Bexley (electoral division)

Bexley
Former electoral division
for the Greater London Council
Map
Bexley electoral division boundaries
DistrictLondon Borough of Bexley
Population215,610 (1969 estimate)
Electorate
  • 149,461 (1964)
  • 149,025 (1967)
  • 159,305 (1970)
Area14,985.7 acres (60.645 km2)
Former electoral division
Created1965
Abolished1973
Member(s)3
Replaced byBexleyheath, Erith and Crayford and Sidcup

Bexley was an electoral division for the purposes of elections to the Greater London Council. The constituency elected three councillors for a three-year term in 1964, 1967 and 1970.

History

It was planned to use the same boundaries as the Westminster Parliament constituencies for election of councillors to the Greater London Council (GLC), as had been the practice for elections to the predecessor London County Council, but those that existed in 1965 crossed the Greater London boundary. Until new constituencies could be settled, the 32 London boroughs were used as electoral areas which therefore created a constituency called Bexley.[1]

The electoral division was replaced from 1973 by the single-member electoral divisions of Bexleyheath, Erith and Crayford and Sidcup.[2]

Elections

The Bexley constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1964,[3] 1967[4] and 1970.[5] Three councillors were elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting.[6]

1964 election

The first election was held on 9 April 1964, a year before the council came into its powers. The electorate was 149,461 and three Labour Party councillors were elected. With 83,062 people voting, the turnout was 55.6%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1964 Greater London Council election: Bexley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edwin Furness 41,300
Labour John Nicoll Powrie 39,079
Labour Robin Beauchamp Thompson 37,314
Conservative Douglas Melville Fielding 33,958
Conservative A. F. Cobbold 33,906
Conservative R. J. F. Monk 31,939
Liberal R. J. Marsh 7,435
Liberal R. H. A. Saunders 6,770
Liberal C. E. Wright 5,991
Communist L. H. Smith 2,929
Turnout
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

1967 election

The second election was held on 13 April 1967. The electorate was 149,025 and three Conservative Party councillors were elected. With 83,323 people voting, the turnout was 55.9%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1967 Greater London Council election: Bexley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Melville Fielding 45,792
Conservative Victor Rae Muske Langton 45,052
Conservative John Mason 45,036
Labour Edwin Furness 31,087
Labour John Nicoll Powrie 29,907
Labour Robin Beauchamp Thompson 28,966
Liberal R. F. Lloyd 4,781
Liberal S. Burraston 4,296
Liberal L. W. Rogers 4,217
Independent E. H. Taylor 2,338
Communist W. E. Turner 1,734
Turnout
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

1970 election

The third election was held on 9 April 1970. The electorate was 159,305 and three Conservative Party councillors were elected. With 69,707 people voting, the turnout was 43.8%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1970 Greater London Council election: Bexley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Melville Fielding 38,956
Conservative Victor Rae Muske Langton 38,764
Conservative John Mason 38,554
Labour C. F. Hargrave 26,985
Labour S. W. Mayne 26,186
Labour F. W. Styles 25,968
Liberal S. Burraston 2,738
Liberal W. A. King 2,594
Liberal L. W. Rogers 2,319
Union Movement M. I. Marsh 673
Communist M. K. Bellsham-Revell 624
Homes before Roads J. Lowe 623
Homes before Roads A. D. Savil 479
Homes before Roads V. R. Lowe 455
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ British Information Services (1970). British Record: Political and Economic Notes. To date elections, normally fought on traditional party lines, have been based on the London boroughs, each borough returning two or more councillors; after 1973 there will be single member electoral areas based on parliamentary constituencies.
  2. ^ "The Greater London (Electoral Areas) Order 1972" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 20 June 1972. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  3. ^ "General Election of Greater London Councillors" (PDF). 9 April 1964. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  4. ^ "General Election of Greater London Councillors" (PDF). 13 April 1967. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 9 April 1970. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  6. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Bexley". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2023.