1982 Epping Forest District Council election

1982 Epping Forest District Council election
6 May 1982 (1982-05-06)
19 seats to Epping Forest District Council
1 by-election to Loughton Broadway
30 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Conservative Labour Loughton Residents
Last election 45 seats, 51.8% 12 seats, 37.2% N/A
Seats before 45 12 0
Seats after 42 12 3
Seat change 3 3
Popular vote 14,493 6,240 2,696
Percentage 47.5% 20.4% 8.8%
Swing 4.3% 16.8% N/A
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Party Alliance Independent
Last election 0 seats, 6.7% 2 seats, 4.1%
Seats before 1 2
Seats after 0 2
Seat change
Popular vote 6,583 179
Percentage 21.6% 0.5%
Swing 14.9% 3.6%
Winner of each seat at the 1982 Epping Forest District Council election
Rectangular inset (Loughton Broadway): By-election result
Leader before election


Conservative

Leader after election


Conservative

The 1982 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 6 May 1982 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. 19 members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex were elected. The council remained under Conservative majority control.

Background

The 1982 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 6 May 1982 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. The election saw the emergence of the Loughton Residents Association (LRA), a new local political grouping formed in 1981 by residents of Loughton who sought greater consultation and openness in local government.

The LRA, originally called the Central Loughton Residents' Association, was established amid growing concerns that local government decisions were being taken without adequately involving the community. The group fielded candidates to represent Loughton residents more directly at all levels of local government.

The national political context in 1982 was turbulent. The Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher faced widespread criticism for its handling of the economy, with unemployment reaching postwar highs. The year also saw the creation of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), following a split from Labour, which reshaped the political landscape nationally. Against this backdrop, the local elections provided an opportunity for residents’ groups and independents to gain ground.

In Epping Forest, the Conservatives retained control of the council but suffered losses in Loughton. The LRA made an immediate impact, winning three seats directly from the Conservatives. This breakthrough signalled the start of a long-standing role for the LRA in local politics, with the group becoming a major force in Loughton over the following decades.

Labour and the Liberals also contested seats but did not make the same level of progress locally as the LRA. Overall, the 1982 election marked a turning point in the district’s political history, introducing a durable residents’ movement that challenged the dominance of national parties in local affairs. Notably, the SDP-Liberal Alliance won more votes than Labour, whose vote share dropped sharply, particularly in its heartlands in Loughton, Debden, and Waltham Abbey. This marked the first time one of the two main parties had not placed second in terms of vote share.

Results summary

Source:[1]
1982 Epping Forest District Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 13 3 72.2 29 42 71.1 14,493 47.5 4.3
  Labour 4 6.7 8 12 20.3 6,240 20.4 16.8
  Loughton Residents 3 3 5.0 0 3 5.0 2,696 8.8 N/A
  Independent 0 0.0 2 2 3.3 179 0.5 3.6
  Liberal 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 6,583 21.6 14.9
  Epping Residents 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 173 0.5 N/A
  Ecology 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 103 0.3 N/A


Ward results

Buckhurst Hill East

Buckhurst Hill East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Smith 904 49.8 2.1
Alliance Ms F. Osborn 581 32.0 16.2
Labour J. Markham 330 18.2 14.0
Majority 323 17.8 1.9
Turnout 1,815 46.3 16.0
Registered electors 3,918
Conservative hold Swing

Buckhurst Hill West

Buckhurst Hill West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative V. Milner* 1,299 65.1 2.4
Alliance R. Eveling 522 26.2 5.0
Labour Ms S. Staddon 174 8.7 2.6
Majority 777 38.9 7.3
Turnout 1,995 42.2 4.0
Registered electors 4,725
Conservative hold Swing

Chigwell Row

Chigwell Row
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. McGregor* 456 62.4 9.0
Alliance G. West 221 30.2 N/A
Labour Ms A. Fowl 54 7.4 21.2
Majority 235 32.1 10.8
Turnout 731 41.3 32.8
Registered electors 1,768
Conservative hold Swing

Chigwell Village

Chigwell Village
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Gunby* 813 62.4 28.1
Alliance A. Thompson 452 34.1 N/A
Labour P. Speake 62 4.7 4.8
Majority 361 27.2 53.9
Turnout 1,327 40.9 8.0
Registered electors 3,812
Conservative hold Swing

Debden Green

Debden Green
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P. Bostock* 644 46.0 29.8
Loughton Residents M. Wardle 262 18.7 N/A
Conservative Ms K. Bellamy 252 18.0 6.2
Alliance L. Martin 241 17.2 N/A
Majority 382 27.3 24.4
Turnout 1,399 36.7 4.9
Registered electors 3,812
Labour hold Swing

Epping Hemnall

Epping Hemnall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Hill* 889 48.3 1.0
Alliance J. Eves 608 33.0 12.4
Labour Ms M. Jackson 314 17.1 13.0
Ecology R. Boenke 29 1.6 N/A
Majority 281 15.3 3.8
Turnout 1,840 40.4 2.9
Registered electors 4,559
Conservative hold Swing

Epping Lindsey

Epping Lindsey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F. Limer* 989 44.2 4.7
Alliance A. Payne 668 29.9 11.7
Labour G. Scales 354 15.8 17.2
Epping Residents Ms M. Jucker 173 7.7 N/A
Ecology T. Broughton 52 2.3 N/A
Majority 321 14.4 1.5
Turnout 2,236 45.3 6.7
Registered electors 4,936
Conservative hold Swing

Grange Hill

Grange Hill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Marshall 1,051 66.5 16.3
Alliance J. Fuller 389 24.6 N/A
Labour R. Opasiak 140 8.9 8.3
Majority 662 41.9 23.7
Turnout 1,580 35.5 12.5
Registered electors 4,451
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton Broadway

Loughton Broadway
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Stephen Murray 799 44.4 40.7
Labour H. Worby* 792 N/A
Alliance M. Pettman* 673 37.4 N/A
Alliance G. McNamara 651 N/A
Conservative M. Kerwood 327 18.2 3.3
Conservative Ms P. Torr 306 N/A
Majority 119 7.0 63.2
Turnout 1,799 39.7 6.6
Registered electors 4,527
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Loughton Forest

Loughton Forest
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Loughton Residents R. Gow 819 54.9 N/A
Conservative Ms A. Macdonald 502 33.6 41.8
Alliance W. Randall 109 7.3 N/A
Labour C. Martin 63 4.2 4.8
Majority 317 21.2 N/A
Turnout 1,493 50.8 15.9
Registered electors 2,940
Loughton Residents gain from Conservative Swing

Loughton Roding

Loughton Roding
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ms A. Miller 862 43.3 0.9
Labour C. Huckle 667 33.5 22.3
Alliance A. Hilton 461 23.2 N/A
Majority 195 9.8 5.2
Turnout 1,990 45.4 5.5
Registered electors 4,387
Conservative hold Swing

Loughton St. Johns

Loughton St. Johns
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Loughton Residents Ms D. Rhodes 822 43.5 N/A
Conservative J. Phillips 710 37.6 33.5
Alliance P. Richardson 211 11.2 3.7
Labour R. Cornell 145 7.7 13.7
Majority 112 5.9 N/A
Turnout 1,888 45.5 4.1
Registered electors 4,387
Loughton Residents gain from Conservative Swing

Loughton St. Marys

Loughton Marys
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Loughton Residents T. Webb 793 51.1 N/A
Conservative A. Swallow* 442 28.5 40.3
Alliance G. Hall 198 12.7 N/A
Labour J. Davy 120 7.7 23.5
Majority 351 22.6 N/A
Turnout 1,553 47.6 16.5
Registered electors 3,266
Loughton Residents gain from Conservative Swing

Nazeing

Nazeing
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Welch* 997 74.6 25.4
Labour K. Morris 339 25.4 N/A
Majority 658 49.3 50.7
Turnout 1,336 35.7 N/A
Registered electors 3,745
Conservative hold Swing

North Weald Bassett

North Weald Bassett
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Greenhill* 1,001 60.2 4.7
Labour P. Vickery 482 29.0 6.1
Independent R. Wyness 179 10.8 N/A
Majority 519 31.2 0.4
Turnout 1,662 41.5 31.2
Registered electors 4,004
Conservative hold Swing

Theydon Bois

Theydon Bois
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ms J. Wainwright* 969 73.0 27.0
Alliance O. Dunseath 250 18.8 N/A
Labour Ms F. Davy 86 6.5 N/A
Ecology Ms L. Boenke 22 1.7 N/A
Majority 719 54.2 45.8
Turnout 1,327 40.6 N/A
Registered electors 3,268
Conservative hold Swing

Waltham Abbey East

Waltham Abbey East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. O'Reilly 1,074 57.7 9.4
Labour J. Popely 488 26.2 25.5
Alliance Ms G. Pettman 299 16.1 N/A
Majority 586 31.5 28.0
Turnout 1,861 39.4 1.8
Registered electors 4,721
Conservative hold Swing

Waltham Abbey Paternoster

Waltham Abbey Paternoster
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Riley* 608 45.3 27.5
Conservative J. Macdougall 416 31.0 3.8
Alliance J. Stewart 317 23.6 N/A
Majority 192 14.3 31.3
Turnout 1,341 37.0 0.6
Registered electors 3,620
Labour hold Swing

Waltham Abbey West

Waltham Abbey West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Jailler* 540 41.7 9.4
Alliance Ms M. Lermit 383 29.6 N/A
Labour D. Grenville-Brown 371 28.7 20.2
Majority 157 12.1 9.9
Turnout 1,294 34.8 39.6
Registered electors 3,720
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ Colin Rallings; Michael Thrasher (2013). "Epping Forest District Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). The elections centre. Plymouth University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 February 2025.
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