title: 1973 Wiltshire County Council election
text: # 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 | |
  | | Labour | P. Peters | 2,247 | 49.4 |
  | | 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 | | |
  