1978 Rochford District Council election
4 May 1978
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14 out of 40 seats to Rochford District Council 21 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1978 Rochford District Council election took place on 4 May 1978 to elect members of Rochford District Council in Essex, England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections.
Summary
Election result
| 1978 Rochford District Council election | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | This election | Full council | This election | |||||||
| Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− | ||
| Conservative | 9 | 2 | 64.3 | 18 | 27 | 67.5 | 8,230 | 60.8 | +4.5 | |
| Independent | 0 | 0.0 | 6 | 5 | 12.5 | N/A | N/A | –3.6 | ||
| Residents | 3 | 1 | 21.4 | 1 | 4 | 10.0 | 1,203 | 8.9 | +4.5 | |
| Labour | 1 | 1 | 7.1 | 1 | 2 | 5.0 | 2,649 | 19.6 | +0.1 | |
| Liberal | 1 | 7.1 | 1 | 2 | 5.0 | 1,465 | 10.8 | –1.6 | ||
Ward results
Incumbent councillors standing for re-election are marked with an asterisk (*).
Downhall
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | L. Cope* | 1,015 | 91.4 | +14.4 | |
| Liberal | J. Ralph | 95 | 8.6 | –14.4 | |
| Majority | 920 | 82.9 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,110 | 45.8 | –7.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,458 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 14.4 | |||
Grange & Rawreth
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | K. Bowen | 799 | 54.8 | –5.2 | |
| Labour | C. Gowlett | 659 | 45.2 | +5.2 | |
| Majority | 140 | 9.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,458 | 45.1 | –4.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,268 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 5.2 | |||
Hawkwell East
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Sheaf* | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 4,101 | ||||
| Conservative hold | |||||
Hockley East
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | S. Barnard* | 673 | 51.7 | –17.4 | |
| Conservative | M. Anderson | 628 | 48.3 | +17.4 | |
| Majority | 45 | 3.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,117 | 43.3 | +5.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 3,046 | ||||
| Residents hold | Swing | 17.4 | |||
Hullbridge Riverside
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | J. Nokes | 530 | 55.9 | N/A | |
| Conservative | R. Moody | 418 | 44.1 | –7.5 | |
| Majority | 112 | 11.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 948 | 36.5 | –8.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,627 | ||||
| Residents gain from Conservative | |||||
Hullbridge South
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | L. Campbell-Daley* | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 2,066 | ||||
| Residents hold | |||||
Lodge
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | J. Murison | 1,153 | 70.3 | +17.3 | |
| Labour | W. Campbell | 488 | 29.7 | +5.2 | |
| Majority | 665 | 40.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,641 | 37.9 | –9.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 4,385 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 6.1 | |||
Rayleigh Central
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | R. Foster* | 750 | 70.2 | +31.7 | |
| Labour | S. Andre | 318 | 29.8 | +14.5 | |
| Majority | 432 | 40.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,068 | 40.0 | –9.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,720 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 8.6 | |||
Rochford Eastwood
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | W. Budge | 409 | 64.6 | +6.2 | |
| Labour | E. Spearman | 224 | 35.4 | –6.2 | |
| Majority | 185 | 29.2 | +12.5 | ||
| Turnout | 633 | 48.0 | –6.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,327 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 6.2 | |||
Rochford Roche
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | C. Stephenson | 424 | 54.4 | +5.4 | |
| Conservative | N. Heard* | 356 | 45.6 | –5.4 | |
| Majority | 68 | 8.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 780 | 55.3 | –1.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,451 | ||||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 5.4 | |||
Rochford St Andrews
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | M. Garlick* | 553 | 65.1 | +9.4 | |
| Labour | J. Chittenden | 297 | 34.9 | –9.4 | |
| Majority | 256 | 30.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 850 | 33.8 | –8.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,551 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 9.4 | |||
Trinity
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | R. Boyd* | 867 | 56.6 | +9.7 | |
| Conservative | J. Gibson | 664 | 43.4 | –9.7 | |
| Majority | 203 | 13.3 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,531 | 59.1 | +8.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,633 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | 9.7 | |||
Wheatley
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | B. Lovett* | 752 | 81.9 | +12.0 | |
| Liberal | C. Elsey | 166 | 18.1 | –12.0 | |
| Majority | 586 | 63.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 918 | 38.3 | –9.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,448 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 12.0 | |||
Whitehouse
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | B. Taylor | 733 | 56.0 | –14.8 | |
| Liberal | D. Helson | 337 | 25.7 | –3.5 | |
| Labour | G. Wade | 239 | 18.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 396 | 30.3 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,309 | 50.3 | +11.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 2,636 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | 5.7 | |||
References
- ^ "Rochford District Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 8 September 2025.