# 1972 Sheffield City Council election

The final Municipal elections for Sheffield - soon to be abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 - were held in May 1972, with one third up for vote, as well as an extra vacancy in Brightside.
The election seen Labour further their stranglehold on the council with four gains from the Conservatives, as they repeated the previous year's wins. One of the notable casualties from last year, Irvine Patnick, managed re-election via re-location to the safe Conservative ward of Broomhill. The Liberals, standing the lowest number of candidates (3) in over a decade, were rewarded for focusing their efforts on retaining their sole representation on the council, as they easily defended their by-election-won seat of Burngreave, more than sextupling their majority there. Labour were reported to be overjoyed to see the return of former councillor, and veteran of the party, Joe Albaya in Intake, after over a decade's absence.

## Election result

Sheffield Local Election Result 1972 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 21 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 75.0 | 56.4 | 63,440 | -5.3 |
| Conservative | 6 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 21.4 | 37.2 | 41,831 | +4.4 |
| Liberal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4,870 | +0.2 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1,082 | +0.1 |
| Ratepayers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 986 | +0.9 |
| Independent Ex-Service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 220 | 0.0 |
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 | 57 | 23 | 61 | 23 |
| | Conservatives | 23 | 4 | 19 | 4 |
| | Liberals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | Communists | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Ratepayers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent Ex-Service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 81 | 27 | 81 | 27 |
| Total | Total | 108 | 108 | 108 | 108 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 33 | 19 | 41 | 19 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 52 | 52 | 60 | 60 |

## Ward results

Attercliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Norman Eldred | 1,720 | 81.3 | −6.4 |
| | Conservative | Joan Willows | 395 | 18.7 | +6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,325 | 62.6 | −12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,115 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.4 | |
Beauchief :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Davison | 4,339 | 75.4 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | Alec Waugh | 1,414 | 24.6 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,925 | 50.8 | +7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,753 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
Birley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Yeardley | 3,308 | 68.1 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative | Gordon Millward | 1,547 | 31.8 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,761 | 36.3 | −6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,855 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.1 | |
Brightside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Michie | 2,288 | 81.5 | −1.5 |
| | Labour | Peter Price | 2,235 | | |
| | Conservative | Herbert Sellers | 395 | 14.1 | −1.0 |
| | Communist | Reg Arundel | 125 | 4.4 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,893 | 67.4 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,808 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
Broomhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Irvine Patnick | 2,994 | 61.7 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Peter Cave | 1,860 | 38.3 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,134 | 23.4 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,854 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.0 | |
Burngreave :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Butler | 3,850 | 67.4 | +28.0 |
| | Labour | Ted Fisher | 1,802 | 31.6 | −11.9 |
| | Communist | Martin Heywood | 56 | 1.0 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,802 | 35.9 | +31.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,708 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +20.0 | |
Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Horton | 2,262 | 81.1 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | David Chapman | 449 | 16.1 | +16.1 |
| | Communist | Violet Gill | 78 | 2.8 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,813 | 65.0 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,789 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.5 | |
Darnall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Prince | 3,247 | 74.2 | −5.4 |
| | Conservative | Michael Heath | 1,129 | 25.8 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,118 | 48.4 | −10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,376 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.4 | |
Dore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thornton Lambert | 3,792 | 72.4 | +9.0 |
| | Labour | Edmund Ferrett | 1,448 | 27.6 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,344 | 44.8 | +11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,240 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.9 | |
Ecclesall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Agnes Edeson | 3,559 | 74.7 | +3.8 |
| | Labour | Leon Harris | 982 | 20.6 | −4.0 |
| | Independent Ex-Service | Geoffrey Widdison | 220 | 4.7 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,577 | 54.1 | +7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,761 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
Firth Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Albert Morris | 2,742 | 74.2 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative | Danny George | 838 | 22.7 | −0.9 |
| | Communist | Barry Bracken | 116 | 3.1 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,904 | 51.5 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,696 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
Gleadless :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joe Thomas | 3,888 | 57.3 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | David Heslop | 2,890 | 42.6 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 998 | 14.7 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,778 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -4.5 | |
Hallam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gordon Wragg | 3,611 | 68.7 | +10.4 |
| | Labour | Peter Bulger | 1,643 | 31.3 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,968 | 37.4 | +12.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,254 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.1 | |
Handsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Nicholls | 2,530 | 64.8 | −13.9 |
| | Conservative | Frank Brookes | 877 | 22.5 | +1.2 |
| | Ratepayers | Peter Jones | 496 | 12.7 | +12.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,653 | 42.3 | −15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,903 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.5 | |
Heeley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Senior | 3,318 | 54.2 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | Peter Earl | 2,153 | 35.2 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | Bob Jackson | 520 | 8.5 | +4.2 |
| | Communist | Martin Ashworth | 128 | 2.1 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,165 | 19.0 | −9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,119 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -4.6 | |
Hillsborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Fairbrother | 2,752 | 50.4 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Constance Dodson | 2,702 | 49.5 | +7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 50 | 0.9 | −9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,454 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -4.9 | |
Intake :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joe Albaya | 2,830 | 56.8 | −9.9 |
| | Conservative | Marvyn Moore | 1,652 | 33.1 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal | David Winn | 500 | 10.0 | +4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,178 | 23.6 | −15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,982 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -7.4 | |
Manor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dora Fitter | 2,493 | 83.8 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative | Peter Huddart | 360 | 12.1 | +1.7 |
| | Communist | John Hukin | 120 | 4.0 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,133 | 71.7 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,973 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.6 | |
Mosborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mary Foulds | 1,860 | 66.7 | −14.4 |
| | Ratepayers | Harold Doxey | 490 | 17.5 | +17.5 |
| | Conservative | Eric Vawser | 440 | 15.8 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,370 | 50.9 | −11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,790 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -15.9 | |
Nether Edge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ivan Harrington | 2,761 | 68.1 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Malcolm Leary | 1,290 | 31.8 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,471 | 36.3 | +6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,051 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.3 | |
Nether Shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Moscrop | 2,676 | 78.3 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Bryan Dick | 579 | 16.9 | +1.6 |
| | Communist | Kenneth Hattersley | 162 | 4.7 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,097 | 61.4 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,417 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.0 | |
Netherthorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Doris Mulhearn | 2,281 | 74.9 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Jean Grindrod | 675 | 22.1 | −2.0 |
| | Communist | Margaret Brown | 90 | 2.9 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,606 | 52.7 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,046 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
Owlerton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Watson | 2,787 | 82.5 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Fenoughty | 591 | 17.5 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,196 | 65.0 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,378 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.9 | |
Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Wall | 2,898 | 82.5 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | Jack Osborne | 476 | 13.5 | +2.8 |
| | Communist | George Matthews | 137 | 3.9 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,422 | 69.0 | −7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,511 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.5 | |
Sharrow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ethel Evans | 2,537 | 71.7 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | Colin Barnsley | 1,003 | 28.3 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,534 | 43.3 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,540 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.9 | |
Southey Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dorothy Podlesny | 2,440 | 86.0 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative | Anne Roebuck | 326 | 11.5 | +1.4 |
| | Communist | George James | 70 | 2.5 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,114 | 74.5 | −2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,836 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.4 | |
Walkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bernard Kidd | 2,144 | 62.3 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative | Stanley Parnell | 1,298 | 37.7 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 846 | 24.6 | −11.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,442 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.9 | |