Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1978

Elections in 1978 were held on Thursday 4 May.

Following the elections no single party had overall control of Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council, the WAR candidates voted with Labour at the mayor making a few weeks later but control passed to the Conservative group following the February 1979 Low Hill by election when the Conservatives gained a seat from Labour.

The 1978 election is notable in that two future Wolverhampton Members of Parliament, Dennis Turner (Bilston East) and Ken Purchase (Eastfield) were both elected to Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council.

A vacant seat in St Peters meant two seats were contested in that ward.

The composition of the council prior to the election was:

The composition of the council following the election was:

Election results

Bilston East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D Turner 2053
Conservative J Boden 712
National Front B Hyde 142
WAR S Davis 64
Majority 1341
Labour hold Swing
Bilston North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Barber 1518
Labour P Richards 1345
National Front G McNally 297
Majority 73
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Blakenhall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Carpenter 1896
Labour B Jones 1761
Liberal M Parsley 292
National Front Mrs J Johnson 346
WAR J Hewes 179
Majority 137
Conservative hold Swing
Bushbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mrs J Beddoes 1286
Conservative Mrs I Bickley 807
WAR C J Reynolds 248
National Front J Robinson 153
Majority 479
Labour hold Swing
Eastfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K Purchase 2015
Conservative Mrs R Smith 929
National Front G Cooper 258
Liberal C Hallmark 171
Majority 1086
Labour hold Swing
Ettingshall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E Bold 1292
Conservative H Davies 569
National Front P Rollason 158
Majority 723
Labour hold Swing
Graiseley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F Ledsam 2195
Conservative P Smith 1253
National Front Mrs M Robinson 228
Majority 942
Labour hold Swing
Low Hill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D Hickman 1362
Conservative Mrs J Hickman 902
National Front D Johnson 178
Liberal L Maclean 113
Majority 460
Labour hold Swing
Merry Hill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B Clarke 3458
Labour R Haynes 1284
WAR Mrs E M Powell 205
National Front B Percival 203
Majority 2174
Conservative hold Swing
Oxley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F Haley 1309
WAR R Stickland 1225
Labour P Bateman 1063
National Front Mrs C Thomas 132
Majority 693
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W Morrison 2044
Labour S Lydon 847
Liberal R Gray 479
National Front Mrs C Simpson 120
WAR Miss K Johnston 84
Majority 1197
Conservative hold Swing
Parkfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G Howells 1553
Conservative B Carpenter 591
National Front J Thomas 194
WAR B V Read 45
Majority 962
Labour hold Swing
Penn
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A Bickley 3638
Labour J Fenby 597
WAR R J Thomas 228
National Front J Keating 163
Majority 3041
Conservative hold Swing
St Peters
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour I Claymore 2424
Labour S S Duhra 2143
Conservative Mrs G Hodson 759
Conservative J Inglis 609
National Front J Bladon 154
WAR J Smith 120
National Front J Spencer 110
Labour hold Swing
Spring Vale
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mrs M Pointon 2030
Conservative J Lockley 1447
Majority 583
Labour hold Swing
Tettenhall Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S Morton 2807
WAR Mrs J Gunter 733
Labour M Powis 399
National Front Mrs M Ryan 140
Independent Conservative J Cartwright 117
Majority 2074
Conservative hold Swing
Tettenhall Wightwick
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R Watson 3177
Labour M Smith 685
Liberal Mrs S Ascott 248
National Front S Hammond 191
WAR T Rathbone 99
Majority 1752
Conservative hold Swing
Wednesfield Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W Wootton 2007
Labour H Turner 1219
National Front G Jones 246
Majority 788
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Wednesfield North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G Jones 2121
Labour A Morey 1865
National Front S Mcnally 320
Majority 256
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Wednesfield South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Davis 1748
Labour Mrs C Nicholls 1457
National Front J Dutton 182
Majority 291
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

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