# 1978 Colchester Borough Council election

Elections to Colchester Borough Council were held in 1978 alongside local elections across the United Kingdom.

## Summary

1978 Colchester Borough 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 % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 10 | 2 | 52.6 | 27 | 37 | 61.7 | 17,478 | 53.1 | −2.8 |
| | Labour | 8 | 3 | 42.1 | 13 | 21 | 35.0 | 13,720 | 41.7 | +10.0 |
| | Tiptree Residents | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.7 | 740 | 2.2 | −0.9 |
| | Independent | 1 | | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1.7 | 0 | 0.0 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 974 | 3.0 | −4.9 |

## Ward results
### Berechurch

Berechurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. McQuitty | 953 | 40.5 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | L. Long | 836 | 35.5 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal | M. Gage | 565 | 24.0 | –4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,354 | 41.6 | +3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,652 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 1.9 | |

### Birch-Messing

Birch-Messing :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | T. Wayman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,296 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
No Conservative candidate as previous.

### Boxted & Langham

Boxted & Langham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Sexton | 589 | 63.0 | –22.2 |
| | Labour | J. Bensusan-Butt | 346 | 37.0 | +22.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 243 | 26.0 | −44.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 935 | 57.0 | +5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,640 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 22.2 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ken Cooke | 1,406 | 56.9 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative | G. Jefferies | 912 | 36.9 | –6.8 |
| | Liberal | D. Stephenson | 154 | 6.2 | –2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 494 | 20.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,472 | 50.4 | +1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,902 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.9 | |

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rod Green | 1,347 | 56.4 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative | E. White | 1,041 | 43.5 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 306 | 12.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,388 | 48.8 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,889 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.7 | |
No Liberal candidate as previous (–12.1).

### Lexden

Lexden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Holt | 1,614 | 81.5 | +19.7 |
| | Labour | D. Pitchford | 367 | 18.5 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,247 | 63.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,981 | 48.2 | –10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,864 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.6 | |
No Liberal candidate as previous (–22.3).

### Mile End

Mile End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Fulford | 1,092 | 67.8 | –1.8 |
| | Labour | Tim Oxton | 518 | 32.2 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 574 | 35.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,610 | 44.9 | –2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,582 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.8 | |

### New Town

New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Orpe | 1,169 | 56.6 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | L. Leader | 769 | 37.2 | +11.1 |
| | Liberal | M. Pawsey | 127 | 6.2 | –15.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 400 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,065 | 44.7 | –4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,620 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.5 | |

### Prettygate

Prettygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Purvis | 1,523 | 68.7 | +12.6 |
| | Labour | R. Lown | 693 | 31.3 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 830 | 37.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,216 | 45.6 | –1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,855 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.2 | |
No Liberal candidate as previous (–16.9).

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Plowright | 1,044 | 59.3 | –3.9 |
| | Conservative | J. Nicholls | 716 | 32.8 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 328 | 18.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,760 | 32.8 | –14.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,362 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.9 | |

### St. Andrew's

St. Andrew's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Bober | 1,374 | 67.0 | –5.3 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Chapman | 676 | 33.0 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 698 | 34.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,050 | 30.9 | –1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,628 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.3 | |

### St. Anne's

St. Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Marchant | 1,016 | 56.9 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | D. Sissons | 770 | 43.1 | –2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 246 | 13.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,786 | 42.3 | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,225 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.1 | |

### St. John's

St. John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Pinnock | 1,132 | 70.7 | +2.6 |
| | Labour | P. Treacher | 470 | 29.3 | –2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 662 | 41.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,602 | 46.7 | –2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,432 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.6 | |

### St. Mary's

St. Mary's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Hilham | 1,431 | 66.1 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | S. McAndrew | 453 | 20.9 | –0.1 |
| | Liberal | William Spyvee | 282 | 13.0 | –7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 978 | 45.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,166 | 45.4 | –5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,776 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.6 | |

### Stanway

Stanway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Arrondelle | 942 | 54.3 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | E. Kirkby | 793 | 45.7 | –1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 149 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,735 | 48.2 | –4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,601 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.5 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Martin | 950 | 48.8 | +9.8 |
| | Tiptree Residents | J. Webb | 740 | 38.0 | –1.0 |
| | Labour | J. Greer | 256 | 13.2 | –8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 210 | 10.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,946 | 35.4 | –11.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,496 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Tiptree Residents | Conservative gain from Tiptree Residents | Swing | 5.4 | |

### West Bergholt

West Bergholt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Lampon | 692 | 82.1 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Jean Quinn | 151 | 17.9 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 541 | 64.2 | –6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 843 | 47.4 | ±0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,779 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.3 | |

### Winstree

Winstree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Fairhead | 808 | 79.4 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | V. McAndrew | 210 | 20.6 | –2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 598 | 58.7 | –1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,018 | 54.4 | –6.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,871 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.8 | |
No Independent candidate as previous (–3.7).

### Wivenhoe

Wivenhoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Bayles | 1,154 | 54.0 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | K. Brereton | 985 | 46.0 | –10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 169 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,139 | 43.6 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,907 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 10.6 | |