# 1979 North Hertfordshire District Council election

The 1979 North Hertfordshire District Council election was held on 3 May 1979, at the same time as other local elections across England and Wales and the 1979 United Kingdom general election. All 50 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council were up for election following ward boundary changes.
The election saw the Conservatives increase their majority on the council.

## Overall results

The overall results were as follows:
North Hertfordshire District Council Election, 1979 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 34 | +4 | 68.0 | 52.0 | 33,135 | +2.2 |
| Labour | 12 | +1 | 24.0 | 33.8 | 21,519 | +5.0 |
| Liberal | 0 | | 0.0 | 4.7 | 2,988 | +0.8 |
| Independent | 2 | -3 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 2,945 | -7.7 |
| Ratepayers | 2 | 0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2,082 | -1.6 |
| Ecology | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.0 | 627 | +1.0 |
| National Front | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.2 | 140 | +0.2 |

## Ward results

The number of seats on the council was increased from 48 to 50 and there were extensive ward boundary changes. The new ward arrangements allowed for the council to subsequently be elected roughly a third at a time rather than all at once. The results for each ward were as follows. An asterisk(*) indicates a sitting councillor standing for re-election.
Arbury ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Sheldrick* | 668 | 46.1 | |
| | Liberal | Glenis Travis | 585 | 40.4 | |
| | Labour | John Payne | 195 | 13.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 82.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,753 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Ashbrook ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Tatham | 1,084 | 63.3 | |
| | Labour | Keith Brydon | 628 | 36.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 83.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,054 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Baldock ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Alan Evens | 1,850 | 42.9 |
| | Conservative | Lord Stanley Corbett | 1,663 | |
| | Labour | Willy Page | 1,633 | 37.8 |
| | Labour | Roger McFall | 1,608 | |
| | Labour | Stan Watson | 1,513 | |
| | Conservative | Colin Vaughan | 1,499 | |
| | Independent | Jane Tomkinson | 832 | 19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 86.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,974 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | |
* ↑ "Lord" was his first given name rather than a title.
Cadwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ron Lodge* | 733 | 52.2 | |
| | Conservative | James Halliday | 474 | 33.7 | |
| | Labour | Jenny Marr | 153 | 10.9 | |
| | Liberal | Sarah Low | 45 | 3.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 83.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,685 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Codicote ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Denis Winch* | 1,249 | 72.8 |
| | Labour | Owen Swain | 466 | 27.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,119 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Hitchin Bearton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Roberts* | 1,605 | 50.8 | |
| | Conservative | Fred Scott* | 1,537 | | |
| | Conservative | Tim Phillips | 1,507 | | |
| | Labour | Paul Prescott | 1,416 | 44.8 | |
| | Labour | Judi Smith | 1,355 | | |
| | Labour | Brian Abrahams | 1,323 | | |
| | National Front | Paul Cooper | 140 | 4.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 73.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,275 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Hitchin Highbury ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Beryl Wearmouth* | 2,784 | 71.8 |
| | Conservative | Stuart Grantham* | 2,590 | |
| | Conservative | Betty Goble* | 2,571 | |
| | Labour | Pat Guymer | 1,092 | 28.2 |
| | Labour | Doris Reilly | 1,048 | |
| | Labour | Keith Ruff | 985 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,006 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Hitchin Oughton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Audrey Carss* | 1,750 | 52.9 |
| | Labour | Jim Reilly* | 1,677 | |
| | Labour | Martin Stears | 1,594 | |
| | Conservative | Derrick Ashley | 1,275 | 38.5 |
| | Conservative | Valerie Leeson | 1,214 | |
| | Conservative | Andrew Smith | 1,141 | |
| | Independent | Vic Logan | 283 | 8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 75.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,385 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Hitchin Priory ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Bob Flatman* | 1,731 | 79.1 |
| | Conservative | Michael Hillman* | 1,606 | |
| | Labour | Roger Burford Mason | 457 | 20.9 |
| | Labour | Harchet Bains | 341 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,768 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Hitchin Walsworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Ratepayers | Ken Logan* | 2,313 | 41.5 |
| | Ratepayers | Brian Worbey* | 2,119 | |
| | Labour | Fred Peacock* | 1,703 | 30.6 |
| | Conservative | Phillip MacCormack | 1,551 | 27.9 |
| | Labour | Moira Anderson | 1,144 | |
| | Labour | Bill Harmer | 1,105 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 110.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,019 | |
| | Ratepayers hold | Ratepayers hold | Swing | |
| | Ratepayers hold | Ratepayers hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Hitchwood ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Raffell* | 782 | 76.8 | |
| | Labour | Ms E. Connelly | 236 | 23.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,262 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Hoo ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Jackson* | 786 | 63.4 | |
| | Labour | Tony Brown | 453 | 36.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 81.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,520 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Kimpton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Paul Nicholson | 672 | 54.1 | |
| | Conservative | Francis Thompson | 484 | 38.9 | |
| | Labour | Don Smith | 87 | 7.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 82.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,500 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Knebworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Gordon Dumelow* | 1,691 | 59.9 |
| | Conservative | Alfred Grosse* | 1,195 | |
| | Ecology | Melanie Hutchins | 627 | 22.2 |
| | Labour | Christina Evans | 507 | 17.9 |
| | Labour | Joan Page | 476 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 91.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,088 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Letchworth East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Headley Parkins | 1,526 | 45.1 | |
| | Labour | Stan Wilmer | 1,479 | | |
| | Labour | Tony McWalter | 1,443 | | |
| | Conservative | Alan Brett | 1,436 | 42.4 | |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Bage | 1,351 | | |
| | Conservative | Peter Colvin | 1,342 | | |
| | Independent | Roger Leach | 425 | 12.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 83.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,067 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Letchworth Grange ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Miller* | 2,400 | 62.4 | |
| | Labour | Don Kitchiner* | 2,039 | | |
| | Labour | David Kearns | 1,977 | | |
| | Conservative | Charles Bifield | 1,444 | 37.6 | |
| | Conservative | John McKenna | 1,429 | | |
| | Conservative | Annie Murphy | 1,327 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,956 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Letchworth South East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Shipman* | 2,270 | 54.9 | |
| | Conservative | John Yates | 2,193 | | |
| | Conservative | Jenny Ritchie | 2,191 | | |
| | Labour | Noel Geaney | 1,863 | 45.1 | |
| | Labour | Joan Kirby | 1,655 | | |
| | Labour | George York | 1,576 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 74.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,537 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Letchworth South West ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bob Saunders* | 2,148 | 66.5 | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Burrows* | 2,122 | | |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Woods* | 1,970 | | |
| | Labour | Stephen Spencer | 1,080 | 33.5 | |
| | Labour | David Gallard | 958 | | |
| | Labour | Nigel Percival | 891 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,059 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Letchworth Wilbury ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ray Bloxham* | 1,509 | 43.7 |
| | Conservative | Keith Emsall* | 1,394 | |
| | Labour | Ian Mantle | 1,357 | 39.3 |
| | Conservative | Jeffrey Smith | 1,298 | |
| | Labour | David Evans* | 1,290 | |
| | Labour | Mainie Briercliffe | 1,270 | |
| | Liberal | Ian McGinley | 587 | 17.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 85.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,062 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
Newsells ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Wilkerson* | 736 | 79.6 | |
| | Labour | Anthony Pettit | 189 | 20.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,164 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Offa ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Rosalie Fitzgerald | 541 | 45.0 | |
| | Labour | David Kendall* | 358 | 29.8 | |
| | Liberal | David Jamieson | 304 | 25.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 81.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,473 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Royston East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pat Rule* | 1,843 | 58.2 | |
| | Conservative | Francis John Smith* | 1,822 | | |
| | Liberal | Sydney Charles McLennan | 672 | 21.2 | |
| | Labour | Robert Pratt | 650 | 20.5 | |
| | Labour | John Walker | 577 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 85.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,701 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
* ↑ Pat Rule had been elected as an independent in 1976, but she stood as a Conservative in 1979.
Royston West ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Duncan Ferguson | 1,807 | 51.9 | |
| | Conservative | Harold Greenfield | 1,590 | | |
| | Conservative | Andrew Emms | 1,379 | | |
| | Labour | Alan Evans | 883 | 25.3 | |
| | Liberal | Hazel Lord | 795 | 22.8 | |
| | Labour | Jessie Etheridge | 739 | | |
| | Labour | Michael Kernaghan | 684 | | |
| | Liberal | Eric Harlow | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 83.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,188 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
* ↑ Result obscured in source.
Sandon ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Esther Brookes* | 734 | 82.6 | |
| | Labour | Jenny Weetch | 155 | 17.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,105 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Weston ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Evans* | 653 | 69.8 | |
| | Labour | Mick Donaghue | 282 | 30.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 82.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,128 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |