# 1979 Colchester Borough Council election

Elections to Colchester Borough Council were held in 1979 alongside other local elections across the country.

## Summary

1979 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 | 13 | 1 | 65.0 | 23 | 36 | 60.0 | 30,316 | 50.2 | –2.9 |
| | Labour | 6 | | 30.0 | 15 | 21 | 35.0 | 22,644 | 37.5 | –4.2 |
| | Tiptree Residents | 1 | 1 | 5.0 | 1 | 2 | 3.3 | 2,541 | 4.2 | +2.0 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.7 | 0 | 0.0 | ±0.0 |
| | Liberal | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4,867 | 8.1 | +5.1 |

## Ward results
### Berechurch

Berechurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Howe | 1,941 | 48.0 | +7.5 |
| | Conservative | V. Worth | 1,388 | 34.3 | –1.2 |
| | Liberal | Martin Hunt | 716 | 17.7 | –6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 553 | 13.7 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,045 | 73.5 | +31.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,611 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.9 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Dunn | 1,643 | 46.6 | –10.3 |
| | Conservative | A. Beevers | 1,457 | 41.3 | +4.4 |
| | Liberal | William Spyvee | 425 | 12.1 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 186 | 5.3 | –14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,525 | 73.7 | +23.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,861 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.4 | |

### Copford & Eight Ash Green

Copford & Eight Ash Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Wilde | 1,139 | 73.0 | –3.6 |
| | Labour | V. McAndrew | 422 | 27.0 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 717 | 45.9 | –7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,561 | 78.5 | +30.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,012 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.6 | |

### Great & Little Horksley

Great & Little Horksley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Knighton | 1,086 | 78.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | J. Coombes | 305 | 21.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 781 | 56.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,391 | 80.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,744 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Great Tey

Great Tey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Browning | 912 | 80.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Jean Quinn | 220 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 692 | 61.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,132 | 78.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,451 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Harbour

Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Smith | 2,019 | 53.5 | –2.9 |
| | Conservative | M. Coyne | 1,756 | 46.5 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 263 | 7.0 | –5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,775 | 77.1 | +28.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,971 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 2.9 | |

### Lexden

Lexden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Sargeant | 1,942 | 61.9 | –19.6 |
| | Liberal | Ian Trusler | 690 | 22.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | R. Lown | 504 | 16.1 | –2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,252 | 39.9 | –23.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,136 | 80.1 | +31.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,969 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Mile End

Mile End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Fulton | 1,619 | 60.5 | –7.3 |
| | Labour | Tim Oxton | 1,059 | 39.5 | +7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 560 | 20.9 | –14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,678 | 75.8 | +30.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,579 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.3 | |

### New Town

New Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Williams | 2,052 | 60.8 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | L. Leader | 1,323 | 39.2 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 729 | 21.6 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,375 | 75.3 | +30.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,548 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.1 | |
No Liberal candidate as previous (–6.2).

### Prettygate

Prettygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F. Klayter | 2,173 | 54.1 | –14.6 |
| | Labour | B. Sawyer | 1,091 | 27.2 | –4.1 |
| | Liberal | M. Fisher | 750 | 18.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,082 | 27.0 | –8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,014 | 82.7 | +37.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,924 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.3 | |

### Pyefleet

Pyefleet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Parsonson | 768 | 75.9 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | J. Jopling | 244 | 24.1 | –0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 524 | 51.8 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,012 | 83.5 | +22.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,225 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.9 | |

### Shrub End

Shrub End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Wilkin | 1,818 | 57.5 | –1.8 |
| | Conservative | M. Nicholls | 1,345 | 42.5 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 473 | 15.0 | –3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,163 | 57.2 | +24.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,601 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.8 | |

### St. Andrews

St. Andrews :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Braddy | 2,668 | 55.2 | –11.8 |
| | Conservative | T. McArdle | 1,570 | 32.5 | –0.5 |
| | Liberal | Y. Holley | 597 | 12.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,098 | 22.7 | –11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,835 | 66.8 | +35.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,341 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.1 | |

### St. Annes

St. Annes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Pawsey | 1,649 | 50.1 | +7.0 |
| | Labour | J. Fraser | 1,644 | 49.9 | –7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,293 | 76.3 | +34.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,389 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 7.0 | |

### St. Johns

St. Johns :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B. West | 1,782 | 64.3 | –6.4 |
| | Labour | C. Graves | 991 | 35.7 | +6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 791 | 28.5 | –12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,773 | 80.6 | +33.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,481 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 6.4 | |

### St. Marys

St. Marys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Spendlove | 2,137 | 59.6 | –6.5 |
| | Labour | K. Taylor | 819 | 22.9 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal | R. Baker | 628 | 17.5 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,318 | 36.8 | –8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,584 | 75.9 | +30.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,790 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.3 | |

### Stanway

Stanway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Holloway | 1,528 | 53.8 | –0.5 |
| | Labour | D. Rose | 800 | 28.1 | –17.6 |
| | Liberal | M .Livermore | 514 | 18.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 728 | 25.6 | +17.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,842 | 78.7 | +30.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,661 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.6 | |

### Tiptree

Tiptree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tiptree Residents | J. Webb | 2,541 | 58.0 | +20.8 |
| | Conservative | C. Cansdale | 1,294 | 29.5 | –19.3 |
| | Liberal | I. Thurgood | 547 | 12.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,247 | 28.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,382 | 77.5 | +42.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,653 | | |
| | Tiptree Residents gain from Conservative | Tiptree Residents gain from Conservative | Swing | 20.1 | |
No Labour candidate as previous (–13.2).

### West Mersea

West Mersea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Williams | 2,645 | 83.5 | –4.0 |
| | Labour | J. Hockenhull | 523 | 16.5 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,131 | 67.1 | –8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,177 | 74.0 | +37.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,238 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.0 | |

### Wivenhoe

Wivenhoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Last | 1,889 | 51.1 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | M. Dunne | 1,811 | 48.9 | –5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 78 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,700 | 75.3 | +31.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,004 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.1 | |