Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election, 2002
Elections to Wigan Council were held on 2 May 2002, with one-third of the council to be re-elected. There had been a number of by-elections in the gap year, with a Labour gain from the Liberal Democrats in Hindsford, effectively cancelling out an earlier loss to them in Atherton. A Labour hold in Hope Carr in-between left both parties unchanged going into the election.
Candidates contesting rose slightly on the prior election's, with the Socialist Alliance's debut eclipsing the Liberal Democrat offering, with 9 candidates to 8, and the newly formed Community Action Party fielding their first handful, as well as a sole BNP contender in Abram. This counteracted the traditional opposition parties - the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats - fielding slightly less this year and one fewer Independent contester than the last election.
The worrying string of poor turnout seen in recent elections was partially reversed, as turnout rose by a quarter upon the 2000s figure of 19.5%, to 25.2%. The Conservatives and the Independents fell back from their impressive performances in 2000, to the benefit of the newcomers, with Community Action immediately gaining two seats in the previously-unblemished Labour strongholds of Bryn and Lightshaw. Labour successfully defended Orrell from another Tory gain, but suffered a loss in the former Conservative bastion of Swinley, with the Conservatives holding representation in Orrell and Swinley for the first time in just shy of twenty years. Elsewhere, the Lib Dems comfortably captured another seat in Hindsford. These gains reverted Labour's majority to a more normative 58, ending their five-year peak.[1][2][3][4]
Election result
Wigan Local Election Result 2002 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | ||
Labour | 20 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 83.3 | 56.7 | 32,772 | -0.2% | ||
Community Action | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 8.3 | 9.2 | 5,307 | +9.2% | ||
Conservative | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4.2 | 17.2 | 9,936 | -7.9% | ||
Liberal Democrat | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4.2 | 11.6 | 6,681 | -0.3% | ||
Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 1,428 | +2.5% | ||
Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 859 | -2.9% | ||
BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 571 | +1.0% | ||
This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:
Party | Previous council | New council | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 69 | 65 | |||
Liberal Democrat | 2 | 3 | |||
Community Action | 0 | 2 | |||
Conservative | 1 | 2 | |||
Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | |||
Independent | 0 | 0 | |||
BNP | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 72 | 72 | |||
Working majority | 66 | 58 |
Ward results
Abram[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Eunice Smethurst | 1,631 | 65.2 | -3.6 | |
BNP | Dennis Shambley | 571 | 22.8 | +22.8 | |
Conservative | Alicia Eccles | 292 | 11.7 | -19.5 | |
Rejected ballots | 7 | 0.3 | |||
Majority | 1,060 | 42.4 | +4.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,501 | 28.1 | +15.7 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -13.2 | |||
Ashton-Golborne[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Andrew Bullen | 1,313 | 44.3 | -20.1 | |
Community Action | Stanley Barnes | 1,250 | 42.1 | +42.1 | |
Conservative | Jonathan Cartwright | 300 | 10.1 | -25.5 | |
Socialist Alliance | Marian Markham | 100 | 3.4 | +3.4 | |
Rejected ballots | 4 | 0.1 | |||
Majority | 63 | 2.1 | -26.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,967 | 26.9 | +11.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -31.1 | |||
Aspull-Standish[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | John Hilton | 1,584 | 44.3 | -5.8 | |
Liberal Democrat | Trevor Beswick | 1,091 | 30.5 | +10.8 | |
Conservative | Barry Wolley | 792 | 22.2 | -4.6 | |
Socialist Alliance | Janet Philips | 105 | 2.9 | +2.9 | |
Rejected ballots | 2 | 0.1 | |||
Majority | 493 | 13.8 | -9.6 | ||
Turnout | 3,574 | 30.5 | +9.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -8.3 | |||
Atherton[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Susan Loudon | 1,353 | 54.8 | -8.6 | |
Liberal Democrat | Patricia Myler | 827 | 33.5 | +12.7 | |
Conservative | Ann Davies | 155 | 6.3 | -9.5 | |
Independent | David Shallcross | 132 | 5.3 | +5.3 | |
Rejected ballots | 1 | 0.0 | |||
Majority | 526 | 21.3 | -21.3 | ||
Turnout | 2,468 | 28.6 | +8.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -10.6 | |||
Bedford-Astley[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Frederick Walker | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Beech Hill[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Garry Rankin | 1,416 | 57.8 | +2.7 | |
Liberal Democrat | Malcolm Hudson | 774 | 31.6 | -7.8 | |
Independent | William Hurst | 252 | 10.3 | +10.3 | |
Rejected ballots | 9 | 0.4 | |||
Majority | 642 | 26.2 | +10.4 | ||
Turnout | 2,451 | 27.1 | +1.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +5.2 | |||
Bryn[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Community Action | John Hodgkinson | 1,397 | 48.0 | +48.0 | |
Labour | Alan Melling | 1,311 | 45.0 | -24.4 | |
Conservative | Marion Green | 200 | 6.9 | -23.7 | |
Rejected ballots | 3 | 0.1 | |||
Majority | 86 | 2.9 | -36.0 | ||
Turnout | 2,911 | 29.4 | +12.2 | ||
Community Action gain from Labour | Swing | +36.2 | |||
Hindley[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Stuart Shaw | 1,656 | 73.7 | +24.1 | |
Conservative | Andre Walker | 567 | 25.2 | +13.4 | |
Rejected ballots | 25 | 1.1 | |||
Majority | 1,089 | 48.4 | +37.5 | ||
Turnout | 2,248 | 21.3 | +3.8 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +5.3 | |||
Hindley Green[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Stanley Simmons | 1,535 | 71.7 | +23.2 | |
Conservative | Rosina Oxley | 580 | 27.1 | +8.1 | |
Rejected ballots | 27 | 1.3 | |||
Majority | 955 | 44.6 | +28.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,142 | 19.6 | +3.6 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +7.5 | |||
Hindsford[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Liberal Democrat | Neil Hogg | 1,724 | 55.4 | +8.9 | |
Labour | Philip Loudon | 1,024 | 32.9 | -11.3 | |
Independent | Stephen Hall | 234 | 7.5 | +3.2 | |
Conservative | William Graham | 125 | 4.0 | -0.9 | |
Rejected ballots | 4 | 0.1 | |||
Majority | 700 | 22.5 | +20.3 | ||
Turnout | 3,111 | 28.5 | +4.8 | ||
Liberal Democrat gain from Labour | Swing | +10.1 | |||
Hope Carr[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Kevin Anderson | 1,498 | 52.1 | +13.0 | |
Conservative | Andrew Oxley | 713 | 24.8 | -3.0 | |
Community Action | Peter Solinas | 549 | 19.1 | +19.1 | |
Socialist Alliance | Keith Fry | 104 | 3.6 | +3.6 | |
Rejected ballots | 11 | 0.4 | |||
Majority | 785 | 27.3 | +16.0 | ||
Turnout | 2,875 | 28.1 | +4.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +8.0 | |||
Ince[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Joan Hurst | 1,231 | 76.3 | +1.2 | |
Socialist Alliance | Michael Doherty | 200 | 12.4 | +12.4 | |
Conservative | Robert Rees | 176 | 10.9 | -3.4 | |
Rejected ballots | 6 | 0.4 | |||
Majority | 1,031 | 63.9 | +3.1 | ||
Turnout | 1,613 | 21.2 | +6.2 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -5.6 | |||
Langtree[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | John O'Neill | 1,733 | 51.9 | +4.0 | |
Conservative | Gareth Fairhurst | 988 | 29.6 | -3.9 | |
Liberal Democrat | Freda Graham | 607 | 18.2 | -0.4 | |
Rejected ballots | 11 | 0.3 | |||
Majority | 745 | 22.3 | +7.9 | ||
Turnout | 3,339 | 28.7 | +8.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +3.9 | |||
Leigh Central[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Peter Smith | 1,298 | 71.5 | +1.3 | |
Conservative | Timothy Matthews | 301 | 16.6 | -13.2 | |
Community Action | Daniel Burrows | 212 | 11.7 | +11.7 | |
Rejected ballots | 5 | 0.3 | |||
Majority | 997 | 54.9 | +14.5 | ||
Turnout | 1,816 | 21.5 | +6.8 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +7.2 | |||
Leigh East[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Anne Turnock | 1,571 | 76.9 | +22.2 | |
Conservative | Derek Davies | 454 | 22.2 | +2.9 | |
Rejected ballots | 17 | 0.8 | |||
Majority | 1,117 | 54.7 | +25.9 | ||
Turnout | 2,042 | 19.0 | +4.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +9.6 | |||
Lightshaw[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Community Action | Peter Franzen | 1,899 | 44.5 | +44.5 | |
Labour | Tom Sherratt | 1,776 | 41.7 | -18.6 | |
Conservative | James Grundy | 581 | 13.6 | -26.1 | |
Rejected ballots | 8 | 0.2 | |||
Majority | 123 | 2.9 | -17.6 | ||
Turnout | 4,264 | 34.9 | +13.4 | ||
Community Action gain from Labour | Swing | +31.5 | |||
Newtown[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Christine Hitchen | 1,204 | 76.9 | +8.0 | |
Socialist Alliance | Barry Conway | 332 | 21.2 | +21.2 | |
Rejected ballots | 29 | 1.9 | |||
Majority | 872 | 55.7 | +9.5 | ||
Turnout | 1,565 | 18.8 | +5.8 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -6.6 | |||
Norley[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Jeanette Prescott | 1,017 | 83.5 | N/A | |
Socialist Alliance | William Markham | 195 | 16.0 | N/A | |
Rejected ballots | 6 | 0.5 | |||
Majority | 822 | 67.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,218 | 17.9 | N/A | ||
Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Orrell[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Ernest Swift | 1,478 | 52.2 | +3.9 | |
Conservative | Stuart Foy | 1,336 | 47.2 | -4.4 | |
Rejected ballots | 15 | 0.5 | |||
Majority | 142 | 5.0 | +1.8 | ||
Turnout | 2,829 | 30.4 | +9.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +4.1 | |||
Swinley[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Conservative | James Davies | 1,189 | 40.3 | -1.0 | |
Labour | Susan Turner | 1,084 | 36.8 | -8.4 | |
Liberal Democrat | Alan Robinson | 365 | 12.4 | +0.3 | |
Independent | Stephen Halsall | 241 | 8.2 | +6.7 | |
Socialist Alliance | Frances Thomas | 65 | 2.2 | +2.2 | |
Rejected ballots | 5 | 0.2 | |||
Majority | 105 | 3.6 | -0.2 | ||
Turnout | 2,949 | 34.4 | +7.9 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.7 | |||
Tyldesley East[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Brian Wilson | 1,574 | 64.0 | +7.1 | |
Liberal Democrat | Richard Derricutt | 866 | 35.2 | +2.3 | |
Rejected ballots | 19 | 0.8 | |||
Majority | 708 | 28.8 | +4.8 | ||
Turnout | 2,459 | 20.9 | +5.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +2.4 | |||
Whelley[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | James Roberts | 1,391 | 70.8 | -4.4 | |
Liberal Democrat | Jean Beswick | 427 | 21.7 | +21.7 | |
Socialist Alliance | Judith Ford | 138 | 7.0 | +7.0 | |
Rejected ballots | 10 | 0.5 | |||
Majority | 964 | 49.0 | -1.2 | ||
Turnout | 1,966 | 24.2 | -1.7 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -13.0 | |||
Winstanley[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | William Evans | 1,667 | 64.6 | -0.7 | |
Conservative | Richard Clayton | 895 | 34.7 | +0.0 | |
Rejected ballots | 20 | 0.8 | |||
Majority | 772 | 29.9 | -0.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,582 | 20.0 | -5.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -0.3 | |||
Worsley Mesnes[2][3][4] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | William Rotherham | 1,427 | 74.6 | +5.0 | |
Conservative | Thomas Sutton | 292 | 15.3 | -15.1 | |
Socialist Alliance | Jacqueline Pointon | 189 | 9.9 | +9.9 | |
Rejected ballots | 6 | 0.3 | |||
Majority | 1,135 | 59.3 | +20.1 | ||
Turnout | 1,914 | 20.1 | +7.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +10.0 | |||
By-elections between 2002 and 2003
Leigh Central By-Election 26 September 2002[5][6] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
Labour | Myra Whiteside | 904 | 62.6 | -8.9 | |
Community Action | Peter Solinas | 392 | 27.1 | +15.4 | |
Conservative | Tim Matthews | 149 | 10.3 | -6.3 | |
Majority | 512 | 35.5 | -19.4 | ||
Turnout | 1,445 | 17.1 | -4.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -12.1 | |||
References
- ↑ "Wigan". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Wigan Council results from 1973 to 2008" (PDF). wigan.gov.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Local Election Results - 2002". wiganmbc.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2002-06-13. Retrieved 2012-06-29.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Local Elections Archive Project: 2002 - W". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2012-06-28.
- ↑ "Myra 'thrilled to bits' by win". Leigh Reporter. 2002-10-03. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
- ↑ "Local Authority Byelection Results". gwydir.demon.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
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