# 1983 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to the Wigan Council were held on Thursday, 5 May 1983, with one third of the council up for election. The election seen only the main three parties contesting for the first time and one gain in Tyldesley East with Alliance winning their seventh seat from Labour. The Conservatives, contesting a low of seventeen wards, managed their lowest voter share since the council's creation. Overall turnout rose to a relative high of 39.1%.

## Election result

Wigan Local Election Result 1983 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 21 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 87.5 | 57.0 | 49,230 | +6.5% |
| Alliance | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 8.3 | 25.9 | 22,342 | -3.3% |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.2 | 17.1 | 14,790 | -1.8% |
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 | 61 | 60 |
| | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservatives | 5 | 5 |
| Total | Total | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 50 | 48 |

## Ward results

Abram :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | N. Cumberbatch | 3,071 | 84.5 | +10.5 |
| | Alliance | M. Belshaw | 565 | 15.5 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,506 | 68.9 | +10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,636 | 36.3 | +3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.1 | |
Ashton-Golborne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Hilton | 1,863 | 63.8 | +10.1 |
| | Alliance | A. Jones | 1,058 | 36.2 | +12.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 805 | 27.6 | −2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,921 | 30.7 | +1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.2 | |
Aspull-Standish :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L. Chamberlain | 2,189 | 40.9 | +5.4 |
| | Alliance | R. Hewer | 2,176 | 40.7 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | P. Walker | 988 | 18.5 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 0.2 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,353 | 52.7 | +9.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
Atherton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Sumner | 2,647 | 72.9 | +18.2 |
| | Conservative | B. France | 600 | 16.5 | −3.4 |
| | Alliance | J. Kelsall | 384 | 10.6 | −14.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,047 | 56.4 | +27.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,631 | 38.3 | +4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.8 | |
Bedford-Astley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Hayes | 1,849 | 47.1 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | J. Davies | 1,053 | 26.8 | +0.4 |
| | Alliance | B. Aitken | 1,026 | 26.1 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 796 | 20.3 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,928 | 40.5 | +2.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
Beech Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Antill | 1,989 | 57.7 | +1.7 |
| | Alliance | P. Coleman | 943 | 27.3 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | J. Wolstenholme | 517 | 15.0 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,046 | 30.3 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,449 | 38.7 | +6.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.2 | |
Bryn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Foster | 2,597 | 66.1 | +15.0 |
| | Alliance | D. Seary | 1,333 | 33.9 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,264 | 32.2 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,930 | 39.9 | +4.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.5 | |
Hindley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Isherwood | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Hindley Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Hayes | 1,849 | 47.1 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | J. Davies | 1,053 | 26.8 | +2.2 |
| | Alliance | B. Aitken | 1,026 | 26.1 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 796 | 20.3 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,928 | 40.5 | +13.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.0 | |
Hindsford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Little | 2,302 | 66.2 | +19.4 |
| | Alliance | W. Jones | 1,176 | 33.8 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,126 | 32.4 | +23.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,478 | 32.6 | +0.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +11.6 | |
Hope Carr :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. Newton | 2,222 | 54.7 | +12.1 |
| | Conservative | E. Manson | 1,335 | 32.9 | +2.4 |
| | Alliance | J. Thomson | 506 | 12.5 | −14.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 887 | 21.8 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,063 | 42.6 | +2.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.8 | |
Ince :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Molyneaux | 2,565 | 82.2 | +10.2 |
| | Alliance | P. Coleman | 555 | 17.8 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,010 | 64.4 | +13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,120 | 38.0 | +11.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.8 | |
Langtree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance | E. Hill | 2,077 | 48.8 | −2.0 |
| | Labour | P. Sawbridge | 1,368 | 32.2 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | M. Clark | 809 | 19.0 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 709 | 16.7 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,254 | 41.5 | +5.5 |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing | -2.3 | |
Leigh Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Hull | 2,179 | 74.0 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | S. Emerton | 462 | 15.7 | +1.6 |
| | Alliance | H. Crook | 304 | 10.3 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,717 | 58.3 | −0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,945 | 32.6 | +1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.0 | |
Leigh East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Caley | 1,836 | 52.7 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative | M. Stewart | 975 | 28.0 | +28.0 |
| | Alliance | J. Hampson | 675 | 19.4 | −19.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 861 | 24.7 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,486 | 35.2 | +7.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -18.5 | |
Lightshaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B. Strett | 2,733 | 64.5 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative | M. Sharland | 955 | 22.5 | −2.0 |
| | Alliance | M. Beasley | 551 | 13.0 | −9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,778 | 41.9 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,239 | 41.8 | +4.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.5 | |
Newtown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Milligan | 2,233 | 72.3 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | J. Lawson | 457 | 14.8 | +0.7 |
| | Alliance | P. Gibbons | 399 | 12.9 | −7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,176 | 57.5 | 12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,089 | 33.7 | +5.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
Norley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Smith | 2,441 | 78.6 | −1.3 |
| | Alliance | R. Richardson | 489 | 15.7 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | J. Davies | 176 | 5.7 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,952 | 62.8 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,106 | 36.8 | +8.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.0 | |
Orrell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Capstick | 1,726 | 41.2 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | A. Carroll | 1,631 | 39.0 | −1.1 |
| | Alliance | W. Hudson | 828 | 19.8 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 95 | 2.3 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,185 | 42.1 | +3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.2 | |
Swinley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. Peet | 1,864 | 46.0 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | K. Pye | 1,366 | 33.7 | +4.1 |
| | Alliance | H. Hughes | 819 | 20.2 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 498 | 12.3 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,049 | 44.6 | +4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.5 | |
Tyldesley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance | J. Dean | 2,310 | 54.8 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | F. Walker | 1,902 | 45.2 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 408 | 9.7 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,212 | 43.6 | +7.4 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | +3.9 | |
Whelley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Pendleton | 2,190 | 64.0 | +7.0 |
| | Alliance | P. Wilson | 776 | 22.7 | −8.1 |
| | Conservative | C. Bond | 454 | 13.3 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,414 | 41.3 | +15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,420 | 38.3 | +4.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.5 | |
Winstanley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Taberner | 1,730 | 39.6 | +8.4 |
| | Alliance | C. Ryan | 1,602 | 36.7 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | J. Michaels | 1,038 | 23.8 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 128 | 2.9 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,370 | 41.2 | +7.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.3 | |
Worsley Mesnes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Baldwin | 2,383 | 66.8 | +3.4 |
| | Alliance | C. Hughes | 764 | 21.4 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | J. Unsworth | 423 | 11.8 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,619 | 45.4 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,570 | 36.2 | +9.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.8 | |