Barnet (electoral division)

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

Barnet
Former electoral division
for the Greater London Council
Map
Barnet electoral division boundaries
DistrictLondon Borough of Barnet
Population314,530 (1969 estimate)
Electorate
  • 217,308 (1964)
  • 217,344 (1967)
  • 231,351 (1970)
  • 219,084 (1972)
Area22,123.8 acres (89.532 km2)
Former electoral division
Created1965
Abolished1973
Member(s)4
Replaced byChipping Barnet, Finchley, Hendon North and Hendon South

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 Barnet.[1]

The electoral division was replaced from 1973 by the single-member electoral divisions of Chipping Barnet, Finchley, Hendon North and Hendon South.[2]

Elections

The Barnet constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1964,[3] 1967[4] and 1970.[5] Four 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 217,308and four Conservative Party councillors were elected. With 117,003 people voting, the turnout was 53.8%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1964 Greater London Council election: Barnet
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativePeter Blair Black52,807
ConservativeJean Leslie Scott51,939
ConservativeJoseph Henry Haygarth51,612
ConservativeReginald Marks51,053
LabourN. Birch34,303
LabourB. R. Scharf33,230
LabourC. H. F. Reynolds32,212
LabourF. B. Groves31,538
LiberalJ. Webb25,496
LiberalM. Medway25,463
LiberalP. H. Billenness24,209
LiberalO. C. Williams24,104
CommunistR. T. Gooding4,308
CommunistJ. W. Pinder3,409
Turnout
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

1967 election

The second election was held on 13 April 1967. The electorate was 217,344 and four Conservative Party councillors were elected. With 101,905 people voting, the turnout was 46.9 %. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1967 Greater London Council election: Barnet
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeReginald Marks58,697
ConservativePeter Blair Black58,235
ConservativeJean Leslie Scott57,666
ConservativeArthur Sidney Peacock57,011
LabourB. R. Scharf24,136
LabourA. E. Tomlinson23,520
LabourT. J. K. Sims22,536
LabourB. S. Warman21,735
LiberalP. H. Billenness15,626
LiberalC. A. Roberts14,346
LiberalP. W. Meyer14,297
LiberalD. T. Baron14,281
CommunistA. B. Beyer3,342
Union MovementA. E. Brown2,719
CommunistJ. W. Pinder2,216
Turnout
Conservative holdSwing
Conservative holdSwing
Conservative holdSwing
Conservative holdSwing

1970 election

The third election was held on 9 April 1970. The electorate was 231,351 and four Conservative Party councillors were elected. With 83,144 people voting, the turnout was 35.9%. The councillors were elected for a three-year term.

1970 Greater London Council election: Barnet
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativePeter Blair Black50,021
ConservativeReginald Marks49,440
ConservativeJean Leslie Scott49,410
ConservativeArthur Sidney Peacock49,224
LabourJ. W. Buck20,006
LabourD. H. T. Hammond19,931
LabourR. Robinson19,825
LabourP. Stephenson19,100
LiberalM. G. Cass10,042
LiberalM. G. Snow9,707
LiberalM. E. Palmer9,460
LiberalL. W. Watkins9,163
Homes before RoadsD. M. Luck1,352
CommunistJ. W. Pinder1,256
Homes before RoadsA. Aarons1,156
CommunistG. T. G. Jeffrey1,145
Homes before RoadsE. C. Foley1,145
Homes before RoadsJ. A. Wonham739
Union MovementA. E. G. White307
Turnout
Conservative holdSwing
Conservative holdSwing
Conservative holdSwing
Conservative holdSwing

1972 by-election

A by-election was held on 19 October 1972, following the death of Arthur Sidney Peacock. The electorate was 219,084 and one Conservative Party councillor was elected. With 20,813 voting, the turnout was 9.5%

Barnet by-election, 1972
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeRita Maisie Levy13,716
LabourA. E. Tomlinson5,585
IndependentF. Davis1,512
Turnout
Conservative holdSwing

References