1976 – 6th May – Kenilworth Town Council – Elections

Abbey Ward (3 seats)

Candidate	Party	Votes
Jack Bastock	Liberal Party	700
Enys Thomas	Liberal Party	467
Nick Wilson	Conservative Party	466
*Patrica Adams	Conservative Party	465
Jerry Higgs	Conservative Party	457
Terry Rogers	Liberal Party	445
*Derek Moore	Independent	178
Roger Smith	Labour Party	143

15 spoilt ballot papers

Park Hill Ward (3 seats)

Candidates	Party	Votes
*Harry Potts	Conservative Party	863
Ann Pearce	Conservative Party	717
Paul Pearce	Conservative Party	700
Robert Butler	Liberal Party	682
Lance Bramwell	Liberal Party	650
Charles Bates	Liberal Party	463
Harry Sunley	Independent	224
Malcolm Burfitt	Labour Party	129
Peter Jones	Labour Party	112

6 spoilt ballot papers

Borrowell Ward (3 seats)

Candidates	Party	Votes
*Helen Dore	Liberal Party	804
*Kenneth Hogarth	Conservative Party	678
Haydn Thomas	Liberal Party	517
Richard Oldnall	Conservative Party	508
Graham Windybank	Liberal Party	470
Mrs A. Hartland	Conservative Party	437
Eric Bernard Smith	Independent	222
Joe England	Labour Party	142

7 spoilt ballot papers

St John’s Ward (3 seats)

Candidate	Party	Votes
*Jack Cox	Conservative Party	571
Richard Monnington	Conservative Party	541
*Bill Wozencroft	Labour Party	537
Jerry Hicks	Conservative Party	529
*Chris Webster	Labour Party	447
Kevin O’Donovan	Labour Party	407
Colin Clifford	Liberal Party	341
Kenneth Evans	Liberal Party	328
Kieth Ord	Liberal Party	310

16 spoilt ballot papers

Castle Ward (3 seats)

Candidates	Party	Votes
*Kenneth Rawnsley	Conservative Party	1037
*Ronald Stansfield	Conservative Party	970
Joseph Sapsford	Conservative Party	880
John Drew	Liberal Party	532
John Riordan	Liberal Party	482
Dora Greenway	Liberal Party	439
Jane Litterick	Labour Party	95
Irene May Potter	Independent	95
Rosemary Ellis	Labour Party	91

2 spoilt ballot papers

Windy Arbour Ward (3 seats)

Candicate	Party	Votes
John Wilson	Conservative Party	1128
*Florence Adcock	Conservative Party	1123
*Thomas Robinson	Conservative Party	1063
Derek Ching	Liberal Party	497
Dennis Coulson	Liberal Party	397
Eileen Webster	Liberal Party	349
Graham Hall	Labour Party	82
Peter Singer	Labour Party	81

TORIES RULE IN FIRST EVER KENILWORTH TOWN COUNCIL ELECTION

Polling for the first ever Kenilworth Town Council (KTC) election ran along side the second Warwick District Council elections and the results were a mirror image of each other. It was a swing to the right with the Conservatives taking control of both councils.

Seven standing members retained their seats but one who didn’t was Labour’s Chris Webster, he finished only fifth in St John’s. He had been a member of the old KUDC since 1964 and was the chairman in 1969/70.

A feature of Castle ward, was that four of the candidates were women. One being Jane Litterick, Quarry Road resident, wife of MP for Selly Oak, Thomas Litterick. He was a former member of the old KUDC before it became a town council. He had resigned his seat in protest at the way in which the change-over took place. Members were automatically transferred from the old council to the new. In his opinion an election should have taken place.

Draw Decided Who Should Have Seat

It was tight as a drum for seats in Abbey Ward. Liberal Jack Bastock, was well ahead of the rest, but the next three places only one vote seperated them. After two re-counts, Enys Thomas was elected in second place but tory candidates Nick Wilson and Patrica Adams were dead-locked on 466. So to decide who took the seat, two pieces of paper went into a ballot box: elected and not elected. Mr Wilson was the successful candidate. This was the first ever election that he had contested. He is a solicitor and lives in Henry Street. For ‘adminstration’ purposes, Patrica Adams was deducted one vote.

Four Independent candidates stood for first time since 1964. Moore, Sunley, Potter and Eric Smith, a former councillor and chairman of the old KUDC. None were elected.

Councillors

13 Conservatives (J. Wilson, N. Wilson. F. Adcock, T. Robinson, R. Stansfield, K. Rawnsley, J. Sapsford, J. Cox, R. Monnington, K. Hogarth, H. Potts, P. Pearce, A. Pearce)

4 Liberals (H. Dore, J. Bastock, H. Thomas, E. Thomas)

1 Labour (B. Wozencroft)

Mayors