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 Location of Broughton ward Broughton Party Candidate Votes % Progressives Unopposed Progressives hold
Location of Calton ward Calton Party Candidate Votes % Progressives D. A. P. Buchanan 2,041 Labour J. S. Cook 1,929 Majority 112 Turnout 33.77 Progressives hold
Location of Central Leith ward 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
Location of Colinton ward Colinton Party Candidate Votes % Progressives Catherine Filsell Unopposed Progressives hold
Location of Corstorphine ward 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
Location of Craigentinny ward Craigentinny Party Candidate Votes % Labour Marion R. Alexander 3,112 Progressives A. W. Hunt 2,288 Majority 824 Turnout 35.84 Labour hold
Location of Craigmillar ward Location of George Square ward 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
Location of Gorgie-Dalry ward 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
Location of Holyrood ward Location of Liberton ward Location of Merchiston ward Merchiston[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Progressives Maurice Heggle Unopposed Progressives hold
Location of Morningside ward Morningside[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Progressives Elizabeth M. Mein 3,165 Liberal Bethia L. Howden 1,718 Progressives hold
Location of Murrayfield-Cramond ward Murrayfield-Cramond[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Progressives J. W. McKay 2,808 55.0 Liberal J. S. Fowlie 2,295 45.0 Majority 513 10.0 Turnout 5,103 34.48 Progressives hold
Location of Newington ward 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
Location of Pilton ward Pilton[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Labour Magnus Williamson Unopposed Labour hold
Location of Portobello ward 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
Location of Sighthill ward Sighthill[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Labour Isabella Stewart Unopposed Labour hold
Location of South Leith 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
Location of St Andrews ward St. Andrews[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Progressives Craig Richards Unopposed Progressives hold
Location of St Bernards ward St. Bernard's[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Progressives J. Millar 3,005 Liberal A. Gordon 2,043 Majority 962 Turnout 28.55 Progressives hold
Location of St Giles ward St. Giles[ 1] Party Candidate Votes % Labour J. Henderson 2,014 Progressives I. H. McKee 1,041 Majority 973 Turnout 23.23 Labour hold
Location of West Leith ward West Leith Party Candidate Votes % Progressives Margaret Ross Unopposed Progressives hold
References ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Results in the Municipal Elections". The Glasgow Herald . 4 May 1961. p. 11. Retrieved 23 January 2020 .
(1960 ←)
1961 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1962)
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