# 1987 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election

The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council elections were held on Thursday, 7 May 1987, with one third of the council and a vacancy in Bingley to be elected. Labour retained control of the council.

## Election result

Bradford Local Election Result 1987 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 18 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 58.1 | 40.4 | 64,445 | +5.5% |
| Labour | 12 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 38.7 | 35.2 | 56,065 | -9.4% |
| Alliance | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3.2 | 20.8 | 33,182 | +0.9% |
| Independent Ratepayer & Residents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.2 | 5,107 | +3.2% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 475 | +0.1% |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 140 | +0.1% |
This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 51 | 49 |
| | Conservatives | 37 | 38 |
| | Alliance | 2 | 3 |
| Total | Total | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 12 | 8 |

## Ward results

Baildon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K. Poulton | 3,010 | 44.0 | −4.8 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | S. Duckham | 2,939 | 43.0 | +12.6 |
| | Labour | S. Callaghan | 777 | 11.4 | −6.3 |
| | Green | C. Harris | 112 | 1.6 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 1.0 | −17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,838 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.7 | |
Bingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. Shaw | 2,404 | 40.8 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | G. Seager | 2,058 | | |
| | Labour | M. Beeley | 1,287 | 21.8 | −13.8 |
| | Labour | J. Womersley | 1,267 | | |
| | Independent Ratepayers | R. Jackson | 1,103 | 18.7 | +18.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | S. Whitehead | 1,098 | 18.6 | −1.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | C. Mawhinney | 841 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,117 | 19.0 | +10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,892 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
Bingley Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Conquest | 2,762 | 47.6 | −4.1 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | L. Reay | 1,216 | 20.9 | +20.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | B. Parker | 1,053 | 18.1 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | M. Gregory | 777 | 13.4 | −11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,546 | 26.6 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,808 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -12.5 | |
Bolton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F. Lee | 2,150 | 45.8 | +12.2 |
| | Labour | E. English | 1,514 | 32.2 | −5.5 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | I. Glenn | 1,031 | 22.0 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 636 | 13.5 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,695 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.8 | |
Bowling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Coughlin | 2,767 | 60.6 | −8.1 |
| | Conservative | G. Moore | 1,048 | 23.0 | +7.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | G. Beacher | 747 | 16.4 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,719 | 37.7 | −15.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,562 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.7 | |
Bradford Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B. Singh | 2,712 | 56.4 | −11.5 |
| | Conservative | H. Gill | 1,257 | 26.1 | +5.8 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | P. Cowling | 837 | 17.4 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,455 | 30.3 | −17.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,806 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -8.6 | |
Clayton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Farley | 3,107 | 54.2 | +14.6 |
| | Labour | P. Donohue | 1,840 | 32.1 | −13.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Brennan | 787 | 13.7 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,267 | 22.1 | +15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,734 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +14.1 | |
Craven :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | J. Wells | 2,687 | 44.0 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | W. Newby | 2,611 | 42.8 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | L. Whiteley | 806 | 13.2 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 76 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,104 | | |
| | Alliance gain from Conservative | Alliance gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.6 | |
Eccleshill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Mitchell | 1,871 | 41.6 | +12.3 |
| | Labour | B. Hughes | 1,736 | 38.6 | −7.6 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | J. Taylor | 895 | 19.9 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 135 | 3.0 | −13.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,502 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +9.9 | |
Great Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Godward | 2,234 | 43.1 | −10.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Beeson | 2,192 | 42.3 | +10.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | T. Figgess | 754 | 14.6 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 42 | 0.8 | −20.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,180 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.3 | |
Heaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Hobson | 2,709 | 44.3 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | V. Fanning | 2,162 | 35.3 | −6.9 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Hewitt | 923 | 15.1 | −1.3 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | R. Sample | 325 | 5.3 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 547 | 8.9 | +7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,119 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.2 | |
Idle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Lycett | 1,689 | 33.3 | +0.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | I. Horner | 1,585 | 31.2 | −0.0 |
| | Labour | K. Baxter | 1,534 | 30.2 | −3.2 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | R. Reay | 265 | 5.2 | +5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 104 | 2.0 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,073 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +0.3 | |
Ilkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B. Smith | 3,302 | 53.7 | +5.8 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | S. Moorhouse | 2,121 | 34.5 | −4.2 |
| | Labour | R. Fox | 720 | 11.7 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,181 | 19.2 | +10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,143 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
Keighley North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Owens | 2,512 | 40.9 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | J. Leitch | 2,223 | 36.2 | +2.5 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | R. Quayle | 1,406 | 22.9 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 289 | 4.7 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,141 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.9 | |
Keighley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. Sunderland | 2,559 | 60.3 | −10.2 |
| | Conservative | V. Earle | 974 | 22.9 | +6.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | J. Brooksbank | 711 | 16.7 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,585 | 37.3 | −17.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,244 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -8.5 | |
Keighley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B. Thorne | 2,473 | 45.0 | −4.6 |
| | Conservative | N. Phillips | 1,888 | 34.3 | +3.5 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | S. Green | 820 | 14.9 | −4.7 |
| | Residents | M. Jones | 315 | 5.7 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 585 | 10.6 | −8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,496 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.0 | |
Little Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Hameed | 2,338 | 58.9 | −13.8 |
| | Conservative | G. Johnson | 856 | 21.6 | +4.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | D. Jagger | 774 | 19.5 | +9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,482 | 37.3 | −18.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,968 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.2 | |
Odsal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | I. Whaites | 2,504 | 44.8 | +13.1 |
| | Labour | S. Khokhar | 1,792 | 32.1 | −19.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | D. Hopkins | 1,293 | 23.1 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 712 | 12.7 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,589 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +16.1 | |
Queensbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Hirst | 2,429 | 41.7 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | L. Woodward | 1,841 | 31.6 | −11.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | M. Dowson | 839 | 14.4 | −2.8 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | K. Craven | 714 | 12.3 | +12.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 588 | 10.1 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,823 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.0 | |
Rombalds :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Whiteman | 3,545 | 54.7 | +4.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Ryan | 1,966 | 30.4 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | B. Wheeler | 965 | 14.9 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,579 | 24.4 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,476 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.8 | |
Shipley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Saville | 2,190 | 48.4 | −13.0 |
| | Conservative | J. Duckworth | 1,406 | 31.1 | +9.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | M. Attenborough | 929 | 20.5 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 784 | 17.3 | −22.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,525 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -11.3 | |
Shipley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Evans | 2,758 | 44.3 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | J. O'Neill | 1,654 | 26.6 | −7.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | T. Willis | 1,218 | 19.6 | +0.5 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | G. Thompson | 506 | 8.1 | +8.1 |
| | Green | C. Ormondroyd | 88 | 1.4 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,104 | 17.7 | +7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,224 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
Thornton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Kinder | 2,368 | 47.6 | −1.5 |
| | Labour | R. Redfern | 1,684 | 33.8 | −17.1 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. McKenna | 587 | 11.8 | +11.8 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | K. McGill | 338 | 6.8 | +6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 684 | 13.7 | +11.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,977 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.8 | |
Toller :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Y. Tough | 2,665 | 48.9 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | V. Binney | 1,906 | 35.0 | +2.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | H. Heywood | 551 | 10.1 | −2.4 |
| | Independent Ratepayers | J. Sugden | 325 | 6.0 | +6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 759 | 13.9 | −8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,447 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -4.2 | |
Tong :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Mahon | 2,069 | 60.4 | −6.9 |
| | Conservative | B. Thorne | 782 | 22.8 | +5.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | R. Dowson | 576 | 16.8 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,287 | 37.5 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,427 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.0 | |
Undercliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Engel | 2,277 | 49.0 | −9.3 |
| | Conservative | R. Cope | 1,614 | 34.8 | +7.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | E. Hallmann | 752 | 16.2 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 663 | 14.3 | −16.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,643 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -8.4 | |
University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Rooney | 3,488 | 59.1 | −18.0 |
| | Conservative | A. Skinner | 2,001 | 33.9 | +19.4 |
| | Green | D. Ford | 275 | 4.7 | +4.7 |
| | Communist | S. Simpson | 140 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,487 | 25.2 | −37.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,904 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -18.7 | |
Wibsey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Butterfield | 2,250 | 44.6 | +10.0 |
| | Labour | E. Hey | 1,621 | 32.1 | −13.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | B. Boulton | 1,178 | 23.3 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 629 | 12.5 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,049 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.6 | |
Worth Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eric Pickles | 2,842 | 56.1 | +8.1 |
| | Labour | D. Grievson | 1,305 | 25.8 | −8.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | M. Malone | 917 | 18.1 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,537 | 30.3 | +16.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,064 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.3 | |
Wyke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Wardman | 2,055 | 41.4 | −13.1 |
| | Conservative | R. Buonvino | 1,698 | 34.2 | +8.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | R. Blagboro | 1,208 | 24.3 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 357 | 7.2 | −21.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,961 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.7 | |