1985 English local election
Elections to Dorset County Council were held on Thursday, 2 May 1985. The whole council was up for election with the number of members to be elected reducing from 91 to 77. The result was that the Conservatives retained their control, winning 42 seats, a loss of 11. The Alliance of Liberals and SDP gained 10 seats to finish with 16. Labour lost 7 seats to finish with 4. 5 others were elected, down 6.[1]
Election result by division
Source:[2]
Members of the old council *
North Dorset (11 seats)
Blackmore Vale | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | G. 'Joe' Rose | 1,498 | 48.7 | n/a |
| | Conservative | G Pitt-Rivers* | 1,434 | 46.6 | -30.8 |
| | Labour | D Wardleworth | 147 | 4.8 | -17.8 |
| Majority | | 2.1 | |
| Turnout | | 50.0 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +39.7 | |
Blandford | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Barrie Cooper | 1,237 | 49.1 | n/a |
| | Conservative | F Nightingale* | 893 | 35.5 | -5.1 |
| | Labour | Hadyn White | 389 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Majority | | 13.7 | |
| Turnout | | 39.6 | +4.4 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +27.1 | |
Colehill | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B Morden | 1,439 | 51.8 | |
| | Liberal | P Bartlett | 1,133 | 40.8 | |
| | Labour | R Pitman | 204 | 7.3 | |
| Majority | | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | | 39.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Cranborne Chase | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alan Humphries | 1,242 | 51.4 | |
| | Conservative | H Swatridge | 1,047 | 43.3 | |
| | Labour | J Allen | 127 | 5.3 | |
| Majority | | 8.1 | |
| Turnout | | 43.8 | |
| | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
Gillingham | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R Bircumshaw | 1,478 | 55.8 | |
| | SDP | D Lawrence | 960 | 36.2 | |
| | Labour | J Hanley | 213 | 8.0 | |
| Majority | | 2.6 | |
| Turnout | | 44.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Hambledon | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C Mitchell* | 1,352 | 47.7 | |
| | Liberal | P Hamilton | 1,279 | 45.2 | n/a |
| | Labour | W Kingswell | 201 | 7.1 | n/a |
| Majority | | 2.6 | n/a |
| Turnout | | 44.9 | n/a |
| | Conservative hold | Swing | n/a | |
Corfe Mullen | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SDP | S Goss-Custard | 1,370 | 48.0 | +16.6 |
| | Conservative | M Guarella* | 1,225 | 43.0 | -25.6 |
| | Labour | L Shooter | 257 | 9.0 | n/a |
| Majority | | 5.1 | 42.2 |
| Turnout | | 40.6 | +5.2 |
| | SDP gain from Conservative | Swing | +21.1 | |
Lytchett | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C Lees | 1,377 | 49.9 | |
| | Liberal | M Wilkins | 987 | 35.8 | |
| | Labour | D Barker | 395 | 14.3 | |
| Majority | | 14.1 | |
| Turnout | | 37.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Minster | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SDP | P Hymers | 1,306 | 48.6 | |
| | Conservative | A Wright* | 1,117 | 41.6 | |
| | Labour | G White | 265 | 9.9 | |
| Majority | | 7.0 | |
| Turnout | | 41.6 | |
| | SDP gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Shaftesbury | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G Hine | 1,540 | 49.9 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal | Audrey Perry* | 1,325 | 42.9 | -12.8 |
| | Labour | K Davies | 221 | 7.2 | n/a |
| Majority | | 7.0 | 18.5 |
| Turnout | | 45.8 | -5.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.2 | |
Winterborne | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Jones* | 1,430 | 54.2 | |
| | SDP | L Dean | 861 | 32.7 | n/a |
| | Labour | J Fox | 346 | 13.1 | n/a |
| Majority | | 21.6 | n/a |
| Turnout | | 39.8 | n/a |
| | Conservative hold | Swing | n/a | |
References
- ^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (1985). Local Elections Handbook 1985: The 1985 Local Election Results. Vol. 1. Plymouth: The Elections Centre. p. 218.
- ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Dorset-County.pdf
Council elections in Dorset
