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