# 1980 Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Trafford Council were held on Thursday, 1 May 1980. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 1984. Boundary changes were implemented for these elections, however, these changes were not sufficient for the whole council to be re-elected. The Conservative Party retained overall control of the council.

## Election result

| Party | Votes | Votes | Seats | Seats | Seats | Full Council | Full Council |
| Conservative Party | 32,328 (41.9%) | 3.5 | 9 (40.9%) | 9 / 22 | 8 | 39 (61.9%) | 39 / 63 |
| Labour Party | 31,203 (40.4%) | 9.5 | 11 (50.0%) | 11 / 22 | 6 | 20 (31.7%) | 20 / 63 |
| Liberal Party | 13,675 (17.7%) | 6.0 | 2 (9.1%) | 2 / 22 | 2 | 4 (6.3%) | 4 / 63 |
| Communist Party | 40 (0.0%) | 0.0 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 22 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 0 / 63 |
| 20 | 4 | 39 |

## Ward results
### Altrincham

Altrincham (2 vacancies) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Finch | 1,472 | 47.9 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | Catherine Gordon* | 1,323 | 43.1 | −10.1 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Mountain | 1,156 | 37.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Gordon Scott | 1,102 | 35.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Mary Booth | 593 | 19.3 | −27.5 |
| | Liberal | Hilary Hughes | 490 | 16.0 | −30.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 167 | 5.4 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,070 | 39.8 | −29.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bowdon

Bowdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barbara Sutton Hall* | 2,473 | 60.5 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | Richard Slack | 1,022 | 25.0 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Arthur Johnson | 592 | 14.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,451 | 35.5 | −7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,087 | 46.9 | −30.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Broadheath

Broadheath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Dolan | 1,470 | 44.1 | +13.8 |
| | Conservative | Ken Davies | 1,363 | 40.9 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal | Bernard Gaylard | 499 | 15.0 | −9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 107 | 3.2 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,332 | 42.0 | −35.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Brooklands

Brooklands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. B. Ludlam* | 2,107 | 52.5 | −11.3 |
| | Liberal | Colin Bearfield | 1,401 | 34.9 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | J. Shaw | 507 | 12.6 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 706 | 17.6 | +3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,015 | 50.2 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bucklow

Bucklow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Paul* | 2,067 | 80.4 | +18.7 |
| | Conservative | I. S. Balcombe | 334 | 13.0 | −25.3 |
| | Liberal | B. Wilson | 169 | 6.6 | +6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,733 | 67.4 | +44.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,570 | 36.4 | −33.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Clifford

Clifford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tony Lloyd | 2,241 | 66.7 | +15.3 |
| | Conservative | J. T. Lamb | 1,119 | 33.3 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,122 | 33.4 | +30.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,360 | 43.2 | −16.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Davyhulme East

Davyhulme East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frank Eadie* | 1,408 | 43.6 | −7.1 |
| | Labour | Laura Seex | 1,311 | 40.6 | +7.9 |
| | Liberal | T. M. Owen | 512 | 15.8 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 3.0 | −15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,231 | 42.4 | −37.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Davyhulme West

Davyhulme West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Stringer | 1,411 | 38.7 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | David Harding* | 1,378 | 37.8 | +37.8 |
| | Liberal | L. O'Rourke | 856 | 23.5 | −37.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | 0.9 | −20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,645 | 44.5 | −30.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Flixton

Flixton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neil Fitzpatrick* | 1,403 | 38.2 | −15.1 |
| | Labour | J. D. Brown | 1,245 | 33.9 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal | David Earl | 1,183 | 32.2 | +15.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 158 | 4.3 | −18.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,673 | 48.8 | −32.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Hale

Hale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roy Godwin* | 2,596 | 69.2 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal | Constance Ball | 852 | 22.7 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Raymond Tully | 305 | 8.1 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,744 | 46.5 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,753 | 43.4 | −35.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Longford

Longford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maureen Cottam* | 2,252 | 62.7 | +21.6 |
| | Conservative | John Schofield | 1,341 | 37.3 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 911 | 25.4 | +22.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,593 | 46.9 | −25.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Mersey-St. Mary's

Mersey St. Marys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ivor Hurst* | 2,306 | 51.9 | −2.5 |
| | Liberal | E. Critchlow | 1,188 | 26.7 | −2.2 |
| | Labour | H. Pollard | 951 | 21.4 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,118 | 25.2 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,445 | 46.6 | −32.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Park

Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Herbert Pyper* | 1,981 | 65.0 | +13.3 |
| | Conservative | W. P. Coates | 1,027 | 33.7 | −5.3 |
| | Communist | E. H. Hook | 40 | 1.3 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 954 | 31.3 | +18.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,048 | 42.9 | −32.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Priory

Priory :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Golding | 1,459 | 42.4 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | John Sutton* | 1,218 | 35.4 | −3.6 |
| | Labour | R. J. Ellis | 762 | 22.2 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 241 | 7.0 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,439 | 43.1 | −32.2 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Sale Moor

Sale Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barry Brotherton | 1,780 | 50.9 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | R. Maley | 1,072 | 30.6 | −8.1 |
| | Liberal | A. C. Halliday | 647 | 18.5 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 708 | 20.2 | +12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,499 | 44.4 | −30.8 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### St. Martin's

St Martins :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Hadley | 2,286 | 60.5 | +31.7 |
| | Conservative | T. Almond* | 1,493 | 39.5 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 793 | 21.0 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,779 | 41.7 | −33.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Stretford

Stretford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Reid | 1,952 | 54.6 | +19.7 |
| | Conservative | Colin Warbrick* | 1,623 | 45.4 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 329 | 9.2 | −9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,575 | 43.3 | −34.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Talbot

Talbot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Daniel Sullivan* | 2,192 | 74.4 | +17.9 |
| | Conservative | Benita Dirikis | 754 | 25.6 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,438 | 48.8 | +27.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,946 | 39.1 | −29.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Timperley

Timperley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roy Hall* | 1,590 | 43.7 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal | Michael Farnsworth | 1,309 | 36.0 | −13.4 |
| | Labour | E. Axon | 739 | 20.3 | +20.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 281 | 7.7 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,638 | 41.2 | −35.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Urmston

Urmston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Horner | 1,686 | 52.2 | +25.1 |
| | Conservative | Ruth Royle-Higginson* | 1,546 | 47.8 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 | 4.3 | −19.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,232 | 42.2 | −35.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Village

Village :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Raymond Bowker | 1,495 | 36.5 | +16.4 |
| | Conservative | Audrey Weedall* | 1,382 | 33.8 | −14.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Short | 1,215 | 29.7 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 2.8 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,092 | 50.2 | +15.5 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 1980 and 1982

Davyhulme West By-Election 11 June 1981 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Laura Seex | 1,417 | 43.3 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | David Harding | 1,242 | 37.9 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal | J. A. Cottrell | 617 | 18.8 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 175 | 5.3 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,276 | 39.7 | −4.8 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
Flixton By-Election 9 July 1981 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Earl | 1,400 | 40.1 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | P. Schofield | 1,199 | 34.3 | −2.3 |
| | Labour | Raymond Tully | 895 | 25.6 | −6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 201 | 5.8 | −1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,494 | 44.4 | −4.4 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Village By-Election 18 March 1982 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Slack | 1,338 | 38.6 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | David Merrell | 1,138 | 32.9 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Crewe | 988 | 28.5 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 200 | 5.8 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,464 | 41.2 | −9.0 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |