1979 Epping Forest District Council election

Local election in Epping Forest September 2025 September 2025 September 2025 1979 Epping Forest District Council election Essex parliamentary 1976 1979 5 3 y 1980 Epping Forest District Council election 1980 All 59 seats to Epping Forest District Council 30 95x50px|Blank Conservative Party (UK) 56 seats, 61.4% 56 47 9 24,295 54.5% 6.9% 95x50px|Blank Labour Party (UK) 1 seat, 30.2% 1 10 9 16,171 36.3% 6.1% 95x50px|Blank Liberal Party (UK) 0 seats, 6.8% 0 0 3,146 7.0% 0.2% 95x50px|Blank Independent (politician) 2 seats, 1.4% 2 2 594 1.3% 0.1% 1979 Epping Forest District Council local election results map.png 400px Winner of each seat at the 1979 Epping Forest District Council election Leader Leader after election Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) The 1979 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 3 May 1979 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. All 59 seats on the council were up for election following boundary changes, which created or altered several wards including Broadway, Buckhurst Hill East and West, Chigwell Row, Loughton St. Johns and Loughton St. Mary’s. This made the contest an all-out election, not the usual system where approximately one-third of councillors were elected each year, this would resume in 1980 onwards. Background The election occurred on the same day as the 1979 United Kingdom general election, which saw the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher defeat James Callaghan’s Labour government, ending five years of Labour rule. The local polls were also influenced by the wider political climate. In the months preceding the election, Britain experienced the “Winter of Discontent,” marked by widespread strikes among lorry drivers, public sector workers, and grave-diggers. Shortages of food, heating oil, and school closures added to the sense of crisis, culminating in the Callaghan government losing a vote of no confidence in March 1979. Opinion polls throughout early 1979 consistently showed a strong Conservative lead, which carried into both national and local contests. In Epping Forest, the Conservative Party retained control of the council, consolidating their dominance in rural and suburban wards such as Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, and North Weald Bassett. The Labour Party remained competitive in areas with stronger working-class representation, including Broadway, Debden Green, and Paternoster, where they returned multiple councillors. Turnout in many wards was notably high, with several exceeding 75%, reflecting the heightened political interest generated by the simultaneous general election. For instance, Buckhurst Hill West recorded a turnout of 78.0%, while Lambourne reached 83.4%. Despite the Labour Party’s national struggles, they managed to hold local ground in certain wards, though the Conservatives’ overall majority on the council was secure. Summary 1979 Epping Forest District Council electionSource:Colin Rallings Michael Thrasher Epping Forest District Council Election Results 1973-2012 https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Epping-Forest-1973-2012.pdf The elections centre Plymouth University https://web.archive.org/web/20250202104615/https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Epping-Forest-1973-2012.pdf 2025-02-02 en 2013 live Conservative Party (UK) 47 9 79.6 47 79.6 24,295 54.5 6.9 Labour Party (UK) 10 9 16.9 10 16.9 16,171 36.3 6.1 Independent (politician) 2 3.3 2 3.3 594 1.3 0.1 Liberal Party (UK) 0 0.0 0 0.0 3,146 7.0 0.2 Independent Conservative 0 0.0 0 0.0 327 1.0 N/A Results Buckhurst Hill East Buckhurst Hill East Conservative Party (UK) C. Perry 1,438 48.2 N/A Conservative Party (UK) G. Smith 1,336 N/A Conservative Party (UK) R. Garner 1,326 N/A Labour Party (UK) B. Mooney 874 29.4 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms L. Timson 764 N/A Liberal Party (UK) G. Chapman 670 22.5 N/A Liberal Party (UK) A. Dickinson 617 N/A Liberal Party (UK) S. Gearon-Simm 486 N/A 18.9 N/A 2,982 76.0 N/A 3,923 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Buckhurst Hill West Buckhurst Hill West Conservative Party (UK) I. Beattie 2,536 67.5 N/A Conservative Party (UK) V. Milner 2,338 N/A Conservative Party (UK) A. Welch 1,594 N/A Liberal Party (UK) R. Eveling 811 21.6 N/A Liberal Party (UK) M. Clyne 731 N/A Liberal Party (UK) J. West 678 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms F. Underhill 412 11.0 N/A Labour Party (UK) J. Blagden 411 N/A 45.9 N/A 3,759 78.0 N/A 4,820 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Chigwell Row Chigwell Row Conservative Party (UK) R. McGregor 940 71.4 N/A Labour Party (UK) C. Periera 376 28.6 N/A 564 42.9 N/A 1,316 74.1 N/A 1,775 Conservative Party (UK) Chigwell Village Chigwell Village Conservative Party (UK) N. Risdon N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) B. Gunby N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 3,080 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Chipping Ongar Chipping Ongar Conservative Party (UK) F. Love 708 68.5 N/A Labour Party (UK) K. Tait 325 31.5 N/A 383 37.1 N/A 1,033 80.9 N/A 1,277 Conservative Party (UK) Debden Green Debden Green Labour Party (UK) S. Palfreman 1,595 62.3 N/A Labour Party (UK) P. Bostock 1,523 N/A Labour Party (UK) B. Whitlock 1,465 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms S. Knight 965 37.7 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms J. Steele 919 N/A Conservative Party (UK) J. Phillips 850 N/A 24.6 N/A 2,560 65.1 N/A 3,931 Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Epping Hemnall Epping Hemnall Conservative Party (UK) M. Aldworth N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) K. Rothwell N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) R. Hill N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4,491 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Epping Lindsey Epping Lindsey Conservative Party (UK) H. Mead N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) A. O'Brien N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) F. Limer N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 5,035 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Grange Hill Grange Hill Conservative Party (UK) C. Davie N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms M. Farnsworth N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) A. Bryant N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4,409 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Greensted and Marden Ash Greensted and Marden Ash Conservative Party (UK) T. Sutherland 949 66.9 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms F. Barnes 469 33.1 N/A 480 33.9 N/A 1,418 79.6 N/A 1,781 Conservative Party (UK) High Beech High Beech Conservative Party (UK) H. Taylor 705 54.6 N/A Independent Conservative R. Knibb 327 25.3 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms P. Sumner 260 20.1 N/A 378 29.3 N/A 1,292 72.8 N/A 1,775 Conservative Party (UK) High Ongar High Ongar Conservative Party (UK) D. Morton 535 69.8 N/A Labour Party (UK) J. Pratt 231 30.2 N/A 304 39.7 N/A 766 80.2 N/A 955 Conservative Party (UK) Lambourne Lambourne Conservative Party (UK) R. Amanet 677 54.8 N/A Labour Party (UK) C. Huckle 558 45.2 N/A 119 9.6 N/A 1,235 83.4 N/A 1,481 Conservative Party (UK) Loughton Broadway Loughton Broadway Labour Party (UK) Ms J. Davis 1,894 60.6 N/A Labour Party (UK) H. Worby 1,786 N/A Labour Party (UK) M. Pettman 1,663 N/A Conservative Party (UK) B. Sheppard 1,230 39.4 N/A Conservative Party (UK) A. Mitchell 873 N/A Conservative Party (UK) F. Fernandez 869 N/A 21.3 N/A 3,124 69.5 N/A 4,498 Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Loughton Forest Loughton Forest Conservative Party (UK) R. O'Malley 1,508 65.4 N/A Conservative Party (UK) D. James 1,500 N/A Liberal Party (UK) G. Mathieson 507 22.0 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms C. Beckett 291 12.6 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms A. Fowl 253 N/A 43.4 N/A 2,306 78.6 N/A 2,932 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Loughton Roding Loughton Roding Conservative Party (UK) W. Jones 1,600 52.3 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms A. Miller 1,542 N/A Conservative Party (UK) G. Beldom 1,530 N/A Labour Party (UK) A. Hilton 1,458 47.7 N/A Labour Party (UK) W. Smith 1,443 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms M. Wilkinson 1,362 N/A 4.6 N/A 3,058 68.3 N/A 4,480 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Loughton St. Johns Loughton St. Johns Conservative Party (UK) Ms R. Brady 2,129 62.2 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms D. Sanders 1,905 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms E. Hammond 1,896 N/A Liberal Party (UK) Ms S. Knight 667 19.5 N/A Labour Party (UK) M. Beckett 627 18.3 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms G. Pettman 571 N/A Labour Party (UK) A. Fowl 562 N/A 42.7 N/A 3,423 80.3 N/A 4,263 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Loughton St. Marys Loughton St. Marys Conservative Party (UK) A. Swallow 1,562 60.3 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms L. Scott 1,513 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms D. Davies 538 20.7 N/A Labour Party (UK) P. Kelly 518 N/A Liberal Party (UK) N. Macy 491 19.0 N/A 39.5 N/A 2,591 78.9 N/A 3,285 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Moreton and Matching Moreton and Matching Conservative Party (UK) P. Gould N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,735 Conservative Party (UK) Nazeing Nazeing Conservative Party (UK) M. Welch N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) K. Judd N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 3,627 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) North Weald Bassett North Weald Bassett Conservative Party (UK) I. Abbey 1,763 64.9 N/A Conservative Party (UK) B. Greenhill 1,625 N/A Labour Party (UK) B. King 955 35.1 N/A Labour Party (UK) A. Vickery 839 N/A 29.7 N/A 2,718 72.7 N/A 3,739 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Passingford Passingford Conservative Party (UK) J. Pledge N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,514 Conservative Party (UK) Roothing Country Roothing Country Conservative Party (UK) T. East N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,206 Conservative Party (UK) Roydon Roydon Independent (politician) A. Vare N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,889 Independent (politician) Sheering Sheering Independent (politician) S. Langton 594 51.2 N/A Labour Party (UK) A. Roberts 567 48.8 N/A 27 2.3 N/A 1,161 80.3 N/A 1,446 Independent (politician) Shelley Shelley Labour Party (UK) R. Barnes 648 61.0 N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms E. Irving 415 39.9 N/A 233 21.9 N/A 1,063 77.2 N/A 1,377 Labour Party (UK) Theydon Bois Theydon Bois Conservative Party (UK) W. Axon N/A N/A N/A Conservative Party (UK) Ms J. Wainwright N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 3,284 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Waltham Abbey East Waltham Abbey East Conservative Party (UK) A. Brock 1,799 53.7 N/A Conservative Party (UK) D. Esau 1,743 N/A Conservative Party (UK) G. O'Reilly 1,689 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms J. Hewins 1,554 46.3 N/A Labour Party (UK) C. Sumner 1,521 N/A Labour Party (UK) P. Pennell 1,488 N/A 7.3 N/A 3,353 69.1 N/A 4,852 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) Waltham Abbey Paternoster Waltham Abbey Paternoster Labour Party (UK) C. Hewins 1,438 57.7 N/A Labour Party (UK) S. Riley 1,355 N/A Labour Party (UK) J. Popely 1,236 N/A Conservative Party (UK) F. Bye 1,056 42.3 N/A Conservative Party (UK) D. Cunningham 1,025 N/A Conservative Party (UK) W. Weiland 968 N/A 15.3 N/A 2,494 70.5 N/A 3,540 Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Waltham Abbey West Waltham Abbey West Conservative Party (UK) H. Smith 1,150 51.1 N/A Conservative Party (UK) G. Jailler 1,128 N/A Labour Party (UK) A. Taylor 1,101 48.9 N/A Labour Party (UK) Ms G. Taylor 895 N/A 2.2 N/A 2,251 74.4 N/A 3,025 Conservative Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) References Category:1979 elections in the United Kingdom Category:Epping Forest District Council elections