# 1986 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election

The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council elections were held on Thursday, 8 May 1986, with one third of the council and a vacancy in Odsal to be elected. The elections resulted in Labour gaining control of the council.

## Election result

Bradford Local Election Result 1986 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 22 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 71.0 | 44.6 | 64,440 | -0.3% |
| Conservative | 9 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 29.0 | 34.9 | 50,350 | -3.7% |
| Alliance | 0 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0.0 | 19.9 | 28,741 | +3.5% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 324 | +0.2% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 240 | +0.2% |
| Revolutionary Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 158 | +0.1% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 139 | +0.1% |
This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 40 | 51 |
| | Conservatives | 44 | 37 |
| | Alliance | 6 | 2 |
| Total | Total | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Working majority | Working majority | -10 | 12 |

## Ward results

Baildon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Charlesworth | 3,014 | 48.9 | +11.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | K. Greenwood | 1,876 | 30.4 | −18.6 |
| | Labour | R. Baxter | 1,092 | 17.7 | +4.2 |
| | Green | C. Harris | 185 | 3.0 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,138 | 18.4 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,167 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Alliance | Conservative gain from Alliance | Swing | +15.0 | |
Bingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Nunn | 2,255 | 44.5 | −4.4 |
| | Labour | Y. Tough | 1,805 | 35.6 | +5.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | S. Whitehead | 1,005 | 19.8 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 450 | 8.9 | −10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,065 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.0 | |
Bingley Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Eaton | 2,673 | 51.7 | −5.2 |
| | Labour | J. Leitch | 1,280 | 24.7 | +1.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | B. Parker | 1,218 | 23.5 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,393 | 26.9 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,171 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.2 | |
Bolton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Young | 1,690 | 37.7 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | F. Lee | 1,504 | 33.6 | −9.5 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | C. Hare | 1,283 | 28.7 | +8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 186 | 4.1 | −2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,477 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.3 | |
Bowling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Walters | 3,021 | 68.8 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | M. Siddique | 690 | 15.7 | −11.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | G. Beacher | 682 | 15.5 | +15.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,331 | 53.1 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,393 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
Bradford Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Billheimer | 3,091 | 67.9 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | H. Gill | 926 | 20.4 | −5.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | E. Hallmann | 532 | 11.7 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,165 | 47.6 | +10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,549 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.1 | |
Clayton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Mitchell | 2,344 | 45.8 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative | G. Seager | 2,024 | 39.6 | −0.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | S. Illingworth | 747 | 14.6 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 320 | 6.3 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,115 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -1.0 | |
Craven :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Dawson | 2,021 | 39.5 | −4.0 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | R. Binns | 2,018 | 39.4 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | A. Smith | 1,076 | 21.0 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 0.1 | −6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,115 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Alliance | Conservative gain from Alliance | Swing | -3.3 | |
Eccleshill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Millgate | 2,004 | 46.1 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | S. Swallow | 1,272 | 29.3 | −7.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | J. Taylor | 803 | 18.5 | +1.1 |
| | Independent | D. Willoughby | 189 | 4.3 | +4.3 |
| | BNP | G. Robinson | 74 | 1.7 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 732 | 16.9 | +7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,342 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.6 | |
Great Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Collard | 2,504 | 53.2 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | J. Beeson | 1,493 | 31.7 | −4.8 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | R. Dowson | 708 | 15.0 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,011 | 21.5 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,705 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.1 | |
Heaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. James | 2,400 | 42.2 | +13.6 |
| | Conservative | C. Hobson | 2,317 | 40.8 | −19.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Hewitt | 931 | 16.4 | +5.0 |
| | Revolutionary Communist | J. Bahr | 35 | 0.6 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 1.5 | −29.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,683 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.4 | |
Idle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Fosse | 1,404 | 33.4 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | H. Lytchett | 1,369 | 32.6 | +0.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | I. Horner | 1,314 | 31.3 | −5.0 |
| | BNP | B. Coupe | 65 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| | Independent | A. Cribb | 51 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 0.8 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,203 | | |
| | Labour gain from Alliance | Labour gain from Alliance | Swing | +1.0 | |
Ilkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B. Cussons | 2,739 | 48.0 | −5.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | R. Battey | 2,213 | 38.8 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | R. Fox | 756 | 13.2 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 526 | 9.2 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,708 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.4 | |
Keighley North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K. Metcalfe | 2,256 | 40.3 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | L. Ali | 1,889 | 33.7 | −13.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | P. Panteli | 1,453 | 26.0 | +13.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 367 | 6.6 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,598 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.7 | |
Keighley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Rye | 2,913 | 70.5 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | D. Lynas | 669 | 16.2 | −4.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Arnold | 548 | 13.3 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,244 | 54.3 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,130 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
Keighley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Beeley | 2,521 | 49.6 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | E. Owens | 1,567 | 30.8 | −2.3 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | S. Green | 998 | 19.6 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 954 | 18.8 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,086 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
Little Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K. Ryalls | 2,686 | 72.7 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | G. Johnson | 622 | 16.8 | −2.5 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | D. Jagger | 385 | 10.4 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,064 | 55.9 | +4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,693 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
Odsal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Johnson | 2,546 | 51.3 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | R. Martin | 2,493 | | |
| | Conservative | T. Hill | 1,575 | 31.7 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | H. Thorne | 1,400 | | |
| | Alliance (SDP) | D. Hopkins | 846 | 17.0 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 971 | 19.5 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,967 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.6 | |
Queensbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Warman | 2,155 | 43.3 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Rees | 1,961 | 39.4 | −5.1 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | L. Hudson | 856 | 17.2 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 194 | 3.9 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,972 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.1 | |
Rombalds :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Gadsby-Peet | 2,738 | 50.6 | −5.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Ryan | 1,834 | 33.9 | +9.3 |
| | Labour | J. O'Neill | 842 | 15.5 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 904 | 16.7 | −15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,414 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.5 | |
Shipley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. Miller | 2,647 | 61.4 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | S. Newton | 927 | 21.5 | −6.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | P. Britton | 738 | 17.1 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,720 | 39.9 | +10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,312 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.1 | |
Shipley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Heseltine | 2,568 | 44.2 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | D. Wardle | 1,990 | 34.3 | −1.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | M. Attenborough | 1,107 | 19.1 | +4.8 |
| | Green | S. Shepherd | 139 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 578 | 10.0 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,804 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.3 | |
Thornton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Tetley | 2,151 | 50.9 | +6.9 |
| | Conservative | D. Downey | 2,073 | 19.1 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 78 | 1.8 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,224 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.5 | |
Toller :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Whitfield | 3,039 | 54.9 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | V. Binney | 1,803 | 32.6 | −6.8 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | J. Brennan | 691 | 12.5 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,236 | 22.3 | +12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,533 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.3 | |
Tong :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Smith | 2,088 | 67.2 | −12.8 |
| | Conservative | K. Sotomayer-Sugden | 548 | 17.6 | −2.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | W. Smyth | 448 | 14.4 | +14.4 |
| | Revolutionary Communist | A. Kent | 21 | 0.7 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,540 | 49.6 | −10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,105 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.2 | |
Undercliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Sowman | 2,538 | 58.3 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | D. Green | 1,181 | 27.1 | −4.0 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | I. Glenn | 634 | 14.6 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,357 | 31.2 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,353 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Riaz | 4,068 | 77.1 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | J. Austin | 767 | 14.5 | +1.5 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | M. Khan | 340 | 6.4 | +0.2 |
| | Revolutionary Communist | M. Singh | 102 | 1.9 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,301 | 62.5 | −2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,277 | | |
| | Labour gain from Alliance | Labour gain from Alliance | Swing | -1.2 | |
Wibsey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Richardson | 2,060 | 45.3 | −1.3 |
| | Conservative | E. Manogue | 1,572 | 34.6 | −16.8 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | T. Lindley | 917 | 20.2 | +20.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 488 | 10.7 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,549 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +7.7 | |
Worth Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | S. Midgley | 2,125 | 48.0 | −5.7 |
| | Labour | R. Kelly | 1,520 | 34.3 | −2.5 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | R. Quayle | 782 | 17.7 | +8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 605 | 13.7 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,427 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.6 | |
Wyke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D. Mangham | 2,320 | 54.5 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | V. Owen | 1,101 | 25.9 | −1.8 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | R. Blagboro | 834 | 19.6 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,219 | 28.6 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,255 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.4 | |