The first elections to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council were held on Thursday, 10 May 1973, with the entirety of the 69 seat council - three seats for each of the 23 wards - up for vote. It was the first council election as the newly formed metropolitan borough under a new constitution. The Local Government Act 1972 stipulated that the elected members were to shadow and eventually take over from the County Borough of Bolton, the Municipal Borough of Farnworth, the Urban Districts of Blackrod, Horwich, Kearsley, Little Lever, and Westhoughton, and the southern part of Turton Urban District on 1 April 1974. The order in which the councillors were elected dictated their term serving, with third-place candidates serving two years and up for re-election in 1975, second-placed three years expiring in 1976 and 1st-placed five years until 1978.
The Conservative Party took control of the new Council by a majority of 1. The Leader of the council was Councillor John Hanscomb, who held this position until Labour took control in 1980.
Election result
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | 35 | 44.7 | 84,702 | ||||||
Labour | 31 | 44.2 | 83,729 | ||||||
Liberal | 2 | 8.9 | 16,916 | ||||||
Other parties | 1 | 2.1 | 3,940 | ||||||
Ward results
Astley Bridge ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | D Shepherd | 2,171 | 23.4 | ||
Conservative | F Waterworth | 2,087 | 22.5 | ||
Conservative | A Hibbert | 1,986 | 21.4 | ||
Labour | J Walker | 1,082 | 11.7 | ||
Labour | N Lee | 1,007 | 10.9 | ||
Labour | D Jones | 938 | 10.1 | ||
Turnout | 9,721 | 34.0 |
Bradshaw North and South ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | B Furlong | 1,090 | 15.1 | ||
Conservative | T Greenhalgh | 1,077 | 15.0 | ||
Conservative | K Howarth | 1,073 | 14.9 | ||
Liberal | A Winstanley | 1,054 | 14.6 | ||
Liberal | J Webster | 1,037 | 14.4 | ||
Liberal | M Batth | 1,012 | 14.1 | ||
Labour | A Brigg | 300 | 4.2 | ||
Labour | J Riley | 285 | 4.0 | ||
Labour | C Benjamin | 270 | 3.8 | ||
Turnout | 7,198 | 40.5 |
Bradford ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J Foster | 1,119 | 27.1 | ||
Labour | T McEwan | 1,046 | 25.1 | ||
Labour | C Skull | 1,011 | 24.5 | ||
Conservative | D Hall | 329 | 8.0 | ||
Conservative | C Gregory | 325 | 7.9 | ||
Conservative | D Harris | 294 | 7.1 | ||
Turnout | 4,124 | 31.0 |
Bromley Cross, Eagley and Egerton ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | D Carr | 1,456 | 15.5 | ||
Conservative | A Poulson | 1,421 | 15.1 | ||
Conservative | H Bennett | 1,412 | 15.0 | ||
Liberal | P O'Connor | 1,175 | 12.5 | ||
Liberal | T Williams | 1,124 | 12.0 | ||
Liberal | D Charlton | 1,095 | 11.7 | ||
Labour | H Haslam | 670 | 7.1 | ||
Labour | S Chadwick | 542 | 5.8 | ||
Labour | A Uttley | 489 | 5.2 | ||
Turnout | 9,384 | 41.3 |
Church East and North ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | R Halliwell | 1,790 | 20.7 | ||
Conservative | E Crook | 1,711 | 19.8 | ||
Conservative | A O'Neil | 1,641 | 19.0 | ||
Labour | M Johnson | 1,290 | 14.9 | ||
Labour | J Knight | 1,140 | 13.2 | ||
Labour | B Turner | 1,081 | 12.5 | ||
Turnout | 8,653 | 41.0 |
Darcy Lever cum Breightmet ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D Dingwall | 2,064 | 18.6 | ||
Labour | K McIvor | 1,913 | 17.3 | ||
Labour | P Johnson | 1,895 | 17.1 | ||
Conservative | A Chadbond | 1,820 | 16.4 | ||
Conservative | M Walsh | 1,699 | 15.4 | ||
Conservative | P Eckersley | 1,677 | 15.2 | ||
Turnout | 11,068 | 31.0 |
Deane cum Lostock ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | D Berry | 1,406 | 25.3 | ||
Conservative | F Rushton | 1,359 | 24.4 | ||
Conservative | R Ward | 1,351 | 24.3 | ||
Labour | S Harrison | 506 | 9.1 | ||
Labour | J Brown | 483 | 8.7 | ||
Labour | S Hill | 454 | 8.2 | ||
Turnout | 5,559 | 30.0 |
Derby ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W Simpson | 1,159 | 23.8 | ||
Labour | J Taylor | 1,143 | 23.5 | ||
Labour | S Walsh | 1,030 | 21.2 | ||
Conservative | John Walsh | 598 | 12.5 | ||
Conservative | J Laycock | 533 | 11.0 | ||
Conservative | M Bleakley | 468 | 9.6 | ||
Turnout | 4,866 | 29.0 |
Farnworth North ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | L Cunliffe | 2,010 | 22.6 | ||
Labour | R Neary | 1,904 | 21.4 | ||
Labour | G Brown | 1,842 | 20.7 | ||
Conservative | A Royse | 1,243 | 14.0 | ||
Conservative | T Rothwell | 955 | 10.7 | ||
Conservative | L Sharples | 937 | 10.5 | ||
Turnout | 8,891 | 32.0 |
Farnworth South ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J Wild | 1,757 | 25.1 | ||
Labour | W Hardman | 1,712 | 24.5 | ||
Labour | D Gilligan | 1,633 | 23.4 | ||
Conservative | C Shaw | 653 | 9.3 | ||
Conservative | G Waterson | 632 | 9.0 | ||
Conservative | I Torkington | 604 | 8.6 | ||
Turnout | 6,991 | 27.0 |
Great Lever ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J Shore | 1,526 | 17.3 | ||
Labour | V Urmston | 1,492 | 16.9 | ||
Labour | A Perry | 1,471 | 16.7 | ||
Conservative | G Woosey | 1,456 | 16.5 | ||
Labour | P Lowe | 1,444 | 16.4 | ||
Conservative | L Huyton | 1,442 | 16.3 | ||
Turnout | 8,831 | 29.0 |
Halliwell ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E Hamer | 1,533 | 18.6 | ||
Labour | R Johnson | 1,485 | 18.0 | ||
Labour | G Riley | 1,444 | 17.5 | ||
Conservative | W Hall | 1,280 | 15.5 | ||
Conservative | R Stones | 1,252 | 15.2 | ||
Conservative | J Morris | 1,248 | 15.1 | ||
Turnout | 8,242 | 27.0 |
Heaton ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | B Allanson | 1,598 | 30.2 | ||
Conservative | J Hanscomb | 1,524 | 28.8 | ||
Conservative | B Hurst | 1,504 | 28.4 | ||
Labour | P Cunliffe | 258 | 4.9 | ||
Labour | N Morlidge | 208 | 3.9 | ||
Labour | T Hill | 201 | 3.8 | ||
Turnout | 5,293 | 42.0 |
Horwich North, Central and East ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A Oakley | 1,947 | 16.6 | ||
Labour | J McBurnie | 1,680 | 14.3 | ||
Labour | E Dobson | 1,665 | 14.2 | ||
Conservative | G Hind | 1,377 | 11.8 | ||
Liberal | E Kay | 1,314 | 11.2 | ||
Conservative | R Winstanley | 1,076 | 9.2 | ||
Liberal | A Ratcliffe | 1,033 | 8.8 | ||
Conservative | J Foster | 942 | 8.0 | ||
Communist | J Kay | 676 | 5.8 | ||
Turnout | 11,710 | 42.0 |
Horwich South and Blackrod ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | L Fearnhead | 1,395 | 14.1 | ||
Conservative | C Everin | 1,200 | 12.1 | ||
Labour | G Gardiner | 1,173 | 11.8 | ||
Labour | D Smith | 1,017 | 10.2 | ||
Conservative | J Jolley | 964 | 9.7 | ||
Labour | E Bracegirdle | 926 | 9.3 | ||
Independent | F Isherwood | 891 | 9.0 | ||
Independent Labour | L Watkinson | 856 | 8.6 | ||
Liberal | G Farrington | 797 | 8.0 | ||
Conservative | M Carrie | 705 | 7.1 | ||
Turnout | 9,924 | 58.0 |
Hulton and Rumworth ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J Parkinson | 1,991 | 20.3 | ||
Conservative | A Gledhill | 1,880 | 19.2 | ||
Conservative | R Carr | 1,872 | 19.1 | ||
Labour | D Vause | 1,362 | 13.9 | ||
Labour | H Glynn | 1,313 | 13.4 | ||
Labour | T Regan | 1,250 | 12.8 | ||
Socialist (GB) | J O'Hara | 122 | 1.2 | ||
Turnout | 9,790 | 35.0 |
Kearsley ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | J Rothwell | 1,926 | 19.1 | ||
Liberal | E Bell | 1,700 | 16.9 | ||
Labour | R Cornthwaite | 1,668 | 16.5 | ||
Liberal | K Holt | 1,647 | 16.3 | ||
Labour | B Molyneux | 1,578 | 15.7 | ||
Labour | T Lewis | 1,564 | 15.5 | ||
Turnout | 10,083 | 40.6 |
Little Lever ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | K Hornby | 1,111 | 14.6 | ||
Conservative | J Lees | 993 | 13.0 | ||
Conservative | A Lawton | 991 | 13.0 | ||
Labour | J Robinson | 938 | 12.3 | ||
Liberal | N Narayan | 886 | 11.6 | ||
Labour | W Worthington | 842 | 11.0 | ||
Labour | C Lucas | 752 | 9.9 | ||
Liberal | J Waites | 600 | 7.9 | ||
Liberal | R Pemberton | 516 | 6.8 | ||
Turnout | 7,629 | 39.0 |
Smithills ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | D Priestly | 2,209 | 24.5 | ||
Conservative | M Howarth | 2,204 | 24.4 | ||
Conservative | S Collier | 2,154 | 23.9 | ||
Labour | T Hall | 845 | 9.4 | ||
Labour | N Spencer | 816 | 9.0 | ||
Labour | B Corless | 799 | 8.9 | ||
Turnout | 9,027 | 28.0 |
Tonge ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | S Harrison | 2,129 | 19.4 | ||
Conservative | K Knowles | 1,950 | 17.8 | ||
Conservative | J Rigby | 1,929 | 17.6 | ||
Labour | A Hooton | 1,689 | 15.4 | ||
Labour | A Grime | 1,637 | 14.9 | ||
Labour | Rigby | 1,637 | 14.9 | ||
Turnout | 10,971 | 34.0 |
West ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R Howarth | 1,376 | 21.6 | ||
Labour | D Clarke | 1,358 | 21.3 | ||
Labour | H Devonish | 1,341 | 21.0 | ||
Conservative | M Foster | 802 | 12.6 | ||
Conservative | E Smith | 756 | 11.9 | ||
Conservative | J Wrench | 741 | 11.6 | ||
Turnout | 6,374 |
Westhoughton East and Hulton ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | G Smith | 1,775 | 21.3 | ||
Conservative | A Glover | 1,750 | 21.0 | ||
Conservative | J Smith | 1,744 | 20.9 | ||
Labour | P Jones | 1,075 | 12.9 | ||
Labour | C Knowles | 1,015 | 12.2 | ||
Labour | A Fairhurst | 971 | 11.7 | ||
Turnout | 8,330 | 48.4 |
Westhoughton North, Central and South ward
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W Kettle | 2,273 | 23.2 | ||
Labour | K Brown | 1,971 | 20.1 | ||
Labour | P Woodcock | 1,940 | 19.8 | ||
Independent | T Riley | 1,465 | 15.0 | ||
Conservative | J Roden | 1,131 | 11.6 | ||
Conservative | P Smith | 1,009 | 10.3 | ||
Turnout | 9,789 | 49.7 |
References
- 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.