# 1978 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council were held on in May 1978. The Conservatives retained control of the council.
23 seats were contested, with 11 being won by the Conservative Party and 12 by the Labour Party.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Conservative 45
* Labour 23
* Liberal Party 1

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1978 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 11 | 1 | 2 | -1 | {{{seats %}}} | 50.9 | 36,495 | -7.0 |
| Labour | 12 | 4 | 1 | +3 | {{{seats %}}} | 42.1 | 30,185 | +5.1 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | {{{seats %}}} | 4.7 | 3,401 | +0.8 |
| Other parties | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | {{{seats %}}} | 2.2 | 1,608 | +1.1 |

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Shepherd | 2,685 | 74.0 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | L Hesketh | 794 | 21.9 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal | M Powell | 147 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,891 | 52.1 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,626 | 37.4 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Lib 3.8 | |

### Bradshaw North and South ward

Bradshaw North and South ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B Furlong | 1,662 | 80.0 | −5.7 |
| | Labour | L Sanderson | 416 | 20.0 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,246 | 60.0 | −11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,078 | 31.0 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 5.7 | |

### Bradford ward

Bradford ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Foster | 1,451 | 86.0 | +17.5 |
| | Conservative | N Patel | 165 | 9.8 | −18.5 |
| | Socialist (GB) | E Murphy | 71 | 4.2 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,286 | 76.2 | +36.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,687 | 41.0 | +3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 18.0 | |

### Bromley Cross, Eagley and Egerton ward

Bromley Cross, Eagley and Egerton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Carr | 2,567 | 80.0 | −1.9 |
| | Labour | E McCracken | 642 | 20.0 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,925 | 60.0 | −3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,209 | 37.1 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 1.9 | |

### Church East and North ward

Church East and North ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brian Iddon | 1,461 | 63.8 | +37.1 |
| | Conservative | F Yardley | 774 | 33.8 | −7.3 |
| | National Front | D Ashurst | 56 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 687 | 30.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,291 | 45.0 | −3.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | Con to Labour 22.2 | |

### Darcy Lever cum Breightmet ward

Darcy Lever cum Breightmet ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D Dingwall | 2,585 | 50.6 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | J Whittingham | 2,439 | 47.8 | −7.7 |
| | Socialist (GB) | N Duffield | 83 | 1.6 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 146 | 2.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,107 | 37.5 | −1.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 6.9 | |

### Deane cum Lostock ward

Deane cum Lostock ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Berry | 2,069 | 71.8 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | A Moon | 584 | 20.3 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal | S Roberts | 150 | 5.2 | +5.2 |
| | National Front | L Bromilow | 77 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,485 | 51.6 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,880 | 38.8 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Lib 5.5 | |

### Derby ward

Derby ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G Riley | 1,622 | 74.1 | +10.3 |
| | Conservative | B Lomax | 504 | 23.0 | −13.2 |
| | Communist | Alan Johnson | 63 | 2.9 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,118 | 51.1 | +23.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,189 | 37.0 | +6.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 11.7 | |

### Farnworth North ward

Farnworth North ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L Cunliffe | 1,500 | 52.5 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | D Jones | 1,118 | 39.1 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal | W Crook | 238 | 8.3 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 382 | 13.4 | +6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,856 | 31.4 | −0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Lib to Labour 3.8 | |

### Farnworth South ward

Farnworth South ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Wild | 1,540 | 60.3 | +5.0 |
| | Conservative | E Holland | 775 | 30.4 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal | L Bale | 237 | 9.3 | −14.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 765 | 30.0 | −1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,552 | 27.5 | +2.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Lib to Con 11.8 | |

### Great Lever ward

Great Lever ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M Atkinson | 1,842 | 51.0 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | J Shore | 1,772 | 49.0 | −11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 | 2.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,614 | 34.6 | −1.4 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | Con to Labour 11.3 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E Hamer | 1,363 | 37.1 | −7.3 |
| | Conservative | B Holland | 1,299 | 35.4 | −20.2 |
| | Liberal | J Fish | 941 | 25.6 | +25.6 |
| | National Front | J Bridge | 71 | 1.9 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 1.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,674 | 41.0 | +9.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Lib 22.9 | |

### Heaton ward

Heaton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B Allanson | 1,909 | 87.6 | −2.8 |
| | Labour | L Williamson | 271 | 12.4 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,638 | 75.2 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,180 | 46.0 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 2.8 | |

### Horwich North, Central and East ward

Horwich North, Central and East ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R Parkinson | 2,184 | 52.8 | −0.1 |
| | Labour | A Oakley | 1,951 | 47.2 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 233 | 5.6 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,135 | 38.9 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Con to Labour 0.1 | |

### Horwich South and Blackrod ward

Horwich South and Blackrod ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M Butterfield | 1,063 | 37.9 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | T Mulligan | 950 | 33.9 | −27.7 |
| | Independent | L Fearnhead | 791 | 28.2 | +28.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 4.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,804 | 42.9 | −5.1 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | Con to Ind 27.9 | |

### Hulton and Rumworth ward

Hulton and Rumworth ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J Parkinson | 1,961 | 50.9 | −4.2 |
| | Labour | J Farmer | 1,719 | 44.6 | +8.6 |
| | National Front | J Walsh | 176 | 4.6 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 242 | 6.3 | −12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,856 | 39.1 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 6.4 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R Cornthwaite | 1,597 | 43.0 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal | J Rothwell | 1,273 | 34.3 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative | A Longmire | 843 | 22.7 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 324 | 8.7 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,713 | 43.3 | +0.7 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | Lib to Labour 2.9 | |

### Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K Hornby | 1,976 | 62.9 | +22.4 |
| | Labour | E Blackwell | 973 | 31.0 | −6.6 |
| | Liberal | R Richardson | 192 | 6.1 | −15.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,003 | 31.9 | +29.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,141 | 39.3 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Lib to Con 19.1 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Priestley | 2,510 | 71.2 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | G Hart | 794 | 22.5 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal | F Fish | 223 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,716 | 48.7 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,527 | 33.1 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Lib 4.8 | |

### Tonge ward

Tonge ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | S Harrison | 2,567 | 54.6 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | K McIvor | 1,970 | 41.9 | −1.1 |
| | National Front | J Hamilton | 162 | 3.4 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 597 | 12.7 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,699 | 41.7 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to NF 2.9 | |

### West ward

West ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R Howarth | 1,710 | 63.8 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative | M Kershaw | 913 | 34.1 | −11.1 |
| | Socialist (GB) | I Heyes | 58 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 797 | 29.7 | +20.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,681 | 34.3 | +2.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 10.0 | |

### Westhoughton East and Hulton ward

Westhoughton East and Hulton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G Smith | 1,753 | 72.3 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | P Jones | 670 | 27.7 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,083 | 44.6 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,423 | 37.8 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 2.6 | |

### Westhoughton North, Central and South ward

Westhoughton North, Central and South ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W Kettle | 1,667 | 60.2 | +13.0 |
| | Conservative | A Prince | 1,100 | 39.8 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 567 | 20.4 | +15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,767 | 37.4 | −2.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Lab 7.6 | |