# 2021 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2021 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 6 May 2021 to elect members of Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections. The election was originally due to take place on 7 May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A by-election was held on the same day in Orrell ward to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Conservative councillor Richard Clayton.

## Overview

Prior to the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour Party: 57
* Conservative Party: 7
* Independent: 10
* Vacant: 1
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour Party: 57
* Conservative Party: 8
* Independent: 10
Number of Candidates fielded per party :
| Party | Number of Candidates |
| Labour Party | 26 |
| Conservative Party | 26 |
| Liberal Democrats | 23 |
| Independents | 13 |
| Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley Together | 6 |
| UKIP | 1 |
| Reform UK | 1 |
| Standish Independents | 1 |

### Results summary

2021 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 19 | | 73.1 | 38 | 57 | 76 | 37,261 | 49.8 | |
| | Conservative | 4 | | 15.4 | 4 | 8 | 10.7 | 22,788 | 30.4 | 13.4 |
| | Independent | 3 | | 11.5 | 7 | 10 | 13.3 | 8,945 | 12.0 | 1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,212 | 4.3 | 2.7 |
| | Leigh, Altherton & Tyldesley Together | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,628 | 2.2 | New |
| | Standish Independents | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 644 | 0.9 | New |
| | UKIP | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 242 | 0.3 | 16.3 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 121 | 0.2 | New |

## Results
### Bolton West constituency
#### Atherton ward

Local Elections 2021: Atherton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jamie Hodgkinson | 1,669 | 50.4 | 0.9 |
| | Labour | Julie Ann Hilling | 998 | 30.2 | 3.2 |
| | Conservative | Emily Jane Siddall | 412 | 12.4 | 6.6 |
| | Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley Together | Quinton John Smith | 231 | 7.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 671 | 20.2 | 4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,310 | 29.7 | 4.5 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Leigh constituency
#### Astley Mosley Common ward

Local Elections 2021: Astley Mosley Common :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paula Anne Wakefield | 1,978 | 57.3 | 6.0 |
| | Conservative | David John Stirzaker | 1,476 | 42.7 | 18.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 502 | 14.6 | 12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,454 | 34.2 | 1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Atherleigh ward

Local Elections 2021: Atherleigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Arthur Harding | 1,073 | 43.9 | 2.5 |
| | Conservative | Paul Lambert Fairhurst | 610 | 24.9 | 15.9 |
| | Independent | Natasha Louise Hodgkinson | 587 | 24.0 | New |
| | Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley Together | Zoë Irlam | 112 | 4.6 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lorraine Gillon | 63 | 2.6 | 0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 463 | 19.0 | 4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,445 | 29.0 | 0.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Golborne and Lowton West ward

Local Elections 2021: Golborne and Lowton West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Yvonne Marie Klieve | 1,619 | 56.2 | 14.0 |
| | Conservative | Stanley Crook | 925 | 32.1 | 25.0 |
| | Independent | Susan Jillian Spibey | 276 | 9.6 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Edward Witt | 62 | 2.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 694 | 24.1 | 23.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,882 | 32.0 | 4.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Leigh East ward

Local Elections 2021: Leigh East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Keith Cunliffe | 1,353 | 49.6 | 18.1 |
| | Conservative | James Falle Geddes | 584 | 21.4 | 1.4 |
| | Independent | Trevor Barton | 473 | 17.3 | New |
| | Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley Together | James Edward Morley | 249 | 9.1 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lewis David Parkin | 69 | 2.5 | 9.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 769 | 28.2 | 19.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,728 | 29.4 | 3.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Leigh South ward

Local Elections 2021: Leigh South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Anderson | 1,695 | 49.0 | 6.6 |
| | Conservative | Joshua James Yates | 1,423 | 41.1 | 25.3 |
| | Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley Together | Dave Fraser | 213 | 6.2 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Paul Brooks | 131 | 3.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 272 | 7.9 | 19.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,462 | 33.3 | 1.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Leigh West ward

Local Elections 2021: Leigh West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sue Greensmith | 1,582 | 56.6 | 3.4 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Joseph Houlton | 714 | 25.6 | 18.0 |
| | Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley Together | Jayson Michael Allan Lomax-Hargreaves | 394 | 14.1 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharron-Lee Honey | 104 | 3.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 868 | 31.0 | 1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,794 | 25.6 | 1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Lowton East ward

Local Elections 2021: Lowton East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marie Elizabeth Cooper | 2,395 | 59.4 | 1.5 |
| | Labour | Gary Peter Lloyd | 1,516 | 37.6 | 8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher John Noon | 123 | 3.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 879 | 21.8 | 10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,034 | 38.6 | 1.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

#### Tyldesley ward

Local Elections 2021: Tyldesley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nazia Tabussam Rehman | 1,559 | 48.7 | 10.2 |
| | Conservative | Susan Atherton | 771 | 24.1 | 11.0 |
| | Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley Together | Julian David Marsh | 429 | 13.4 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Eiddon Davies | 213 | 6.7 | New |
| | Reform UK | James Anthony Fish | 121 | 3.8 | New |
| | Independent | Antonino Panebianco | 105 | 3.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 788 | 24.6 | 16.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,198 | 31.2 | 0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Makerfield constituency
#### Abram ward

Local Elections 2021: Abram :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martyn Smethurst | 1,411 | 55.5 | 2.8 |
| | Conservative | Beverley Anne Bridgwater | 628 | 24.7 | 16.9 |
| | Independent | David William Bowker | 425 | 16.7 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Jack Simm | 77 | 3.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 783 | 30.8 | 6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,541 | 23.7 | 1.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Ashton ward

Local Elections 2021: Ashton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Danny Fletcher | 1,572 | 61.5 | 15.0 |
| | Conservative | Edward Francis Sturdy | 860 | 33.6 | 23.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Stephen Matthews | 125 | 4.9 | 1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 712 | 27.9 | 5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,557 | 29.3 | 0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Bryn ward

Local Elections 2021: Bryn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Steve Jones | 2,047 | 67.0 | 25.9 |
| | Labour | Mary Gwendoline Callaghan | 703 | 23.0 | 15.4 |
| | Conservative | Judith Atherton | 252 | 8.3 | 2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Denise Melling | 51 | 1.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,344 | 44.0 | 41.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,053 | 34.7 | 1.1 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

#### Hindley ward

Local Elections 2021: Hindley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul John Blay | 1,497 | 57.4 | 6.2 |
| | Conservative | Mark Michael Temperton | 422 | 16.2 | 10.7 |
| | Independent | Alan Leslie Baines | 305 | 11.7 | New |
| | Independent | Hilda Bridget Byrne | 292 | 11.2 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Charles Skipworth | 91 | 3.5 | 0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,075 | 41.2 | 27.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,607 | 27.2 | 2.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Hindley Green ward

Local Elections 2021: Hindley Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Bob Brierley | 1,066 | 40.7 | 16.6 |
| | Labour | James Thomas Palmer | 1,058 | 40.4 | 8.7 |
| | Conservative | Paul John Chapman | 455 | 17.4 | 12.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Trevor Suddick | 37 | 1.4 | 4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.3 | 25.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,616 | 29.7 | 2.3 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

#### Orrell ward

Local Elections 2021: Orrell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marjorie Clayton (Elected to 2023) | 1,540 | 46.2 | 3.0 |
| | Conservative | Michael William Winstanley (Elected to 2022) | 1,456 | 43.7 | 2.8 |
| | Labour | Mark Ian Tebbutt | 1,285 | 38.6 | 2.2 |
| | Labour | Joseph Christopher Saunders | 1,140 | 34.2 | 7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Duncan Stevenson | 225 | 6.8 | 3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart David Thomas | 110 | 3.3 | 8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 255 | 7.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,332 | 35.1 | 0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
In the percentage change column, the candidate with the most votes from each party is compared with the 2016 Orrell ward result, whilst the candidate with the least votes from each party is compared with the 2018 Orrell ward result.

#### Winstanley ward

Local Elections 2021: Winstanley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Terrence Kenny | 1,614 | 58.1 | 9.9 |
| | Conservative | Michael Colin Owens | 801 | 28.8 | 16.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Duncan Stevenson | 365 | 13.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 813 | 29.3 | 12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,780 | 30.5 | 1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Worsley Mesnes ward

Local Elections 2021: Worsley Mesnes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Roland Hurst | 1,549 | 64.1 | 4.2 |
| | Conservative | Cyril Pendlebury | 565 | 23.4 | 14.3 |
| | Independent | Danny Cooke | 242 | 10.0 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Parrott | 61 | 2.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 984 | 40.7 | 9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,417 | 27.0 | 0.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Wigan constituency
#### Aspull, New Springs and Whelley ward

Local Elections 2021: Aspull, New Springs and Whelley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Laura Jean Flynn | 1,736 | 50.8 | 2.0 |
| | Conservative | Luke Christian Marsden | 853 | 24.9 | 11.6 |
| | Independent | John Arnold Hulme | 719 | 21.0 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Julian Lee Holland | 112 | 3.3 | 1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 883 | 25.9 | 1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,420 | 34.4 | 0.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Douglas ward

Local Elections 2021: Douglas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Draper | 1,535 | 70.1 | 14.0 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Atherton | 495 | 22.6 | 6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Donald John Macnamara | 159 | 7.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,040 | 47.5 | 20.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,189 | 22.9 | 0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Ince ward

Local Elections 2021: Ince :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Trevor Molyneux | 1,289 | 67.8 | 2.0 |
| | Conservative | Allan Atherton | 369 | 19.4 | 13.8 |
| | UKIP | Jordan James Gaskell | 242 | 12.7 | 15.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 920 | 48.4 | 11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,900 | 21.7 | 5.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Pemberton ward

Local Elections 2021: Pemberton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeanette Prescott | 1,476 | 69.2 | 0.2 |
| | Conservative | Jean Margaret Peet | 477 | 22.4 | 16.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David John Burley | 180 | 8.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 999 | 46.8 | 0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,133 | 22.4 | 2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Shevington with Lower Ground ward

Local Elections 2021: Shevington with Lower Ground :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael John Crosby | 1,432 | 44.9 | 4.9 |
| | Conservative | Gary Robinson | 798 | 25.0 | 13.7 |
| | Shevington Independents | Gareth William Fairhurst | 739 | 23.2 | 3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Craig Duff Crombie-Fisher | 220 | 6.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 634 | 19.9 | 6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,189 | 34.8 | 0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Standish with Langtree ward

Local Elections 2021: Standish with Langtree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Raymond Whittingham | 1,997 | 54.7 | 22.3 |
| | Labour | Dave Wood | 911 | 25.0 | 0.4 |
| | Standish Independents | Debbie Fairhurst | 644 | 17.7 | 9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Caroline Waddicor | 96 | 2.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,086 | 29.7 | 24.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,648 | 34.0 | 7.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The "Standish Independents" description was used at the last election by the Wigan Independents, a separate political party.

#### Wigan Central ward

Local Elections 2021: Wigan Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lawrence Hunt | 2,016 | 63.1 | 7.2 |
| | Conservative | Joe Worthington | 938 | 29.3 | 2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin James Thomas | 243 | 7.6 | 0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,078 | 33.8 | 5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,197 | 34.4 | 0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

#### Wigan West ward

Local Elections 2021: Wigan West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Terrence William Halliwell | 1,664 | 65.7 | 15.1 |
| | Conservative | Marie Winstanley | 572 | 22.6 | 3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Dyer | 295 | 11.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,092 | 43.1 | 18.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,531 | 26.2 | 1.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2021 and 2022
### Leigh West ward

Leigh West, 14 October 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samantha Brown | 1,004 | 55.9 | 2.0 |
| | Conservative | James Geddes | 432 | 24.1 | 8.7 |
| | Leigh West Independent | Jayson Michael Allan Lomax-Hargreaves | 257 | 14.3 | 9.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharron-Lee Honey | 103 | 5.7 | 0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 572 | 31.8 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,796 | 16.0 | 7.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bryn ward

Bryn, 25 November 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Flemming | 429 | 31.2 | 8.2 |
| | Independent | James Alan Richardson | 412 | 30.0 | New |
| | Independent | Gareth William Fairhurst | 353 | 25.7 | New |
| | Conservative | Paul Martin | 142 | 10.3 | 2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David John Burley | 38 | 2.8 | 1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,374 | 15.0 | 19.7 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |