# 1996 Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Trafford Council were held on 2 May 1996. One-third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 2000. The Labour Party gained overall control of the council, from no overall control.

## Election result

| Party | Votes | Votes | Seats | Seats | Seats | Full Council | Full Council |
| Labour Party | 28,366 (43.9%) | 2.5 | 10 (47.6%) | 10 / 21 | 6 | 35 (55.6%) | 35 / 63 |
| Conservative Party | 26,390 (40.8%) | 2.2 | 10 (47.6%) | 10 / 21 | 6 | 23 (36.5%) | 23 / 63 |
| Liberal Democrats | 9,344 (14.5%) | 1.1 | 1 (4.8%) | 1 / 21 | | 5 (7.9%) | 5 / 63 |
| Independent | 550 (0.9%) | 0.7 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 21 | | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 63 |
| 35 | 5 | 23 |

## Ward results
### Altrincham

Altrincham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | S. M. O'Bierne* | 1,676 | 49.3 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | S. D. McNee | 1,399 | 41.2 | −7.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. B. Weightman | 322 | 9.5 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 277 | 8.2 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,397 | 38.2 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bowdon

Bowdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Merrell* | 2,150 | 61.3 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | M. A. Busteed | 692 | 19.8 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. M. Elliott | 668 | 19.0 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,458 | 41.5 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,510 | 38.2 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Broadheath

Broadheath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K. Bullock* | 1,767 | 47.2 | +9.5 |
| | Labour | H. K. Western | 1,660 | 44.4 | −9.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | P. A. Stubbs | 314 | 8.4 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 107 | 2.9 | −13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,741 | 43.7 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Brooklands

Brooklands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. J. J. Lynch | 1,626 | 49.0 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | J. A. Lloyd | 1,190 | 35.8 | +8.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | K. Clarke | 505 | 15.2 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 436 | 13.1 | −9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,321 | 42.1 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bucklow

Bucklow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Faulkner* | 1,394 | 82.6 | +5.3 |
| | Independent | F. Holland | 149 | 8.8 | −13.9 |
| | Conservative | H. L. Wilde | 145 | 8.6 | +8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 993 | 58.8 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,688 | 27.5 | −5.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Clifford

Clifford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. A. Dunnico | 1,367 | 64.8 | −15.9 |
| | Independent | M. Ali | 374 | 17.7 | +17.7 |
| | Conservative | A. J. McDonald | 370 | 17.5 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 993 | 47.0 | −14.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,111 | 29.2 | −3.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Davyhulme East

Davyhulme East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F. H. Eadie* | 1,643 | 57.6 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | S. Hesford | 1,211 | 42.4 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 432 | 15.1 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,854 | 41.8 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Davyhulme West

Davyhulme West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. K. Ackerley* | 1,697 | 50.2 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | F. Mottley | 1,686 | 49.8 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 0.3 | −7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,383 | 43.0 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Flixton

Flixton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. V. Ward* | 1,534 | 42.5 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | M. G. H. Barker | 1,506 | 41.7 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A. Vernon | 571 | 15.8 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 0.8 | −3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,611 | 46.2 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Hale

Hale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B. L. Hepburn | 2,119 | 59.7 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. S. Fink | 960 | 27.0 | −8.9 |
| | Labour | R. E. Lucas | 473 | 13.3 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,159 | 32.6 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,552 | 42.1 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Longford

Longford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. S. Faltermeyer | 1,544 | 59.1 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative | K. G. Summerfield* | 1,068 | 40.9 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 476 | 18.2 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,612 | 35.4 | −3.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Mersey-St. Mary's

Mersey St. Marys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Tolhurst* | 1,878 | 50.1 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | A. Guttridge | 1,318 | 35.1 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. J. Thompson | 554 | 14.8 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 560 | 14.9 | +3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,750 | 38.3 | −5.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Park

Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Williams* | 1,307 | 66.8 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | E. J. Kelson | 650 | 33.2 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 657 | 33.6 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,957 | 32.4 | −4.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Priory

Priory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. O. Griffin | 1,540 | 43.6 | +3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. M. Browne | 1,171 | 33.1 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | L. M. L. Burton | 822 | 23.3 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 369 | 10.4 | +3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,533 | 45.8 | −2.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Sale Moor

Sale Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. F. Busteed | 1,499 | 48.7 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | D. R. Baldwin* | 1,169 | 38.0 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M. E. Clarke | 410 | 13.3 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 330 | 10.7 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,078 | 40.3 | −3.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### St. Martin's

St. Martins :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K. C. Harper | 1,915 | 62.3 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | M. O. Joyce | 922 | 30.0 | −5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D. J. Kelly | 235 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 993 | 32.3 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,072 | 35.2 | −4.0 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Stretford

Stretford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Dolan | 1,899 | 62.3 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative | H. Walker* | 1,151 | 37.7 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 748 | 24.5 | −7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,050 | 40.1 | −2.8 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Talbot

Talbot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Bates* | 1,312 | 76.3 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | C. J. Levenston | 381 | 22.2 | +2.0 |
| | Independent | K. J. Martin | 27 | 1.6 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 931 | 54.1 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,720 | 28.0 | −5.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Timperley

Timperley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. K. Davies* | 1,453 | 41.0 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C. Smith | 1,257 | 35.4 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | A. P. Roberts | 836 | 23.6 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 5.5 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,546 | 40.8 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Urmston

Urmston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Clarke | 1,961 | 61.9 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | A. Smith | 1,208 | 38.1 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 753 | 23.8 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,169 | 43.1 | −4.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Village

Village :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | R. Bowker* | 2,377 | 59.5 | +11.7 |
| | Conservative | H. Scholar | 961 | 24.1 | −7.2 |
| | Labour | S. N. Humby | 657 | 16.4 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,416 | 35.4 | +19.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,995 | 42.5 | 0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 1996 and 1998

Talbot By-Election 18 September 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. A. Beaumont | 935 | 81.8 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | M. Ali | 144 | 12.6 | −9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | F. C. Beswick | 64 | 5.6 | +5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 791 | 69.2 | +15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,143 | 17.9 | −10.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |