# 1974 Hamilton District Council election

Elections to Hamilton District Council were held on 7 May 1974, on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. This was the first election to the district council following the implementation of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
The election used the 20 wards created by the Formation Electoral Arrangements in 1974. Each ward elected one councillor using first-past-the-post voting.
Labour took control of the council after winning a majority of the seats – 13 – and taking nearly half the popular vote. The Scottish National Party (SNP) took more than a quarter of the popular vote but only returned two seats. Both the Conservatives and the Liberals also returned two seats with less than half the vote share of the SNP. The remaining seat was won by an independent candidate.

## Background

Prior to 1974, Hamilton was one of nine burghs within the County of Lanark. As a large burgh, powers over planning, local taxation, building control, housing, lighting and drainage as well as further powers over the police, public health, social services, registration of births, marriages and deaths and electoral registration rested with the burgh council. The rest of the local government responsibility fell to the county council which had full control over the areas which were not within a burgh.
Following the recommendations in the Wheatly Report, the old system of counties and burghs – which had resulted in a mishmash of local government areas in which some small burghs had larger populations but far fewer responsibilities than some large burghs and even counties – was to be replaced by a new system of regional and district councils. Hamilton Burgh and the surrounding areas including Blantyre, Bothwell, Uddingston, Larkhall and Stonehouse was to be placed in Hamilton District within the Strathclyde region.

## Results

1974 Hamilton District Council election result :
| Party | Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| | Labour | 13 | N/A | 65.0 | 45.7 | 17,530 | N/A |
| | SNP | 2 | N/A | 10.0 | 26.7 | 10,248 | N/A |
| | Conservative | 2 | N/A | 10.0 | 12.5 | 4,765 | N/A |
| | Liberal | 2 | N/A | 10.0 | 7.3 | 2,784 | N/A |
| | Independent | 1 | N/A | 5.0 | 2.1 | 812 | N/A |
| | Independent Labour | 0 | N/A | 0.0 | 5.6 | 2,138 | N/A |
| | Communist | 0 | N/A | 0.0 | 0.3 | 98 | N/A |
| Total | Total | 20 | | | | | |
Source:

## Ward results
### Hillhouse

Hillhouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | R. Newberry | 888 | 60.2 |
| | SNP | J. Boothroyd | 588 | 39.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 300 | 20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,476 | 49.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,041 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Udston

Udston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | S. Dallas | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,181 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Wellhall North

Wellhall North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | SNP | M. Kirkwood | 676 | 47.3 |
| | Labour | H. Doyle | 377 | 26.4 |
| | Conservative | A. Aitchison | 377 | 26.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 299 | 20.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,430 | 46.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,104 | |
| | SNP win (new seat) | SNP win (new seat) | SNP win (new seat) | SNP win (new seat) |
Source:

### Central

Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | C. Brain | 721 | 52.3 |
| | Labour | T. Murphy | 658 | 47.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,379 | 54.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,543 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Source:

### Burnbank

Burnbank :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | C. Brownlie | 1,267 | 61.2 |
| | SNP | D. Brown | 804 | 38.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 463 | 22.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,071 | 50.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,164 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Bent

Bent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | SNP | J. Ross | 728 | 40.3 |
| | Labour | M. S. Ewart | 623 | 34.5 |
| | Conservative | G. Cowper | 455 | 25.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 105 | 5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,806 | 57.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,184 | |
| | SNP win (new seat) | SNP win (new seat) | SNP win (new seat) | SNP win (new seat) |
Source:

### Fairhill

Fairhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | N. Cochrane | 1,273 | 51.3 |
| | SNP | E. Moore | 1,113 | 44.8 |
| | Communist | A. Valentine | 98 | 4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 160 | 6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,484 | 50.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,942 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Wellhall South

Wellhall South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | R. Sherry | 627 | 53.0 |
| | Conservative | G. Young | 282 | 23.8 |
| | Liberal | J. Millward | 275 | 23.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 345 | 29.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,184 | 52.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,273 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Low Waters

Low Waters :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | D. Williamson | 1,661 | 66.9 |
| | Labour | I. McKillop | 822 | 33.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 839 | 33.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,483 | 56.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,506 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Source:

### Cadzow

Cadzow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | W. Condie | 1,687 | 63.8 |
| | Conservative | G. Skelton-Smith | 957 | 36.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 730 | 27.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,644 | 48.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,619 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Dalserf

Dalserf :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | M. Grove | 857 | 44.9 |
| | SNP | G. Smith | 683 | 35.8 |
| | Independent Labour | J. McLean | 367 | 19.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 174 | 9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,907 | 51.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,715 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Machan

Machan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Hunter | 985 | 42.8 |
| | SNP | M. Fergusson | 965 | 41.9 |
| | Independent Labour | J. Kelly | 351 | 15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,301 | 53.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,282 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Avonholm

Avonholm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Speirs | 662 | 39.4 |
| | Independent Labour | W. Little | 623 | 37.1 |
| | SNP | M. Miller | 394 | 23.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,679 | 57.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,957 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Strutherhill

Strutherhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | S. Casserly | 726 | 44.0 |
| | Independent Labour | J. Downie | 662 | 40.1 |
| | SNP | E. Rocks | 263 | 15.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,651 | 62.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,674 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Stonehouse

Stonehouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | M. Burns | 812 | 40.0 |
| | Labour | H. Chalmers | 711 | 35.1 |
| | SNP | C. McFarlane | 505 | 24.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 101 | 4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,028 | 60.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,391 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Bothwell and Uddingston North

Bothwell and Uddingston North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | T. Maxwell | 939 | 44.0 |
| | Labour | S. Sloss | 809 | 37.9 |
| | SNP | D. Kirkcaldy | 388 | 18.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,136 | 62.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,486 | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
Source:

### Bothwell and Uddingston South

Bothwell and Uddingston South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | T. Grieve | 1,568 | 68.1 |
| | Conservative | G. McAllister | 312 | 13.5 |
| | Labour | G. Forry | 279 | 12.1 |
| | SNP | H. Graham | 145 | 6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,256 | 54.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,304 | 66.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,485 | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
Source:

### High Blantyre

High Blantyre :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. Swinburne | 1,353 | 55.7 |
| | SNP | D. Crawford | 1,075 | 44.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 278 | 11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,428 | 51.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,789 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Blantyre

Blantyre :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | D. Tremble | 1,412 | 56.3 |
| | SNP | T. Rarity | 1,094 | 43.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 318 | 12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,506 | 54.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,648 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source:

### Stonefield

Stonefield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | G. McInally | 1,514 | 61.2 |
| | SNP | J. Waugh | 827 | 33.4 |
| | Independent Labour | A. McLauchlan | 135 | 5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 687 | 27.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,476 | 57.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,397 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Source: