# 1978 Barking London Borough Council election

The 1978 Barking Borough Council election took place on 4 May 1978 to elect members of Barking London Borough Council in London, England. The whole council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council.

## Background

6 new wards were created for this election and 113 candidates nominated in total. Labour, once again, ran a full slate of candidates, and in keeping with the council's strong Labour vote, no other party ran in all wards. The Conservative Party had the second most candidates on the ballot at 28.

## Election result

Labour continued to win a large majority of seats - 42 out of 48. For the first time since the 1968 elections the Conservatives won seats as well, 3 in all.

## Ward results
### Abbey

Abbey (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jean Bruce | 1,474 | 53.7 | −2.0 |
| | Labour | Sydney Hamilton | 1,470 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Horace Howie | 1,447 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Brian Cook | 776 | 28.3 | +10.4 |
| | Liberal | Ronwen Beadle | 312 | 11.4 | −15.0 |
| | Liberal | Angela Bush | 297 | | N/A |
| | National Front | Keith Taylor | 182 | 6.6 | N/A |
| | National Front | Sandra Hatchman | 160 | | N/A |
| | National Front | Stanley Pulfer | 153 | | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.6 | +9.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,827 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Alibon

Alibon (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Reynolds | 945 | 70.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ernest White | 944 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Reginald Johnson | 366 | 27.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Maule | 324 | | N/A |
| | Communist | Frederick Creamer | 39 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 28.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,817 | | |
| | 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) |

### Cambell

Cambell (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joseph Butler | 1,552 | 63.4 | −26.8 |
| | Labour | Sidney Cole | 1,481 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Bertie Roycraft | 1,295 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Dorothea Reed | 542 | 22.1 | +12.3 |
| | Liberal | Robert Porter | 233 | 9.5 | N/A |
| | Communist | Danielle Nicholls | 121 | 4.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31.9 | +11.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,386 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chadwell Heath

Chadwell Heath (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Residents | Cyril Ayres | 2,100 | 76.1 | +21.2 |
| | Residents | Joan Harper | 2,097 | | N/A |
| | Residents | Peggy Miller | 2,033 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Eric Harris | 613 | 22.2 | −5.5 |
| | Labour | James Jones | 536 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Eric Mansell | 495 | | N/A |
| | Communist | Alfred Ott | 46 | 1.7 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.1 | −10.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,899 | | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |

### Eastbrook

Eastbrook (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frederick Tibble | 1,202 | 48.2 | −32.1 |
| | Labour | Leonard Collins | 1,197 | | N/A |
| | Labour | George Crouch | 1,176 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alexander Owen | 1,099 | 44.1 | +30.9 |
| | Conservative | Sydney Horrell | 1.094 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Ada Horrell | 1.089 | | N/A |
| | Liberal | Edward Bullock | 192 | 7.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.1 | +17.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,364 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Eastbury

Eastbury (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maud Ball | 1,043 | 68.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | Michael O'Shea | 902 | | N/A |
| | Liberal | Alan Beadle | 479 | 31.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Martin Taylor | 465 | | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,888 | | |
| | 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) |

### Fanshawe

Fanshawe (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frederick Jones | 1,371 | 72.4 | −8.9 |
| | Labour | John Thomas | 1,244 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Ernest Turner | 1,221 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Russell | 459 | 24.2 | +15.9 |
| | Conservative | Ronald Rands | 428 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alan Wiles | 400 | | N/A |
| | Communist | Keith Bird | 64 | 3.4 | −7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30.2 | +10.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,885 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Gascoigne

Gascoigne (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julia Engwell | 1,648 | 64.0 | −18.8 |
| | Labour | John Lawrence | 1,501 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Brian Walker | 1,498 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Audrey Beasley | 486 | 18.9 | −8.4 |
| | Liberal | David Spender | 284 | 11.0 | N/A |
| | National Front | Colin London | 155 | 6.0 | N/A |
| | National Front | Harold Nash | 123 | | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.7 | +8.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,092 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Goresbrook

Goresbrook (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Dodd | 1,018 | 66.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Edith Bradley | 997 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Victor Reeves | 440 | 28.7 | N/A |
| | Communist | Avis Greenway | 76 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,230 | | |
| | 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) |

### Heath

Heath (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charles Fairbrass | 1,502 | 64.8 | −5.5 |
| | Labour | John Allam | 1,442 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Brian Wilkins | 1,331 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Leonard Groves | 681 | 29.4 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | Joan Preston | 660 | | N/A |
| | Communist | Helena Ott | 135 | 5.8 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30.4 | +13.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,698 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Longbridge

Longbridge (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dennis Barnett | 1,846 | 59.6 | +27.8 |
| | Conservative | Edward Reed | 1,780 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | John Seaman | 1,724 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Doris Jones | 998 | 32.7 | −16.5 |
| | Labour | John Cavanagh | 997 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Marie Cole | 915 | | N/A |
| | Liberal | Brian Beadle | 254 | 8.2 | −10.7 |
| | Liberal | Eric Lowers | 218 | | N/A |
| | Liberal | Dennis Keenan | 217 | | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.2 | +16.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,324 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Manor

Manor (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Albert Ball | 1,118 | 63.8 | +17.0 |
| | Labour | James Mannering | 1,043 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Bernadette Long | 462 | 26.4 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal | Muriel Stolton | 172 | 9.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.1 | +26.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,957 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Marks Gate

Marks Gate (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arthur Biles | 458 | 58.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Michael O'Brien | 300 | 38.5 | N/A |
| | Communist | Daniel Connor | 22 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,441 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Parsloes

Parsloes (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mabel Arnold | 1,092 | 61.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Millicent Preston | 1,057 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Janet Barnett | 486 | 27.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Daniel Felton | 209 | 11.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,307 | | |
| | 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) |

### River

River (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Leonard Bryant | 990 | 67.0 | −13.9 |
| | Labour | James Morton | 892 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jane Calver | 429 | 29.0 | +16.4 |
| | Conservative | William Whiter | 376 | | N/A |
| | Communist | Brian Nicholls | 58 | 3.9 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.8 | +10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,243 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Thames

Thames (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Douglas Waters | 1,649 | 86.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | George Shaw | 1,647 | | N/A |
| | Liberal | Ronald Stolton | 267 | 13.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,147 | | |
| | 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) |

### Triptons

Triptons (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Brooker | 1,185 | 65.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | John Davis | 1,152 | | N/A |
| | Labour | William Bellamy | 1,077 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alan Sears | 513 | 28.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | George Winch | 391 | | N/A |
| | Communist | Danny Marshall | 100 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,213 | | |
| | 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) |

### Valence

Valence (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Blackburn | 1,383 | 60.8 | −9.6 |
| | Labour | Matthew Eales | 1,267 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Joanne Williams | 1,249 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Terence McManus | 432 | 19.0 | +8.7 |
| | Conservative | William Middleton | 358 | | N/A |
| | Independent | Vera Cridland | 213 | 9.4 | N/A |
| | National Front | John Benjafield | 185 | 8.1 | N/A |
| | National Front | John Roberts | 181 | | N/A |
| | National Front | Michael Sowerby | 168 | | N/A |
| | Communist | Brian Corbett | 62 | 2.7 | −6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30.7 | +12.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,092 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Village

Village (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Matthew Spencer | 1,256 | 48.3 | −16.1 |
| | Labour | Harry Tindell | 1,161 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Peter Bradley | 1,156 | | N/A |
| | Conservative | Terence Mallindine | 851 | 32.8 | +22.8 |
| | Conservative | John Kinnie | 839 | | N/A |
| | Liberal | George Poole | 392 | 15.1 | −1.3 |
| | Communist | Paul Greenaway | 99 | 3.8 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.0 | +10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,614 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 1978 and 1982
### Cambell

Cambell by-election, 29 March 1979 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eric Harris | 1,019 | 48.4 | −15.0 |
| | Conservative | Brian Cook | 906 | 43.0 | +20.9 |
| | National Front | John Benjafield | 106 | 5.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Daniel Felton | 76 | 3.6 | −5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 28.7 | −3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,354 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Bertie Roycraft.

### Gascoigne

Gascoigne by-election, 3 May 1979 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Jones | 2,258 | 54.7 | −9.3 |
| | Conservative | Stanley Bray | 1,255 | 30.4 | +11.5 |
| | Liberal | David Spender | 614 | 14.9 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,003 | 24.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 60.6 | +35.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,865 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Julia Engwell.

### Triptons

Triptons by-election, 4 December 1980 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Stevens | 859 | 68.3 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal | Edward Bullock | 234 | 18.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Sylvia Jones | 120 | 9.5 | −19.0 |
| | National Front | Ronald Ferrett | 44 | 3.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 625 | 49.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 17.4 | −10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,244 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. William Bellamy.