1973 Cardiff City Council election

The 1973 Cardiff City Council election was held on Thursday 10 May 1973 to elect councillors to the new Cardiff District Council^[1] (later to become known as Cardiff City Council) in Cardiff, Wales. It took place on the same day as other district council elections in the United Kingdom.

These were the first elections to the new district council, which would come into effect on 1 April 1974. The previous all-Cardiff elections to the old Cardiff City Council took place in May 1972. Future elections would take place every three years, with the next election scheduled for 6 May 1976.

The 1973 election saw the Labour Party win a significant majority on the Council.

Background

Previously a unitary authority from 1889, Cardiff's council was to become a second-tier district authority to South Glamorgan County Council from 1 April 1974. This followed local government reorganisation enacted by the Local Government Act 1972. The 1973 election was the first to the new local authority, with councillors acting in a shadow capacity until April 1974.^[1] The election to South Glamorgan County Council had taken place in April 1973, with many Cardiff councillors standing for election to this authority.

Until 1973, elections to Cardiff City Council had been annual, with each of the three ward councillors standing down for election in rotation. In May 1973 all ward councillors were elected at the same election, to sit for three years.

Wards

The wards to the new council remained the same in 1973 as the previous Cardiff City Council, but with the addition of two new wards: Lisvane, Llanedeyrn and St Mellons (1 seat); and Radyr, St Fagans, Tongwynlais (2 seats). Fourteen of the wards continued to have three councillors, but five wards had their representation doubled to six councillors.

The position of alderman was to be abolished, with all members of the new council being elected ward councillors.

Results

Contests took place in all except one of the wards at this election.^[2]^[3]^(a) Labour won control of the new council.

Cardiff District Council election result 1973 ^[2]
	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes	+/−
Labour	42	42	*N/A*	*N/A*	56.0		*N/A*
Conservative	33	33	N/A	N/A	44.0		N/A
Liberal	0	0	N/A	N/A	0.0		N/A
Plaid Cymru	0	0	N/A	N/A	0.0	5,566	N/A
Communist	0	0	N/A	N/A	0.0	186	N/A
Independent	0	0	N/A	N/A	0.0	91	N/A

Results by ward

Adamsdown (3 seats)

Adamsdown^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D. Evans ⁺	1,139	74.2	*N/A*
	Labour	John Iorwerth Jones ^o+	1,102
	Labour	R. M. Costley	1,046
	Conservative	E. C. Canning	306	19.9	N/A
	Independent	Thelma Mackie	91	5.9	N/A
Turnout				25.3	N/A
Registered electors			6,071
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Canton (3 seats)

Canton^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	N. Jenkins	1,343	50.4	*N/A*
	Conservative	Bella Brown ^A+	1,323	49.6	*N/A*
	Labour	P. W. Thomas	1,299
	Labour	Patrick Kitson	1,283
	Conservative	Trevor Tyrell ^o+	1,230
	Conservative	W. Adams	1,171
Turnout				34.8	N/A
Registered electors			7,653
	Labour win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Cathays (3 seats)

Cathays^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Derek Allinson ^o+	1,721	44.6	*N/A*
	Labour	John Charles Edwards ^o+	1,581
	Labour	W. J. Davies	1,525
	Conservative	I. Jones	1,049	27.2	N/A
	Conservative	J. G. Miles	891
	Conservative	M. P. Rivlin	851
	Liberal	H. C. Edwards	620	16.1	N/A
	Plaid Cymru	G. ap Sion	466	12.1	N/A
Turnout				39.5	N/A
Registered electors			9,752
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Central (3 seats)

Central^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Herbert ^o+	1,217	62.2	*N/A*
	Labour	Gordon William Fish ^o+	1,209
	Labour	David Seligman ⁺	1,119
	Conservative	L. A. Walters	741	37.8	N/A
Turnout				33.4	N/A
Registered electors			5,864
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Ely (6 seats)

Ely^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Carling ^o+	2,362	67.3	*N/A*
	Labour	Albert Buttle ^o+	2,314
	Labour	Reverend Robert H. Morgan ⁺	2,243
	Labour	Charlie Gale	2,112
	Labour	J. Sloman	2,099
	Labour	Thomas Clifford Lee^o+	2,049
	Conservative	W. Clode	791	22.5	N/A
	Conservative	A. Fitzpatrick	751
	Conservative	John F. C. Phillips	723
	Conservative	Joan Joshua	714
	Conservative	W. E. T. Jones	665
	Conservative	A. H. Hinder	654
	Plaid Cymru	G. Dowling	358	10.2	N/A
	Plaid Cymru	P. Lane	325
	Plaid Cymru	Pedr McMullen	307
	Plaid Cymru	J. Storm	294
	Plaid Cymru	E. J. Maynard	201
Turnout				24.2	N/A
Registered electors			14,526
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Gabalfa (3 seats)

Gabalfa^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Emrys Pride ^o+	1,647	66.2	*N/A*
	Labour	Michael Parry ^o+	1,636
	Labour	Arthur Brown ^o+	1,590
	Conservative	R. C. Oldridge	842	33.8	N/A
Turnout				25.1	N/A
Registered electors			9,917
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Grangetown (3 seats)

Grangetown^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M. Matthewson ^o	1,299	52.0	*N/A*
	Labour	Harold Bartlett ^o+	1,273
	Labour	P. Owen	1,206
	Conservative	J. P. O'Reilly	1,198	48.0	N/A
	Conservative	Gwendoline Judd	1,089
Turnout				33.1	N/A
Registered electors			7,540
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Lisvane, Llanedeyrn and St Mellons (1 seat)

Lisvane, Llanedeyrn and St Mellons^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	T. H. Davies	Unopposed
Turnout			0	0.0	N/A
Registered electors			2,418
	Conservative win (new seat)

Llandaff (3 seats)

Llandaff^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. Ferguson-Jones ^A+	1,834	59.0	*N/A*
	Conservative	Keith Flynn ^o	1,759
	Conservative	Sir Charles S. Hallinan ^A	1,625
	Labour	Norma Maylin	650	20.9	N/A
	Labour	A. Saunders	628
	Plaid Cymru	Anne-Marie Petty	623	20.1	N/A
	Labour	J. D. Berridge	508
Turnout				33.4	N/A
Registered electors			9,293
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Llanishen (6 seats)

Llanishen^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jeffrey Sainsbury ^o+	2,475	36.5	*N/A*
	Conservative	Lionel Pugh ^o+	2,475
	Conservative	Ronald Watkiss ^A+	2,396
	Conservative	N. Morgan	2,360
	Conservative	D. O'Neill	2,332
	Conservative	William Barraby ^o	2,299
	Liberal	Olive Langdon	1,862	27.5	N/A
	Labour	Mary Beasley	1,723	25.4	N/A
	Labour	E. Goodrun	1,642
	Labour	F. Beatson	1,633
	Labour	M. Powell-Davies	1,618
	Labour	L. Goodrun	1,605
	Plaid Cymru	R. Griffiths	723	10.7	N/A
Turnout				49.7	N/A
Registered electors			13,635
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Penylan (6 seats)

Penylan^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stefan Terlezki ^o+	3,866	50.0	*N/A*
	Conservative	G. A. S. Turnbull ^Ao+	3,628
	Conservative	L. Johnson	3,601
	Conservative	Cecil Rapport	3,540
	Conservative	A. Austin	3,490
	Conservative	A. Thomas	3,437
	Liberal	Joan Davies	2,573	33.3	N/A
	Liberal	D. A. T. Thomas	2,510
	Liberal	M. Williams	2,450
	Liberal	Mary Jones	2,278
	Liberal	R. E. Westerman	2,193
	Liberal	A. Miranthis	2,190
	Labour	M. Davies	1,287	16.7	N/A
	Labour	G. Jenkins	1,278
	Labour	R. Bent	1,255
	Labour	A. Jobbins	1,205
	Labour	B. Jones	1,174
	Labour	K. O'Brien	1,163
Turnout				40.7	N/A
Registered electors			18,983
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Plasmawr (6 seats)

Plasmawr^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hubert Harding ^o+	1,983	57.4	*N/A*
	Labour	Frederick Tyrrell ^o+	1,886
	Labour	Albert Huish ^o+	1,823
	Labour	H. Davies	1,777
	Labour	J. Leondr	1,717
	Labour	E. West	1,643
	Conservative	W. Hall	863	25.0	N/A
	Conservative	D. Norman	820
	Conservative	F. J. Jones	819
	Conservative	V. Lloyd	798
	Conservative	P. Baynham	770
	Plaid Cymru	S. Quick	608	17.6	N/A
	Plaid Cymru	S. S. Smith	573
	Plaid Cymru	R. C. Rowlands	560
	Plaid Cymru	G. Aaron	526
	Plaid Cymru	W. D. Wilson	513
	Plaid Cymru	B. Nicholson	479
Turnout				24.8	N/A
Registered electors			13,951
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Plasnewydd (3 seats)

Plasnewydd^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Olwen Watkin ^Ao+	1,542	40.2	*N/A*
	Conservative	S. James ⁺	1,325
	Conservative	D. J. Evans	1,107
	Labour	P. Troy	986	25.7	N/A
	Labour	A. Mills	924
	Labour	J. B. Cocks	879
	Plaid Cymru	Philip B. Richards	704	18.3	N/A
	Liberal	R. Nott	605	15.8
	Plaid Cymru	Owen John Thomas	582
	Plaid Cymru	P. W. Riley	505
Turnout				46.5	N/A
Registered electors			8,251
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Radyr, St Fagans, Tongwynlais (2 seats)

Radyr, St Fagans, Tongwynlais^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	L. B. Clarke	898	52.7	*N/A*
	Conservative	G. W. Millard	838
	Labour	R. B. Hughes	806	47.3	N/A
	Labour	G. Bailey	780
Turnout				46.5	N/A
Registered electors			8,251
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Rhiwbina (3 seats)

Rhiwbina^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William John A. Bain ^o+	1,912	40.7	*N/A*
	Conservative	Martin Davies ^o+	1,877
	Conservative	G. Jones	1,785
	Liberal	H. J. O'Brien	1,519	32.3	N/A
	Liberal	S. H. Cotsen	1,482
	Liberal	G. K. Davies	1,463
	Plaid Cymru	D. C. G. Davies	692	14.7	N/A
	Plaid Cymru	Doris Hughes	652
	Labour	M. Mullins	577	12.3	N/A
	Labour	B. Morris	556
	Labour	T. R. Morris	546
	Plaid Cymru	R. C. F. Williams	539
Turnout				46.5	N/A
Registered electors			8,251
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Riverside (3 seats)

Riverside^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	K. Davies	1,530	47.7	*N/A*
	Conservative	Alec Johnson ^o	1,323
	Conservative	S. Doxsey	1,235
	Labour	V. Jones	946	29.5	N/A
	Labour	Dr. C. M. Hartnett	924
	Labour	V. A. White	858
	Liberal	E. Robinson	394	12.3	N/A
	Plaid Cymru	R. A. Lee	337	10.5	N/A
Turnout				42.4	N/A
Registered electors			7,571
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Roath (3 seats)

Roath^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	N. Lloyd-Edwards	1,811	49.0	*N/A*
	Conservative	Gerald Brinks ^o	1,639
	Conservative	C. Hutchings	1,636
	Liberal	D. W. Wood	929	25.2	N/A
	Liberal	J. Beauchamp	773
	Liberal	J. S. Davies	762
	Labour	T. O'Callaghan	633	17.1	N/A
	Plaid Cymru	P. Cravos	320	8.7	N/A
Turnout				35.8	N/A
Registered electors			10,317
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Rumney (6 seats)

Rumney^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Y. Bonar	2,653	52.7	*N/A*
	Labour	David Myfr Evans ^o+	2,626
	Labour	F. Yeomans	2,551
	Labour	Alun Michael	2,520
	Labour	John Randall Phillips ^o	2,503
	Labour	John Reynolds	2,483
	Conservative	S. Parker	1,643	32.7	N/A
	Conservative	S. Brown	1,491
	Conservative	T. R. Laurie	1,450
	Conservative	D. Floyd	1,428
	Conservative	H. R. James	1,398
	Plaid Cymru	S. R. Trevarthen	735	14.6	N/A
Turnout				26.7	N/A
Registered electors			18,837
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

South (3 seats)

South^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Frederick John Smith ^o+	1,540	60.8	*N/A*
	Labour	Philip Dunleavy ^o+	1,537
	Labour	P. H. Bowen	1,347
	Conservative	Terence Roche ^o	994	39.2	N/A
	Conservative	E. Williams	811
	Conservative	Frances M. Arnold	800
Turnout				37.3	N/A
Registered electors			6,788
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Splott (3 seats)

Splott^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Brooks ^o+	1,830	65.9	*N/A*
	Labour	V. Minton	1,786
	Labour	R. Ormonde ^o	1,780
	Conservative	D. O'Connell	761	27.4	N/A
	Conservative	K. C. Lewis	698
	Conservative	J. Stark	692
	Communist	S. Garrett-Jones	186	6.7	N/A
Turnout				32.5	N/A
Registered electors			8,553
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Whitchurch (3 seats)

Whitchurch^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Purnell ^A	2,672	50.3	*N/A*
	Labour	Philip Norton ^o+	2,641	49.7	*N/A*
	Conservative	J. M. Davies	2,596
	Conservative	Victor Riley	2,533
	Labour	A. Doone	2,269
	Labour	D. Weeks	2,132
Turnout				50.4	N/A
Registered electors			10,543
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

KEY

o = sitting councillor on (pre-1974) Cardiff City Council ^[4]^[5]^[6]
A = sitting alderman on (pre 1974) Cardiff City Council ^[7]^[8]
+ = elected as councillor to South Glamorgan County Council in April 1973 ^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "'Carve out' claim smashed by Labour's win". South Wales Echo. 11 May 1973. p. 18.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w "Cardiff Welsh District Council Election Results 1973-1991" (PDF). The Elections Centre (Plymouth University). Retrieved 5 September 2019.
^ "The New District Councils - Election Results - S. Glam. - Cardiff". South Wales Echo. 11 May 1973. p. 19.
^ "Labour whoop for joy on poll triumph - How the voting went". South Wales Echo. 8 May 1970. p. 13.
^ "All the S. Wales results". South Wales Echo. 14 May 1971. p. 13.
^ "South Wales results in detail - Cardiff". South Wales Echo. 5 May 1972. p. 6.
^ "Alderman ousted from city council". South Wales Echo. 22 May 1967. p. 1. Elected for six years: E. C. Dolman, Sir Charles Hallinan, Lincoln Hallinan, W. J. Hartland, Dorothy Lewis, T. E. Merrells, H. Ferguson Jones, Winifred Mathias, Harvey Salter, Gerard Turnbull
^ "Echo Survey - On the Great Unknowns". South Wales Echo. 3 April 1973. p. 6. Cardiff aldermen standing for election in South Glamorgan: Bella Brown, Hugh Ferguson Jones, Gordon Jones, David Purnell, Ron Richards, Gerard Turnbull, Olwen Watkin, Ron Watkiss
^ "South Glamorgan County Council Election Results 1973-1993" (PDF). The Elections Centre (Plymouth University). Retrieved 5 September 2019.

[SWE_carve_out-1] "'Carve out' claim smashed by Labour's win". South Wales Echo. 11 May 1973. p. 18.

[Elections_Centre-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w "Cardiff Welsh District Council Election Results 1973-1991" (PDF). The Elections Centre (Plymouth University). Retrieved 5 September 2019.

[SWE_results-3] "The New District Councils - Election Results - S. Glam. - Cardiff". South Wales Echo. 11 May 1973. p. 19.

[4] "Labour whoop for joy on poll triumph - How the voting went". South Wales Echo. 8 May 1970. p. 13.

[5] "All the S. Wales results". South Wales Echo. 14 May 1971. p. 13.

[6] "South Wales results in detail - Cardiff". South Wales Echo. 5 May 1972. p. 6.

[7] "Alderman ousted from city council". South Wales Echo. 22 May 1967. p. 1. Elected for six years: E. C. Dolman, Sir Charles Hallinan, Lincoln Hallinan, W. J. Hartland, Dorothy Lewis, T. E. Merrells, H. Ferguson Jones, Winifred Mathias, Harvey Salter, Gerard Turnbull

[8] "Echo Survey - On the Great Unknowns". South Wales Echo. 3 April 1973. p. 6. Cardiff aldermen standing for election in South Glamorgan: Bella Brown, Hugh Ferguson Jones, Gordon Jones, David Purnell, Ron Richards, Gerard Turnbull, Olwen Watkin, Ron Watkiss

[9] "South Glamorgan County Council Election Results 1973-1993" (PDF). The Elections Centre (Plymouth University). Retrieved 5 September 2019.

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