# 1973 Wiltshire County Council election

Elections to Wiltshire County Council were held on Thursday, 12 April 1973. The whole council of seventy-nine members was up for election, and the Conservatives came within a whisker of taking formal control.
The Chairman of the Council since 1969, Sir Henry Langton, did not stand for re-election, and at the annual meeting later in April was succeeded by Frank Willan, who continued for the whole four years of the council's term of office.

## Election result

The Conservatives, with thirty-nine seats, took effective control of the county council. Labour ended with twenty-two county councillors, most of them in and around Swindon, while Independents ended the election with twelve seats and the Liberals six. The elections were not fiercely fought everywhere, with twenty-four of the sixty-seven divisions uncontested. Most of the uncontested seats, eighteen, went to Conservatives, five to Independents, and one to a Liberal, Jack Ainslie.
Result of Wiltshire County Council election, 1973 :
| Party | Seats | Seats % |
| Conservative | 39 | 49.4 |
| Labour | 22 | 27.8 |
| Independent | 12 | 15.2 |
| Liberal | 6 | 7.6 |

## Results by divisions
### Amesbury No. 1

Amesbury No. 1 (two seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | T. H. J. Heffernan | 1,675 | 57.7 |
| | Conservative | A. Hall | 1,622 | |
| | Labour | P. Lumley | 1,228 | 42.3 |
| | Labour | P. Matthews | 958 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 447 | |

### Amesbury No. 2

Amesbury No. 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | H. E. Richardson | 832 | 47.4 |
| | Labour | S. Rudkin | 799 | 45.6 |
| | Independent | A. Whateley | 123 | 7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | |

### Amesbury No. 3

Amesbury No. 3 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | S. Peacock | 1,155 |
| | Labour | C. Pude | 571 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 584 |

### Bedwyn

Bedwyn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. E. Elliot-Cohen | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Box

Box :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | R. Fudge | 978 | 66.0 |
| | Independent | D. Newman | 503 | 34.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 475 | 32.0 |

### Bradford

Bradford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Mrs M. Mizen | 1,377 | 43.5 |
| | Conservative | Captain P. S. Beale | 1,119 | 35.4 |
| | Liberal | A. Thomas | 667 | 21.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 258 | |

### Bradford & Melksham No. 1

Bradford & Melksham No. 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mrs D. L. Maulton | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Bradford & Melksham No. 2

Bradford & Melksham No. 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | W. Earle | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Bremhill

Bremhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Earl of Shelburne | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Brinkworth

Brinkworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Shuter | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Calne North

Calne North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | L. Carpenter | 817 | 55.9 |
| | Liberal | E. Hornby | 644 | 44.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 173 | |

### Calne South

Calne South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | F. C. Eley | 512 | 60.1 |
| | Labour | M. Jeary | 340 | 39.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 172 | 20.2 |

### Cannings

Cannings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lt Col. C. H. Antrobus | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Chippenham Park

Chippenham Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Burton | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Chippenham Sheldon

Chippenham Sheldon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | H. Williamson | 1,076 | 38.9 |
| | Liberal | M. Whittle | 921 | 33.3 |
| | Conservative | G. Webb | 767 | 27.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 155 | 5.6 |

### Chippenham Town

Chippenham Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | G. B. Jamieson | 711 | 39.5 |
| | Liberal | S. du Plat-Taylor | 708 | 39.4 |
| | Labour | J. Lawless | 379 | 21.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | |

### Collingbourne

Collingbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. G. Bartlett | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Corsham

Corsham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | B. Fuller | 1,592 | 59.9 |
| | Labour | H. Shaw | 1,065 | 49.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 527 | 10.8 |

### Cricklade

Cricklade :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | F. Freeth | 627 | 51.9 |
| | Independent | C. Turner | 581 | 48.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46 | 3.8 |

### Devizes No. 1 (East)

Devizes No. 1 (East) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | F. Kirby | 1,044 | 79.3 |
| | Conservative | L. Coxon | 273 | 20.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 771 | 58.6 |

### Devizes No. 2

Devizes No. 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | M. Rendall | 1,025 | 58.4 |
| | Labour | Mrs M. Taylor | 731 | 41.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 294 | 16.8 |

### Downton

Downton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | N. J. M. Anderson | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Enford

Enford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Brigadier George Wort | 992 | 70.0 |
| | Labour | J. Goodall | 425 | 30.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 567 | 40.0 |

### Fisherton

Fisherton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Mrs J. E. M. Smith | 990 | 72.8 |
| | Labour | H. Trevor-Cox | 370 | 27.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 620 | 45.6 |

### Highworth No. 1

Highworth No. 1 (three seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | A. Miles | 3,475 |
| | Labour | B. V. Cockbill | 3,265 |
| | Labour | K. R. Coello | 3,045 |
| | Conservative | G. Claspar | 1,682 |
| | Conservative | A. Stainer | 1,606 |
| | Conservative | R. Stainer | 1,469 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,363 |

### Highworth No. 2

Highworth No. 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | W. McKanan-Jones | 1,535 | 58.6 |
| | Labour | E. Garrett | 1,083 | 41.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 452 | 17.2 |

### Highworth No. 3

Highworth No. 3 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | D. G. W. Cooke | 1,085 | 50.5 |
| | Liberal | B. Schofield | 1,062 | 49.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 | 1.0 |

### Highworth No. 4

Highworth No. 4 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. J. Bran | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Highworth No. 5

Highworth No. 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Barnett | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Kington

Kington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. McCarthy | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Langley

Langley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Featherston-Godley | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Lavington

Lavington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. Spencer | 935 | 56.1 |
| | Independent | C. Gillington | 732 | 43.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 203 | 12.2 |

### Malmesbury

Malmesbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Major P. Sturgis | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Marlborough

Marlborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | P. Maurice | 1,291 | 56.9 |
| | Conservative | A. Gray | 978 | 43.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 513 | 13.8 |

### Melksham

Melksham (two seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | F. B. Day | 1,831 | 64.3 |
| | Labour | Mrs M. E. Salisbury | 1,798 | |
| | Independent | W. Dixon | 1,016 | 35.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 782 | |

### Mere & Tisbury No. 1

Mere & Tisbury No. 1 (Donhead & Tisbury) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Group Captain F. A. Willan | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Mere & Tisbury No. 2

Mere & Tisbury No. 2 (Mere) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | J. Underwood | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### New Sarum Bemerton

New Sarum (Bemerton) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Mrs B. D. Brown | 927 | 63.5 |
| | Conservative | D. Shergold | 533 | 36.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 394 | 27.0 |

### New Sarum Fisherton

New Sarum (Fisherton) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mrs N. M. Locock | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### New Sarum St Edmund

New Sarum (St Edmund) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | R. C. A. Townsend | 1,307 | 55.5 |
| | Labour | R. Pelly | 1,048 | 44.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 259 | 11.0 |

### New Sarum St Mark

New Sarum (St Mark) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mrs M. J. Benson | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### New Sarum St Paul

New Sarum (St Paul) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | F. W. Grandfield | 808 | 53.4 |
| | Conservative | W. Porter | 705 | 46.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 103 | 6.8 |

### New Sarum St Thomas

New Sarum (St Thomas) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Mullins | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Pewsey

Pewsey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | C. Lampard | 1,336 | 66.7 |
| | Labour | A. Wren | 667 | 33.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 669 | 33.4 |

### Potterne

Potterne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | E. P. Awdry | 1,142 | 55.9 |
| | Conservative | A. Kidd | 900 | 44.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 242 | 11.8 |

### Preshute

Preshute :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | J. B. Ainslie | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Purton

Purton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | T. Rowe | 958 | 57.6 |
| | Conservative | W. Wilton-Fitzgerald | 704 | 42.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 | 15.2 |

### Sherston

Sherston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Turner | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Swindon East

Swindon East (two seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | T. Griffiths | 1,504 |
| | Labour | G. Rogers | 1,372 |
| | Conservative | D. Bampton | 1,290 |
| | Conservative | A. Moss | 1,145 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 82 |

### Swindon Kings

Swindon Kings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Miss M. E. Matthews | 581 | 35.2 |
| | Labour | M. Lane | 559 | 33.9 |
| | Liberal | R. Scarfe | 509 | 30.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22 | 1.3 |

### Swindon North

Swindon North (three seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | A. C. G. Durston | 1,871 | 64.9 |
| | Labour | M. Harbar | 1,832 | |
| | Labour | F. Allen | 1,750 | |
| | Conservative | F. Ashplant | 687 | 23.8 |
| | Communist | W. Reeves | 323 | 11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,063 | |

### Swindon Queens

Swindon Queens :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Mrs B. A. Horsburgh | 539 | 50.4 |
| | Labour | W. Wilks | 531 | 49.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.8 |

### Swindon South No. 1

Swindon South No. 1 (two seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Mrs F. E. Mortimer | 1,886 |
| | Conservative | G. Keiller | 1,842 |
| | Liberal | J. Newman | 1,043 |
| | Liberal | J. Richards | 1,019 |
| | Labour | P. Cunnington | 570 |
| | Labour | A. Rutson | 539 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 799 |

### Swindon South No. 2

Swindon South No. 2 (two seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | L. Dowdall-Marsh | 1,232 | 54.2 |
| | Labour | W. Parkin | 1,194 | |
| | Liberal | G. McMullen | 744 | 32.7 |
| | Liberal | R. Walker | 654 | |
| | Conservative | W. Turpin | 299 | 13.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |

### Swindon West

Swindon West (three seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Miss E. C. M. Millin | 2,394 | 49.4 |
| | Labour | P. Peters | 2,247 | |
| | Labour | J. Cordon | 2,060 | |
| | Conservative | R. Savage | 1,785 | 36.8 |
| | Conservative | R. Dore | 1,506 | |
| | Conservative | J. Pass | 1,490 | |
| | Liberal | M. Powell | 667 | 13.8 |
| | Liberal | V. Horsburgh | 667 | |
| | Liberal | I. Grigg | 624 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 275 | |

### Trowbridge No. 1

Trowbridge No. 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | B. Walden | 543 | 35.8 |
| | Labour | J. Hungerford | 528 | 34.8 |
| | Liberal | A. Thomson | 447 | 29.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 1.0 |

### Trowbridge No. 2

Trowbridge No. 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Carmen Y. Cannell | 807 | 51.0 |
| | Independent | Anthony G. Phillips | 774 | 49.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | 2.0 |

### Trowbridge No. 3

Trowbridge No. 3 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George Applegate | 821 | 42.2 |
| | Liberal | J. Stevens | 648 | 33.3 |
| | Labour | J. Madden | 477 | 24.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 173 | 8.9 |

### Warminster

Warminster (two seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | J. Wall | 1,530 | 33.5 |
| | Independent | Mrs D. J. Main | 1,298 | 28.5 |
| | Liberal | E. Rees | 944 | 20.7 |
| | Liberal | B. Cotton | 807 | |
| | Labour | P. Morrison | 790 | 17.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |

### Warminster & Westbury No. 1

Warminster & Westbury No. 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Mrs M. L. Rosser-Rees | 1,232 | 66.8 |
| | Labour | J. Arkwright | 611 | 33.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 621 | 33.6 |

### Warminster & Westbury No. 2

Warminster & Westbury No. 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Hon. James Morrison | 1,132 | 58.0 |
| | Labour | W. Vivash | 819 | 42.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 313 | 16.0 |

### Warminster & Westbury No. 3

Warminster & Westbury No. 3 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | J. M. Stratton | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Westbury

Westbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Brian J. Gray | 1,350 | 70.2 |
| | Liberal | Caroline Ball | 574 | 29.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 776 | 40.4 |

### Whiteparish

Whiteparish :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lady Nye | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |

### Wilton

Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | C. E. Cooper | 1,240 | 54.6 |
| | Conservative | L. Gray | 711 | 31.3 |
| | Independent | M. Woodward | 319 | 14.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 529 | 23.3 |

### Wootton Bassett

Wootton Bassett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | H. G. Hobbs | 1,174 | 42.9 |
| | Liberal | B. Fitzwilliams | 1,110 | 40.6 |
| | Labour | J. Butcher | 452 | 16.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 2.3 |

### Wylye

Wylye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lt Col. J. O. Jeans | Unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | n/a | | |