# 1981 West Yorkshire County Council election

The final elections to West Yorkshire County Council were held in May 1981. Labour continued their majority control.

## Ward Results

The full results for all counties are available here: Local Elections Handbook 1981

## Leeds Ward Results

Aireborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Janet Ann Brown | 4,296 | 40.2 |
| | Conservative | John D. Atkinson | 4,141 | 38.8 |
| | Labour | K.P. Evans | 2,069 | 19.4 |
| | Ecology | R. Cresswell | 179 | 1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 155 | 1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,685 | 45.1 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Leeds No. 1 Armley and Castleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | P.M. McCarthy | 3,196 | 48.3 |
| | Labour | A.R. Gunter | 2,607 | 39.4 |
| | Conservative | G. Broadbent | 762 | 11.5 |
| | Communist | J.A. Light | 57 | 0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 589 | 8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,622 | 38.7 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 2 Beeston and Holbeck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Dennis Burrill Mathews | 4,883 | 64.2 |
| | Conservative | William Birch | 1,616 | 21.2 |
| | Liberal | J.W. Ellis | 1,011 | 13.3 |
| | National Front | P.A. Spink | 97 | 1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,267 | 43.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,607 | 38.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 10 Bramley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Michael J. Meadowcroft | 3,043 | 49.5 |
| | Labour | Frank H. Watson | 2,412 | 39.2 |
| | Conservative | L. Hargreaves | 691 | 11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 631 | 10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,146 | 41.2 |
| | Liberal gain from Labour | Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | |
Leeds No. 14 Burley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Ken J. Patterson | 2,026 | 57.0 |
| | Liberal | David A. Gazey | 703 | 19.8 |
| | Conservative | H.B. Woodhead | 632 | 17.8 |
| | Ecology | R. Mitchell | 130 | 3.7 |
| | Communist | B. Jackson | 64 | 1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,323 | 37.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,555 | 37.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No.3 Burmantofts and Richmond Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Margaret Grace Clay | 4,984 | 57.5 |
| | Labour | Pat J. Kelly | 3,007 | 34.7 |
| | Conservative | K. Robinson | 600 | 6.9 |
| | National Front | B. Wadsworth | 72 | 0.8 |
| | Communist | M. Monkman | 102 | 0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,977 | 22.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,624 | 44.5 |
| | Liberal gain from Labour | Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | |
Leeds No. 4 Chapel Allerton and Scott Hall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Robert Alexander Charles (aka Alec) Wilson | 4,028 | 57.5 |
| | Conservative | Richard M. Barker | 3,642 | 18.4 |
| | Liberal | T.W.J. Garbett | 1,106 | 12.3 |
| | Ecology | H.J. Terry | 163 | 1.8 |
| | Communist | Lynette Willoughby | 78 | 0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 386 | 4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,017 | 40.4 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Leeds No. 5 City and Woodhouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Irene Ruby Levy | 2,346 | 57.5 |
| | Conservative | R. Simpson | 657 | 16.1 |
| | Liberal | Elizabeth Bee | 751 | 18.4 |
| | Ecology | Roger D Boyle | 175 | 4.3 |
| | Communist | J.M. Rodgers | 148 | 3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,595 | 39.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4077 | 28.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 6 Cookridge and Weetwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Adrian J.A. Lodge | 5,346 | 52.5 |
| | Labour | Colin Burgon | 2,484 | 24.1 |
| | Liberal | Margaret Gardham | 2,032 | 20.0 |
| | Ecology | Claire Nash | 313 | 3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,826 | 28.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,175 | 36.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Garforth No. 1 North and Barwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Tweddle | 3,813 | 48.5 |
| | Labour | L. Graham | 2,891 | 36.7 |
| | Liberal | B. Hutchinson | 827 | 10.5 |
| | Ecology | D.T. Corry | 338 | 4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 922 | 11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7896 | 43.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 8 Gipton and Whinmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J.D. Moynihan | 5,188 | 68.5 |
| | Conservative | J.C. Suttenstall | 1,521 | 20.1 |
| | Liberal | N.R. Mackie | 863 | 11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,667 | 48.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,572 | 31.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 11 Halton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | W.K. Hedley | 3,149 | 51.9 |
| | Labour | Annie Margaret McQueenie | 2,050 | 33.8 |
| | Liberal | Keith Cecil Norman | 869 | 14.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,099 | 18.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,068 | 40.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 9 Harehills and Roundhay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Maisie Maria Eade | 3,631 | 43.1 |
| | Conservative | Gilbert Raymond Lax | 3,491 | 41.5 |
| | Liberal | Patricia Jean Arnold | 1,078 | 12.8 |
| | Ecology | Penelope Jane Sanders | 219 | 2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,419 | 38.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Leeds No. 12 Headingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Harold Best | 2,828 | 46.5 |
| | Conservative | Alan Sydney Pedley | 2,007 | 33.0 |
| | Liberal | M.J. Hipshon | 890 | 14.6 |
| | Ecology | Christine Rushworth | 214 | 3.5 |
| | Communist | Barry Cooper | 139 | 2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 821 | 13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,078 | 36.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Horsforth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | J.P. Hopkinson | 3,275 | 47.5 |
| | Conservative | L.W. Robinson | 2,341 | 34.0 |
| | Labour | E. Barlow | 1,131 | 16.4 |
| | Ecology | R. Price | 147 | 2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 934 | 13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6894 | 41.6 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Leeds No. 7 Hunslet East and West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John Gunnell | 5,057 | 76.1 |
| | Liberal | M. Day | 1,066 | 16.0 |
| | Conservative | T.R. Davies | 449 | 6.8 |
| | National Front | E. Morrison | 72 | 1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,991 | 60.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,644 | 38.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Garforth No. 2 Kippax and Swillington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | N. Cooper | 3,985 | 67.7 |
| | Conservative | A.C. Taylor | 1,289 | 21.9 |
| | Liberal | Diane Philipa Hadwin | 613 | 10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,696 | 45.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,887 | 41.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 13 Kirkstall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Brian Selby | 2,997 | 60.4 |
| | Conservative | Albert A. Walkington | 1,443 | 29.1 |
| | Liberal | J. Ackrill | 523 | 10.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,554 | 31.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,963 | 40.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 15 Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | St John Binns | 3,405 | 77.9 |
| | Conservative | Anthony J. Larvin | 434 | 9.9 |
| | Liberal | Shirley Ward | 534 | 12.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,871 | 65.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,327 | 31.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 16 Moortown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Kenneth T Davison | 2,166 | 46.9 |
| | Labour | D.M. Winter | 1,583 | 34.3 |
| | Liberal | Rosemary Judith Clay | 696 | 15.1 |
| | Ecology | K.M. Rushworth | 170 | 3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 583 | 12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,615 | 34.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Morley No. 1 North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Linda Rose Middleton | 3,388 | 48.5 |
| | Conservative | G. Rogerson | 2,784 | 39.8 |
| | Liberal | Anne Kathryn Gilchrist | 818 | 11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 604 | 8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,990 | 39.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Morley No. 2 South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | R. Darrington | 4,019 | 66.2 |
| | Conservative | S.D. Hodgson | 1,423 | 23.4 |
| | Liberal | Marrion Elisa Hirst | 631 | 10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,596 | 42.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,073 | 37.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 17 Osmondthorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John M. Sully | 2,909 | 68.7 |
| | Conservative | Jean Higham | 709 | 14.6 |
| | Liberal | Anne Weatherley | 619 | 16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,200 | 51.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,237 | 34.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Otley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Barry Peters | 4,052 | 48.6 |
| | Conservative | Clive J. Fox | 3,112 | 37.4 |
| | Labour | Audrey Joyce Slee | 841 | 10.1 |
| | Ecology | A. Marriot | 215 | 2.6 |
| | SDP | G.J. Malcolm | 109 | 1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 940 | 11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,329 | 55.2 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Pudsey No. 1 North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Harry Gill | 2,743 | 40.3 |
| | Labour | Neil G. Rhodes | 2,602 | 38.3 |
| | Liberal | A.R. Booker | 1,332 | 19.6 |
| | Ecology | N. A. Strudwick | 123 | 1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 141 | 2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,800 | 43.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Pudsey No. 2 South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Andrew R Jarosz | 2,111 | 35.2 |
| | Conservative | C. Critchley | 2,014 | 33.5 |
| | Liberal | D.N. Collins | 1,879 | 31.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,004 | 41.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Rothwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | W. H. Banks | 4,874 | 62.5 |
| | Conservative | D. Boynton | 1,665 | 21.4 |
| | Liberal | R.C James | 1,168 | 15.0 |
| | Communist | R Horsbrough | 90 | 1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,209 | 41.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,797 | 35.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 18 Seacroft :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Len Hodgson | 3,450 | 73.6 |
| | Conservative | J.M. Suttenstall | 688 | 14.7 |
| | Liberal | A. Wood | 460 | 9.8 |
| | Communist | B.S. Wilson | 91 | 1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,762 | 58.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,689 | 30 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 19 Stanningley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Margaret Sarah Cliff | 2,763 | 61.0 |
| | Conservative | A. Holmes | 906 | 20.0 |
| | Liberal | S. J. Gillien | 863 | 19.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,857 | 41.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,532 | 35.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 20 Talbot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | J. Bird | 2,622 | 52.1 |
| | Liberal | G. Macpherson | 1,128 | 22.4 |
| | Labour | J. W. Hall | 1,059 | 21.1 |
| | Ecology | S. Barnes | 219 | 4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,494 | 29.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,028 | 34.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Wetherby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Yvonne Brenda Garden | 5,504 | 67.4 |
| | Labour | I. K. Adams | 1,233 | 15.1 |
| | Liberal | June Cutliffe Scott | 942 | 11.5 |
| | Ecology | D. Rawson | 482 | 5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,271 | 52.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,161 | 37.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Leeds No. 21 Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | C. Webster | 2,499 | 44.4 |
| | Conservative | Frank Stubley | 1,589 | 28.3 |
| | Liberal | W.T. Moss | 1,536 | 27.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 910 | 16.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,624 | 38.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |

## Leeds Ward Casual Vacancies

Leeds No. 10 Bramley 8 Aug 1983 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Margaret Jones | |
| | Labour | | |
| | Conservative | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 247 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing |
Leeds No. 4 Chapel Allerton and Scott Hall 17 June 1984 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Marie Stinson | |
| | Conservative | | |
| | Alliance | | |
| | Ecology | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |