1964 – 7th May – Kenilworth Urban District Council – Election

Abbey Ward (3 seats)

*E. Thomas Evans	Conservative Party	652
*Ronald Stansfield	Conservative Party	554
Joan Salkeld	Conservative Party	526
J. E. Knight	Labour Party	422
L. Haydon	Labour Party	397
E. Emerson	Labour Party	389
Enys Thomas	Liberal Party	315

Borrowell Ward (3 seats)

*Jack Cox	Conservative Party	931
Chris Webster	Labour Party	824
Alan Bytheway	Labour Party	764
Anthony Whittaker	Conservative Party	745
Albert Bovington	Conservative Party	703
A. Diggins	Labour Party	618
Helen Dore	Liberal Party	502
John Piggott	Liberal Party	384

Castle Ward (3 seats)

*Leonard Smalley	Independent	985
Bill Whiteman	Conservative Party	796
*William Taylor	Independent	790
P. Smith	Labour Party	425
Haydn Thomas	Liberal Party	319
R. Webberley	Labour Party	260

Park Hill Ward (3 seats)

*Florence Adcock	Conservative Party	1106
Bernard Jury	Conservative Party	898
James Whitby	Conservative Party	889
Thomas Caswell	Labour Party	569
L. Scott-Walker	Liberal Party	527
Robert Butler	Liberal Party	496
Geoffrey Minion	Labour Party	440
Colin Sweeney	Labour Party	438

* denotes retiring councillors

Electorate 3,398 (Turnout 58%)

TWO SOCIALISTS ELECTED IN KENILWORTH

The Labour party will have two representatives on the council. They were both elected in the closely contested Borrowell ward where a re-count was required, which went on until 1am. One of them, Chris Webster is the secretary of the local party and the other being, Mr Bytheway who just got in by 19 votes.

Labour’s success comes after a long period of endeavour. As a party, they have contested every local election since the war. Before then, on several occasions, candidates who have adopted the Labour Party tag, fought only occasionally. (Dencer was the first ever Labour party candidate elected in 1922)

The Liberals, who as a local party have only been in existance a few months, failed to make any impression on the electorate. They fielded five candidates. A defiant official stated “This election is only the beginning and even if we are absolutely unsuccessful, we shall continue as a party, building up our strength and influence”.

The Conservative constituency party agent, John Devine, blamed the intervention of the Liberals for them losing two seats.

All councillors who seeked re-election held their seats.

Florence Adcock’s poll of 1106, is a new record for a KUDC election. In subsequent elections it was never beaten and so holds the largest ever poll in the 80-year history of the KUDC.

KUDC Councillors

8 Conservatives (E. Evans, R. Stansfield, Joan Salkeld, J. Cox, B. Whiteman, Florence Adcock, B. Jury, J. Whitby)

2 Labour (C. Webster, A. Bytheway)

2 Independents (L. Smalley, W. Taylor)

Chairman 1964-67

Chairmans Chain of Office – Courtesy of Warwickshire County Records Office. (ref. PH (N) 600/147/3)