1976 – 6th May – Kenilworth Town Council Election

Abbey (3 seats)

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

15 spoilt ballot papers

Park Hill (3 seats)

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

6 spoilt ballot papers

Borrowell (3 seats)

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

7 spoilt ballot papers

St John’s (3 seats)

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

16 spoilt ballot papers

Castle (3 seats)

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

2 spoilt ballot papers

Windy Arbour (3 seats)

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

TORIES RULE IN FIRST TOWN COUNCIL ELECTION

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

Nine members from the former council retained their seats, but one who didn’t was Labour’s Chris Webster, finishing only fifth in St John’s. He had been a member of the old KUDC since 1964, and was chairman during 1969-70.

A feature of Castle ward, was that four of the candidates were women. One being Quarry Road resident, Jane Litterick, wife of Selly Oak MP, 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.

Drawing-of-Lots Decides Final 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 tories Nick Wilson and Patrica Adams were dead-locked on 466. So to decide who took the third and final seat, two pieces of paper went into a ballot box: elected and not elected. Mr Wilson was the successful candidate. This was the first 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. The latter being a former councillor and chairman of the old KUDC. None of the four were elected.

Kenilworth Town Councillors (18 seats)

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