# 1998 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election

The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council elections were held on Thursday, 7 May 1998, with one third of the council up for election. Since the previous election there had been a number of by-elections resulting in two Labour defenses and a Conservative gain in Heaton, due to be defended at this election. Labour retained control of the council.

## Election result

Bradford Local Election Result 1998 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 17 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 56.7 | 41.3 | 42,087 | -8.1% |
| Conservative | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 33.3 | 38.6 | 39,356 | +6.8% |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10.0 | 16.4 | 16,707 | +0.1% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 2.1 | 2,100 | +0.6% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1,429 | +1.4% |
| Socialist Alternative | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.3 | 321 | +0.0% |
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 | 70 | 65 |
| | Conservative | 14 | 18 |
| | Liberal Democrat | 6 | 7 |
| Total | Total | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 50 | 40 |

## Ward results

Baildon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Thornton | 2,166 | 49.3 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative | C. Charlesworth | 1,916 | 43.6 | +8.0 |
| | Labour | C. Rangzeb | 314 | 7.1 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 | 5.7 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,396 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | -6.0 | |
Bingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Gill | 2,046 | 48.1 | +5.4 |
| | Labour | I. Bowmaker | 1,794 | 42.2 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Walter | 288 | 6.8 | −2.5 |
| | Green | M. Thompson | 124 | 2.9 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 252 | 5.9 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,252 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.6 | |
Bingley Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Eaton | 2,631 | 62.1 | +15.7 |
| | Labour | L. Cooper | 1,310 | 30.9 | −10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. Svensgaard | 295 | 7.0 | −5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,321 | 31.2 | +26.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,236 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +13.0 | |
Bolton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Hillary | 1,822 | 56.1 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | R. Goulden | 872 | 26.9 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | H. Lycett | 553 | 17.0 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 950 | 29.3 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,247 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
Bowling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Ellison | 1,639 | 59.6 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | G. Johnson | 702 | 25.5 | +14.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Harrington | 407 | 14.8 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 937 | 34.1 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,748 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.8 | |
Bradford Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Yaqoob | 1,625 | 50.9 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | M. Qureshi | 1,218 | 38.2 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Mangeolles | 349 | 10.9 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 407 | 12.7 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,192 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
Clayton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Mitchell | 1,341 | 44.4 | −6.8 |
| | Conservative | E. Byrom | 1,305 | 43.2 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | H. Tooby | 372 | 12.3 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 36 | 1.2 | −11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,018 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.9 | |
Craven :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Dawson | 1,766 | 50.9 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | F. Harrison | 1,158 | 33.4 | −5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. de Franca Hedges | 358 | 10.3 | −3.5 |
| | Independent | F. Hirlam | 188 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 608 | 17.5 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,470 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.8 | |
Eccleshill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Lancaster | 1,006 | 41.1 | −11.9 |
| | Conservative | J. Ryder | 771 | 31.5 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. Attenborough | 612 | 25.0 | +9.6 |
| | Independent | T. Craig | 57 | 2.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 9.6 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,446 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.0 | |
Great Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Collard | 1,649 | 53.5 | −6.7 |
| | Conservative | M. Crabtree | 1,048 | 34.0 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. Wright | 387 | 12.5 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 601 | 19.5 | −13.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,084 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.9 | |
Heaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. King | 2,224 | 49.6 | +7.5 |
| | Labour | S. Barnbrook | 1,821 | 40.6 | −4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Griffiths | 259 | 5.8 | −2.3 |
| | Green | P. Braham | 179 | 4.0 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 403 | 9.0 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,483 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.0 | |
Idle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Sunderland | 2,029 | 57.1 | +4.3 |
| | Labour | J. Holliday | 865 | 24.3 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative | J. Spencer | 662 | 18.6 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,164 | 32.7 | +11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,556 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -5.7 | |
Ilkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Hawkesworth | 2,582 | 65.5 | +14.0 |
| | Labour | P. Cheney | 895 | 22.7 | −9.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Harris | 462 | 11.7 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,687 | 42.8 | +23.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,939 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.7 | |
Keighley North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Leathley | 1,961 | 50.3 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | G. Yates | 1,508 | 38.7 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | E. Hallmann | 427 | 11.0 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 453 | 11.6 | −10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,896 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.2 | |
Keighley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Prestage | 1,739 | 68.4 | −7.1 |
| | Conservative | M. Startin | 507 | 19.9 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | I. Inness | 296 | 11.6 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,232 | 48.5 | −12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,542 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.2 | |
Keighley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | I. Ellison-Wood | 1,535 | 46.1 | −15.4 |
| | Conservative | W. Redman | 991 | 29.8 | +2.8 |
| | Independent | B. Hudson | 483 | 14.5 | +14.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. Brown | 319 | 9.6 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 544 | 16.3 | −18.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,328 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.1 | |
Little Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Darr | 1,062 | 41.7 | −24.1 |
| | Conservative | I. Khan | 1,035 | 40.6 | +24.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Massen | 232 | 9.1 | −3.6 |
| | Green | K. Spencer | 110 | 4.3 | +4.3 |
| | Socialist Alternative | K. Wilson | 108 | 4.2 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27 | 1.1 | −48.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,547 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -24.3 | |
Odsal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Dewdney | 1,708 | 56.5 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative | R. Sheard | 889 | 29.4 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B. Boulton | 428 | 14.1 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 819 | 27.1 | −5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,025 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.9 | |
Queensbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Mason | 1,486 | 44.8 | −10.4 |
| | Conservative | A. Smith | 1,435 | 43.3 | +11.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Allen | 394 | 11.9 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 51 | 1.5 | −21.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,315 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.8 | |
Rombalds :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Greaves | 2,267 | 49.0 | −1.8 |
| | Labour | A. Atkins | 1,338 | 28.9 | −4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Eccles | 1,021 | 22.1 | +5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 929 | 20.1 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,626 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 | |
Shipley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Miller | 1,534 | 58.5 | −5.2 |
| | Conservative | D. Herdson | 517 | 19.7 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Hall | 460 | 17.5 | +3.4 |
| | Green | M. Love | 112 | 4.3 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,017 | 38.8 | −6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,623 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.1 | |
Shipley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Carroll | 1,766 | 37.3 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | L. Joyce | 1,683 | 35.5 | −8.0 |
| | Green | D. Ford | 1,000 | 21.1 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Main | 286 | 6.0 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 1.7 | −5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,735 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -4.5 | |
Thornton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Richardson | 1,341 | 47.7 | +12.9 |
| | Labour | A. Pitts | 839 | 29.9 | −17.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | H. Wright | 527 | 18.8 | +4.4 |
| | Green | M. Rawnsley | 102 | 3.6 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 502 | 17.9 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,809 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +15.0 | |
Toller :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Q. Khan | 2,398 | 49.2 | +9.6 |
| | Labour | A. Hussain | 1,923 | 39.4 | −12.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L. Howard | 429 | 8.8 | +3.7 |
| | Green | N. Taimuri | 128 | 2.6 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 475 | 9.7 | −2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,878 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +11.2 | |
Tong :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Ruding | 1,077 | 66.6 | −7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Cruden | 321 | 19.9 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative | D. Servant | 218 | 13.5 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 756 | 46.8 | −12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,616 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -8.6 | |
Undercliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Sowman | 1,436 | 51.6 | −11.6 |
| | Conservative | M. Looby | 873 | 31.3 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. Middleton | 476 | 17.1 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 563 | 20.2 | −20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,785 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.2 | |
University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | I. Khan | 2,497 | 59.6 | −12.7 |
| | Conservative | V. Binney | 935 | 22.3 | +9.3 |
| | Green | J. Robinson | 345 | 8.2 | +2.4 |
| | Socialist Alternative | S. Shah | 213 | 5.1 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Wilson-Fletcher | 200 | 4.8 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,562 | 37.3 | −22.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,190 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -11.0 | |
Wibsey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K. Thomson | 1,649 | 56.5 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | D. Manogue | 917 | 31.4 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S. Devonshire | 351 | 12.0 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 732 | 25.1 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,917 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.0 | |
Worth Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K. Hopkins | 1,510 | 41.3 | +11.3 |
| | Labour | L. Woodward | 1,164 | 31.8 | −11.8 |
| | Independent | D. Samuels | 701 | 19.2 | +19.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | P. Kierman | 282 | 7.7 | −18.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 346 | 9.5 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,657 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +11.5 | |
Wyke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Mangham | 1,167 | 47.7 | −10.2 |
| | Conservative | R. Reynolds | 825 | 33.8 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | K. Hall | 452 | 18.5 | +4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 14.0 | −15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,444 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.8 | |

## By-elections between 1998 and 1999

Little Horton By-Election 18 March 1999 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sher Khan | 1,227 | 60.2 | +18.5 |
| | Conservative | | 538 | 26.4 | −14.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 272 | 13.4 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 689 | 33.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,037 | 17.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +16.3 | |