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,906 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +10.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 12: Royston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis John Smith* (John Smith) | 1,998 | 39.2 | +2.6 |
| | Independent | George William Stevens* | 1,673 | 32.8 | −9.9 |
| | Independent | Patricia Rule* (Pat Rule) | 1,672 | | |
| | Independent | Phillip Leslie Gray* | 1,350 | | |
| | Conservative | Terence Botfield | 1,258 | | |
| | Conservative | Christopher McMichael | 1,124 | | |
| | Conservative | Howard Marshall | 1,095 | | |
| | Labour | Robert Douglas Beckwith | 815 | 16.0 | −4.8 |
| | Labour | Alan Evans | 767 | | |
| | Labour | Peter Ball | 675 | | |
| | Liberal | Hazel Priscilla Lord | 615 | 12.1 | +12.1 |
| | Labour | Michael William Kernaghan | 603 | | |
| | Liberal | Anthony Perkins | 406 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 52.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,661 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.3 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Ward 13: Ashwell, Bygrave, Caldecote, Clothall, Graveley, Hinxworth, Newnham, Radwell and Weston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Evans* | 950 | 69.3 | +34.9 |
| | Conservative | John Stapleton | 926 | | |
| | Labour | John Schofield | 420 | 30.7 | +16.6 |
| | Labour | John Summers | 307 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,575 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Ward 14: Barkway, Barley, Kelshall, Nuthampstead, Reed, Rushden, Sandon, Therfield and Wallington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Esther Brookes* | 781 | 55.1 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative | Ian Rose* | 662 | | |
| | Independent | Fraser William Field | 511 | 36.1 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | Nigel Pratt | 125 | 8.8 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | Anthony Pettit (Tony Pettit) | 108 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 55.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,576 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 15: Ippollitts, Kimpton, Langley, Preston, St Paul's Walden and Wymondley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Gilbert | 1,542 | 76.8 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Leslie Rabbitts | 1,523 | | |
| | Conservative | John Raffell* | 1,523 | | |
| | Labour | Pauline Oakley | 466 | 23.2 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | Frances Mary Polly | 464 | | |
| | Labour | Jennifer Fitzpatrick | 387 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,057 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 16: Codicote :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Denis Wallace Charles Winch* | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,052 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |
Ward 17: Knebworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gordon Cartwright Dumelow* | 727 | 48.0 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Alfred James Grosse* | 555 | | |
| | Ratepayers | Anthony Tomlinson | 527 | 34.8 | +14.7 |
| | Ratepayers | Ronald Charles Gilbert | 309 | | |
| | Labour | Martin Harvey Lisles | 262 | 17.3 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,828 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ward 18: Hexton, Holwell, Ickleford, King's Walden, Lilley, Offley and Pirton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Feaver | 1,191 | 35.4 | +7.9 |
| | Independent | Ronald Alfred Lodge* (Ron Lodge) | 1,156 | 34.3 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | John Charles Jackson | 1,038 | | |
| | Conservative | Mary Middleton | 972 | | |
| | Labour | Raymond Cousins | 640 | 19.0 | −16.0 |
| | Labour | Clive Hugh Godfrey | 549 | | |
| | Labour | Anthony James Brown | 518 | | |
| | Liberal | Sarah Ann Lowe | 382 | 11.3 | +11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,285 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | +5.6 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

## Changes 1976–1979

Five by-elections were held on 6 April 1978, following the simultaneous resignations of five Conservative councillors on 13 February 1978. All five seats were retained by the Conservatives.
Ward 3: Hitchin Bearton by-election, 6 April 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Fred Scott | 787 | 48.9 | −15.1 |
| | Labour | Martin Stears | 659 | 40.9 | +13.8 |
| | National Party | Bob Aylott | 63 | 3.9 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal | Sarah Low | 55 | 3.4 | −5.5 |
| | Ratepayers | Jack Swain | 46 | 2.9 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -14.5 | |
The Hitchin Bearton by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor David Ingram, citing business reasons.
Ward 6: Hitchin Highbury by-election, 6 April 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stuart Grantham | 1,036 | 59.0 | −21.3 |
| | Ratepayers | Bert Moore | 448 | 25.5 | +25.5 |
| | Labour | John Joshua | 273 | 15.5 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -23.4 | |
The Hitchin Highbury by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Stephen Arthur Whaley, who had moved away from the district.
Ward 9: Letchworth Wilbury by-election, 6 April 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keith Emsall | 1,091 | 48.7 | −4.4 |
| | Labour | Ian Mantle | 1,039 | 46.4 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal | Ian McGinlay | 109 | 4.9 | +4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 54.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.0 | |
The Letchworth Wilbury by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Roland Baker, who also resigned from the party citing disillusionment with Conservative party policy.
Ward 13: Ashwell, Bygrave, Caldecote, Clothall, Graveley, Hinxworth, Newnham, Radwell and Weston by-election, 6 April 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Sheldrick | 841 | 74.8 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | John Schofield | 283 | 25.2 | −5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5 | |
The Ward 13 by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor John Stapleton, who had moved away from the district.
Ward 14: Barkway, Barley, Kelshall, Nuthampstead, Reed, Rushden, Sandon, Therfield and Wallington by-election, 6 April 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bob Wilkerson | 922 | 89.6 | +34.5 |
| | Labour | Peter Ball | 107 | 10.4 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +16.5 | |
The Ward 14 by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Ian Rose, citing business reasons.