# 1998 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 1998 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council in Merseyside, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 42
* Liberal Democrats 10
* Conservative 2

## Election result

Both the Labour and Liberal Democrat group leaders said that they were pleased with the election results. Labour held control of the council after winning 13 of the 19 seats contested, leaving the party with 42 councillors. However the Liberal Democrats gained a seat in Newton East from Labour to have 10 seats and there was a vote swing from Labour to the Liberal Democrats. Meanwhile, the Conservatives gained 1 seat, after taking Rainford, to have 2 councillors.
St Helens local election result 1998 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Labour | 13 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 68.4 | 53.3 | 15,856 |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 26.3 | 31.7 | 9,430 |
| Conservative | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5.3 | 14.4 | 4,297 |
| Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 182 |

## Ward results

Billinge and Seneley Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Bessie Griffin | 1,184 | 65.4 |
| | Conservative | Joan Hall | 335 | 18.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Ferry | 291 | 16.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 849 | 46.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,810 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Blackbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Linda Maloney | 658 | 71.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Broughton | 187 | 20.2 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Harvey | 82 | 8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 471 | 50.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 927 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Broad Oak :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John Pinder | 914 | 71.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Partington | 275 | 21.5 |
| | Conservative | Edna Ashby | 50 | 3.9 |
| | Socialist Labour | Ronald Waugh | 40 | 3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 639 | 50.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,279 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Eccleston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Teresa Sims | 1,544 | 64.9 |
| | Conservative | John Goodacre | 418 | 17.6 |
| | Labour | Stephen Glover | 416 | 17.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,126 | 47.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,378 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Grange Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Terence Hanley | 667 | 59.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Evans | 271 | 24.1 |
| | Conservative | Catherine Lindon | 187 | 16.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 396 | 35.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,125 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Haydock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | William Swift | 1,178 | 71.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carole Worthington | 205 | 12.5 |
| | Conservative | Judith Collins | 169 | 10.3 |
| | Socialist Labour | Andrew Rimaitis | 90 | 5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 973 | 59.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,642 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Marshalls Cross :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Beirne | 1,127 | 71.2 |
| | Labour | Ronald Cooke | 415 | 26.2 |
| | Conservative | Jill Jones | 40 | 2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 712 | 45.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,582 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Moss Bank :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carole Kavanagh | 1,329 | 54.4 |
| | Labour | Michael McGough | 1,025 | 42.0 |
| | Conservative | William Highcock | 88 | 3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 304 | 12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,442 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Newton East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Taylor | 928 | 49.2 |
| | Labour | Thomas Chisnall | 799 | 42.4 |
| | Conservative | Brian Honey | 158 | 8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 129 | 6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,885 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | |
Newton West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Keith Deakin | 1,028 | 66.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Crowther | 403 | 25.9 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Holt | 123 | 7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 625 | 40.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,554 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Parr and Hardshaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Mark Arnold | 743 | 79.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Ellis | 133 | 14.3 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Brooke | 54 | 5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 610 | 65.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 930 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Queens Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patricia Ireland | 782 | 65.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vivienne Lavery | 306 | 25.5 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Bolton | 112 | 9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 476 | 39.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,200 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Rainford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Brown | 1,293 | 54.1 |
| | Labour | John Appleton | 933 | 39.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharon Birch | 162 | 6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 360 | 15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,388 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
Rainhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Phillip Speakman | 1,054 | 63.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard Seddon | 376 | 22.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Knowles | 222 | 13.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 678 | 41.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,652 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Sutton and Bold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Spencer | 1,353 | 58.4 |
| | Labour | Derek Maylor | 912 | 39.4 |
| | Conservative | Herbert Williams | 51 | 2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 441 | 19.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,316 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |
Thatto Heath (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Patricia Robinson | 862 |
| | Labour | Sheila Hudson | 722 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Pearl | 156 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Brown | 130 |
| | Conservative | Albert Pearson | 108 |
| | Socialist Labour | Michael Perry | 52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,030 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
West Sutton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Frank Robinson | 671 | 73.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Darren Makin | 185 | 20.2 |
| | Conservative | Charmian Pyke | 60 | 6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 486 | 53.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 916 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Windle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Graham Whiteside | 893 | 52.3 |
| | Conservative | Anthony Rigby | 593 | 34.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Audrey Ashall | 223 | 13.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 300 | 17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,709 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

## By-elections between 1998 and 1999
### Marshalls Cross

Marshalls Cross by-election 21 January 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 848 | 69.0 | −2.2 |
| | Labour | | 352 | 28.6 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | | 16 | 1.3 | −1.2 |
| | Socialist Labour | | 13 | 1.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 496 | 40.4 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,229 | 19.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Newton West

A by-election took place in Newton West on 21 January 1999 to replace Labour councillor Martin Schofield. The seat was gained for the Liberal Democrats by Virginia Taylor with a majority of 145 votes over Labour's Thomas Chisnall after a 25% swing.
Newton West by-election 21 January 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Virginia Taylor | 842 | 53.2 | +27.3 |
| | Labour | Thomas Chisnall | 697 | 44.0 | −22.2 |
| | Conservative | Brian Honey | 44 | 2.8 | −5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 145 | 9.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,583 | 19.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Thatto Heath

Thatto Heath by-election 21 January 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 493 | 76.1 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 61 | 9.4 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative | | 47 | 7.3 | −1.9 |
| | Socialist Unity | | 47 | 7.3 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 432 | 66.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 648 | 9 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |