# 1980 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 3 May 1980. The whole council was up for election, with boundary changes since the last election in 1979. The Labour Party gained control of the council from the Conservatives, who had previously been in control almost continuously since 1966. The overall number of councillors was reduced to 60 compared with 69 in 1979. The Labour Party made a net gain of 6 seats and the Conservatives a net loss of 15. Following this election, Cllr Robert Howarth of Central Ward was elected Leader of the council and was to remain Leader until 2004, one of the longest serving Council leaders in the UK.

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1980 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 39 | +6 | 65.0 | 48.9 | 41,394 | +2.5 |
| Conservative | 20 | -15 | 33.3 | 42.6 | 36,034 | -4.1 |
| Liberal | 1 | 0 | 1.7 | 7.0 | 5,941 | +0.2 |
| Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.4 | 1,179 | +1.4 |

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | D Shepherd | 2,745 | 23.5 |
| | Conservative | A Hibbert | 2,576 | 22.0 |
| | Conservative | D Johnston | 2,550 | 21.0 |
| | Labour | W Wheeler | 1,290 | 11.0 |
| | Labour | P McFadden | 1,206 | 10.3 |
| | Labour | M Woodock | 1,188 | 10.2 |
| | National Front | K Bernal | 133 | 1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,688 | |

### Blackrod ward

Blackrod ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | E Johnson | 2,104 | 18.4 |
| | Labour | J Clee | 1,973 | 17.3 |
| | Labour | J Monaghan | 1,965 | 17.2 |
| | Conservative | C Everin | 1,963 | 17.2 |
| | Conservative | G Jones | 1,725 | 15.1 |
| | Conservative | F Rushton | 1,691 | 14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,421 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | K Howarth | 2,674 | 22.0 |
| | Conservative | E Crook | 2,603 | 21.5 |
| | Conservative | B Furlong | 2,558 | 21.1 |
| | Labour | S Bryan | 1,502 | 12.4 |
| | Labour | G Platt | 1,425 | 11.7 |
| | Labour | P Howarth | 1,369 | 11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,131 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | K McIvor | 2,610 | 19.5 |
| | Labour | D Grime | 2,421 | 18.1 |
| | Labour | C Benjamin | 2,359 | 17.7 |
| | Conservative | A Chadbond | 2,156 | 16.1 |
| | Conservative | R Greenhalgh | 1,916 | 14.3 |
| | Conservative | D Jones | 1,898 | 14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,360 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | A Poulson | 2,512 | 20.2 |
| | Conservative | T Mulligan | 2,340 | 19.5 |
| | Conservative | B Hurst | 2,417 | 19.4 |
| | Labour | D Doxsey | 1,708 | 13.7 |
| | Labour | N Peacock | 1,701 | 13.7 |
| | Labour | R Watson | 1,681 | 13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,449 | |

### Burnden ward

Burnden ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | D Eastwood | 2,524 | 18.9 |
| | Labour | P Birch | 2,368 | 17.8 |
| | Labour | J Mason | 2,362 | 17.7 |
| | Conservative | M Drinkwater | 2,063 | 15.5 |
| | Conservative | L Hunton | 1,953 | 14.7 |
| | Conservative | R Haslam | 1,927 | 14.5 |
| | National Front | P Salveson | 127 | 1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,324 | |

### Central ward

Central ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | R Howarth | 2,657 | 26.0 |
| | Labour | D Clark | 2,652 | 25.9 |
| | Labour | B Iddon | 2,509 | 24.5 |
| | Independent Labour | G Hart | 934 | 9.1 |
| | Conservative | J Bailey | 738 | 7.2 |
| | Conservative | J Goudie | 731 | 7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,221 | |

### Daubhill ward

Daubhill ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | T Anderton | 2,886 | 20.6 |
| | Labour | M Donaghy | 2,856 | 20.4 |
| | Labour | G Harkin | 2,722 | 19.4 |
| | Conservative | R Carr | 1,835 | 13.1 |
| | Conservative | A Gledhill | 1,801 | 12.8 |
| | Conservative | J Walsh | 1,683 | 12.0 |
| | National Front | J Hamilton | 238 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,021 | |

### Deane cum Heaton ward

Deane cum Heaton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | D Berry | 4,016 | 23.8 |
| | Conservative | J Hanscomb | 3,962 | 23.4 |
| | Conservative | M Allanson | 3,918 | 23.2 |
| | Labour | C Morris | 1,701 | 10.1 |
| | Labour | J Jenkins | 1,665 | 9.9 |
| | Labour | J Walker | 1,635 | 9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,897 | |

### Derby ward

Derby ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J Foster | 3,344 | 32.3 |
| | Labour | K Peters | 3,154 | 30.5 |
| | Labour | G Riley | 3,058 | 29.6 |
| | Conservative | H Kolia | 546 | 5.3 |
| | Communist | A Johnson | 245 | 2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,347 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J Wild | 2,207 | 25.6 |
| | Labour | W Hardman | 2,204 | 25.6 |
| | Labour | P Johnston | 2,065 | 24.0 |
| | Conservative | A Waterson | 618 | 7.2 |
| | Conservative | B Coote | 610 | 7.1 |
| | Conservative | N Sever | 570 | 6.6 |
| | Liberal | L Bale | 337 | 3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,611 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | E Hamer | 2,011 | 16.9 |
| | Liberal | J Fish | 1,856 | 15.6 |
| | Labour | R Johnson | 1,775 | 14.9 |
| | Labour | J Knight | 1,768 | 14.8 |
| | Liberal | S Roberts | 1,227 | 10.3 |
| | Liberal | E Wood | 1,209 | 10.2 |
| | Conservative | W Hall | 1,052 | 8.8 |
| | Conservative | W Higham | 1,008 | 8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,906 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | D Butterfield | 2,814 | 23.1 |
| | Labour | M Atkinson | 2,806 | 23.1 |
| | Labour | L Williamson | 2,646 | 21.8 |
| | Conservative | A Royse | 1,262 | 10.4 |
| | Conservative | J Shore | 1,100 | 9.0 |
| | Conservative | E Holland | 1,065 | 8.8 |
| | Liberal | D Hinkley | 471 | 3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,164 | |

### Horwich ward

Horwich ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | A Oakley | 2,867 | 20.1 |
| | Labour | V Broom | 2,481 | 17.4 |
| | Labour | P Senior | 2,452 | 17.2 |
| | Conservative | R Parkinson | 2,202 | 15.5 |
| | Conservative | S Dawson | 2,193 | 15.4 |
| | Conservative | P Willett | 2,044 | 14.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,239 | |

### Hulton Park ward

Hulton Park ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | J Smith | 2,307 | 21.5 |
| | Conservative | G Smith | 2,260 | 21.1 |
| | Conservative | M Prince | 2,193 | 20.5 |
| | Labour | A Forrest | 1,352 | 12.6 |
| | Labour | P Start | 1,305 | 12.2 |
| | Labour | A Moon | 1,293 | 12.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,710 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | T Lewis | 3,010 | 25.3 |
| | Labour | W Robinson | 2,548 | 21.4 |
| | Labour | D Dingwall | 2,423 | 20.4 |
| | Liberal | J Rothwell | 1,528 | 12.8 |
| | Liberal | E Bell | 1,200 | 10.1 |
| | Conservative | J Tomlinson | 1,194 | 10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,903 | |

### Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | K Hornby | 2,057 | 17.3 |
| | Labour | J Marsh | 2,047 | 17.2 |
| | Conservative | A Lawton | 2,030 | 17.0 |
| | Labour | L Sanderson | 1,844 | 15.5 |
| | Conservative | A Longmire | 1,769 | 14.8 |
| | Labour | E Walker | 1,701 | 14.3 |
| | Liberal | W Crook | 469 | 3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,917 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | S Collier | 2,414 | 18.8 |
| | Conservative | M Howarth | 2,392 | 18.6 |
| | Conservative | D Priestley | 2,340 | 18.2 |
| | Liberal | F Fish | 1,085 | 8.5 |
| | Labour | G Lever | 1,011 | 7.9 |
| | Labour | E McCracken | 995 | 7.8 |
| | Labour | T Palframan | 987 | 7.7 |
| | Liberal | A Oakes | 815 | 6.3 |
| | Liberal | D Walmsley | 799 | 6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,838 | |

### Tonge ward

Tonge ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | A Brigg | 2,212 | 17.7 |
| | Labour | D Clare | 2,155 | 17.3 |
| | Labour | C Skull | 2,095 | 16.8 |
| | Conservative | S Harrison | 2,032 | 16.3 |
| | Conservative | K Knowles | 2,007 | 16.1 |
| | Conservative | J Rigby | 1,991 | 15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,492 | |

### Westhoughton ward

Westhoughton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | P Woodcock | 1,607 | 25.5 |
| | Labour | P Finch | 1,511 | 23.9 |
| | Labour | P Jones | 1,402 | 22.2 |
| | Liberal | D Wilkinson | 969 | 15.4 |
| | Conservative | T Riley | 823 | 13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,312 | |