# 1983 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 1983 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 1983 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
Twenty seats were contested in the election: 13 were won by the Labour Party and 7 by the Conservative Party. After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 36
* Conservative 22
* Liberal Party 2

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1983 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43.5 | 37.311 | +6.0 |
| Conservative | 7 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 38.0 | 32,574 | -0.0 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 18.5 | 15,914 | -6.0 |

## Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 36 | 21 | 3 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 36 | 22 | 2 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
L – Liberal

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J Walsh | 2,596 | 59.1 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | J Haslam | 1,231 | 28.0 | +8.7 |
| | SDP | D Poole | 567 | 12.9 | −9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,365 | 31.0 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,394 | 44.5 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | SDP to Labour 9.3 | |

### Blackrod ward

Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K Helsby | 2,283 | 52.5 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | N Troup | 1,592 | 36.6 | +4.4 |
| | SDP | R Langley | 476 | 10.9 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 621 | 14.3 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,351 | 46.2 | +6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | SDP to Labour 7.1 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E Crook | 2,546 | 57.9 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | D McEneaney | 1,051 | 23.9 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal | W Steele | 804 | 18.3 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,495 | 34.0 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,401 | 40.7 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Liberal to Labour 6.3 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D Grime | 2,163 | 49.2 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative | I Chesney | 1,590 | 36.2 | −0.7 |
| | SDP | D Lee | 639 | 14.5 | −5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 573 | 13.0 | +7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,392 | 39.1 | +2.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | SDP to Labour 6.0 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A Wilkinson | 2,585 | 54.9 | +7.0 |
| | SDP | J Hampson | 1,209 | 25.7 | −7.7 |
| | Labour | F Hampson | 916 | 19.4 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,376 | 29.2 | +14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,710 | 46.6 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | SDP to Con 7.3 | |

### Burnden ward

Burnden ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Birch | 2,139 | 47.2 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | W Hall | 1,859 | 41.0 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal | F Harasiwka | 534 | 11.8 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 280 | 6.2 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,532 | 48.0 | +11.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 3.0 | |

### Central ward

Central ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D Dingwall | 2,540 | 69.3 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | S Haslam | 632 | 17.2 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal | J Hayes | 493 | 13.5 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,908 | 52.1 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,665 | 43.6 | +6.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Liberal to Con 2.6 | |

### Daubhill ward

Daubhill ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M Donaghy | 2,768 | 60.5 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | G Ellis | 1,515 | 33.1 | −2.6 |
| | SDP | P Keveaney | 289 | 6.3 | −5.8 |
| | Independent | I Hamilton | 65 | 1.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,253 | 27.4 | +8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,572 | 49.5 | +8.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | SDP to Labour 7.0 | |

### Deane-cum-Heaton ward

Deane-cum-Heaton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J Hanscomb | 3,317 | 57.1 | −5.3 |
| | SDP | T Hamilton | 1,397 | 24.0 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | E Walker | 1,096 | 18.9 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,920 | 33.0 | −8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,810 | 45.7 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to SDP 4.4 | |

### Derby ward

Derby ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K Peters | 3,232 | 77.9 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | L Robertson | 568 | 13.7 | +0.0 |
| | SDP | D Newman | 269 | 6.5 | −6.7 |
| | Communist | A Johnson | 79 | 1.9 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,664 | 64.2 | +6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,148 | 40.3 | +5.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | SDP to Labour 6.8 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W Hardman | 2,077 | 64.1 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | A Royse | 750 | 23.1 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal | L Bale | 414 | 12.8 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,327 | 40.9 | +16.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,241 | 32.6 | +8.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Liberal to Labour 5.7 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C Morris | 1,966 | 43.8 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal | A Halliwell | 1,503 | 33.5 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | W Hall | 1,018 | 22.7 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 463 | 10.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,487 | 45.4 | +11.6 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | Liberal to Labour 5.3 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M Atkinson | 2,388 | 60.7 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | J Cosgrove | 969 | 24.6 | +24.6 |
| | Liberal | L Sanderson | 533 | 13.7 | −27.0 |
| | Communist | T McKnight | 42 | 1.1 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,419 | 36.1 | +20.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,932 | 37.0 | +9.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Liberal to Con 25.8 | |

### Horwich ward

Horwich ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E McCracken | 2,259 | 42.9 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | S Dawson | 1,966 | 37.3 | +0.0 |
| | SDP | D Morris | 1,041 | 19.8 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 293 | 5.6 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,266 | 48.5 | +6.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | SDP to Labour 2.6 | |

### Hulton Park ward

Hulton Park ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G Smith | 2,123 | 51.7 | −0.4 |
| | Labour | A Forrest | 1,320 | 32.2 | +8.7 |
| | Liberal | H Wise | 660 | 16.1 | −8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 803 | 19.6 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,103 | 41.0 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Liberal to Labour 8.5 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W Robinson | 2,095 | 49.2 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal | E Bell | 1,468 | 34.5 | −10.4 |
| | Conservative | A Waterson | 695 | 16.3 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 627 | 14.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,258 | 44.0 | +6.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Liberal to Labour 10.0 | |

### Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D Dziubas | 1,955 | 47.4 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | J Marsh | 1,648 | 39.9 | +14.3 |
| | SDP | K Banks | 523 | 12.7 | −11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 307 | 7.4 | −17.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,126 | 45.6 | +3.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | SDP to Labour 12.6 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M Howarth | 1,950 | 45.1 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal | R Hayes | 1,688 | 39.1 | +10.6 |
| | Labour | N Wilde | 683 | 15.8 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 262 | 6.1 | −20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,321 | 48.3 | −8.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Liberal 10.2 | |

### Tonge ward

Tonge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D Clare | 1,953 | 47.3 | +11.5 |
| | Conservative | G Kearton | 1,804 | 43.7 | −3.1 |
| | SDP | E West | 371 | 9.0 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 149 | 3.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,128 | 44.5 | +7.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | SDP to Labour 9.9 | |

### Westhoughton ward

Westhoughton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P Finch | 1,503 | 48.8 | +9.4 |
| | Liberal | D Wilkinson | 1,036 | 33.6 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | G Martin | 544 | 17.6 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 467 | 15.1 | +14.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,083 | 48.3 | +8.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Liberal to Labour 7.5 | |