Bolton Council election, 1976

The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton shown within England.

Elections to Bolton Council were held on in May 1976. The Conservatives retained control of the Council.

23 seats were contested, with 16 being won by the Conservative Party and 7 by the Labour Party.

Ernie Crook was the sitting Conservative Councillor in the Church East and North Ward, but was re-elected as an Independent Conservative due to an internal selection dispute. However he took the Conservative Party whip soon after. Therefore this seat is regarded as a Conservative hold rather than a loss.

After the election, the composition of the Council was

Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1976
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 16 4 0 +4 {{{seats %}}} 57.9 42,559 +1.3
  Labour 7 2 4 -2 {{{seats %}}} 37.0 27,230 +4.4
  Liberal 0 0 1 -1 {{{seats %}}} 3.9 2,902 -4.5
  Others 0 0 1 -1 {{{seats %}}} 1.1 855 -1.2


Ward results

Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F Waterworth 2,871 77.5 +0.3
Labour G Riley 832 22.5 -0.3
Majority 2,039 55.1 +0.7
Turnout 3,703 38.0 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing Labour to Con 0.3

Bradshaw North and South ward

Bradshaw North and South ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T Greenhalgh 2,666 85.7 +35.7
Labour A Grimes 446 14.3 +8.4
Majority 2,220 71.3 +46.0
Turnout 3,112 34.0 -12.0
Conservative hold Swing

Bradford ward

Bradford ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T McEwan 1,205 68.5 +5.4
Conservative A Mills 498 28.3 -8.6
Socialist (GB) N Duffield 56 3.2 +3.2
Majority 707 40.2 +14.0
Turnout 1,759 37.7 +3.7
Labour hold Swing Con to Labour 7.0

Bromley Cross, Eagley and Egerton ward

Bromley Cross, Eagley and Egerton ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A Poulsom 2,666 81.9 +24.5
Labour C Benjamin 591 18.1 -1.4
Majority 2,075 63.7 +29.4
Turnout 3,257 38.5 -5.5
Conservative hold Swing Lab to Con 12.9

Church East and North ward

Church East and North ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Conservative E Crook 1,227 41.1 +41.1
Conservative B Hall 961 32.2 -30.4
Labour P Johnson 799 26.7 -2.6
Majority 266 8.9
Turnout 2,987 48.3 +8.3
Independent Conservative hold Swing

Darcy Lever cum Breightmet ward

Darcy Lever cum Breightmet ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M Walsh 2,900 55.5 -4.7
Labour K McIvor 2,327 44.5 +4.7
Majority 573 10.9 -9.5
Turnout 5,227 39.0 +8.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Con to Labour 4.7

Dean cum Lostock ward

Dean cum Lostock ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F Rushton 2,260 77.7 +0.3
Labour J Walker 648 22.3 -0.3
Majority 1,612 55.4 +0.7
Turnout 2,908 41.0 +4.0
Conservative hold Swing Labour to Con 0.3


Derby ward

Derby ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R Lever 1,170 63.8 +2.3
Conservative D Smith 663 36.2 -2.3
Majority 507 27.6 +4.6
Turnout 1,833 31.0 +3.0
Labour hold Swing Con to Labour 2.3

Farnworth North ward

Farnworth North ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R Neary 1,428 47.7 +6.2
Conservative A Nuttall 1,232 41.2 -4.7
Liberal M Harmsworth 331 11.1 +1.3
Majority 196 6.5
Turnout 2,991 31.9 +3.9
Labour hold Swing Con to Labour 5.4

Farnworth South ward

Farnworth South ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W Hardman 1,290 55.3 +5.6
Liberal J Barrow 550 23.6 -1.7
Conservative L Sharples 493 21.1 -3.9
Majority 740 31.7 +7.4
Turnout 2,333 25.3 +4.3
Labour hold Swing Con to Labour 4.7

Great Lever ward

Great Lever ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S Haslam 2,283 60.3 -6.1
Labour G Harkin 1,504 39.7 +6.1
Majority 779 20.5 -12.3
Turnout 3,787 36.0 +8.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Con to Labour 6.1

Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W Hall 1,742 55.6 +0.3
Labour R Johnson 1,389 44.4 +5.9
Majority 353 11.2 -5.6
Turnout 3,131 32.0 -1.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Heaton ward

Heaton ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Hanscomb 1,996 90.4 -1.8
Labour T Moor 213 9.6 +1.8
Majority 1,783 80.7 -3.7
Turnout 2,210 47.0 -1.0
Conservative hold Swing Con to Labour 1.8

Horwich North, Central and East ward

Horwich North, Central and East ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B Crumblehulme 2,159 52.9 +10.3
Labour J McBurnie 1,924 47.1 +10.6
Majority 235 5.7 -0.4
Turnout 4,083 40.0 +7.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Horwich South and Blackrod ward

Horwich South and Blackrod ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Everin 1,915 61.6 +12.4
Labour L Watkinson 1,194 38.4 +7.3
Majority 721 23.2 +4.2
Turnout 3,109 48.0 +8.0
Conservative hold Swing

Hulton and Rumworth ward

Hulton and Rumworth ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A Gledhill 2,112 55.1 +0.6
Labour P Jones 1,381 36.0 -0.7
National Front J Walsh 341 8.9 +1.0
Majority 731 19.0 +1.2
Turnout 3,834 38.5 +1.5
Conservative hold Swing Labour to Con 1.6

Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T Lewis 1,479 40.4 +4.9
Liberal E Bell 1,376 37.5 -0.0
Conservative T Rothwell 810 22.1 -4.9
Majority 103 2.8
Turnout 3,665 42.6 +5.6
Labour gain from Liberal Swing Con to Labour 4.9

Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R Hodson 1,192 40.5 -6.2
Labour E Blackwell 1,105 37.6 +11.2
Liberal R Richardson 645 21.9 -5.0
Majority 87 2.9 -16.8
Turnout 2,942 38.0 -0.0
Conservative hold Swing Con to Labour 8.7

Smithills ward

Smithills ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M Howarth 3,057 74.5 -1.6
Labour G Hart 897 21.9 +3.5
Independent B Langley 151 3.7 -1.8
Majority 2,160 52.6 -5.0
Turnout 4,105 37.9 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing Con to Labour 2.5

Tonge ward

Tonge ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative K Knowles 2,631 57.0 -7.4
Labour Brian Iddon 1,983 43.0 +7.4
Majority 648 14.0 -14.8
Turnout 4,614 42.0 +9.0
Conservative hold Swing Con to Labour 7.4

West ward

West ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D Clarke 1,419 54.8 +5.9
Conservative B Holland 1,171 45.2 -5.9
Majority 248 9.5
Turnout 2,590 32.0 +8.0
Labour hold Swing Con to Labour 5.9

Westhoughton East and Hulton ward

Westhoughton East and Hulton ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F Walsh 1,870 74.9 +0.4
Labour C Knowles 625 25.1 -0.4
Majority 1,245 49.9 +1.0
Turnout 2,495 42.8 +3.8
Conservative hold Swing Labour to Con 0.4

Westhoughton North, Central and South ward

Westhoughton North, Central and South ward (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J Clee 1,331 47.2 -5.1
Conservative J Roden 1,184 42.0 -5.7
Independent K Brown 307 10.9 +10.9
Majority 147 5.2 +0.6
Turnout 2,822 39.8 +2.8
Labour gain from Independent Swing Con to Ind 8.3

References