1998 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election
The 1998 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council in Greater Manchester, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party kept overall control of the council.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/EnglandBolton.png)
20 seats were contested in the election, with 15 being held by Labour, 3 by the Liberal Democrats and 2 by the Conservatives.[2] The 3 main parties contested all of the 20 seats, with 3 Socialist Labour Party and 4 other candidates standing.[2]
The election saw the lowest turnout in at least 30 years at 23.5%, a significant drop from the 36.8% turnout in the 1996 election.[3] Farnworth ward saw the lowest turnout at 15%, while the highest was 32.6% in Astley Bridge.[3] The Conservatives gained 2 seats in the election to become the main opposition party on the council again.[3] They gained Astley Bridge and Bradshaw wards from Labour, having defeated the Labour candidate in Bradshaw by 2 votes after 5 recounts.[3] However Labour held on in Kearsley by 8 votes and won Westhoughton from the Liberal Democrats to remain firmly in control of the council.[3]
After the election, the composition of the council was:
Election result
editParty | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 14 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 70.0 | 47.2 | 23,549 | -6.9 | |
Conservative | 4 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 20.0 | 30.3 | 15,127 | +5.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | 2 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 10.0 | 19.5 | 9,715 | -0.1 | |
Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 3.0 | 1,503 | +3.0 |
Council Composition
editPrior to the election the composition of the council was:
48 | 6 | 6 |
Labour | Conservative | L |
After the election the composition of the council was:
47 | 8 | 5 |
Labour | Conservative | L |
LD - Liberal Democrats
Ward results
editAstley Bridge ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J Walsh | 1,742 | 49.0 | +4.7 | |
Labour | S Hynes | 1,576 | 42.9 | −2.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | P Howarth | 285 | 8.0 | −2.0 | |
Majority | 216 | 6.1 | |||
Turnout | 3,553 | 32.6 | −6.7 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to Con 3.7 |
Blackrod ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J Monaghan | 987 | 38.7 | −4.4 | |
Conservative | R Barrow | 743 | 29.1 | +6.7 | |
Independent Labour | L Watkinson | 553 | 21.7 | −1.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | D Watts | 267 | 10.5 | −1.1 | |
Majority | 434 | 17.0 | −3.3 | ||
Turnout | 2,550 | 25.1 | −12.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 5.5 |
Bradshaw ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | A Osborn | 1,242 | 44.2 | +3.9 | |
Labour | L Byrne | 1,240 | 44.1 | −4.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | M Eidlow | 327 | 11.6 | −0.1 | |
Majority | 2 | 0.1 | |||
Turnout | 2,809 | 25.8 | −8.3 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to Con 3.9 |
Breightmet ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | M Murray | 1,155 | 59.7 | −12.9 | |
Conservative | P Brierley | 565 | 29.2 | +12.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | E Hill | 214 | 11.1 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 590 | 30.5 | −25.4 | ||
Turnout | 1,934 | 19.2 | −9.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 12.7 |
Bromley Cross ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | D Carr | 2,028 | 60.4 | +11.9 | |
Labour | E Sherrington | 1,041 | 31.0 | −10.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | C Atty | 287 | 8.6 | −1.2 | |
Majority | 987 | 29.4 | −22.5 | ||
Turnout | 3,356 | 31.0 | −9.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 11.3 |
Burnden ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | P Howarth | 1,223 | 66.3 | −3.7 | |
Conservative | S Jackson | 359 | 19.4 | +3.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | D Connor | 264 | 14.3 | −0.2 | |
Majority | 864 | 46.8 | −7.6 | ||
Turnout | 1,846 | 19.3 | −9.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 3.7 |
Central ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J Noble | 1,355 | 68.6 | −9.0 | |
Conservative | L Beresford | 411 | 20.8 | +3.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | K Watts | 127 | 6.4 | +0.9 | |
Independent | R Allen | 81 | 4.1 | +4.1 | |
Majority | 944 | 47.8 | −12.9 | ||
Turnout | 1,974 | 25.1 | −8.9 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Ind 6.5 |
Daubhill ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G Harkin | 1,055 | 63.2 | −13.7 | |
Conservative | F Taylor | 368 | 22.1 | +7.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | L Greensitt | 181 | 10.9 | +2.3 | |
Socialist Labour | D Kelly | 64 | 3.8 | +3.8 | |
Majority | 687 | 41.2 | −21.1 | ||
Turnout | 1,668 | 18.9 | −11.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 10.6 |
Deane-cum-Heaton ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | C Shaw | 2,184 | 57.2 | +8.6 | |
Labour | J Lavin | 1,186 | 31.1 | −7.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | L Greenhalgh | 446 | 11.7 | −1.4 | |
Majority | 998 | 26.8 | +16.5 | ||
Turnout | 3,716 | 28.8 | −8.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 7.9 |
Derby ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G Riley | 1,765 | 78.7 | −5.1 | |
Conservative | R Wood | 307 | 13.7 | +3.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | L Bale | 172 | 7.7 | +1.7 | |
Majority | 1458 | 65.0 | −13.5 | ||
Turnout | 2,244 | 24.3 | −11.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 4.2 |
Farnworth ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | P Johnston | 903 | 63.5 | −18.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | M Rothwell | 197 | 13.8 | +4.9 | |
Conservative | P Bonomy | 180 | 12.6 | +3.5 | |
Socialist Labour | W Kelly | 143 | 10.0 | +10.0 | |
Majority | 706 | 49.6 | −23.3 | ||
Turnout | 1,423 | 15.2 | −9.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Soc Lab 14.2 |
Halliwell ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | M Kilcoyne | 1,353 | 63.7 | −3.1 | |
Conservative | J Evans | 414 | 19.5 | +6.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | S Howarth | 356 | 16.8 | −3.1 | |
Majority | 939 | 44.2 | −2.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,123 | 22.7 | −7.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 4.6 |
Harper Green ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | L Williamson | 1,012 | 63.9 | −14.8 | |
Conservative | S Kesler | 266 | 16.8 | +4.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | W Connor | 154 | 9.7 | +1.0 | |
Socialist Labour | W Kelly | 152 | 9.6 | +9.6 | |
Majority | 746 | 47.1 | −19.1 | ||
Turnout | 1,584 | 15.5 | −7.9 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Soc Lab 12.2 |
Horwich ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | R Ronson | 1,963 | 55.0 | −3.4 | |
Labour | S Pasquill | 1,005 | 28.2 | +5.5 | |
Conservative | I Cooper | 598 | 16.8 | −3.1 | |
Majority | 958 | 26.9 | −8.7 | ||
Turnout | 3,566 | 31.0 | −12.0 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | LD to Labour 4.4 |
Hulton Park ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E Hyland | 2,156 | 48.4 | +6.5 | |
Conservative | M Perks | 1,363 | 30.6 | −4.7 | |
Ind. Conservative | C Higson | 511 | 11.5 | +11.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | D Gradwell | 421 | 9.5 | −13.3 | |
Majority | 793 | 17.8 | +11.2 | ||
Turnout | 4,451 | 24.1 | −9.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | LD to Ind Con 12.4 |
Kearsley ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | P Spencer | 1,023 | 45.9 | −15.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | J Rothwell | 1,015 | 45.5 | +13.6 | |
Conservative | J Tyler | 193 | 8.7 | +2.3 | |
Majority | 8 | 3.6 | −26.1 | ||
Turnout | 2,231 | 21.7 | −8.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to LD 14.7 |
Little Lever ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A Connell | 1,498 | 58.2 | −3.7 | |
Conservative | D Bailey | 855 | 33.2 | +1.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | W Crook | 220 | 8.6 | +2.0 | |
Majority | 643 | 25.0 | −5.4 | ||
Turnout | 2,573 | 27.5 | −9.2 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to LD 2.8 |
Smithills ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | R Hayes | 1,676 | 61.5 | +5.4 | |
Labour | M Ord | 567 | 20.8 | −3.0 | |
Conservative | D Bagnall | 483 | 17.7 | −2.4 | |
Majority | 1,109 | 40.7 | +8.4 | ||
Turnout | 2,726 | 32.1 | −11.8 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | Labour to LD 4.2 |
Tonge ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | F White | 1,499 | 66.7 | −3.5 | |
Conservative | S Lever | 567 | 25.2 | +5.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | M Whittaker | 182 | 8.1 | −2.1 | |
Majority | 932 | 41.4 | −9.2 | ||
Turnout | 2,248 | 28.3 | −5.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 4.5 |
Westhoughton ward
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D Chadwick | 924 | 44.3 | −4.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | D Wilkinson | 905 | 43.3 | +1.3 | |
Conservative | S Wallen | 259 | 12.4 | +2.7 | |
Majority | 19 | 0.9 | −5.5 | ||
Turnout | 2,088 | 23.6 | −13.2 | ||
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | Labour to Con 3.4 |
Sources
editNotes
edit- ^ a b "Local Elections results". The Times. 9 May 1998. p. 46.
- ^ a b "Voters' chance to give verdict on Labour's first 12 months". The Bolton News. 6 May 1998. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Low poll 'a disgrace'". The Bolton News. 8 May 1998. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
- ^ "Policy and politics: Local Elections: Analysis: Council poll results". The Guardian. 9 May 1998. p. 16.
References
edit- Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973–2012" (PDF). The Elections Centre. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 12 July 2016.