# 1984 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to the Wigan council were held on Thursday, 3 May 1984, with one third of the seats up for vote. Three wards – Abram, Hindley and Lightshaw – were unopposed, leaving only twenty one of the twenty four wards going to vote – a number not seen since 1975. Also of note was the re-emergence of a fourth party, in the way of persistent Communist candidate H. Kedward contesting Leigh Central after a three-year absence. The election itself seen a Labour gain in Orrell from the Conservatives, which cancelled out the simultaneous Alliance gain from Labour in Aspell-Standish, leaving their majority unchanged. Overall turnout slumped to 29.2%, the lowest level since the aforementioned 1975 election.

## Election result

Wigan Local Election Result 1984 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 87.5 | 62.2 | 43,977 | +5.2% |
| Alliance | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 8.3 | 19.6 | 13,856 | -6.3% |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 4.2 | 18.0 | 12,762 | +0.9% |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 59 | +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 | 60 | 60 |
| | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 7 | 8 |
| | Conservatives | 5 | 4 |
| Total | Total | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 48 | 48 |

## Ward results

Abram :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Bennett | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Ashton-Golborne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Jones | 1,857 | 66.2 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | M. Fox | 488 | 17.4 | +17.4 |
| | Alliance | A. Howarth | 460 | 16.4 | −19.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,369 | 48.8 | 21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,805 | 29.4 | −1.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.5 | |
Aspull-Standish :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance | P. Wilson | 2,274 | 44.1 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | J. Hilton | 2,149 | 41.7 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | P. Walker | 728 | 14.1 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 125 | 2.4 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,151 | 50.9 | −1.8 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | +1.3 | |
Atherton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Clarke | 2,921 | 79.1 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | M. Hatton | 770 | 20.9 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,151 | 58.3 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,691 | 38.8 | +0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.9 | |
Bedford-Astley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Jones | 2,039 | 54.5 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | F. Hawley | 1,036 | 27.7 | +0.9 |
| | Alliance | R. Mateer | 668 | 17.8 | −8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,003 | 26.8 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,743 | 38.4 | −2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
Beech Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Bishop | 1,963 | 69.0 | +11.4 |
| | Alliance | G. Pullin | 483 | 17.0 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | J. Wolstenholme | 397 | 14.0 | −10.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,480 | 52.1 | +21.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,843 | 32.1 | −6.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.2 | |
Bryn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Lockett | 2,355 | 72.6 | +6.5 |
| | Alliance | D. Seary | 480 | 14.8 | −19.1 |
| | Conservative | C. Michaels | 408 | 12.6 | +12.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,875 | 57.8 | +25.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,243 | 32.9 | −6.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +12.8 | |
Hindley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Robinson | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Hindley Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Murphy | 2,387 | 77.8 | +30.7 |
| | Alliance | M. O'Halloran | 681 | 22.2 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,706 | 55.6 | +35.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,068 | 28.4 | −12.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +17.3 | |
Hindsford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Smith | 2,545 | 81.9 | +15.7 |
| | Conservative | C. Rigby | 561 | 18.1 | +18.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,984 | 63.9 | +31.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,106 | 29.3 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.2 | |
Hope Carr :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Roberts | 2,179 | 60.8 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | E. Manson | 1,122 | 31.3 | −1.5 |
| | Alliance | L. Seal | 284 | 7.9 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,057 | 29.5 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,585 | 37.4 | −5.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.8 | |
Ince :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Banks | 2,017 | 89.2 | +7.0 |
| | Alliance | A. Robinson | 244 | 10.8 | −7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,773 | 78.4 | +14.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,261 | 28.2 | −9.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.0 | |
Langtree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance | J. Pigott | 2,053 | 45.2 | −3.6 |
| | Labour | T. O'Hagan | 1,762 | 38.8 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | R. Gibson | 723 | 15.9 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 291 | 6.4 | −10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,538 | 43.7 | +2.1 |
| | Alliance hold | Alliance hold | Swing | -5.1 | |
Leigh Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Macdonald | 2,164 | 81.1 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | S. Emerton | 445 | 16.7 | +1.0 |
| | Communist | H. Kedward | 59 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,719 | 64.4 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,668 | 29.5 | −3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
Leigh East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Riley | 1,914 | 64.0 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | M. Stewart | 830 | 27.7 | −0.2 |
| | Alliance | I. Smith | 248 | 8.3 | −11.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,084 | 36.2 | +11.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,992 | 29.8 | −5.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.7 | |
Lightshaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | N. Holt | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Newtown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Peet | 2,195 | 80.1 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | J. Lawson | 357 | 13.0 | −1.8 |
| | Alliance | W. Hewer | 189 | 6.9 | −6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,838 | 67.1 | +9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,741 | 29.9 | −3.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.8 | |
Norley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Maddocks | 2,444 | 88.2 | +9.6 |
| | Conservative | J. Davies | 168 | 6.1 | +0.4 |
| | Alliance | R. Richardson | 158 | 5.7 | −10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,276 | 82.2 | +19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,770 | 33.1 | −3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
Orrell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Swift | 1,576 | 43.6 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | F. Fairbairn | 1,414 | 39.1 | +0.1 |
| | Alliance | C. Hughes | 627 | 17.3 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 4.5 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,617 | 35.5 | −6.6 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.1 | |
Swinley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Bond | 1,637 | 43.9 | −2.1 |
| | Labour | P. Lees | 1,395 | 37.4 | +3.7 |
| | Alliance | E. Parkin | 697 | 18.7 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 242 | 6.5 | −5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,729 | 41.0 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.9 | |
Tyldesley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Teece | 1,986 | 47.0 | +1.8 |
| | Alliance | B. Aitken | 1,783 | 42.2 | −12.6 |
| | Conservative | E. Griffiths | 457 | 10.8 | +10.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 203 | 4.8 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,226 | 42.6 | −1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.2 | |
Whelley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Coyle | 2,224 | 76.5 | +12.4 |
| | Conservative | F. Sidebotham | 362 | 12.4 | −0.8 |
| | Alliance | K. Latham | 322 | 11.1 | −11.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,862 | 64.0 | +22.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,908 | 32.8 | −5.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.6 | |
Winstanley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Whittle | 1,798 | 43.6 | +4.0 |
| | Alliance | H. Evans | 1,757 | 42.6 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | C. Mugan | 570 | 13.8 | −9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 | 1.0 | −1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,125 | 37.9 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.9 | |
Worsley Mesnes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Brogan | 2,107 | 74.1 | +7.3 |
| | Alliance | A. Meal | 448 | 15.8 | −5.6 |
| | Conservative | F. Hesketh | 289 | 10.2 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,659 | 58.3 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,844 | 29.2 | −6.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.4 | |