# 1998 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 1998 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 7 May 1998 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, with 15 being held by Labour, 3 by the Liberal Democrats and 2 by the Conservatives. The 3 main parties contested all of the 20 seats, with 3 Socialist Labour Party and 4 other candidates standing.
The election saw the lowest turnout in at least 30 years at 23.5%, a significant drop from the 36.8% turnout in the 1996 election. Farnworth ward saw the lowest turnout at 15%, while the highest was 32.6% in Astley Bridge. The Conservatives gained 2 seats in the election to become the main opposition party on the council again. They gained Astley Bridge and Bradshaw wards from Labour, having defeated the Labour candidate in Bradshaw by 2 votes after 5 recounts. However Labour held on in Kearsley by 8 votes and won Westhoughton from the Liberal Democrats to remain firmly in control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 47
* Conservative 8
* Liberal Democrat 5

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1998 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 14 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 70.0 | 47.2 | 23,549 | -6.9 |
| Conservative | 4 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 20.0 | 30.3 | 15,127 | +5.3 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 10.0 | 19.5 | 9,715 | -0.1 |
| Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 10.0 | 3.0 | 1,503 | +3.0 |

## Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 48 | 6 | 6 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 47 | 8 | 5 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
LD - Liberal Democrats

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J Walsh | 1,742 | 49.0 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | S Hynes | 1,576 | 42.9 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | P Howarth | 285 | 8.0 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 216 | 6.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,553 | 32.6 | −6.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to Con 3.7 | |

### Blackrod ward

Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Monaghan | 987 | 38.7 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | R Barrow | 743 | 29.1 | +6.7 |
| | Independent Labour | L Watkinson | 553 | 21.7 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D Watts | 267 | 10.5 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 434 | 17.0 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,550 | 25.1 | −12.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 5.5 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A Osborn | 1,242 | 44.2 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | L Byrne | 1,240 | 44.1 | −4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M Eidlow | 327 | 11.6 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,809 | 25.8 | −8.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to Con 3.9 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M Murray | 1,155 | 59.7 | −12.9 |
| | Conservative | P Brierley | 565 | 29.2 | +12.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | E Hill | 214 | 11.1 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 590 | 30.5 | −25.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,934 | 19.2 | −9.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 12.7 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Carr | 2,028 | 60.4 | +11.9 |
| | Labour | E Sherrington | 1,041 | 31.0 | −10.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | C Atty | 287 | 8.6 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 987 | 29.4 | −22.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,356 | 31.0 | −9.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 11.3 | |

### Burnden ward

Burnden ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Howarth | 1,223 | 66.3 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | S Jackson | 359 | 19.4 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D Connor | 264 | 14.3 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 864 | 46.8 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,846 | 19.3 | −9.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 3.7 | |

### Central ward

Central ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Noble | 1,355 | 68.6 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative | L Beresford | 411 | 20.8 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | K Watts | 127 | 6.4 | +0.9 |
| | Independent | R Allen | 81 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 944 | 47.8 | −12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,974 | 25.1 | −8.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Ind 6.5 | |

### Daubhill ward

Daubhill ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G Harkin | 1,055 | 63.2 | −13.7 |
| | Conservative | F Taylor | 368 | 22.1 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L Greensitt | 181 | 10.9 | +2.3 |
| | Socialist Labour | D Kelly | 64 | 3.8 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 687 | 41.2 | −21.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,668 | 18.9 | −11.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 10.6 | |

### Deane-cum-Heaton ward

Deane-cum-Heaton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C Shaw | 2,184 | 57.2 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | J Lavin | 1,186 | 31.1 | −7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L Greenhalgh | 446 | 11.7 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 998 | 26.8 | +16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,716 | 28.8 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 7.9 | |

### Derby ward

Derby ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G Riley | 1,765 | 78.7 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | R Wood | 307 | 13.7 | +3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | L Bale | 172 | 7.7 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1458 | 65.0 | −13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,244 | 24.3 | −11.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 4.2 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Johnston | 903 | 63.5 | −18.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M Rothwell | 197 | 13.8 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | P Bonomy | 180 | 12.6 | +3.5 |
| | Socialist Labour | W Kelly | 143 | 10.0 | +10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 706 | 49.6 | −23.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,423 | 15.2 | −9.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Soc Lab 14.2 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M Kilcoyne | 1,353 | 63.7 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative | J Evans | 414 | 19.5 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S Howarth | 356 | 16.8 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 939 | 44.2 | −2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,123 | 22.7 | −7.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 4.6 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L Williamson | 1,012 | 63.9 | −14.8 |
| | Conservative | S Kesler | 266 | 16.8 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | W Connor | 154 | 9.7 | +1.0 |
| | Socialist Labour | W Kelly | 152 | 9.6 | +9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 746 | 47.1 | −19.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,584 | 15.5 | −7.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Soc Lab 12.2 | |

### Horwich ward

Horwich ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | R Ronson | 1,963 | 55.0 | −3.4 |
| | Labour | S Pasquill | 1,005 | 28.2 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | I Cooper | 598 | 16.8 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 958 | 26.9 | −8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,566 | 31.0 | −12.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | LD to Labour 4.4 | |

### Hulton Park ward

Hulton Park ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E Hyland | 2,156 | 48.4 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | M Perks | 1,363 | 30.6 | −4.7 |
| | Ind. Conservative | C Higson | 511 | 11.5 | +11.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D Gradwell | 421 | 9.5 | −13.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 793 | 17.8 | +11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,451 | 24.1 | −9.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Ind Con 12.4 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Spencer | 1,023 | 45.9 | −15.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J Rothwell | 1,015 | 45.5 | +13.6 |
| | Conservative | J Tyler | 193 | 8.7 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 3.6 | −26.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,231 | 21.7 | −8.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to LD 14.7 | |

### Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A Connell | 1,498 | 58.2 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | D Bailey | 855 | 33.2 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | W Crook | 220 | 8.6 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 643 | 25.0 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,573 | 27.5 | −9.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to LD 2.8 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | R Hayes | 1,676 | 61.5 | +5.4 |
| | Labour | M Ord | 567 | 20.8 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | D Bagnall | 483 | 17.7 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,109 | 40.7 | +8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,726 | 32.1 | −11.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | Labour to LD 4.2 | |

### Tonge ward

Tonge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F White | 1,499 | 66.7 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | S Lever | 567 | 25.2 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M Whittaker | 182 | 8.1 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 932 | 41.4 | −9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,248 | 28.3 | −5.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Con 4.5 | |

### Westhoughton ward

Westhoughton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D Chadwick | 924 | 44.3 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D Wilkinson | 905 | 43.3 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | S Wallen | 259 | 12.4 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19 | 0.9 | −5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,088 | 23.6 | −13.2 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | Labour to Con 3.4 | |