# 1982 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 1982 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 6 May 1982 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
20 seats were contested in the election, with 10 being won by the Labour Party, 8 by the Conservative Party and 2 by the Liberal Party After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 36
* Conservative 21
* Liberal Party 3

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1982 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 10 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 37.5 | 27,018 | -11.5 |
| Conservative | 8 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 37.9 | 27,339 | -4.7 |
| Liberal | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 24.3 | 17,547 | +17.4 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 0.2 | 179 | |

## Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 39 | 20 | 1 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 36 | 21 | 3 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
L – Liberal

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Johnston | 2,088 | 57.9 | −9.4 |
| | SDP | I Greenhalgh | 822 | 22.8 | +22.8 |
| | Labour | D McEneaney | 698 | 19.3 | −12.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,266 | 33.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,806 | 36.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to SDP 17.5 | |

### Blackrod ward

Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Monaghan | 1,768 | 47.6 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | I Ikin | 1,197 | 32.2 | −14.9 |
| | SDP | D Boyes | 750 | 20.2 | +20.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 571 | 15.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,715 | 39.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to SDP 17.5 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A O'Neill | 2,135 | 55.6 | −9.0 |
| | Liberal | A Halliwell | 988 | 25.7 | +25.7 |
| | Labour | G Lever | 715 | 18.6 | −16.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,147 | 29.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,838 | 35.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal 21.2 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C Benjamin | 1,745 | 42.8 | −12.5 |
| | Conservative | A Chadbond | 1,504 | 36.9 | −7.8 |
| | SDP | D Lee | 824 | 20.2 | +20.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 241 | 5.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,073 | 36.4 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to SDP 16.3 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B Hurst | 1,885 | 47.9 | −11.9 |
| | SDP | J Hampson | 1,312 | 33.4 | +33.4 |
| | Labour | D Doxsey | 736 | 18.7 | −21.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 573 | 14.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,933 | 39.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to SDP -27.4 | |

### Burnden ward

Burnden ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Mason | 1,558 | 44.0 | −14.4 |
| | Conservative | W Hall | 1,553 | 43.9 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal | W Crook | 427 | 12.1 | +12.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5 | 0.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,538 | 36.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -13.2 | |

### Central ward

Central ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B Iddon | 2,163 | 68.0 | −8.5 |
| | Liberal | R Hayes | 534 | 16.8 | +16.8 |
| | Conservative | G Kearton | 483 | 15.2 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,629 | 51.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,180 | 36.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -12.6 | |

### Daubhill ward

Daubhill ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G Harkin | 2,019 | 52.3 | −8.1 |
| | Conservative | R Carr | 1,379 | 35.7 | −2.2 |
| | SDP | H Smith | 466 | 12.1 | +12.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 740 | 16.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,864 | 41.1 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to SDP -12.1 | |

### Deane-cum-Heaton ward

Deane-cum-Heaton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M Allanson | 3,210 | 62.4 | −8.0 |
| | SDP | I Hamilton | 1,057 | 20.5 | +20.5 |
| | Labour | J Knight | 881 | 17.1 | −12.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,153 | 41.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,148 | 40.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to SDP -16.5 | |

### Derby ward

Derby ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G Riley | 2,580 | 70.9 | −21.5 |
| | Conservative | J Walsh | 498 | 13.7 | +8.4 |
| | SDP | C Moore | 481 | 13.2 | +13.2 |
| | Communist | A Johnson | 81 | 2.2 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,092 | 57.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,640 | 35.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to SDP -17.3 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Johnston | 1,442 | 60.1 | −15.1 |
| | Liberal | L Bale | 484 | 20.2 | +16.3 |
| | Conservative | B Coote | 474 | 19.8 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 958 | 39.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,400 | 24.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -15.7 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | D Walmsley | 1,226 | 37.2 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | R Johnson | 1,214 | 36.9 | −9.7 |
| | Conservative | L Keighley | 854 | 25.9 | +8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 0.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,294 | 33.8 | |
| | Liberal gain from Labour | Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to Con +9.1 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L Williamson | 1,641 | 56.0 | −12.0 |
| | Liberal | L Sanderson | 1,189 | 40.6 | +36.7 |
| | Communist | T McKnight | 98 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 452 | 15.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,928 | 27.4 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -24.3 | |

### Horwich ward

Horwich ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Senior | 1,820 | 40.2 | −14.6 |
| | Conservative | S Dawson | 1,689 | 37.3 | −7.9 |
| | SDP | D Morris | 1,014 | 22.4 | +22.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 131 | 2.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,523 | 41.6 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to SDP -18.5 | |

### Hulton Park ward

Hulton Park ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M Prince | 1,768 | 52.1 | −11.0 |
| | Liberal | H Wise | 826 | 24.4 | +24.4 |
| | Labour | E McCracken | 798 | 23.5 | −13.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 942 | 27.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,392 | 34.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -18.9 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | J Rothwell | 1,645 | 44.9 | +22.0 |
| | Labour | D Dingwall | 1,449 | 39.5 | −27.6 |
| | Conservative | A Waterson | 570 | 15.6 | +5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 1.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,664 | 37.8 | |
| | Liberal gain from Labour | Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to Liberal 24.8 | |

### Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M Lawton | 1,914 | 50.7 | +1.6 |
| | Labour | E Walker | 966 | 25.6 | −21.3 |
| | Liberal | F Bridges | 895 | 23.7 | +19.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 948 | 25.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,775 | 42.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -20.3 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Priestley | 1,974 | 54.9 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | F Harasiwka | 1,023 | 28.5 | +7.5 |
| | Labour | J Jenkins | 597 | 16.6 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 951 | 26.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,594 | 39.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -7.1 | |

### Tonge ward

Tonge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K Knowles | 1,634 | 46.8 | −1.5 |
| | Labour | C Skull | 1,250 | 35.8 | −15.9 |
| | SDP | E West | 608 | 17.4 | +17.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 384 | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,492 | 37.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to SDP -16.6 | |

### Westhoughton ward

Westhoughton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Jones | 978 | 39.4 | −32.2 |
| | Liberal | D Wilkinson | 976 | 39.3 | +23.9 |
| | Conservative | G Hanley | 530 | 21.3 | +8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,484 | 40.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Liberal -28.0 | |