# 1983 Leeds City Council election

Elections to Leeds City Council were held on Thursday, 5 May 1983, with one third of the council to be elected.
The unwinding of much of Alliance's momentum helped Labour defend most of their 1982 losses, with the Conservative and Alliance gains restricted to a seat apiece in Morley North and Burmantofts respectively. The Conservative ousted by the Alliance gain in ultra-marginal Horsforth the year before won his way back onto the council with the only other gain of the night.

## Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1983 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 19 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 57.6 | 40.1 | 90,584 | +5.7% |
| Conservative | 11 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 33.3 | 36.3 | 81,908 | +0.5% |
| Alliance | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.1 | 23.0 | 51,880 | -6.4% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 539 | +0.2% |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 468 | -0.0% |
| Ecology | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 227 | -0.0% |
| National Front | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 142 | +0.1% |
This result has the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 56 | 54 |
| | Conservatives | 32 | 34 |
| | Alliance | 11 | 11 |
| Total | Total | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 13 | 9 |

## Ward results

Aireborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Barber | 3,958 | 43.2 | +1.0 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | M. Cooksey | 2,678 | 29.2 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | P. Booth | 2,532 | 27.6 | +6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,280 | 14.0 | +8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,168 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.2 | |
Armley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | D. Selby | 2,989 | 45.8 | −0.7 |
| | Labour | B. Ewart | 2,143 | 32.8 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | H. Hinchliffe | 1,349 | 20.7 | −2.5 |
| | Communist | J. Hodgson | 46 | 0.7 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 846 | 13.0 | −4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,527 | | |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing | -2.0 | |
Barwick & Kippax :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Monks | 3,652 | 49.5 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | W. Hedley | 2,937 | 39.8 | −2.9 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | E. Ayres | 792 | 10.7 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 715 | 9.7 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,381 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.5 | |
Beeston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Booth | 2,937 | 54.3 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | W. Birch | 1,755 | 32.5 | +0.5 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | B. Pollard | 712 | 13.2 | −8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,182 | 21.9 | +7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,404 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.7 | |
Bramley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Miller | 3,343 | 51.7 | +6.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | R. Barker | 2,012 | 31.1 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | G. Broadbent | 1,114 | 17.2 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,331 | 20.6 | +11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,469 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.5 | |
Burmantofts :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | T. Bland | 3,174 | 45.6 | −7.5 |
| | Labour | S. Armitage | 2,954 | 42.5 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | S. Temple | 715 | 10.3 | −0.7 |
| | National Front | P. Vessey | 59 | 0.8 | +0.8 |
| | Communist | M. Monkman | 56 | 0.8 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 220 | 3.2 | −14.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,958 | | |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | -7.4 | |
Chapel Allerton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Clarke | 4,049 | 60.1 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | J. Moore | 1,809 | 26.9 | −0.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | C. Smith | 879 | 13.0 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,240 | 33.2 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,737 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.4 | |
City & Holbeck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Morris | 3,705 | 64.4 | +2.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | A. Paton | 1,177 | 20.5 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative | D. Tomlinson | 872 | 15.2 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,528 | 43.9 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,754 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
Cookridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Wheatley | 4,141 | 55.9 | +0.0 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | P. Kelley | 1,900 | 25.7 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | F. Davis | 1,362 | 18.4 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,241 | 30.3 | +5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,403 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.7 | |
Garforth & Swillington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Lambert | 3,673 | 44.1 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | N. May | 3,562 | 42.8 | +2.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | P. Wilson | 1,095 | 13.1 | −11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 1.3 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,330 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
Halton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Hyde | 4,025 | 59.2 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | W. Prichard | 1,700 | 25.0 | +7.0 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Ratcliffe | 1,069 | 15.7 | −10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,325 | 34.2 | +4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,794 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.8 | |
Harehills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Simmons | 3,924 | 65.1 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | C. Robins | 1,374 | 22.8 | −2.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | N. Foster | 732 | 12.1 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,550 | 42.3 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,030 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.8 | |
Headingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Thomas | 3,646 | 53.6 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | D. Flowers | 2,190 | 32.2 | +1.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | C. Mularczyk | 824 | 12.1 | −9.2 |
| | Communist | B. Cooper | 140 | 2.1 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,456 | 21.4 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,800 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.1 | |
Horsforth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | V. Stevens | 3,875 | 45.8 | +2.0 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | M. Crossfield | 3,720 | 44.0 | −1.6 |
| | Labour | A. Radford | 858 | 10.2 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 155 | 1.8 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,453 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Alliance | Conservative gain from Alliance | Swing | +1.8 | |
Hunslet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Battle | 3,520 | 83.5 | +9.9 |
| | Conservative | R. Wilkinson | 405 | 9.6 | +0.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | D. Midgley | 289 | 6.9 | −10.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,115 | 73.9 | +17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,214 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.7 | |
Kirkstall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Illingworth | 3,727 | 56.2 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | A. Walkington | 1,808 | 27.3 | −2.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | P. Meadowcroft | 1,014 | 15.3 | +2.2 |
| | Communist | B. Jackson | 78 | 1.2 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,919 | 29.0 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,627 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Taylor | 3,303 | 73.7 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | A. Larvin | 765 | 17.1 | −0.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | L. Thackray | 411 | 9.2 | −9.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,538 | 56.7 | +11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,479 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
Moortown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Sparling | 3,739 | 47.9 | −1.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | M. Harris | 2,712 | 34.7 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | G. Ford | 1,363 | 17.4 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,027 | 13.1 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,814 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.1 | |
Morley North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Marshall | 3,522 | 46.5 | +5.3 |
| | Labour | R. Cordingley | 3,168 | 41.8 | +6.9 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | H. Smith | 886 | 11.7 | −12.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 354 | 4.7 | −1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,576 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -0.8 | |
Morley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Mitchell | 3,426 | 50.2 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | R. Halpin | 2,189 | 32.0 | +7.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | S. Beagles | 677 | 9.9 | −14.6 |
| | Independent | S. Welham | 539 | 7.9 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,237 | 18.1 | −8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,831 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.3 | |
North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Feldman | 4,011 | 61.5 | +4.0 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | M. Lance | 1,415 | 21.7 | −9.0 |
| | Labour | R. Davey | 1,101 | 16.9 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,596 | 39.8 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,527 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.5 | |
Otley & Wharfedale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | G. Kirkland | 5,196 | 51.3 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | E. Davies | 3,844 | 37.9 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | J. Monksfield | 869 | 8.6 | −0.3 |
| | Ecology | A. Laurence | 227 | 2.2 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,352 | 13.3 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,136 | | |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
Pudsey North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | I. Favell | 4,031 | 50.1 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | F. Burnley | 2,444 | 30.4 | +2.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | V. Hudson | 1,569 | 19.5 | −7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,587 | 19.7 | +3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,044 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.6 | |
Pudsey South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Dickinson | 2,688 | 39.4 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | P. Lee | 2,500 | 36.6 | +2.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | A. Booker | 1,637 | 24.0 | −7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 188 | 2.8 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,825 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.7 | |
Richmond Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Hamilton | 3,636 | 50.3 | +14.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | K. Norman | 2,973 | 41.1 | −14.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Higham | 534 | 7.4 | −1.2 |
| | National Front | H. Hilton | 83 | 1.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 663 | 9.2 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,226 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +14.1 | |
Rothwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B. Walker | 3,609 | 59.0 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | D. Boynton | 1,667 | 27.3 | +1.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | P. Burton | 790 | 12.9 | −12.1 |
| | Communist | R. Horsbrough | 50 | 0.8 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,942 | 31.8 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,116 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.4 | |
Roundhay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Gruen | 4,582 | 63.5 | +3.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | S. Holland | 1,449 | 20.1 | −6.5 |
| | Labour | C. Samuels | 1,189 | 16.5 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,133 | 43.4 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,220 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.9 | |
Seacroft :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Gabb | 3,408 | 67.9 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative | P. Hyde | 1,052 | 21.0 | +2.1 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | T. Ayres | 559 | 11.1 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,356 | 46.9 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,019 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | N. Sloane | 3,233 | 66.0 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Mindell | 904 | 18.5 | +2.3 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | J. Staines | 664 | 13.6 | −5.4 |
| | Communist | J. Rodgers | 98 | 2.0 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,329 | 47.5 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,899 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
Weetwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | S. Gill | 3,369 | 45.9 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | I. Steele | 2,526 | 34.5 | +9.5 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | G. Fox | 1,437 | 19.6 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 843 | 11.5 | −5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,332 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.9 | |
Wetherby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Hudson | 4,977 | 68.8 | −0.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | T. Burgess | 1,480 | 20.5 | −1.5 |
| | Labour | R. Bishop | 777 | 10.7 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,497 | 48.3 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,234 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.7 | |
Whinmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Blower | 2,807 | 48.4 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | M. Beardsall | 2,135 | 36.8 | +2.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | D. Mortimer | 860 | 14.8 | −10.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 672 | 11.6 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,802 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.9 | |
Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Fathers | 3,312 | 43.5 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | H. Connah | 2,198 | 28.8 | −2.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | A. Gilchrist | 2,109 | 27.7 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,114 | 14.6 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,619 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.3 | |