Worthing, 1972. The final election before reorganisation saw the first Labour victory for 14 years and three Ratepayers gains from the Tories. (The Indie in Offington returned unopposed). Party standings - Con 30 Rates 6 Ind 3 and one Lab.

Stockport, 1973. The amalgamation of the county borough plus four urban districts made for some interesting contests.

Oldham, 1973. A very comprehensive win for Labour in this new metro borough. The poll was delayed in one ward owing to the death of a candidate and a rare six-member ward in Oldham town.

Eastbourne, 1972. The final election for the CB. Con 23 Lib 8 Lab 6 Ind 3. A week later Independent aldermen (formerly Tory) were dumped from committee chairmenships to make room for younger councillors/for opposing the sale of council housing.

Northumberland CC, 1973. A tie between Labour and the Tory-Northumberland Voters' Association grouping with 28 seats apiece so the Libs and 'true' Independents (both winning three seats) held the balance.

Tameside, 1973. Not a single county borough in this metro borough and that probably explains why it was originally proposed to be part of 'Greater Stockport'. An easy Labour win in 73 but this authority would later, under Tory rule, become a thorn in the Lab government's side.

County Durham, 1973. No surprise to see a sea of red but many unopposed returns.

Barnsley CB, 1968/69/70. Labour holding between 25-27 seats (out of 40) on the council. The Citizens' Party was an anti-Labour alliance although the Libs now fought wards under their own colours.

Birmingham, 1924. The General Election was held on the Wednesday (Labour broke the Tory stranglehold on the city with one gain) and the locals followed on the Saturday (7 Tory gains) with the city remaining very Blue - Con 77 Lab 20 Lib 10 Others 13.

Rotherham, 1968 to 70. Bar Labour's low point in 1968 this borough remained comfortably safe for them (35/36 seats on the 44 seat council).

Castleford MB & Pontefract MB 1968 to 70. Solid Labour territory although there was a tiff in 1969 amongst Pontefract Labour that almost lost them control of the borough.

Brighton CB & Hove MB, 1972. Eight unopposed returns for the Tories in Hove (Con 37 Ratepayers two and one Lab). All wards contested at Brighton (Con 49 Lab 25 Ind one and one Communist, elected as Lab in 1971).

Brighton CB, 1945. Best to treat Tories, independents, the Brighton Independent League and Ratepayers as one group. Anti-Labour 53 Labour 23 (up five).

Pudsey MB, 1962 to 64. One of the few places that flipped to the Libs after Orpington and then promptly flipped back. (An Elland chap contested the parliamentary seat in 1964).

Blackburn CB, 1945 to 47. Labour took control in 1945 with sixteen gains (35 seats pending the aldermanic elections, Con 18 & Lib 3). Strong ecclesiastical ward names.

Blackburn (the 71 census polygons so not quite bang on). 1972 - final elections for the CB (comfortably Labour) and the town results for the new 1973 district council plus the 1976 elections.

Bournemouth CB, 1919-21. Labour's opponents eschewed party labels but were clearly 'Conservative' according to Davies & Morley (vol.1). The local press didn't bother much with labels. There were no Labour aldermen (until 1931).

Rochdale, 1975/6. The national trend saw strong Tory performances in both years with them taking control in 1976.