# 1976 Manchester City Council election

Elections to Manchester Council were held on Thursday, 6 May 1976. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 1980. The Labour Party retained overall control of the Council.

## Election result

Manchester Council Election Result 1976 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 57.6 | 45.1 | 60,027 | +6.3% |
| Conservative | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42.4 | 47.6 | 63,393 | -2.5% |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 6.3 | 8,367 | -3.0% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1,047 | +0.3% |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 167 | -0.1% |
After the election, the composition of the council was as follows:
| Party | Seats | +/- |
| Labour | 54 | 0 |
| Conservative | 45 | 0 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

## Ward results
### Alexandra

Alexandra :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | N. Thompson* | 3,230 | 61.3 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal | D. Hewitt | 1,012 | 19.2 | −1.9 |
| | Labour | A. G. Mackie | 963 | 18.3 | +0.8 |
| | Independent | S. Martyniuk | 61 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,218 | 42.1 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,266 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |

### Ardwick

Ardwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. Dale* | 1,752 | 68.9 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | M. W. Coales | 792 | 31.1 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 960 | 37.8 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,544 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.1 | |

### Baguley

Baguley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Burns | 3,296 | 52.8 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | J. V. Oatway* | 2,693 | 43.1 | −10.8 |
| | Liberal | M. Quinn | 257 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 603 | 9.7 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,246 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.7 | |

### Barlow Moor

Barlow Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B. Moore* | 2,191 | 56.2 | −8.2 |
| | Labour | P. Karney | 1,404 | 36.0 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal | G. Irvine | 301 | 7.7 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 787 | 20.2 | −8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,896 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.3 | |

### Beswick

Beswick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Flanagan | 1,760 | 75.4 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | J. Cartland | 449 | 19.2 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal | P. Coleman | 125 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,311 | 56.2 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,334 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.8 | |

### Blackley

Blackley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Risby* | 2,482 | 54.3 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | J. Yates | 2,092 | 45.7 | −8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 390 | 8.5 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,574 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.0 | |

### Bradford

Bradford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Egerton* | 2,376 | 53.6 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | C. R. Ashton | 1,906 | 43.0 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal | M. W. Powell | 99 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
| | Independent | J. Hulse | 53 | 1.2 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 470 | 10.6 | +8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,434 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.1 | |

### Brooklands

Brooklands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. W. G. Fitzsimons* | 2,795 | 49.5 | −11.2 |
| | Labour | J. Wilner | 2,538 | 45.0 | +5.7 |
| | Liberal | G. F. Turner | 309 | 5.5 | +5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 257 | 4.6 | −16.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,642 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.4 | |

### Burnage

Burnage :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. L. Lund* | 2,966 | 59.5 | +8.1 |
| | Labour | G. Stringer | 1,609 | 32.3 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal | G. Shaw | 411 | 8.2 | +10.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,357 | 27.2 | +8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,986 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.1 | |

### Charlestown

Charlestown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | N. Morris* | 2,458 | 51.7 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | W. Guy | 2,006 | 42.2 | −10.2 |
| | Liberal | J. Laslett | 289 | 6.1 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 452 | 9.5 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,753 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.1 | |

### Cheetham

Cheetham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. G. Ford* | 1,421 | 62.5 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | A. Goulding | 852 | 37.5 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 569 | 25.0 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,273 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.3 | |

### Chorlton

Chorlton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Vince* | 3,030 | 64.9 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | A. J. Bateman | 1,164 | 24.9 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal | H. Wallace | 478 | 10.2 | −5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,866 | 39.9 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,672 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.9 | |

### Collegiate Church

Collegiate Church :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Ogden* | 628 | 63.9 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | D. H. Philip | 261 | 26.6 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal | K. D. Underhill | 78 | 7.9 | −4.7 |
| | Independent | P. Wragg | 16 | 1.6 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 367 | 37.3 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 983 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.5 | |

### Crossacres

Crossacres :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Roberts* | 3,257 | 59.6 | +13.1 |
| | Conservative | K. A. Edis | 1,576 | 28.8 | +7.3 |
| | Liberal | H. Griffiths | 633 | 11.6 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,681 | 30.8 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,466 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.9 | |

### Crumpsall

Crumpsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. L. Clapham | 2,528 | 57.5 | −2.8 |
| | Labour | P. A. Murphy | 1,474 | 33.5 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal | A. E. Griffiths | 396 | 9.0 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,054 | 24.0 | −7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,398 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.9 | |

### Didsbury

Didsbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Duke* | 3,904 | 65.1 | −0.7 |
| | Labour | C. B. Muir | 1,185 | 19.8 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal | T. Kellgren | 839 | 14.0 | −4.0 |
| | Independent | K. V. M. Brown | 72 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,719 | 45.3 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,000 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.0 | |

### Gorton North

Gorton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Brierley* | 1,989 | 59.4 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | E. Leadbetter | 1,241 | 37.0 | −8.1 |
| | Liberal | D. Sandiford | 121 | 3.6 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 748 | 22.3 | +12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,351 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.3 | |

### Gorton South

Gorton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Barker* | 1,598 | 56.8 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | D. Heywood | 1,217 | 43.2 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 381 | 13.6 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,815 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.7 | |

### Harpurhey

Harpurhey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Reid* | 1,131 | 58.6 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative | D. Porter | 706 | 36.6 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal | P. Hannon | 92 | 4.8 | −8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 425 | 22.0 | +12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,929 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 6.4 | |

### Hulme

Hulme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Thomas* | 1,514 | 67.1 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | L. Gaffney | 419 | 18.6 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal | M. Moonsamy | 325 | 14.4 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,095 | 48.5 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,258 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.0 | |

### Levenshulme

Levenshulme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Carlton* | 2,506 | 51.6 | −4.7 |
| | Labour | P. Hildrew | 1,856 | 38.2 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal | K. Whitmore | 408 | 8.4 | −1.8 |
| | Independent | P. J. Cassidy | 86 | 1.8 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 650 | 13.4 | −9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,856 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.7 | |

### Lightbowne

Lightbowne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Cleworth | 2,308 | 52.7 | +14.3 |
| | Labour | R. A. Reddington* | 2,068 | 47.3 | +13.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 240 | 5.5 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,376 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +0.3 | |

### Lloyd Street

Lloyd Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K. McKeon* | 2,402 | 50.6 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | A. Nixon | 2,088 | 44.0 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal | R. Coleman | 204 | 4.3 | −7.2 |
| | Independent | D. E. Carter | 50 | 1.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 314 | 6.6 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,744 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |

### Longsight

Longsight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. W. Ford* | 1,998 | 51.8 | +6.8 |
| | Conservative | M. Delayen | 1,862 | 48.2 | −6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 3.5 | −6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,860 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.8 | |

### Miles Platting

Miles Platting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Latham* | 1,715 | 79.3 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | A. E. Halliday | 448 | 20.7 | −7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,267 | 58.6 | +13.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,163 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.0 | |

### Moss Side

Moss Side :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Paget* | 980 | 52.8 | +13.0 |
| | Independent | E. W. Smyth | 480 | 25.8 | +25.8 |
| | Conservative | P. Hilton | 397 | 21.4 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 500 | 26.9 | +23.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,857 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.4 | |

### Moston

Moston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K. E. Goulding* | 3,144 | 61.9 | +5.4 |
| | Labour | J. A. Dean | 1,935 | 38.1 | +6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,209 | 23.8 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,079 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.3 | |

### Newton Heath

Newton Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Tomlinson* | 1,819 | 49.0 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | L. Clarke | 1,794 | 48.3 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal | R. Cowe | 101 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 | 0.7 | −7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,714 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.5 | |

### Northenden

Northenden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. H. Box* | 2,923 | 51.5 | −1.8 |
| | Labour | H. Brown | 2,359 | 41.6 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal | H. Hilton | 307 | 5.4 | −4.2 |
| | Communist | M. Taylor | 82 | 1.4 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 564 | 9.9 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,671 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.2 | |

### Old Moat

Old Moat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. H. Aikman | 2,346 | 52.6 | −5.0 |
| | Labour | A. H. Fender | 1,664 | 37.3 | +8.7 |
| | Liberal | A. A. Parr | 316 | 7.1 | −6.7 |
| | Communist | D. J. Granfield | 85 | 1.9 | +1.9 |
| | Independent | P. S. Pinder | 52 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 682 | 15.3 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,463 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -6.8 | |

### Rusholme

Rusholme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K. Ollerenshaw* | 2,580 | 64.2 | −0.6 |
| | Labour | W. J. Courtney | 1,308 | 32.6 | +9.4 |
| | Independent | C. R. Sedman | 130 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,272 | 31.7 | −9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,018 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.0 | |

### Withington

Withington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. W. Young* | 2,657 | 55.0 | +5.7 |
| | Labour | D. Healey | 1,226 | 25.4 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal | J. Edwards | 905 | 18.7 | −11.2 |
| | Independent | E. N. Goodyear | 47 | 1.0 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,431 | 29.6 | +10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,835 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |

### Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Farrell* | 2,698 | 59.4 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | A. Farmer | 1,486 | 32.7 | −8.8 |
| | Liberal | L. Griffiths | 361 | 7.9 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,212 | 26.7 | +9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,545 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.8 | |