City of London and Westminster South (electoral division)

City of London and Westminster South was an electoral division for the purposes of elections to the Greater London Council. The constituency elected one councillor for a four-year term in 1973, 1977 and 1981, with the final term extended for an extra year ahead of the abolition of the Greater London Council.

City of London and Westminster South
Former electoral division
for the Greater London Council
Map
City of London and Westminster South electoral division boundaries
DistrictWestminster and City of London
Electorate
  • 53,922 (1973)
  • 51,393 (1977)
  • 50,119 (1981)
Major settlementsCity of London, Westminster
Area1,318 hectares (13.18 km2)
Former electoral division
Created1973
Abolished1986
Member(s)1
Created fromWestminster and the City of London

History edit

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. The City of Westminster was joined with the City of London for this purpose, creating a constituency called Westminster and the City of London. This was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1964, 1967 and 1970.

The new constituencies were settled following the Second Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and the new electoral division matched the boundaries of the City of London and Westminster South parliamentary constituency.[1]

It covered much of the innermost part of London, including large parts of Central London and the West End of London. The area was in a long-term period of population decline that was yet to reverse. The electorate reduced from 53,922 in 1973 to 50,119 in 1981. It covered an area of 1,318 hectares (13.18 km2).

Elections edit

The City of London and Westminster South constituency was used for the Greater London Council elections in 1973,[2] 1977[3] and 1981.[4] One councillor was elected at each election using first-past-the-post voting.[5]

1973 election edit

The fourth election to the GLC (and first using revised boundaries) was held on 12 April 1973. The electorate was 53,922 and one Conservative Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 29.9%. The councillor was elected for a three-year term. This was extended for an extra year in 1976 when the electoral cycle was switched to four-yearly.[6]

1973 Greater London Council election: City of London and Westminster South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. N. Scorgie 9,152
Labour P. J. Turner 4,993
Liberal R. W. Jones 4,993
Anti-Mass Redevelopment A Wilson 195
Independent P. A. Clifford 184
Turnout
Conservative win (new seat)

1977 election edit

The fifth election to the GLC (and second using revised boundaries) was held on 5 May 1977. The electorate was 51,393 and one Conservative Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 30.7%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term.

1977 Greater London Council election: City of London and Westminster South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. N. Scorgie 10,250
Labour P. J. Turner 3,153
Liberal A. M. E. Scrimgeour 985
GLC Abolitionist Campaign A. M. Moncreiff 651
National Front S. Attree 463
New Britain S. Attkins 254
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing

1981 election edit

The sixth and final election to the GLC (and third using revised boundaries) was held on 7 May 1981. The electorate was 50,119 and one Conservative Party councillor was elected. The turnout was 33.2%. The councillor was elected for a four-year term, extended by an extra year by the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984, ahead of the abolition of the council.

1981 Greater London Council election: City of London and Westminster South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Avery 9,660
Labour Reg Fryer 4,628
Liberal Adrian Walker-Smith 1,807
Communist Jeremy Clark 215
Save London Action Group Alison Furness 178
Workers Revolutionary David Gilbert 87
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing

References edit

  1. ^ "The Greater London (Electoral Areas) Order 1972" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 20 June 1972. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 12 April 1973. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 5 May 1977. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Greater London Council Election" (PDF). 7 May 1981. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  5. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Cities of London and Westminster". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  6. ^ "The London Councillors Order 1976" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 17 February 1976. Retrieved 25 July 2023.