1987 – 7th May – Kenilworth Town Council Elections

Abbey (6 seats)

Candidate	Party	Votes
*Michael Coker	Conservative	2059
*John Cooke	Conservative	2052
*Kenneth Rawnsley	Conservative	2033
*Kenneth Hogarth	Conservative	1991
*Jack Bastock	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1969
*John Hatfield	Conservative	1876
John Kinnie	Conservative	1762
Haydn Thomas	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1554
Mary Harrison	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1546
Enys Thomas	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1473
Ann Crump	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1450
Neil Parnaby	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1385
Teresa Blackwell	Labour	409
Nora Everitt	Labour	392
Karl Lapworth	Labour	333
Dick Wood	Labour	323
Beverley Yellen	Labour	301

Park Hill (4 seats)

Candidate	Party	Votes
John Drew	Conservative	1122
*Spencer Harrison	Conservative	1116
*Tony Dalton	Conservative	1091
*Graham Windybank	Conservative	1079
Ken Griffiths	SDP-Liberal Alliance	684
Elsie Griffiths	SDP-Liberal Alliance	669
*Bob Butler	SDP-Liberal Alliance	667
Dr Joe Rivers	SDP-Liberal Alliance	608
Tony Bowen	Labour	278
Lesley Bowen	Labour	264
Robin Winn	Labour	203
Paul Gregg	Labour	187

St John’s (6 seats)

Candidate	Party	Vote
*Bob Wooller	Conservative	2383
*Peggy Cox	Conservative	2286
*Pauline Edwards	Conservative	2245
*Viki McClean	Conservative	2191
Norman Vincent	Conservative	2158
Keith Turfrey	Conservative	2153
William Wozencroft	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1600
Vera Royston	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1264
Dennis Royston	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1263
Colin Mason	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1145
Liz Tilson	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1139
Patrick Ryan	SDP-Liberal Alliance	1137
John Bennett	Labour	424
Geoffrey Cleaves	Labour	413
Madelin Lewis	Labour	391
John Payne	Labour	380
Charlier Palmer	Labour	366
David Peggs	Labour	344

*denotes retiring councillors

ALLIANCE ROUTED – FOLLOWING A BIG ROW

Cllr Bastock said he was very concerned about the statements made by the Tories in their election address leaflets. They said that the Alliance would put an end to free car-parking in Kenilworth, when infact we have fought for free parking since 1974. They also accused us of voting against the swimming pool, when we were all in favour of getting a pool for the town. What we said was that it was not big enough and should not be put in the Abbey Fields. But Cllr Rawnsley said the complaints were; “totally rubbish, from beginning to end”. I will explain our leaflets to Cllr Bastock anytime, all we did was to warn the public of the dangers of the opposition gaining control of the council.

The Tories increased their stranglehold on the council, winning 15 of the 16 seats. One noticeable new face to the Tory ranks is historian and author, John Drew, who topped the poll in Park Hill. He wrote his first book in 1969, followed by many others of his home town. He has been on TV, and notabaly on radio, appearing twice on the popular BBC Radio 4’s series, Down Your Way. Three years ago the Town Council recognised his contribution to the town by naming a street after him, Drew Crescent. This was not the first town election he had contested, he had stood in the inaugural poll of 1976, as a Liberal, but failed to get elected.

Graham Windybank regained his seat following his defeat at the 1983 poll. He now has switched to the Conservatives from the Alliance.

Kenilworth Town Councillors (16 seats)

15 Conservatives (K. Rawnsley, B. Wooller, J. Cooke, P. Edwards, J. Hatfield, P. Cox, V. McClean, K. Turfrey, N. Vincent, J. Drew, S. Harrison, T. Dalton, G. Windybank, K. Hogarth, M. Coker)

1 SDP-Liberal Alliance (J. Bastock)

Mayors

Town Clerk – Susan Howell