The 1973 West Dorset District Council election was held on Thursday 10 May 1973 to elect councillors to the new West Dorset District Council in England. It took place on the same day as other district council elections in the United Kingdom.
10 May 1973
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All 55 seats to West Dorset District Council 28 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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These were the first elections to the new district council, which would come into effect on 1 April 1974. Future elections would take place every three years, with the next election scheduled for 6 May 1976.
The 1973 election saw Independent councillors take a significant majority on the Council.
Ward results
editBeaminster
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | A. Hudson | 654 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | R. Bugler | 488 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | C. Coole | 456 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | S. Chaffey | 391 | – | N/A | |
| Turnout | 29.2 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 2,239 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Bothenhampton
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | O. Aburrow | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,197 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Bradford Abbas
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | M. Winder | 269 | 50.9 | N/A | |
| Independent | P. Bagnall | 259 | 49.1 | N/A | |
| Majority | 10 | 1.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 42.4 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,244 | ||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Bradpole
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | M. West | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,137 | ||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Bridport
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | H. Smith | 1,430 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | P. Norfolk | 946 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | A. Tiltman | 840 | 27.3 | N/A | |
| Labour | L. Dibden | 812 | 26.3 | N/A | |
| Labour | H. Skevington | 721 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | C. Samways | 701 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | A. Cummins | 676 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | T. Storrs | 469 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | G. Fitzgerald | 385 | – | N/A | |
| Turnout | 59.6 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 5,169 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
Broadmayne
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | W. White | 197 | 56.1 | N/A | |
| Independent | H. Ross-Skinner | 154 | 43.9 | N/A | |
| Majority | 43 | 12.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 30.8 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,139 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Broadwindsor
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | C. Coate | 282 | 68.6 | N/A | |
| Independent | R. Biggs | 129 | 31.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 153 | 37.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 39.8 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,032 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Burton Bradstock
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | G. Cheney | 392 | 59.6 | N/A | |
| Independent | J. Mallinson | 266 | 40.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 126 | 19.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 61.6 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,068 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Caundle Vale
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | N. White | 181 | 37.6 | N/A | |
| Liberal | E. Chant | 161 | 33.5 | N/A | |
| Independent | D. Randolph | 139 | 28.9 | N/A | |
| Majority | 20 | 4.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 50.0 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 962 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Cerne Valley
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | W. Best | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 928 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Charminster
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | E. Hanford | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,269 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Charmouth
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | R. Fouger | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,146 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Chesil Bank
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | M. Pengelly | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 993 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Chickerell
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | L. Bennett | 384 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | W. McCarthy | 336 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | M. Groves | 290 | – | N/A | |
| Turnout | 15.6 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 2,461 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Dorchester Central
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | L. Phillips | 368 | 62.3 | N/A | |
| Independent | W. Bowering | 164 | 27.7 | N/A | |
| Labour | A. Beards | 59 | 10.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 204 | 34.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 57.4 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,029 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Dorchester East
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | R. Collins | 1,205 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | J. Parsons | 1,029 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | Enid Stella Jones | 977 | 32.8 | N/A | |
| Liberal | R. Brissenden | 963 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | A. Woodroffe | 921 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | J. Matthews | 894 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | P. Lucas | 823 | – | N/A | |
| Labour | F. Holme | 793 | 26.7 | N/A | |
| Labour | J. Brown | 530 | – | N/A | |
| Labour | G. Megson | 529 | – | N/A | |
| Labour | P. Gregory | 529 | – | N/A | |
| Turnout | 68.3 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 4,354 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Dorchester West
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | G. Powell | 1,399 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | H. Durrant | 1,152 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | M. Bird | 1,116 | 33.9 | N/A | |
| Liberal | David Trevor Jones | 1,101 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | D. Anderson | 1,048 | – | N/A | |
| Labour | G. Standfeild | 775 | 23.6 | N/A | |
| Labour | S. Balistrari | 759 | – | N/A | |
| Labour | A. Yelling | 704 | – | N/A | |
| Labour | A. Waldron | 697 | – | N/A | |
| Labour | M. Murray | 661 | – | N/A | |
| Turnout | 71.2 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 4,622 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
Frome Valley
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | B. Bryant | 282 | 58.0 | N/A | |
| Independent | I. Collins | 204 | 42.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 78 | 16.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 49.5 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 982 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Halstock
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | T. Frost | 299 | 67.3 | N/A | |
| Independent | S. Hammick | 145 | 32.7 | N/A | |
| Majority | 154 | 34.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 39.7 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,117 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Holnest
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | M. Cockburn | 211 | 47.0 | N/A | |
| Independent | J. Gray | 121 | 26.9 | N/A | |
| Independent | A. Hill | 117 | 26.1 | N/A | |
| Majority | 90 | 20.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 43.7 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,028 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Loders
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | E. Golding | 399 | 76.7 | N/A | |
| Independent | C. Lucas | 121 | 23.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 278 | 53.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 62.4 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 833 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Lyme Regis
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | J. Broom | 627 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | E. Hallett | 580 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | V. Homyer | 529 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | G. Upjohn | 311 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | R. Hill | 229 | – | N/A | |
| Turnout | 22.7 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 2,761 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Maiden Newton
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | H. Haward | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 959 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Netherbury
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | P. Tiarks | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,216 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Owermoigne
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | D. Baldwin | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,010 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Piddle Valley
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | C. Green | 379 | 89.6 | N/A | |
| Independent | S. Clear | 44 | 10.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 335 | 79.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 40.1 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,054 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Puddletown
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | E. Bown | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 894 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Queen Thorne
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | J. Brewer | 290 | 64.3 | N/A | |
| Independent | P. Thornton-Wood | 161 | 35.7 | N/A | |
| Majority | 129 | 28.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 44.6 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 1,011 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Sherborne
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | E. King | 1,400 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | M. Matson | 1,228 | 46.7 | N/A | |
| Independent | A. Sweet | 1,217 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | E. Dyke | 1,100 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | R. Farrant | 1,030 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | J. Barker | 996 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | W. Vincent | 978 | – | N/A | |
| Independent | A. Lugg | 917 | – | N/A | |
| Liberal | V. Quick | 854 | – | N/A | |
| Turnout | 46.7 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 5,629 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Liberal win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Stinsford
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | E. Williams | 334 | 63.6 | N/A | |
| Independent | W. Wakely | 191 | 36.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 143 | 27.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 64.7 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 812 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Symondsbury
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | R. Forbes | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,032 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Thorncombe
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | P. Atyeo | 112 | 66.3 | N/A | |
| Independent | M. Saunders | 57 | 33.7 | N/A | |
| Majority | 55 | 32.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 17.2 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 962 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Tolpuddle
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | M. Kraft | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 722 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Whitchurch Canonicorum
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | W. Fowell | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,083 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Winterborne St Martin
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | R. Childs | 239 | 51.6 | N/A | |
| Independent | R. Hyde | 224 | 48.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 15 | 3.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 49.8 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | 930 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||
Yetminster
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | F. Lawrence | unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
| Registered electors | 1,071 | ||||
| Independent win (new seat) | |||||