Between 6th July 1973 and 31st March 1974, Kenilworth had officially become a parish council, with 1st April, being the start of the new council. During a meeting on 11th April, the Town Clerk was appointed the ‘Proper’ officer under the title of Clerk of the Council, with the effect from 2nd April. The salary being £750 per annum. The Clerk’s private telephone quarterly rental would also be paid for the cost of the appropriate number of local calls. Also available to the Clerk was a part-time ‘clerked’ assistant on a salary of £200 per annum, if needed.
First Annual Meeting
The first Annual meeting of the Kenilworth Town Council (KTC) took place at the castle gatehouse on Tuesday 7th May. There were principally two main issues to resolve. Firstly, to fill two vacancies, and secondly, to choose the new Mayor of the town.
The Vacancy Problem
Due to the death of Leonard Smalley (Castle ward) and the resignation of Thomas Litterick (St John’s), because he didn’t agree about the present councillors being automatically transfered to the new authority, he believed a poll should have taken place.
As there were no set rules for filling ‘casual vacancies’, the new council had to decide how they would go about it, and there was much debate at the meeting regarding the best resolution. Members of the public would assume that by-elections would take place, but this was apparently not possible. The traditions among many parish councils, of much longer standing than Kenilworth, was to co-opt the runners-up from the previous election.
No By-Elections Allowed
The Clerk of the Council, Leslie Hibbard, informed the meeting, that no election by poll of new councillors, could take place before 31st December 1975. Cllr Helen Dore said; “Many people in the town think the democratic way of doing things would be for the public to elect their representatives at a public meeting. But I consider the fairest way to do it would be to accept the runners-up in the respective wards from the last election”.
Show Of Hands or Secret Ballot?
One suggestion was, that there be a secret ballot, the other, a show of hands. But some members were not in favour of a show of hands, preferring to conceal their individual preferencies from the public who were present.
Tory Cllr Rawnsley, moved that co-option should take place by a secret ballot, but Labour Cllr Webster had the opposite view, saying there should be a show of hands, so that people could see who individual councillors were supporting. But Cllr Webster’s motion was lost by a vote amongst the members – by a show of hands.
Ian Milligan for the Tories was elected to Castle ward and Bill Wozencroft for Labour at St. John’s.
Castle Ward
Candidate
Votes
Ian Milligan (Con)
7
Eleanor Hogarth
3
Harry Sunley
3
Dora Greenway
1
St John’s Ward
Candidate
Votes
Bill Wozencroft (Lab)
7
Harry Sunley
6
Eleanor Hogarth
2
Terence Rogers
1
Richard Monnington
0
Hugh Martyr
0
First Mayor of Kenilworth
Oaks Road resident, Jack Cox, was overwelming voted the new Mayor of Kenilworth. Former chairman Kenneth Hogarth handed over the chain saying this was the last link between the old KUDC and the new authority and effectively was saying goodbye to the chairmanship, which had stood for 80 years. Mrs Peggy Cox, the Mayor’s wife, became the Mayoress.
Kenilworth Town Councillors
15 Conservatives (I. Milligan, K. Hogarth, Florence Adcock, D. Charlton, J. Cox, E. Evans, S. Harrison, D. Moore, H. Potts, K. Rawnsley, T. Robinson, Joan Salkeld, L. Wiles. R. Stansfield, H. Whiteman)
2 Labour (W. Wozencroft, C. Webster)
1 Liberal (Helen Dore)
Mayors
1974-75 Jack Cox
1975-76 Harry Potts
Town Clerk – Mr Leslie Hibbard
Subsequent co-opted members
1975 (10th June) – Patrica Adams replaced Joan Salkeld
*denotes councillors who were previously on the KUDC
TORIES RULE IN FIRST KENILWORTH TOWN COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Polling for the first 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, who took 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:electedand 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, a former councillor and chairman of the old KUDC. None 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)
This by-election was called following the resignation of Paul and Ann Pearce, due to them leaving the town to live in London. Both had been elected in this ward in the inaugural poll last year, both as Conservatives.
But the Tories could only hang on to one seat, while the Liberals took the other. Tory, Patrica Adams, of Villers Road, who topped the poll, is a former town councillor who was co-opted in 1975. She replaced the then retiring, Mrs Salkeld. But in last year’s poll she did not get re-elected. Patrica has lived in the town for 14 years and is married with three children.
The other successful candidate, Liberal, Lance Bramwell, lives in Clinton Lane and works for Automative Products in Leamington. He had contested the Park Hill seat in 1976 but came fifth out of nine candidates. He had been a district councillor from 1973 to 1975. He is Kenilworth born and breed and his interests include conservation.
Kenilworth Town Councillors
12 Conservatives (J. Wilson, N. Wilson, F. Adcock, T. Robinson, R. Stansfield, K. Rawnsley, J. Sarsford, J. Cox, R. Monnington, K. Hogarth, H. Potts, P. Adams)
5 Liberals (H. Dore, J. Bastock, H. Thomas, E. Thomas, L. Bramwell)
TORIES STILL IN CONTROL EVEN WITH A SWING TO THE LIBERALS
Four new members were elected, with the Liberals gaining two seats from the Conservatives. But they still have overall control of the council. The three tory casualties were Wilson, Hogarth and Ronald Stansfield who had been a Kenilworth councillor since 1958. He became Mayor in 1977 and previous to that he had been chairman of the old KUDC twice, in 1964 and 1971. Strangley though, for this election, he swopped from Castle to Abbey, which was a mistake, as he only finished forth. Patrica Adams retained her seat at Park Hill which she won at a by-election, two years ago.
New Tory councillors are John Cooke, a keen photographer of Amherst Road and Daphne Harrison of Station Road, who is a former GB Olympic swimmer and wife of district councillor, Spencer Harrision.
The two new Liberals are Ken Griffiths, a civil engineer, representing Abbey ward and Roger Rolfe, a teacher, elected to Borrowell.
Kenilworth Town Councillors (18 members)
10 Conservative Party (F. Adcock, J. Wilson, T. Robinson, J. Cox, R. Monnington, P. Adams, H. Potts, D. Harrison, J. Cooke, K. Rawnsley)
7 Liberal Party (R. Butler, R. Rolfe, H. Thomas, E. Thomas, H. Dore, J. Bastock, K. Griffiths)
1 Labour Party (B. Wozencroft)
Mayors
1979-80 Florence Adcock
1980-81 Kenneth Rawnsley
1981-82 Richard Monnington
1982-83 Bill Wozencroft (pictured)
Subsequent Co-opted Member
In March 1983 – Viki McClean was elected onto the council by a vote of 8-7 by the members.
The vacancy was caused by the death of Richard Monnington in February. He had been a town and district councillor since 1976 and became Mayor of Kenilworth in 1981/2. He was just 55 years-old.
This by-election was caused by the death of councillor Harry Potts, who died in September. He had served on the old KUDC from 1967 to 1974 and on the town council since its creation five years ago. He was also Mayor from 1975/76.
It was a straight fight between Tory and Liberal, both eager to find a seat at Southbank Road. Mr Windybank had previously been a candidate in 1976, and also at the election earlier this year, but was unsuccesful on both occasions. For Mr Harrision, it was his first town council election, however, he had been member of the old KUDC from 1967 to 1974, and has been a district councillor for the past two years. He was hoping to join his wife, Daphne on the council, who was elected to Castle ward in the May election this year.
It was a close contest between the two, with Mr Windybank, of Brookside Ave, coming out on top by just 47 votes. The result means the Conservatives lose overall control at the council.
Cllr Windybank paid tribute to the Liberal organisation in the town and especially in the Park Hill ward, which made his success possible. He said the main issues in the town as far has he was concerned was traffic situation and the Cherry Orchard development plan.
Kenilworth Town Councillors (18 seats)
9 Conservative Party (F. Adcock, J. Wilson, T. Robinson, J. Cox, R. Monnington, P. Adams, D. Harrison, J. Cooke, K. Rawnsley)
8 Liberal Party (G. Windybank, R. Butler, R. Rolfe, H. Thomas, E. Thomas, H. Dore, J. Bastock, K. Griffiths)
A casual vacany had arisen due to the death of longstanding member Jack Cox who died in June, he was 74. Known as the ‘Man of the people’, he was devoted to Kenilworth and had been on the council for 27 years. 19 years on the old KUDC and 8 years on the new Town Council. Indeed he was the first ever Town Mayor.
Present Mayor of Kenilworth, Bill Wozencroft, said he was a very good friend and a good man who had given a lifetime of service to the town and would be greatly missed.
Following his death there were discussions at the council if a by-election was even needed to fill the vacancy. But under the rules, if at least two of the electors of St John’s ward gave notice that an election should take place, in writing, then one would have to take place. If not, the council members would need to fill the vacancy by co-option. Tory group leader, Florence Adcock, suggested the council co-opt a member of same political persuasion as the late Mr Cox, until the town council election next May. But she was advised by town clerk, Harry Sunley, that this was not now possible and the position had to be advertised.
A second by-election of the year took place due to the resignation of long standing member Florence Adcock in September. She had served on both the old KUDC and the new town council for a total of 20 years.
Mrs Adcock was first elected to the old KUDC at a by-election in the Park Hill ward in May 1962. She then switched to the new Windy Arbour ward when it was introduced in 1967 and there she has remained. She was the town Mayor in 1979/80.
The Conservative victory was a forgone conclusion, that’s probably why the turnout was pitifully low, just over a fifth of voters bothering to turn up at the polling stations. The Labour Party only stood in the election because the town council wanted to co-opt a member but the Labour group had other ideas, so an election had to take place.
James Whitby is not entirely new to council work as he first became a member of the old KUDC when he was elected at Park Hill in 1964, but remained for only one term. He is an executive with a midland company of exporters. He was born in Merton, Surrey but has lived in Kenilworth for past 27 years.
A new ward system was introduced for this election. The traditional six wards were replaced by three but larger wards. The historical: Windy Arbour, Borrowell and Castle wards were gone. The number of councillors was also reduced from 18 to 16. One further change was that elections would now be every four years, replacing the longstanding triennial polls.
These changes did not go down well with the heavily defeated Liberals. They claimed the results on the new ward boundaries had favoured the Tories, and had been engineered by them. Town Major, Bill Wozencroft lost his seat, as did three others members, deputy Mayor Haydn Thomas, his wife, Enys and Liberal leader Graham Windybank. The Liberals were now down to just three councillors, a reduction of four from the 1979 election.
Jack Bastock, one of the Liberals who survived the rout, stated that the new boundaries were a ‘big con’, the wards were so large the result was distorted. The Liberals also believed that the many new people on the Knight’s Meadow estate were not aware of the Liberals strength or hard work they do in Kenilworth and as a result voted politically.
New to the Tory ranks are solicitor, Michael Coker and Spencer Harrison who are also district councillors. Other new members include Peggy Cox, wife of the late councillor, Jack Cox. Tony Dalton, an office equipment supplier and has lived in Kenilworth for seven years and was elected in Park Hill. Mike James, John Hatfield and Pauline Edwards are also completely new to council work. But Kenneth Hogarth is an ‘old’ face to the council having been Town Major (1976) and Chairman of the old KUDC (1973) before losing his seat at the 1979 poll.
Viki McClean is not entirely a new face, having been co-opted onto the council in March. Bob Wooller, following his by-election success last September, topped the tree in St John’s with a whopping 2046 votes, the highest of any candidate.
Kenilworth Town Councillors (16 seats)
13 Conservatives (S. Harrison, T. Dalton, R. Wooller, P. Cox, J. Whitby, P. Edwards, V. McClean, M. James, K. Rawnsley, K. Hogarth, M. Coker, J. Cooke, J, Hatfield)
Jack Bastock (pictured), who is the only remaining Alliance town councillor, has accused the Conservatives of waging a war of ‘dirty tactics’ in the run-up to the election. But Tory group leader, Ken Rawnsley hit back with claims that the Alliance were behind a personal smear campaign against him.
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)
