# 1988 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 1988 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 1988 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: 14 were won by the Labour Party, 5 by the Conservative Party, and 1 by the Liberal Democrats. After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 39
* Conservative 16
* Liberal Democrats 5

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1988 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 14 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 49.7 | 40,411 | +8.6 |
| Conservative | 5 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 33.2 | 26,992 | -2.6 |
| SLD | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 13.9 | 11,315 | -8.4 |
| Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 3.2 | 2,648 | +2.3 |

## Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 38 | 16 | 6 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 39 | 16 | 5 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
LD – Liberal Democrats

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M Higham | 2,150 | 47.1 | −7.6 |
| | Labour | G Dennis | 2,002 | 43.8 | +14.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M Langdon | 417 | 9.1 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 3.2 | −21.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,569 | 43.0 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 10.9 | |

### Blackrod ward

Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E Johnson | 1,786 | 43.2 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | J Barrow | 1,427 | 34.6 | +0.2 |
| | Independent Labour | L Watkinson | 603 | 14.6 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C Kay | 314 | 7.6 | −10.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 8.7 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,130 | 49.0 | +2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 8.3 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W Hall | 2,056 | 51.0 | −4.5 |
| | Labour | E Collett | 1,318 | 32.7 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A Steele | 657 | 16.3 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 738 | 18.3 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,031 | 36.3 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Labour -7.0 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K MacIvor | 2,582 | 63.7 | +15.4 |
| | Conservative | P Jones | 1,144 | 28.2 | −7.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S Vickers | 327 | 8.1 | −7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,528 | 35.5 | +23.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,305 | 38.9 | −2.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour -11.5 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | N Critchley | 2,230 | 47.3 | −7.0 |
| | Independent | S Scotland | 1,249 | 26.5 | +26.5 |
| | Labour | P Entwistle | 940 | 19.9 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A Halliwell | 294 | 6.2 | −14.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 981 | 20.8 | −8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,713 | 45.2 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Burnden ward

Burnden ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D Eastwood | 2,156 | 62.1 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | E Holland | 1,022 | 29.4 | −3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L Easterman | 296 | 8.5 | −5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,134 | 32.6 | +13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,474 | 40.0 | −3.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 7.7 | |

### Central ward

Central ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R Howarth | 2,379 | 76.6 | +8.8 |
| | Conservative | M Kershaw | 517 | 16.7 | −3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S Howarth | 209 | 6.7 | −5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,862 | 60.0 | +12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,105 | 39.1 | −2.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 6.9 | |

### Daubhill ward

Daubhill ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T Anderton | 2,509 | 69.2 | +12.3 |
| | Conservative | F Hunter | 954 | 26.3 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R Ronson | 163 | 4.5 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,555 | 42.9 | +16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,626 | 41.1 | −3.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 9.2 | |

### Deane-cum-Heaton ward

Deane-cum-Heaton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F Rushton | 2,882 | 58.0 | −0.4 |
| | Labour | P Spencer | 1,552 | 31.2 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A Kay | 534 | 10.7 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,330 | 26.8 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,968 | 38.1 | −7.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Labour 9.4 | |

### Derby ward

Derby ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Foster | 2,882 | 78.7 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | W Ingham | 445 | 12.2 | −4.8 |
| | Independent Labour | S Graeme | 174 | 4.8 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | K Barnes | 159 | 4.3 | −5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,437 | 66.6 | +10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,660 | 39.4 | −4.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 5.9 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Wild | 2,320 | 76.1 | +11.0 |
| | Conservative | C Adams | 493 | 16.2 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L Sanderson | 236 | 7.7 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,826 | 59.9 | +15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,050 | 32.7 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 8.8 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E Hamer | 2,740 | 66.8 | +16.7 |
| | Conservative | R Pryce | 835 | 20.4 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D Eccles | 524 | 12.8 | −14.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,905 | 46.5 | +23.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,099 | 43.0 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 15.4 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Boardman | 2,346 | 69.8 | +10.5 |
| | Conservative | C Churchman | 736 | 21.9 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | G Willis | 279 | 8.3 | −11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,610 | 47.9 | +9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,361 | 32.5 | −8.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.8 | |

### Horwich ward

Horwich ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E Walker | 2,551 | 46.1 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | C Rigg | 1,916 | 29.6 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | P Houghton | 1,005 | 18.2 | −14.0 |
| | Independent Labour | M Perks | 340 | 6.1 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 913 | 16.5 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,534 | 48.5 | −4.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.6 | |

### Hulton Park ward

Hulton Park ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C Higson | 2,070 | 46.8 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | P Mather | 1,181 | 26.7 | −10.4 |
| | Labour | P Perry | 1,173 | 26.5 | +6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 889 | 20.1 | +14.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,424 | 37.3 | −11.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Labour -8.5 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Alker | 2,489 | 62.3 | +13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J Rothwell | 852 | 21.3 | −14.2 |
| | Conservative | N Houlcroft | 569 | 14.3 | −1.0 |
| | SDP | A Howcroft | 82 | 2.1 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,555 | 38.9 | +25.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,992 | 40.3 | −5.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 13.6 | |

### Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K Cunliffe | 1,994 | 46.9 | +9.3 |
| | Conservative | J Cosgrove | 1,840 | 43.2 | −7.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | W Crook | 330 | 7.8 | −6.4 |
| | SDP | M Taylor | 91 | 2.1 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 154 | 3.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,255 | 45.2 | −2.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour +7.8 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | R Hayes | 2,237 | 47.6 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | C Shaw | 1,623 | 34.5 | −4.2 |
| | Labour | E Boardman | 731 | 15.6 | +2.7 |
| | SDP | I Greenhalgh | 109 | 2.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 614 | 13.1 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,700 | 53.8 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | Con to Labour -2.4 | |

### Tonge ward

Tonge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A Brigg | 2,446 | 59.5 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | K Howarth | 1,460 | 35.5 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B Dunning | 206 | 5.0 | −8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 986 | 24.0 | +3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,112 | 46.4 | −0.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 7.0 | |

### Westhoughton ward

Westhoughton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L Thomas | 1,355 | 43.9 | +8.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D Wilkinson | 901 | 29.2 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | M Kramer | 830 | 26.9 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 454 | 14.7 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,086 | 39.6 | −10.6 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | LD to Labour 6.5 | |