# 1973 Mid Bedfordshire District Council election

The first election to Mid Bedfordshire District Council was held on 7 June 1973, with the 49 councillors elected forming a shadow authority until 1 April 1974. Mid Bedfordshire District was formed on 1 April 1974 as part of a general reorganisation of local authorities in England and Wales carried out under the Local Government Act 1972. The district was formed by the amalgamation of five districts:
* Ampthill Urban District
* Biggleswade Urban District
* Sandy Urban District
* Ampthill Rural District
* Biggleswade Rural District
In 1973 Mid Bedfordshire had 62,423 registered electors, of which 57,527 were in the 23 contested wards. The turnout in the contested wards was 49%. Two wards (Henlow & Langford and Wrest) were uncontested.

## Result

Mid Bedfordshire District Council Election Result 1973 :
| Party | Seats | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Independent | 21 | 42.9 | 43.0 | 12,232 |
| Conservative | 17 | 34.7 | 23.6 | 6,729 |
| Labour | 9 | 18.4 | 27.7 | 7,882 |
| Liberal | 2 | 4.1 | 5.7 | 1,626 |

## Ward Results

All results are listed below:
Figures on turnout were taken from Plymouth University's Elections Centre, which gives the number of registered voters, and the percentage turnout for each ward. The number of ballots cast for each ward was calculated from these.
The percentage of the vote for each candidate was calculated compared with the number of ballots cast in the ward. Note that in a ward with more than one seat, voters were allowed to place as many crosses on the ballot paper as seats.

### Ampthill

Ampthill (3 seats, 4,110 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J Nottingham | 1,036 | 33.5 |
| | Labour | Ms G Wagstaff | 722 | 23.3 |
| | Liberal | P Cruse | 675 | 21.8 |
| | Conservative | L Sturman | 664 | 21.4 |
| | Conservative | Ms A Palmer | 645 | 20.8 |
| | Labour | R Holmes | 488 | 15.8 |
| | Labour | G Lane | 451 | 14.6 |
| | Liberal | Ms M Laycock | 298 | 9.6 |
| | Liberal | F Rudd | 281 | 9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,097 | 75.4 |

### Arlesey

Arlesey (2 seats, 2,575 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ms A Albon | 480 | 50.8 |
| | Labour | June Harrowell | 464 | 49.2 |
| | Conservative | R Turner | 407 | 43.1 |
| | Labour | C Bromley | 399 | 42.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 944 | 36.7 |

### Aspley (No 13)

Aspley (No 13) (2 seats, 1,967 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | M Kemp | 580 | 67.1 |
| | Independent | W Klinner | 468 | 54.1 |
| | Liberal | Ms S Kilpin | 285 | 32.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 865 | 44.0 |

### Biggleswade (No 2)

Biggleswade (No 2) (6 seats, 7,127 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | L Chambers | 1,875 | 38.7 |
| | Independent | Ms C Cook | 1,752 | 36.1 |
| | Labour | Victor Brunt | 1,713 | 35.3 |
| | Labour | R Pepper | 1,418 | 29.3 |
| | Conservative | Patricia Rouse | 1,221 | 25.2 |
| | Independent | Ms M Armstrong | 1,195 | 24.7 |
| | Labour | A Haynes | 1,179 | 24.3 |
| | Independent | J Bones | 1,092 | 22.5 |
| | Independent | Ms C Ballantyne-Evans | 761 | 15.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,847 | 68.0 |

### Blunham (No 17)

Blunham (No 17) (1 seat, 1,273 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ms E Woods | 272 | 43.8 |
| | Liberal | R Sawford | 222 | 35.7 |
| | Labour | C Wale | 127 | 20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 621 | 48.8 |

### Campton & Meppershall & Shefford (No 20)

Campton & Meppershall & Shefford (No 20) (4 seats, 4,964 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ms A Gouldsborough | 1,222 | 38.0 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Rogers | 1,213 | 37.8 |
| | Conservative | F Burrows | 1,183 | 36.8 |
| | Labour | A Smythe | 998 | 31.1 |
| | Independent | F Pettifer | 994 | 30.9 |
| | Independent | Ms M Faircloth | 759 | 23.6 |
| | Labour | W Barnett | 700 | 21.8 |
| | Labour | T Beggs | 612 | 19.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,212 | 64.7 |

### Clophill

Clophill (1 seat, 1,080 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | W Russell | 294 | 59.4 |
| | Labour | R Bailey | 201 | 40.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 495 | 45.8 |

### Cranfield

Cranfield (2 seats, 2,938 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J Salisbury | 745 | 66.5 |
| | Independent | A Wheelan | 553 | 49.4 |
| | Labour | H Iron | 375 | 33.5 |
| | Labour | F Keep | 329 | 29.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,120 | 38.1 |

### Flitton & Pulloxhill & Westoning (No 10)

Flitton & Pulloxhill & Westoning (No 10) (2 seats, 2,020 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jean Kent | 297 | 51.8 |
| | Conservative | Ms J Eells | 280 | 48.9 |
| | Independent | A Kitchiner | 276 | 48.2 |
| | Independent | Ms M Frankish | 228 | 39.8 |
| | Independent | F Sheridan | 123 | 21.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 573 | 28.4 |

### Flitwick & Steppingly (No 11)

Flitwick & Steppingly (No 11) (3 seats, 3,839 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Randall | 599 | 39.9 |
| | Conservative | J Pack | 486 | 32.4 |
| | Labour | Ms F Rolls | 466 | 31.1 |
| | Independent | W Billington | 435 | 29.0 |
| | Labour | Ms S Harris | 408 | 27.2 |
| | Labour | M Dillon | 385 | 25.7 |
| | Independent | H Farmer | 250 | 16.7 |
| | Independent | I Walker | 164 | 10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,500 | 39.1 |

### Harlington

Harlington (1 seat, 1,334 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | A Giles | 255 | 34.0 |
| | Labour | D Parker | 243 | 32.4 |
| | Independent | E Preston | 159 | 21.2 |
| | Independent | T Mead | 94 | 12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 751 | 56.3 |

### Haynes & Houghton Conquest

Haynes & Houghton Conquest (1 seat, 1,542 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | D Lawson | 437 | 60.2 |
| | Independent | H Craddock | 289 | 39.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 726 | 47.1 |

### Henlow & Langford (No 21)

Henlow & Langford (No 21) (3 seats, 3,538 registered voters) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Independent | G Charles | Unopposed | NA |
| Conservative | G Gates | Unopposed | NA |
| Liberal | J Sewell | Unopposed | NA |

### Lidlington (No 15)

Lidlington (No 15) (1 seat, 1,521 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | A Donnely | 215 | 35.3 |
| | Liberal | Ms J Downes | 157 | 25.8 |
| | Independent | Ms T Parrish | 137 | 22.5 |
| | Independent | F Scott | 100 | 16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 609 | 40.0 |

### Marston (No 14)

Marston (No 14) (1 seat, 1,544 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J Bushby | 528 | 61.1 |
| | Labour | D Towell | 337 | 39.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 864 | 56.0 |

### Maulden

Maulden (1 seat, 1,452 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ms I Robinson | 388 | 50.3 |
| | Independent | A Woodward | 274 | 35.5 |
| | Labour | F Harris | 109 | 14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 771 | 53.1 |

### Northill (No 18)

Northill (No 18) (1 seat, 1,822 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ms S Dingley | 378 | 43.1 |
| | Liberal | Alistair Costley | 328 | 37.4 |
| | Labour | R Charlick | 172 | 19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 878 | 48.2 |

### Old Warden & Southill

Old Warden & Southill (1 seat, 1,211 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | J Saunderson | 244 | 52.5 |
| | Independent | R Allingham | 221 | 47.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 465 | 38.4 |

### Potton (No 24)

Potton (No 24) (2 seats, 2,515 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | F Jakes | 344 | 54.2 |
| | Conservative | J Ream | 291 | 45.8 |
| | Independent | E Mayston | 193 | 30.4 |
| | Independent | A Dennis | 144 | 22.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 635 | 25.2 |

### Sandy (No 3)

Sandy (No 3) (3 seats, 4,122 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | K Quince | 852 | 43.1 |
| | Conservative | A Sherwood-King | 731 | 37.0 |
| | Conservative | J Harrison | 711 | 36.0 |
| | Independent | E Smith | 670 | 33.9 |
| | Conservative | L Dray | 638 | 32.3 |
| | Labour | Ms J Monahan | 393 | 19.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,975 | 47.9 |

### Shillington & Stondon

Shillington & Stondon (2 seats, 2,461 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | R Roe | 433 | 69.7 |
| | Independent | G Cooper | 391 | 63.0 |
| | Independent | J Burgess | 230 | 37.0 |
| | Labour | D Cripps | 188 | 30.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 621 | 25.2 |

### Stotfold

Stotfold (3 seats, 3,994 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | H Wood | 746 | 54.0 |
| | Independent | F Hyde | 635 | 46.0 |
| | Independent | B Clark | 571 | 41.3 |
| | Independent | A Brown | 503 | 36.4 |
| | Labour | C Dunkley | 427 | 30.9 |
| | Labour | W McColl | 363 | 26.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,381 | 34.6 |

### Wensley (No 25)

Wensley (No 25) (1 seat, 884 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | W Goodyer | 233 | 52.6 |
| | Independent | D Walker | 210 | 47.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 443 | 50.1 |

### Woburn

Woburn (1 seat, 1,232 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ms G Glasse | 376 | 65.5 |
| | Conservative | D Woodward | 198 | 34.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 574 | 46.6 |

### Wrest

Wrest (1 seat, 1,358 registered voters) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | G Wood | Unopposed | NA | |