1998 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

none October 2020 thumb|200px|The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton shown within England. The 1998 Bolton Metropolitan Borough 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. Local Elections results The Times 46 9 May 1998 20 seats were contested in the election, with 15 being held by Labour, 3 by the Liberal Democrats and 2 by the Conservatives.Voters' chance to give verdict on Labour's first 12 months https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/archive/1998/05/06/Lancashire+Archive/6154298.Voters__chance_to_give_verdict_on_Labour_s_first_12_months/ 8 September 2019 The Bolton News 6 May 1998 https://web.archive.org/web/20120426172925/https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/archive/1998/05/06/Lancashire+Archive/6154298.Voters__chance_to_give_verdict_on_Labour_s_first_12_months/ 26 April 2012 The three main parties contested all of the 20 seats, with three Socialist Labour Party and four other candidates standing. 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.Low poll 'a disgrace' https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/archive/1998/05/08/Lancashire+Archive/6154003.Low_poll__a_disgrace_/ 8 September 2019 The Bolton News 8 May 1998 https://web.archive.org/web/20120426172949/https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/archive/1998/05/08/Lancashire+Archive/6154003.Low_poll__a_disgrace_/ 26 April 2012 Farnworth ward saw the lowest turnout at 15%, while the highest was 32.6% in Astley Bridge. The Conservatives gained 2 seats in the election to become the main opposition party on the council again. They gained Astley Bridge and Bradshaw wards from Labour, having defeated the Labour candidate in Bradshaw by 2 votes after 5 recounts. However Labour held on in Kearsley by 8 votes and won Westhoughton from the Liberal Democrats to remain firmly in control of the council. After the election, the composition of the council was: Labour 47 Conservative 8 Liberal Democrat 5 Election result Bolton local election result 1998 Policy and politics: Local Elections: Analysis: Council poll results The Guardian 16 9 May 1998 Labour Party (UK) 14 1 2 -1 70.0 47.2 23,549 -6.9 Conservative Party (UK) 4 2 0 +2 20.0 30.3 15,127 +5.3 Liberal Democrats (UK) 2 0 1 -1 10.0 19.5 9,715 -0.1 Other parties 0 0 0 10.0 3.0 1,503 +3.0 Council Composition Prior to the election the composition of the council was: + ↓ 48 6 6 Labour Conservative L After the election the composition of the council was: + ↓ 47 8 5 Labour Conservative L LD - Liberal Democrats Ward results Astley Bridge ward Astley Bridge ward Conservative Party (UK) J Walsh 1,742 49.0 +4.7 Labour Party (UK) S Hynes 1,576 42.9 -2.7 Liberal Democrats (UK) P Howarth 285 8.0 -2.0 216 6.1 3,553 32.6 -6.7 Conservative Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 3.7 Blackrod ward Blackrod ward Labour Party (UK) J Monaghan 987 38.7 -4.4 Conservative Party (UK) R Barrow 743 29.1 +6.7 Independent Labour L Watkinson 553 21.7 -1.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) D Watts 267 10.5 -1.1 434 17.0 -3.3 2,550 25.1 -12.0 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 5.5 Bradshaw ward Bradshaw ward Conservative Party (UK) A Osborn 1,242 44.2 +3.9 Labour Party (UK) L Byrne 1,240 44.1 -4.0 Liberal Democrats (UK) M Eidlow 327 11.6 -0.1 2 0.1 2,809 25.8 -8.3 Conservative Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 3.9 Breightmet ward Breightmet ward Labour Party (UK) M Murray 1,155 59.7 -12.9 Conservative Party (UK) P Brierley 565 29.2 +12.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) E Hill 214 11.1 +0.4 590 30.5 -25.4 1,934 19.2 -9.3 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 12.7 Bromley Cross ward Bromley Cross ward Conservative Party (UK) D Carr 2,028 60.4 +11.9 Labour Party (UK) E Sherrington 1,041 31.0 -10.7 Liberal Democrats (UK) C Atty 287 8.6 -1.2 987 29.4 -22.5 3,356 31.0 -9.7 Conservative Party (UK) Labour to Con 11.3 Burnden ward Burnden ward Labour Party (UK) P Howarth 1,223 66.3 -3.7 Conservative Party (UK) S Jackson 359 19.4 +3.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) D Connor 264 14.3 -0.2 864 46.8 -7.6 1,846 19.3 -9.1 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 3.7 Central ward Central ward Labour Party (UK) J Noble 1,355 68.6 -9.0 Conservative Party (UK) L Beresford 411 20.8 +3.9 Liberal Democrats (UK) K Watts 127 6.4 +0.9 Independent (politician) R Allen 81 4.1 +4.1 944 47.8 -12.9 1,974 25.1 -8.9 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Ind 6.5 Daubhill ward Daubhill ward Labour Party (UK) G Harkin 1,055 63.2 -13.7 Conservative Party (UK) F Taylor 368 22.1 +7.6 Liberal Democrats (UK) L Greensitt 181 10.9 +2.3 Socialist Labour Party (UK) D Kelly 64 3.8 +3.8 687 41.2 -21.1 1,668 18.9 -11.5 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 10.6 Deane-cum-Heaton ward Deane-cum-Heaton ward Conservative Party (UK) C Shaw 2,184 57.2 +8.6 Labour Party (UK) J Lavin 1,186 31.1 -7.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) L Greenhalgh 446 11.7 -1.4 998 26.8 +16.5 3,716 28.8 -8.5 Conservative Party (UK) Labour to Con 7.9 Derby ward Derby ward Labour Party (UK) G Riley 1,765 78.7 -5.1 Conservative Party (UK) R Wood 307 13.7 +3.4 Liberal Democrats (UK) L Bale 172 7.7 +1.7 1458 65.0 -13.5 2,244 24.3 -11.3 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 4.2 Farnworth ward Farnworth ward Labour Party (UK) P Johnston 903 63.5 -18.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) M Rothwell 197 13.8 +4.9 Conservative Party (UK) P Bonomy 180 12.6 +3.5 Socialist Labour Party (UK) W Kelly 143 10.0 +10.0 706 49.6 -23.3 1,423 15.2 -9.1 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Soc Lab 14.2 Halliwell ward Halliwell ward Labour Party (UK) M Kilcoyne 1,353 63.7 -3.1 Conservative Party (UK) J Evans 414 19.5 +6.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) S Howarth 356 16.8 -3.1 939 44.2 -2.7 2,123 22.7 -7.3 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 4.6 Harper Green ward Harper Green ward Labour Party (UK) L Williamson 1,012 63.9 -14.8 Conservative Party (UK) S Kesler 266 16.8 +4.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) W Connor 154 9.7 +1.0 Socialist Labour Party (UK) W Kelly 152 9.6 +9.6 746 47.1 -19.1 1,584 15.5 -7.9 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Soc Lab 12.2 Horwich ward Horwich ward Liberal Democrats (UK) R Ronson 1,963 55.0 -3.4 Labour Party (UK) S Pasquill 1,005 28.2 +5.5 Conservative Party (UK) I Cooper 598 16.8 -3.1 958 26.9 -8.7 3,566 31.0 -12.0 Liberal Democrats (UK) LD to Labour 4.4 Hulton Park ward Hulton Park ward Labour Party (UK) E Hyland 2,156 48.4 +6.5 Conservative Party (UK) M Perks 1,363 30.6 -4.7 Independent Conservative C Higson 511 11.5 +11.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) D Gradwell 421 9.5 -13.3 793 17.8 +11.2 4,451 24.1 -9.4 Labour Party (UK) LD to Ind Con 12.4 Kearsley ward Kearsley ward Labour Party (UK) P Spencer 1,023 45.9 -15.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) J Rothwell 1,015 45.5 +13.6 Conservative Party (UK) J Tyler 193 8.7 +2.3 8 3.6 -26.1 2,231 21.7 -8.0 Labour Party (UK) Labour to LD 14.7 Little Lever ward Little Lever ward Labour Party (UK) A Connell 1,498 58.2 -3.7 Conservative Party (UK) D Bailey 855 33.2 +1.7 Liberal Democrats (UK) W Crook 220 8.6 +2.0 643 25.0 -5.4 2,573 27.5 -9.2 Labour Party (UK) Labour to LD 2.8 Smithills ward Smithills ward Liberal Democrats (UK) R Hayes 1,676 61.5 +5.4 Labour Party (UK) M Ord 567 20.8 -3.0 Conservative Party (UK) D Bagnall 483 17.7 -2.4 1,109 40.7 +8.4 2,726 32.1 -11.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) Labour to LD 4.2 Tonge ward Tonge ward Labour Party (UK) F White 1,499 66.7 -3.5 Conservative Party (UK) S Lever 567 25.2 +5.6 Liberal Democrats (UK) M Whittaker 182 8.1 -2.1 932 41.4 -9.2 2,248 28.3 -5.3 Labour Party (UK) Labour to Con 4.5 Westhoughton ward Westhoughton ward Labour Party (UK) D Chadwick 924 44.3 -4.1 Liberal Democrats (UK) D Wilkinson 905 43.3 +1.3 Conservative Party (UK) S Wallen 259 12.4 +2.7 19 0.9 -5.5 2,088 23.6 -13.2 Labour Party (UK) Liberal Democrats (UK) Labour to Con 3.4 Sources Notes References http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Bolton-1973-2012.pdf Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973–2012 Rallings Colin Thrasher Michael The Elections Centre The Elections Centre, Plymouth University 12 July 2016 1998 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1998