# 2003 Manchester City Council election

Elections to Manchester City Council were held on Thursday, 1 May 2003. One third of the council was up for election as well as a vacancy in Benchill, with each successful candidate to serve a one-year term of office, expiring in 2004, due to the boundary changes and 'all-out' elections due to take place in that year. Turnout was down slightly to 22.2%, with Labour retaining overall control of the council. The election saw the Greens winning their first seat, and half a dozen Liberal Democrat gains resulting in Labour's majority being the lowest in twenty years. The three Independent Labour candidates stood as "Independent Progressive Labour".

## Election result

| Party | Votes | Votes | Seats | Seats | Seats | Full Council | Full Council |
| Labour Party | 31,296 (44.8%) | 6.6 | 21 (61.7%) | 21 / 34 | 5 | 77 (71.7%) | 71 / 99 |
| Liberal Democrats | 25,261 (36.2%) | 5.5 | 12 (35.3%) | 12 / 34 | 5 | 27 (27.3%) | 27 / 99 |
| Green Party | 4,528 (6.5%) | 0.4 | 1 (2.9%) | 1 / 34 | 1 | 1 (1.0%) | 1 / 99 |
| Conservative Party | 6,951 (10.0%) | 0.9 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 34 | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 99 |
| Independent Labour | 781 (1.1%) | 0.3 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 34 | 1 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 99 |
| Socialist Alliance | 840 (1.0%) | 0.2 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 34 | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 99 |
| BNP | 219 (0.3%) | N/A | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 34 | N/A | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 99 |
| Independent | 66 (0.1%) | 0.5 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 34 | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 99 |
| Independent Liberal | 16 (0.0%) | N/A | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 34 | N/A | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 99 |
| 1 | 71 | 27 |

## Ward results
### Ardwick

Ardwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bernard Priest* | 806 | 66.1 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ilias Kazantzis | 202 | 16.6 | +2.8 |
| | Green | Hannah Berry | 109 | 8.9 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Raymond Wattenbach | 102 | 8.4 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 604 | 49.5 | −2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,219 | 14.9 | −1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.4 | |

### Baguley

Baguley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Edward McCulley* | 905 | 60.1 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Barlow | 324 | 21.5 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Gallagher | 210 | 13.9 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Gareth Pittam | 67 | 4.4 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 581 | 38.6 | −9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,506 | 17.2 | −3.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.9 | |

### Barlow Moor

Barlow Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Trafford | 1,376 | 59.9 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Beth Morgan | 621 | 27.0 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | James Sharman | 143 | 6.2 | +0.5 |
| | Green | John Cummings | 80 | 3.5 | −3.4 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Claire Aze | 77 | 3.4 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 755 | 32.9 | −2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,297 | 21.9 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -1.1 | |

### Benchill

Benchill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tony Cross | 592 | 70.4 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Richard Unwin | 564 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Fisher | 102 | 12.1 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Joyce Kaye | 85 | 10.1 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | Carol Roberts | 82 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Vann | 67 | | |
| | Green | Peter Powell | 62 | 7.4 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Stephen Walford | 50 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 462 | 58.3 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 841 | 12.8 | −2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.7 | |

### Beswick and Clayton

Beswick and Clayton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Carmody* | 883 | 49.9 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elaine Boyes | 748 | 42.3 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative | Christine Birchenough | 66 | 3.7 | +0.4 |
| | Independent Labour | Fred Bates | 41 | 2.3 | −1.5 |
| | Green | Susan Fairweather | 31 | 1.8 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 135 | 7.6 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,769 | 26.4 | −3.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.8 | |

### Blackley

Blackley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anna Trotman* | 1,163 | 68.7 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Connell | 248 | 14.6 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative | Gerard Hopkins | 207 | 12.2 | +2.4 |
| | Green | Robin Goater | 75 | 4.4 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 915 | 54.0 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,693 | 21.1 | −3.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.4 | |

### Bradford

Bradford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Longsden | 989 | 61.7 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Fairhurst* | 518 | 32.3 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | Brian Birchenough | 66 | 4.1 | +0.9 |
| | Green | Elvis Presley | 30 | 1.9 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 471 | 29.4 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,603 | 23.9 | −7.7 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +1.5 | |

### Brooklands

Brooklands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Susan Murphy* | 957 | 50.7 | −8.1 |
| | Conservative | Jane Percival | 562 | 29.8 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Ellis | 228 | 12.1 | +4.9 |
| | Green | Birgit Vollm | 76 | 4.0 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | Honor Donnelly | 66 | 3.5 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 395 | 20.9 | −7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,889 | 22.5 | −5.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.7 | |

### Burnage

Burnage :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Cameron | 1,758 | 60.8 | +18.7 |
| | Labour | Michael Green* | 914 | 31.6 | −14.7 |
| | Conservative | Peter Schofield | 142 | 4.9 | −3.6 |
| | Green | Michael Shaw | 79 | 2.7 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 844 | 29.2 | +25.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,893 | 29.1 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +16.7 | |

### Central

Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Rothery | 1,041 | 49.9 | +9.3 |
| | Labour | Richard Carrothers | 836 | 40.1 | −8.9 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Davis | 108 | 5.2 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Steven Durrant | 91 | 4.4 | +0.8 |
| | Independent Labour | Derek Froggatt | 11 | 0.5 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 205 | 9.8 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,087 | 16.5 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +9.1 | |

### Charlestown

Charlestown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eric Hobin* | 1,043 | 54.1 | −6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rodney Isherwood | 498 | 25.8 | −9.2 |
| | Conservative | Marilyn Hopkins | 302 | 15.7 | +15.7 |
| | Green | Mark Gilbert | 84 | 4.4 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 545 | 28.3 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,927 | 22.0 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.3 | |

### Cheetham

Cheetham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Qassim Afzal | 1,522 | 49.4 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | Imran Rizvi* | 1,305 | 42.4 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative | Adrian Glasspole | 143 | 4.6 | +4.6 |
| | Green | Charlotte Daws | 110 | 3.6 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 217 | 7.0 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,080 | 33.0 | −3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +5.9 | |

### Chorlton

Chorlton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sheila Newman* | 1,288 | 39.3 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Howard Totty | 770 | 23.5 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | Giles Campbell | 487 | 14.9 | −0.6 |
| | Green | Michael Daw | 470 | 14.3 | +1.2 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Heather Rose | 263 | 8.0 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 518 | 15.8 | −9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,278 | 28.0 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.9 | |

### Crumpsall

Crumpsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Cornelius Keegan | 1,323 | 57.0 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Gordon | 477 | 20.6 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Garvan Walshe | 350 | 15.1 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Joseph Richardson | 158 | 6.8 | +2.5 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Karen Reissmann | 12 | 0.5 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 846 | 36.5 | −10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,320 | 25.1 | −3.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.2 | |

### Didsbury

Didsbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Sandiford* | 2,116 | 51.8 | +13.8 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Bridson | 1,257 | 30.8 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | Peter Hilton | 491 | 12.0 | −0.5 |
| | Green | Kathryn Brownbridge | 223 | 5.5 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 859 | 21.0 | +17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,087 | 34.9 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +8.7 | |

### Fallowfield

Fallowfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bernice Reid* | 853 | 48.3 | −11.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John-Paul Wilkins | 494 | 28.0 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative | William Langton | 239 | 13.5 | +1.0 |
| | Green | Bruce Bingham | 180 | 10.2 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 20.3 | −20.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,766 | 15.0 | −2.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.4 | |

### Gorton North

Gorton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jacqueline Pearcey* | 1,155 | 50.7 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | Allan Grafton | 842 | 36.9 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Lisa Boardman | 223 | 9.8 | +0.3 |
| | Green | Victoria Bodgers | 60 | 2.6 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 313 | 13.7 | −0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,280 | 24.0 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -0.4 | |

### Gorton South

Gorton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Ashley* | 1,242 | 61.2 | +6.9 |
| | Labour | Martin Rathfelder | 630 | 31.0 | −6.5 |
| | Green | Penelope Collins | 93 | 4.6 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Bishop | 65 | 3.2 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 612 | 30.1 | +13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,030 | 24.0 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +6.7 | |

### Harpurhey

Harpurhey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Fairweather | 835 | 67.8 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rob Brettle | 222 | 18.0 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Sebastian Chowdhury | 129 | 10.5 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Darren Milton | 45 | 3.7 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 613 | 49.8 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,231 | 16.2 | −2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.9 | |

### Hulme

Hulme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Vanessa Hall | 678 | 43.3 | +1.3 |
| | Labour | John Flanagan* | 667 | 42.6 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Turvey | 160 | 10.2 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Vincent Pierce | 45 | 2.9 | +1.5 |
| | Independent Liberal | Charles Lyn-Lloyd | 16 | 1.0 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 0.7 | −5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,566 | 16.0 | +1.2 |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Swing | +3.3 | |

### Levenshulme

Levenshulme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Hennigan* | 1,625 | 60.8 | +5.8 |
| | Labour | Michael Amesbury | 667 | 25.0 | −5.4 |
| | Green | Sean Hughes | 153 | 5.7 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Ann Hodkinson | 128 | 4.8 | +0.6 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Sabrina Nutter | 100 | 3.7 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 958 | 35.8 | +11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,673 | 26.1 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +5.6 | |

### Lightbowne

Lightbowne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Murphy* | 1,177 | 70.5 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Allen | 213 | 12.8 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Howard Varney | 198 | 11.9 | −1.7 |
| | Green | Matthew Payne | 82 | 4.9 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 964 | 57.7 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,670 | 20.0 | −3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.1 | |

### Longsight

Longsight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liaqat Ali | 1,152 | 44.6 | +15.5 |
| | Labour | Sajjad Hussain* | 1,000 | 38.7 | −15.9 |
| | Green | Spencer Fitzgibbon | 255 | 9.9 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Karen Abbad | 177 | 6.8 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 152 | 5.9 | −19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,584 | 20.0 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +15.7 | |

### Moss Side

Moss Side :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Locita Brandy | 1,182 | 72.2 | −3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shirley Inniss | 234 | 14.3 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | Joyce Haycock | 116 | 7.1 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Brian Sheedy | 104 | 6.4 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 948 | 57.9 | −9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,636 | 18.8 | −3.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.5 | |

### Moston

Moston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Henry Cooper* | 1,366 | 62.7 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Freedman-Goldberger | 507 | 23.3 | +23.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Morley | 198 | 9.1 | −15.7 |
| | Green | Barry McAtarsney | 109 | 5.0 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 859 | 39.4 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,180 | 23.1 | −1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -11.8 | |

### Newton Heath

Newton Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Wilson | 774 | 38.7 | −11.6 |
| | Independent Labour | Damien O'Connor* | 729 | 36.5 | +36.5 |
| | BNP | Derek Adams | 219 | 11.0 | +11.0 |
| | Conservative | Albert Walsh | 162 | 8.1 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derrick Mellor | 71 | 3.6 | −3.3 |
| | Green | Rachel Harper | 44 | 2.2 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 45 | 2.3 | −19.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,999 | 24.9 | +1.9 |
| | Labour gain from Independent Labour | Labour gain from Independent Labour | Swing | -24.0 | |

### Northenden

Northenden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Kane* | 1,112 | 57.7 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Ralph Ellerton | 359 | 18.6 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marguerite Goldsmith | 285 | 14.8 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Lance Crookes | 171 | 8.9 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 753 | 39.1 | +4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,927 | 19.6 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.4 | |

### Old Moat

Old Moat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeffrey Smith* | 1,322 | 46.5 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Yasmin Zalzala | 1,141 | 40.2 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Brian Candeland | 209 | 7.4 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | Gary Kaye | 169 | 5.9 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 181 | 6.4 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,841 | 22.5 | −4.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.5 | |

### Rusholme

Rusholme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynne Williams | 1,850 | 64.8 | +25.4 |
| | Labour | Zafar Mir* | 722 | 25.3 | −23.6 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Goodall | 138 | 4.8 | −1.2 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Mary Ainslie | 76 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| | Green | Christopher Middleton | 69 | 2.4 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,128 | 39.5 | +30.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,855 | 23.0 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +24.5 | |

### Sharston

Sharston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Joyce Keller* | 755 | 65.3 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | John Kenny | 171 | 14.8 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Kierman | 161 | 13.9 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Richard Gee | 70 | 6.1 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 584 | 50.5 | −0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,157 | 15.0 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.0 | |

### Whalley Range

Whalley Range :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Grant | 1,491 | 49.1 | +19.3 |
| | Labour | Christopher Paul | 1,024 | 33.7 | −16.2 |
| | Green | Mary Candeland | 276 | 9.1 | +0.0 |
| | Conservative | Richard West | 248 | 8.2 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 467 | 15.4 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,039 | 30.6 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +17.7 | |

### Withington

Withington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brendon Jones* | 1,621 | 61.6 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | Gerard Collier | 593 | 22.5 | −1.7 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Rachel Green | 149 | 5.7 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Stuart Penketh | 145 | 5.5 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Bushra Hussain | 125 | 4.7 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,028 | 39.0 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,633 | 21.6 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +0.9 | |

### Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brian O'Neil* | 890 | 71.8 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Ruby Raynor | 154 | 12.4 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Reyes | 132 | 10.7 | −1.6 |
| | Green | Clifford Saffer | 63 | 5.1 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 736 | 59.4 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,239 | 15.7 | −2.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.2 | |