Bolton Council election, 1998
The 1998 Bolton 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]
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
Bolton Local Election Result 1998[3][4] |
Party |
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 Democrat |
2 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
10.0 |
19.5 |
9,715 |
-0.1 |
|
Others |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
10.0 |
3.0 |
1,503 |
+3.0 |
Ward results
Astley Bridge |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
J Walsh |
1,742 |
49.0 |
+4.7 |
|
Labour |
S Hynes |
1,576 |
42.9 |
-2.7 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
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 Democrat |
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 |
|
Breightmet |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
M Murray |
1,155 |
59.7 |
-12.9 |
|
Conservative |
P Brierley |
565 |
29.2 |
+12.5 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
D Carr |
2,028 |
60.4 |
+11.9 |
|
Labour |
E Sherrington |
1,041 |
31.0 |
-10.7 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
P Howarth |
1,223 |
66.3 |
-3.7 |
|
Conservative |
S Jackson |
359 |
19.4 |
+3.8 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
J Noble |
1,355 |
68.6 |
-9.0 |
|
Conservative |
L Beresford |
411 |
20.8 |
+3.9 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
G Harkin |
1,055 |
63.2 |
-13.7 |
|
Conservative |
F Taylor |
368 |
22.1 |
+7.6 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Conservative |
C Shaw |
2,184 |
57.2 |
+8.6 |
|
Labour |
J Lavin |
1,186 |
31.1 |
-7.2 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
G Riley |
1,765 |
78.7 |
-5.1 |
|
Conservative |
R Wood |
307 |
13.7 |
+3.4 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
|
Halliwell |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
M Kilcoyne |
1,353 |
63.7 |
-3.1 |
|
Conservative |
J Evans |
414 |
19.5 |
+6.2 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
L Willimson |
1,012 |
63.9 |
-14.8 |
|
Conservative |
S Kesler |
266 |
16.8 |
+4.2 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 Democrat hold |
Swing |
LD to Labour 4.4 |
|
Kearsley |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
P Spencer |
1,023 |
45.9 |
-15.8 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
A Connell |
1,498 |
58.2 |
-3.7 |
|
Conservative |
D Bailey |
855 |
33.2 |
+1.7 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 Democrat hold |
Swing |
Labour to LD 4.2 |
|
Tonge |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
F White |
1,499 |
66.7 |
-3.5 |
|
Conservative |
S Lever |
567 |
25.2 |
+5.6 |
|
Liberal Democrat |
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 |
|
References