1961 Edinburgh Corporation election

1961 Edinburgh Corporation election

← 1960 2 May 1961 (1961-05-02) 1962 →
23 of the 69 seats to the Edinburgh Corporation 35 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Progressives Labour Last election 39 28 Seats won 12 10 Seats after 38 28 Seat change 1 Popular vote 33,496 27,757 Percentage 43.6% 36.1%   Third party Fourth party   Party Liberal Protestant Action Last election 1 1 Seats won 1 0 Seats after 2 1 Seat change 1 Popular vote 15,083 N/A Percentage 19.6% N/A
Results by ward.
Council control before election Progressives Council control after election Progressives

Elections to Edinburgh Corporation were held on 2 May 1961, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. Of the councils 69 seats, 23 were up for election. However, only 16 seats were contested, as councillors were returned unopposed in seven wards.^[1]

Only one seat changed hands; Corstorphine ward was gained by the Liberal party from the Progressive Party.

After the election Edinburgh Corporation was composed of 38 Progressives, 28 Labour councillors, 2 Liberal, and 1 Protestant Action. The Progressives retained overall control of the council.

Turnout in the 14 contested wards was 76,953 or 33.7%.^[1]

Aggregate results[]

Edinburgh Corporation election, 1961^[1]

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Progressives	12	0	1	1	58.3	43.6	33,496
	Labour	10	0	0		39.1	36.1	27,757
	Liberal	1	1	0	1	4.3	19.6	15,083
	Communist	0	0	0		0.0	0.6	496

Ward Results[]

Broughton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives		Unopposed
	Progressives hold

Calton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	D. A. P. Buchanan	2,041
	Labour	J. S. Cook	1,929
Majority			112
Turnout				33.77
	Progressives hold

Central Leith

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Barbara Woodburn	2,574
	Progressives	J. Tait	932
	Communist	T. C. Taylor	106
Majority			1642
Turnout				27.97
	Labour hold

Colinton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	Catherine Filsell	Unopposed
	Progressives hold

Corstorphine

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal	D. C. Davies	3,406
	Progressives	M. A. Murray	2,493
Majority			915
Turnout				38.89
	Liberal gain from Progressives

Craigentinny

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Marion R. Alexander	3,112
	Progressives	A. W. Hunt	2,288
Majority			824
Turnout				35.84
	Labour hold

Craigmillar

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. Kane	2,025
	Communist	J. A. Young	205
Majority			1,820
Turnout				22.54
	Labour hold

George Square^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	J. Slack	1,350
	Liberal	V. S. MacKinnon	1,270
	Labour	G. Drummond	731
Majority			80
Turnout				29.95
	Progressives hold

Gorgie-Dalry

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	D. M. Swanson	2,655
	Progressives	W. E. Bruges	1,591
Majority			1,064
Turnout				29.20
	Labour hold

Holyrood

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	P. Rogan	2,194
	Communist	J. Ashton	185
	Labour hold

Liberton^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	P. Wilson	4,180
	Progressives	N. Fairbairn	3,699
Majority			481
Turnout				40.63
	Labour hold

Merchiston^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	Maurice Heggle	Unopposed
	Progressives hold

Morningside^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	Elizabeth M. Mein	3,165
	Liberal	Bethia L. Howden	1,718
	Progressives hold

Murrayfield-Cramond^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	J. W. McKay	2,808
	Liberal	J. S. Fowlie	2,295
Majority			513
Turnout				34.48
	Progressives hold

Newington^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	G. Hodderwick	3,186
	Liberal	W. G. Henderson	2,817
	Labour	Frieda White	1,098
Majority			369
Turnout				43.27
	Progressives hold

Pilton^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Magnus Williamson	Unopposed
	Labour hold

Portobello^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	A. D. Jameson	2,988
	Labour	R. G. Blanche	1,550
	Liberal	J. M. Farquhar	1,534
Majority			1,438
Turnout				33.41
	Progressives hold

Sighthill^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Isabella Stewart	Unopposed
	Labour hold

South Leith^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Anne K. Simpson	3,695
	Progressives	E. W. Hall	2,909
Majority			786
Turnout				28.84
	Labour hold

St. Andrews^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	Craig Richards	Unopposed
	Progressives hold

St. Bernard's^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	J. Millar	3,005
	Liberal	A. Gordon	2,043
Majority			962
Turnout				28.55
	Progressives hold

St. Giles^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	J. Henderson	2,014
	Progressives	I. H. McKee	1,041
Majority			973
Turnout				23.23
	Labour hold

West Leith

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressives	Margaret Ross	Unopposed
	Progressives hold

References[]