1973 West Norfolk District Council election

1973 West Norfolk District Council election
10 May 1973 1976 →
All 60 seats to West Norfolk District Council; 31 seats needed for a majority
Registered	82,267
Turnout	~43.5%
	Control after election ; ; No overall control

The 1973 West Norfolk District Council election took place on 10 May 1973 to elect members of West Norfolk District Council in Norfolk, England.^[1] This was on the same day as other local elections.

This was the inaugural election to West Norfolk District Council, with the council having been recently established by the Local Government Act 1972.

Summary

Election result

1973 West Norfolk District Council election^[2]
Party		Candidates	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour	45	22	N/A	N/A	N/A	36.7	41.1	27,658	N/A
	Independent	43	19	N/A	N/A	N/A	31.7	21.8	14,633	N/A
	Conservative	33	14	N/A	N/A	N/A	23.3	29.6	19,912	N/A
	Ind. Conservative	9	5	N/A	N/A	N/A	8.3	2.8	1,861	N/A
	Liberal	10	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.0	4.7	3,173	N/A

2 Conservative and 2 Independent Conservative candidates were elected unopposed.

Ward results

Airfield

Airfield (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J. Bagge	635	53.6
	Conservative	S. Pope	613	51.7
	Labour	W. Holding	549	46.3
	Labour	R. Gudgton	321	27.1
Turnout			~1,185	42.3
Registered electors			2,802
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Burnham

Burnham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	E. Coke	434	51.0
	Labour	B. Phillips	417	49.0
Majority			17	2.0
Turnout			851	62.8
Registered electors			1,355
	Independent win (new seat)

Clenchwarton

Clenchwarton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Ind. Conservative	R. Kerkham	268	47.8
	Labour	F. Mallett	193	34.4
	Independent	F. Eggett	100	17.8
Majority			75	13.4
Turnout			561	38.5
Registered electors			1,457
	Ind. Conservative win (new seat)

Creake

Creake
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	F. Perowne	457	53.3
	Labour	O. Sands	400	46.7
Majority			57	6.7
Turnout			857	64.4
Registered electors			1,331
	Independent win (new seat)

Denton

Denton (3 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	F. Neville	775	39.9
	Conservative	M. Jones	659	33.9
	Labour	J. Waterfall	659	33.9
	Conservative	J. Wood	624	32.1
	Labour	F. Thompson	603	31.1
	Independent	I. Smith	506	26.1
	Independent	W. Ayres	504	26.0
	Labour	W. Watkins	475	24.5
	Independent	T. Bowers	454	23.4
	Independent	F. Hyam	208	10.7
Turnout			~1,942	53.5
Registered electors			3,629
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Dersingham

Dersingham (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	P. Thaxter	718	44.3
	Conservative	I. Stockwell	716	44.2
	Conservative	B. Griffiths	675	41.6
	Labour	M. Nurse	622	38.4
	Independent	L. Firth	188	11.6
Turnout			~1,621	62.1
Registered electors			2,610
	Labour win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Docking

Docking
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	D. Ford	412	54.6
	Independent	S. Mace	342	45.4
Majority			70	9.3
Turnout			754	57.4
Registered electors			1,313
	Labour win (new seat)

Emneth

Emneth
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	A. Terrington	330	44.4
	Independent	C. Peckover	225	30.3
	Independent	C. Coates	188	25.3
Majority			105	14.1
Turnout			743	50.7
Registered electors			1,466
	Independent win (new seat)

Gayton

Gayton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Ind. Conservative	I. Major	436	60.7
	Independent	J. Bacon	282	39.3
Majority			154	21.4
Turnout			718	59.6
Registered electors			1,204
	Ind. Conservative win (new seat)

Lynn South West

Lynn South West (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	D. Benefer	750	76.3
	Labour	W. Baker	710	72.2
	Conservative	N. Lumb	234	23.8
	Conservative	R. Mears	193	19.7
Turnout			~983	34.2
Registered electors			2,873
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Mershe Lande

Mershe Lande
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Ind. Conservative	H. Goose	Unopposed
Registered electors			1,394
	Ind. Conservative win (new seat)

Middleton

Middleton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	D. Burrell	321	60.5
	Labour	T. Squirrell	210	39.5
Majority			111	20.9
Turnout			531	37.2
Registered electors			1,429
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 1 (Kings Lynn: Gaywood)

No. 1 (Kings Lynn: Gaywood) (6 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	E. Shaw	1,382	42.8
	Labour	A. Campbell	1,358	42.0
	Labour	A. West	1,349	41.8
	Labour	F. Ackland	1,344	41.6
	Labour	J. Carney	1,294	40.0
	Labour	M. Pantling	1,278	39.6
	Conservative	P. Robinson	1,271	39.4
	Conservative	F. Barton	1,265	39.2
	Conservative	R. Fraulo	1,252	38.8
	Conservative	P. Robinson	1,244	38.5
	Conservative	J. Steele	1,165	36.1
	Conservative	S. Brown	1,124	34.8
	Liberal	R. Hubbard	582	18.0
	Liberal	D. Harbour	464	14.4
	Liberal	R. Whiley	419	13.0
	Liberal	G. Hathorn	416	12.9
Turnout			~3,231	39.1
Registered electors			8,264
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

No. 2 (Kings Lynn: North)

No. 2 (Kings Lynn: North) (4 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	H. Birdseye	1,340	85.7
	Labour	F. Juniper	1,334	85.3
	Labour	A. Panks	1,323	84.6
	Labour	F. Panks	1,280	81.8
	Conservative	A. Bridge	224	14.3
	Conservative	N. Nulty	214	13.7
	Conservative	K. Donnelly	209	13.4
	Conservative	M. Purdy	203	13.0
Turnout			~1,564	31.7
Registered electors			4,934
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

No. 5 (Kings Lynn: Chase & Central)

No. 5 (Kings Lynn: Chase & Central) (3 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	R. Dawson	692	46.9
	Conservative	F. Cork	690	46.8
	Conservative	B. Barton	666	45.2
	Liberal	B. Goldstone	418	28.4
	Labour	S. Roberts	366	24.8
	Labour	E. Falcini	312	21.2
	Liberal	J. Hubbard	268	18.2
	Liberal	D. Green	261	17.7
	Labour	E. Lewis	244	16.6
Turnout			~1,475	38.2
Registered electors			3,861
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

No. 6 (Downham Market)

No. 6 (Downham Market) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J. Bostock	964	56.6
	Labour	R. Taylor	738	43.4
	Conservative	J. Reed	686	40.3
Turnout			~1,702	53.9
Registered electors			3,157
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

No. 7 (Hunstanton)

No. 7 (Hunstanton) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	L. Brown	999	100.1
	Independent	T. Legge	924	92.6
	Independent	D. Popplewell	610	61.1
Turnout			~998	30.8
Registered electors			3,240
	Independent win (new seat)
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 9 (Heacham)

No. 9 (Heacham) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. Wells	600	39.0
	Independent	E. Gidney	498	32.3
	Labour	B. Smith	477	31.0
	Ind. Conservative	R. Joyce	443	28.8
Turnout			~1,540	53.8
Registered electors			2,862
	Labour win (new seat)
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 17 (Stoke Ferry)

No. 17 (Stoke Ferry)
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Ind. Conservative	R. Wilde	Unopposed
Registered electors			1,282
	Ind. Conservative win (new seat)

No. 18 (Denver)

No. 18 (Denver)
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	E. Pratt	Unopposed
Registered electors			1,423
	Conservative win (new seat)

No. 19 (Wimbotsham)

No. 19 (Wimbotsham)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	H. Grazier	305	53.7
	Conservative	J. Forgan	263	46.3
Majority			42	7.4
Turnout			568	43.7
Registered electors			1,299
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 20 (Welney)

No. 20 (Welney)
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	H. Rose	Unopposed
Registered electors			1,260
	Conservative win (new seat)

No. 25 (South Wootton)

No. 25 (South Wootton)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	M. Bowskill	459	64.2
	Liberal	J. Smallwood	157	22.0
	Labour	G. Falcini	99	13.8
Majority			302	42.2
Turnout			715	40.6
Registered electors			1,762
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 26 (North Wootton)

No. 26 (North Wootton)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	G. Parker	319	54.4
	Labour	B. King	267	45.6
Majority			52	8.9
Turnout			586	45.4
Registered electors			1,290
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 27 (Massingham)

No. 27 (Massingham)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	J. Tilbury	361	44.8
	Labour	R. Rearco	225	28.0
	Ind. Conservative	M. Neave	219	27.2
Majority			136	16.9
Turnout			805	63.6
Registered electors			1,266
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 28 (Grimston)

No. 28 (Grimston)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	J. Reader	312	55.0
	Labour	A. Hooks	225	39.7
	Independent	R. Crouch	30	5.3
Majority			87	15.3
Turnout			567	39.9
Registered electors			1,422
	Independent win (new seat)

No. 40 (Outwell & Upwell)

No. 40 (Outwell & Upwell) (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	E. Feary	722	52.6
	Independent	S. Booley	650	47.4
	Conservative	J. Shepherd	535	39.0
	Independent	A. Calver	189	13.8
Turnout			~1,372	62.9
Registered electors			2,182
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Independent win (new seat)

North Coast

North Coast
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	H. Middleton	390	44.2
	Independent	R. Gibbs	316	35.8
	Liberal	M. Watterson	119	13.5
	Independent	M. Linge	57	6.5
Majority			74	8.4
Turnout			882	57.1
Registered electors			1,546
	Independent win (new seat)

Priory

Priory
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	G. Sandle	400	72.6
	Independent	G. Berry	151	27.4
Majority			249	45.2
Turnout			551	47.7
Registered electors			1,154
	Labour win (new seat)

Rudham

Rudham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	B. Seaman	380	70.8
	Ind. Conservative	T. Ringer	157	29.2
Majority			223	41.6
Turnout			537	49.5
Registered electors			1,084
	Labour win (new seat)

Snettisham

Snettisham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Ind. Conservative	S. Hunt	208	32.5
	Independent	F. Barwick	135	21.1
	Ind. Conservative	E. Ford	130	20.3
	Labour	F. Berry	98	15.3
	Liberal	P. Norwood	69	10.8
Majority			73	11.4
Turnout			640	44.6
Registered electors			1,436
	Ind. Conservative win (new seat)

Spellowfields

Spellowfields (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	H. Ward	724	36.9
	Labour	S. Ludlow	701	35.7
	Conservative	B. Howling	538	27.4
	Labour	W. Cowen	415	21.1
Turnout			~1,964	73.0
Registered electors			2,690
	Independent win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	C. Burman	401	55.8
	Labour	F. Holland	317	44.2
Majority			84	11.6
Turnout			718	47.1
Registered electors			1,524
	Independent win (new seat)

St. Margarets

St. Margarets
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	E. Edgley	460	64.4
	Conservative	P. Welch	254	35.6
Majority			206	28.8
Turnout			714	44.8
Registered electors			1,593
	Labour win (new seat)

Ten Mile

Ten Mile
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. Simper	424	60.1
	Independent	A. Dent	281	39.9
Majority			143	20.2
Turnout			705	40.0
Registered electors			1,762
	Labour win (new seat)

The Walpoles

The Walpoles
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	K. Cousins	282	37.3
	Independent	E. Kemp	251	33.2
	Independent	E. Bettison	223	29.5
Majority			31	4.1
Turnout			756	45.8
Registered electors			1,649
	Independent win (new seat)

Watlington

Watlington
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	G. Garfoot	297	52.1
	Independent	K. Brown	273	47.9
Majority			24	4.2
Turnout			570	41.2
Registered electors			1,382
	Conservative win (new seat)

West Walton

West Walton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	F. Jude	286	66.2
	Labour	F. Judd	146	33.8
Majority			140	32.4
Turnout			432	42.0
Registered electors			1,028
	Independent win (new seat)

West Winch

West Winch
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	C. Fuller	336	43.1
	Labour	G. Cook	226	29.0
	Independent	H. Gurney	176	22.6
	Independent	W. Price	41	5.3
Majority			110	14.1
Turnout			779	45.9
Registered electors			1,698
	Independent win (new seat)

Wiggenhall

Wiggenhall
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	J. Turrell	310	48.7
	Labour	P. Davies	211	33.2
	Independent	W. Turrell	115	18.1
Majority			99	15.5
Turnout			636	47.0
Registered electors			1,354
	Conservative win (new seat)

References

↑ "Borough Council of Kings' Lynn & West Norfolk Election Results 1973-2011" (PDF). Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. pp. 3–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
↑ "Composition calculator". Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 12 January 2026.

[1] "Borough Council of Kings' Lynn & West Norfolk Election Results 1973-2011" (PDF). Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. pp. 3–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.

[2] "Composition calculator". Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 12 January 2026.

[1]

[2]