# 1976 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council were held on in May 1976. The Conservatives retained control of the Council.
23 seats were contested, with 16 being won by the Conservative Party and 7 by the Labour Party.
Ernie Crook was the sitting Conservative Councillor in the Church East and North Ward, but was re-elected as an Independent Conservative due to an internal selection dispute. However he took the Conservative Party whip soon after. Therefore, this seat is regarded as a Conservative hold rather than a loss.
After the election, the composition of the Council was
* Conservative 46
* Labour 20
* Liberal Party 2
* Independent 1

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 1976 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 16 | 4 | 0 | +4 | {{{seats %}}} | 57.9 | 42,559 | +1.3 |
| Labour | 7 | 2 | 4 | -2 | {{{seats %}}} | 37.0 | 27,230 | +4.4 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | {{{seats %}}} | 3.9 | 2,902 | -4.5 |
| Other parties | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | {{{seats %}}} | 1.1 | 855 | -1.2 |

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F Waterworth | 2,871 | 77.5 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | G Riley | 832 | 22.5 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,039 | 55.0 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,703 | 38.0 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 0.3 | |

### Bradshaw North and South ward

Bradshaw North and South ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T Greenhalgh | 2,666 | 85.7 | +35.7 |
| | Labour | A Grimes | 446 | 14.3 | +8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,220 | 71.3 | +46.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,112 | 34.0 | −12.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bradford ward

Bradford ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T McEwan | 1,205 | 68.5 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative | A Mills | 498 | 28.3 | −8.6 |
| | Socialist (GB) | N Duffield | 56 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 707 | 40.2 | +14.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,759 | 37.7 | +3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 7.0 | |

### Bromley Cross, Eagley and Egerton ward

Bromley Cross, Eagley and Egerton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A Poulsom | 2,666 | 81.9 | +24.5 |
| | Labour | C Benjamin | 591 | 18.1 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,075 | 63.7 | +29.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,257 | 38.5 | −5.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Lab to Con 12.9 | |

### Church East and North ward

Church East and North ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ind. Conservative | E Crook | 1,227 | 41.1 | +41.1 |
| | Conservative | B Hall | 961 | 32.2 | −30.4 |
| | Labour | P Johnson | 799 | 26.7 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 266 | 8.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,987 | 48.3 | +8.3 |
| | Ind. Conservative hold | Ind. Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Darcy Lever cum Breightmet ward

Darcy Lever cum Breightmet ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M Walsh | 2,900 | 55.5 | −4.7 |
| | Labour | K McIvor | 2,327 | 44.5 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 573 | 11.0 | −9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,227 | 39.0 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Con to Labour 4.7 | |

### Deane cum Lostock ward

Deane cum Lostock ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F Rushton | 2,260 | 77.7 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | J Walker | 648 | 22.3 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,612 | 55.4 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,908 | 41.0 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 0.3 | |

### Derby ward

Derby ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R Lever | 1,170 | 63.8 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | D Smith | 663 | 36.2 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 507 | 27.6 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,833 | 31.0 | +3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 2.3 | |

### Farnworth North ward

Farnworth North ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R Neary | 1,428 | 47.7 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | A Nuttall | 1,232 | 41.2 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal | M Harmsworth | 331 | 11.1 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 6.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,991 | 31.9 | +3.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 5.4 | |

### Farnworth South ward

Farnworth South ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W Hardman | 1,290 | 55.3 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal | J Barrow | 550 | 23.6 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | L Sharples | 493 | 21.1 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 740 | 31.7 | +7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,333 | 25.3 | +4.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 4.7 | |

### Great Lever ward

Great Lever ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | S Haslam | 2,283 | 60.3 | −6.1 |
| | Labour | G Harkin | 1,504 | 39.7 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 779 | 20.4 | −12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,787 | 36.0 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Con to Labour 6.1 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W Hall | 1,742 | 55.6 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | R Johnson | 1,389 | 44.4 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 353 | 11.2 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,131 | 32.0 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Heaton ward

Heaton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J Hanscomb | 1,996 | 90.4 | −1.8 |
| | Labour | T Moor | 213 | 9.6 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,783 | 80.8 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,210 | 47.0 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 1.8 | |

### Horwich North, Central and East ward

Horwich North, Central and East ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | B Crumblehulme | 2,159 | 52.9 | +10.3 |
| | Labour | J McBurnie | 1,924 | 47.1 | +10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 5.8 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,083 | 40.0 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Horwich South and Blackrod ward

Horwich South and Blackrod ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C Everin | 1,915 | 61.6 | +12.4 |
| | Labour | L Watkinson | 1,194 | 38.4 | +7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 721 | 23.2 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,109 | 48.0 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Hulton and Rumworth ward

Hulton and Rumworth ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A Gledhill | 2,112 | 55.1 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | P Jones | 1,381 | 36.0 | −0.7 |
| | National Front | J Walsh | 341 | 8.9 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 731 | 19.0 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,834 | 38.5 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 1.6 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T Lewis | 1,479 | 40.4 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | E Bell | 1,376 | 37.5 | −0.0 |
| | Conservative | T Rothwell | 810 | 22.1 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 103 | 2.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,665 | 42.6 | +5.6 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | Con to Labour 4.9 | |

### Little Lever ward

Little Lever ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R Hodson | 1,192 | 40.5 | −6.2 |
| | Labour | E Blackwell | 1,105 | 37.6 | +11.2 |
| | Liberal | R Richardson | 645 | 21.9 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 87 | 2.9 | −16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,942 | 38.0 | −0.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 8.7 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M Howarth | 3,057 | 74.5 | −1.6 |
| | Labour | G Hart | 897 | 21.9 | +3.5 |
| | Independent | B Langley | 151 | 3.7 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,160 | 52.6 | −5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,105 | 37.9 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 2.5 | |

### Tonge ward

Tonge ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K Knowles | 2,631 | 57.0 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | Brian Iddon | 1,983 | 43.0 | +7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 648 | 14.0 | −14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,614 | 42.0 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Con to Labour 7.4 | |

### West ward

West ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D Clarke | 1,419 | 54.8 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | B Holland | 1,171 | 45.2 | −5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 248 | 9.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,590 | 32.0 | +8.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 5.9 | |

### Westhoughton East and Hulton ward

Westhoughton East and Hulton ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F Walsh | 1,870 | 74.9 | +0.4 |
| | Labour | C Knowles | 625 | 25.1 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,245 | 49.8 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,495 | 42.8 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Con 0.4 | |

### Westhoughton North, Central and South ward

Westhoughton North, Central and South ward (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J Clee | 1,331 | 47.2 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | J Roden | 1,184 | 42.0 | −5.7 |
| | Independent | K Brown | 307 | 10.9 | +10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 147 | 5.2 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,822 | 39.8 | +2.8 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | Con to Ind 8.3 | |