West Somerset District Council Election Results 1973-2011 Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher The Elections Centre Plymouth University The information contained in this report has been obtained from a number of sources. Election results from the immediate post-reorganisation period were painstakingly collected by Alan Willis largely, although not exclusively, from local newspaper reports. From the mid- 1980s onwards the results have been obtained from each local authority by the Elections Centre. The data are stored in a database designed by Lawrence Ware and maintained by Brian Cheal and others at Plymouth University. Despite our best efforts some information remains elusive whilst we accept that some errors are likely to remain. Notice of any mistakes should be sent to [email protected]. The results sequence can be kept up to date by purchasing copies of the annual Local Elections Handbook, details of which can be obtained by contacting the email address above. Front cover: the graph shows the distribution of percentage vote shares over the period covered by the results. The lines reflect the colours traditionally used by the three main parties. The grey line is the share obtained by Independent candidates while the purple line groups together the vote shares for all other parties. Rear cover: the top graph shows the percentage share of council seats for the main parties as well as those won by Independents and other parties. The lines take account of any by- election changes (but not those resulting from elected councillors switching party allegiance) as well as the transfers of seats during the main round of local election. The lower graph shows for each main round of local elections the overall percentage turnout (solid line), the percentage of women candidates standing at (dotted line) and the percentage of women among those elected (hashed line). No. 7 (Alcombe) (1685)3 Dulverton & Brushford (1391)2 West Somerset - 1973 vote share vote share Griffiths E. Ind 559 100.0 Christopher K. Ind 622 100.0 Langdon A. Ind 451 - Clayton D. Ind 530 - Aville Vale (489) Murrell W. Ind 366 - Murrin S. Ind 163 - vote share Swallow C. Ind 252 - Burnell G. Ind 199 61.0 Turnout 44.7 58.0 Hughes J. Ind 127 39.0 Turnout 33.2 -13.6 Dunster (648) Turnout 66.7 22.1 Old Cleeve (1393)2 vote share vote share Bond G. Ind 218 73.6 Carhampton & Withycombe (919) Berger A. Ms. Ind 609 59.6 Mote T. Ind 78 26.4 vote share Webber E. Lab 412 40.4 Merson D. Ind 298 63.4 Newton F. Ind 219 - Turnout 45.7 47.3 Cridland W. Ind 172 36.6 Turnout 73.3 19.3 East Brendon (453) Turnout 51.1 26.8 vote share Porlock & Oare (1123)2 Pring L. Ms. Ind 117 58.5 Crowcombe & Stogumber (765) vote share Maddick M. Ms. Ind 83 41.5 vote share Wilson J. Ind 206 100.0 Trundle P. Ms. Con 0 0.0 Pollard J. Ind 187 - Turnout 44.2 17.0 Atteridge F. Ind 175 - Turnout 0.0 0.0 Haddon (661) Turnout 18.3 -100.0 vote share Dulverton & Brushford (1374)2 Grant A. Ms. Ind 0 0.0 vote share 2 Quantock Vale (1806) Christopher K. Ind 0 0.0 vote share Turnout 0.0 0.0 Clayton D. Ind 0 - Allen W. Ind 373 64.4 Payne G. Ind 339 - Holnicote (580) Turnout 0.0 0.0 Brown S. Ind 298 - vote share Moore G. Lab 206 35.6 Ridler J. Ind 0 0.0 Dunster (654) Wallis J. Lab 66 - vote share Turnout 0.0 0.0 Johnston R. Ind 0 0.0 Turnout 32.1 28.8 Minehead North (2378)3 Turnout 0.0 0.0 Watchet (2134)3 vote share vote share Collins W. Con 728 45.4 East Brendon (465) Woods E. Ms. Ind 497 100.0 Gibbons C. Ms. Ind 537 33.5 vote share Hornby D. Ms. Ind 496 - Axon L. Ind 531 - Pring L. Ms. Ind 125 62.8 Chidgey G. Ind 404 - Gilman-Jones R. Ms. Ind 364 - Maddick W. Ind 74 37.2 Oliver J. Ind 334 - Tucker D. Ms. Lib 338 21.1 Turnout 42.8 25.6 Turnout 23.3 58.6 Turnout 67.4 11.9 Haddon (655) West Quantock (879) No. 1 (Exmoor) (660) vote share vote share vote share Herbert A. Ind 231 61.9 Morris F. Ind 207 52.9 Lloyd R. Ind 0 0.0 Lloyd-Jones S. Ms. Ind 142 38.1 Spark D. Ind 184 47.1 Turnout 0.0 0.0 Turnout 56.9 23.9 Turnout 44.5 5.9 No. 2 (Quarme) (599) Holnicote (571) Williton (1621)2 vote share vote share vote share Morris M. Ind 0 0.0 Ridler J. Ind 0 0.0 Hutchings F. Ind 287 66.3 Chibbett H. Ind 228 - Turnout 0.0 0.0 Turnout 0.0 0.0 Deacon J. Ind 224 - 3 3 Hughes F. Lab 146 33.7 No. 6 (Minehead South) (2853) Minehead North (2384) Tandy R. Ind 91 - vote share vote share Fisher G. Ms. Lab 88 - Hook J. Ind 0 - Gibbons C. Ms. Ind 0 0.0 Holman A. Ind 0 - Collins W. Con 0 0.0 Turnout 26.7 32.6 Wilkinson F. Ind 0 0.0 Axon L. Ind 0 - Turnout 0.0 0.0 Turnout 0.0 0.0 West Somerset - 1976 No. 7 (Alcombe) (1700)3 No. 1 (Exmoor) (672) vote share vote share Griffiths E. Ind 463 56.9 Lloyd R. Ind 272 91.0 Aville Vale (488) Sebright M. Ind 425 - Morley J. Ind 27 9.0 vote share Burgess W. Ind 364 - Burnell G. Ind 0 0.0 Langdon A. Ind 356 - Turnout 44.5 81.9 Collins A. Con 350 43.1 Turnout 0.0 0.0 No. 2 (Quarme) (573) Turnout 47.8 13.9 vote share Carhampton & Withycombe (943) Morris M. Ind 170 64.4 vote share Old Cleeve (1434)2 Stevens V. Ind 94 35.6 Merson D. Ind 0 0.0 vote share Webber E. Ind 0 0.0 Turnout 46.1 28.8 Turnout 0.0 0.0 Berger A. Ms. Ind 0 - 3 No. 6 (Minehead South) (2672) Crowcombe & Stogumber (766) Turnout 0.0 0.0 vote share vote share Holman A. Ind 701 37.0 Brewer V. Con 273 51.1 Porlock & Oare (1123)2 Hook J. Lib 635 33.5 Illingworth J. Ind 261 48.9 vote share Wilkinson F. Con 557 29.4 Hadley W. Ind 0 - Knight E. Ms. Ind 528 - Turnout 69.7 2.2 Lynn J. Ind 0 0.0 Mannion J. Ind 455 - Turnout 0.0 0.0 Turnout 70.8 3.5 Results of the English Shire District Elections 1973-2012 1 Quantock Vale (1540)2 Exmoor (621) Williton (1719)2 vote share vote share vote share Pocock E. Ms. Con 573 59.3 Edwards J. Ind 216 51.7 Hutchings F. Ind 761 57.5 Brown S. Ind 394 40.7 Bindon P. Ind 202 48.3 Wall S. Res 563 42.5 Payne G. Ind 378 - Edwards G. Ind 534 - Turnout 67.3 3.3 Pulford J. Ms. Ind 264 - Turnout 62.8 18.5 Haddon (646) Turnout 77.0 15.0 Watchet (2291)3 vote share vote share Wood D. Ind 0 0.0 Chidgey G. Ind 0 - Peacock D. Ind 0 - Turnout 0.0 0.0 West Somerset - 1983 Woods E. Ms. Ind 0 0.0 Holnicote (569) 3 Turnout 0.0 0.0 vote share Alcombe (2343) Dyer D. Ind 219 51.4 vote share West Quantock (808) Grant J. Ind 207 48.6 Hunt F. Ind 721 69.7 Sweetland B. Ind 496 - vote share Spark D. Con 240 47.6 Turnout 74.9 2.8 Webb P. Lib/SDP 314 30.3 Rutt M. Ind 178 35.3 Wilks R. Lib/SDP 166 - Pulford L. Ind 86 17.1 Minehead North (2379)3 Turnout 44.2 39.3 vote share Turnout 62.4 12.3 Collins W. Con 1,186 58.0 Gibbons C. Ms. Ind 858 42.0 Aville Vale (521) Williton (1711)2 Rainbow A. Ind 732 - vote share vote share Axon L. Ind 663 - Burnett G. Ind 0 0.0 Hutchings F. Ind 401 65.3 Seale D. Ind 417 - Turnout 0.0 0.0 Tandy R. Ind 322 - Hughes F. Lab 213 34.7 Turnout 85.9 16.0 Fisher G. Ms. Ind 198 - Carhampton & Withycombe (973) Chibbett H. Ind 28 - Minehead South (2504)3 vote share Merson D. Ind 534 81.2 vote share Turnout 35.9 30.6 Holman A. Ind 1,302 35.2 Cridland B. Ind 124 18.8 Hartshorne- Baker F. Res 858 23.2 Turnout 67.6 62.3 Hook J. Lib 828 22.4 West Somerset - 1979 Rees G. Ind 753 - Crowcombe & Stogumber (814) Hay P. Con 707 19.1 vote share Brewer V. Con 0 0.0 Alcombe (2299)3 Turnout 147.6 12.0 vote share Turnout 0.0 0.0 Babbage M. Ind 703 46.3 2 Old Cleeve (1478) 2 Sebright M. Ind 528 - vote share Dulverton & Brushford (1481) Sweetland W. Res 474 31.2 Berger A. Ms. Ind 732 100.0 vote share Griffiths E. Ind 412 - Bryant R. Ind 639 - Clayton D. Ind 0 0.0 Somerset G. Cut the rates 340 22.4 Webber E. Ind 328 - Christopher K. Ind 0 - Phippen R. Ind 243 - Axon L. Ind 111 - Turnout 49.5 -17.2 Turnout 0.0 0.0 Turnout 66.0 15.1 Porlock & Oare (1178)2 Dunster (655) vote share vote share Aville Vale (502) Lynn J.