The 1968 Havering Council election took place on 9 May 1968 to elect members of Havering London Borough Council in London, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party gained overall control of the council for the first time.
Electoral arrangements
The election was originally scheduled for 1967, but the term of members due to go out in 1967 was extended for one year to prevent the London borough council elections taking place in the same year as the Greater London Council election.[a] The election used the twenty wards from the previous election for a second time. Councillors were elected for three years with the next election scheduled for 1971.
Gaining nineteen seats, the Conservative Party won overall control of the council for the first time. The Labour Party lost twenty seats and was only able to hold on to seven councillors in the Heaton, Hilldene and Gooshays wards covering the Harold Hill estate. Nineteen seats went from Labour to the Conservatives. One of the three seats in Hylands ward went from Labour to the Independent Residents. Holding on to a further twelve seats in Cranham, Hacton, Rainham and Upminster, the Independent Residents became the second largest group on the council.[1][2][3]
Havering London Borough Council election result, 1968
In addition to the 55 elected councillors, there were nine aldermen on the council. Five aldermen elected in 1964 continued to serve until 1971 and the other four retired before the 1968 election. Four aldermen were elected by the council in 1968 to serve until 1974. All four aldermen were for the Conservative Party.
