1973 UK local government election
Map of the results for the 1973 Wigan council election. Labour in red, Conservatives in blue and Independent in grey. The 1973 Wigan Council elections for the First Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 10 May 1973, with the entirety of the 72 seat council - three seats for each of the 24 wards - up for vote. It was the first council election as the newly formed metropolitan borough under a new constitution. The Local Government Act 1972 stipulated that the elected members were to shadow and eventually take over from the predecessor corporation on 1 April 1974. The order in which the councillors were elected dictated their term serving, with third-place candidates serving two years and up for re-election in 1975, second-placed three years expiring in 1976 and 1st-placed five years until 1978.
Labour won an overwhelming majority of sixty six seats to the Conservative's five and one Independent. Nine seats - for wards 13, 17 and 21 collectively - went unopposed and overall turnout was 34.5%.[1]
Election result Wigan Council Election Result 1973 Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/− Labour 66 0 0 0 91.7 60.5 40,000 N/A Conservative 5 0 0 0 6.9 28.4 18,793 N/A Independent 1 0 0 0 1.4 8.1 5,363 N/A Independent Labour 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.4 942 N/A Own Occ. 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.3 862 N/A Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 141 N/A
This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:
Party New council Labour 66 Conservatives 5 Independent 1 Total 72 Working majority 60
Ward results Ward 1 (Lindsay-Scholes-Whelley)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour F. Connolly 2,570 73.6 N/A Labour A. Coyle 2,568 Labour M. Pratt 2,381 Conservative C. Giles 921 26.4 N/A Conservative R. Stockley 775 Conservative J. Lawson 732 Majority 1,460 47.2 N/A Turnout 3,491 38.6 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 2 (Poolstock-Worsley Mesnes)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour W. Brogan 2,149 81.6 N/A Labour H. Milligan 1,898 Labour S. Townley 1,873 Conservative P. Harrison 485 18.4 N/A Majority 1,664 63.2 N/A Turnout 2,634 27.5 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 3 (Gidlow-Swinley-Whitley)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative H. Dowling 2,765 59.7 N/A Conservative G. Lewthwaite 2,687 Conservative W. Somers 2,686 Labour E. Maloney 1,867 40.3 N/A Labour R. Baker 1,840 Labour H. Barker 1,820 Majority 898 19.4 N/A Turnout 4,632 39.4 N/A Conservative win (new seat) Conservative win (new seat) Conservative win (new seat)
Ward 4 (Beech Hill and Marsh Green)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour J. Presst 2,393 80.5 N/A Labour E. Naylor 2,380 Labour J. Eckersley 2,373 Conservative W. France 580 19.5 N/A Majority 1,813 61.0 N/A Turnout 2,973 31.5 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 5 (Highfield and Lamberhead)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour G. Barlow 1,982 68.1 N/A Labour E. Maddocks 1,961 Labour J. Smith 1,848 Conservative J. Gaskell 930 31.9 N/A Conservative L. Low 817 Conservative C. Boyle 706 Majority 1,052 36.1 N/A Turnout 2,912 30.6 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 6 (Newtown and Rose Hill)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour A. Peet 1,806 81.6 N/A Labour J. Bridge 1,710 Labour M. Mulligan 1,662 Conservative J. Whittle 407 18.4 N/A Majority 1,399 63.2 N/A Turnout 2,213 25.3 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 7 (Hope Carr)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour A. Roberts 1,444 56.6 N/A Labour T. Hourigan 1,423 Labour J. Jones 1,322 Conservative J. Sinai 1,108 43.4 N/A Conservative R. Goodwin 1,085 Conservative D. Angell 1,011 Majority 336 13.2 N/A Turnout 2,552 36.6 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 8 (St Pauls and St Peters)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour G. Macdonald 1,387 74.5 N/A Labour P. Hull 1,368 Labour G. Bridge 1,259 Conservative M. Price 333 17.9 N/A Conservative R. Boardman 324 Conservative D. Blyth 267 Communist J. Blackburn 141 7.6 N/A Majority 1,054 56.6 N/A Turnout 1,861 21.8 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 9 (Etherstone and St Marys)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour E. Moore 1,538 60.7 N/A Labour J. Riley 1,522 Labour W. Derbyshire 1,455 Conservative M. Howcroft 994 39.3 N/A Conservative S. Simm 972 Conservative S. Johnson 905 Majority 544 21.5 N/A Turnout 2,532 27.0 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 10 (Lilford-St Josephs-St Thomas)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour H. Smith 1,727 53.2 N/A Labour J. Murray 1,714 Labour J. Prytharch 1,594 Conservative M. Wood 1,518 46.8 N/A Conservative H. Yates 1,477 Conservative K. Price 1,459 Majority 209 6.4 N/A Turnout 3,245 35.8 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 11 (Golborne St Thomas and Lowton)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour N. Holt 2,918 73.7 N/A Labour T. Morgan 2,852 Labour E. Roberts 2,826 Conservative T. Thompson 1,040 26.3 N/A Conservative D. Fryer 979 Conservative W. Kearns 968 Majority 1,878 47.4 N/A Turnout 3,958 39.4 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 12 (Golborne Heath Park and Ashton)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour J. Hilton 2,272 74.2 N/A Labour E. Houghton 2,183 Labour A. Miller 2,104 Independent B. Doubledam 788 25.8 N/A Majority 1,484 48.5 N/A Turnout 3,060 34.8 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 13 (Ashton-in-Makerfield North and West)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour G. Lockett Unopposed N/A N/A Labour R. Lyons Unopposed N/A N/A Labour A. Heckles Unopposed N/A N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 14 (Ashton-in-Makerfield Central and East)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour S. Lea 1,561 70.3 N/A Labour T. Jones 1,492 Labour G. Fairhurst 1,475 Conservative C. Kinrade 658 29.7 N/A Majority 903 40.7 N/A Turnout 2,219 27.8 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 15 (Standish with Langtree and Shevington )[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour G. Meadows 1,780 33.3 N/A Labour J. Healey 1,674 Independent G. Dewhurst 1,553 29.1 N/A Labour E. Garner 1,503 Conservative B. Maccarthy 1,067 20.0 N/A Conservative F. Wareing 1,038 Independent Labour I. Cropper 942 17.6 N/A Majority 227 4.2 N/A Turnout 5,342 50.9 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Independent win (new seat)
Ward 16 (Aspull )[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour A. Singer 2,526 64.6 N/A Labour W. Mason 2,452 Labour H. Lowe 2,397 Conservative J. Blackledge 1,387 35.4 N/A Conservative D. Pardey 1,381 Conservative A. Turner 1,189 Majority 1,139 29.1 N/A Turnout 3,913 39.1 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 17 (Atherton North East)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour L. Sumner Unopposed N/A N/A Labour J. Clarke Unopposed N/A N/A Labour D. Skitt Unopposed N/A N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 18 (Atherton South West)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour J. Sumner 1,230 46.8 N/A Conservative M. Williams 1,000 38.0 N/A Labour G. Horrabin 920 Conservative H. Sharland 919 Labour L. Seddon 880 Conservative E. Sweeney 827 Independent V. France 400 15.2 N/A Majority 230 8.7 N/A Turnout 2,630 39.8 N/A Labour win (new seat) Conservative win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 19 (Hindley Central and North)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour C. Priestley 2,022 76.0 N/A Labour T. Isherwood 2,011 Labour A. Robinson 1,895 Conservative K. Dempsey 637 24.0 N/A Majority 1,385 52.1 N/A Turnout 2,659 33.5 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 20 (Hindley South East and West)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour G. Harrison 1,834 63.5 N/A Labour B. McAllister 1,749 Labour S. Hardy 1,712 Conservative J. Culshaw 1,053 36.5 N/A Majority 781 27.1 N/A Turnout 2,887 29.2 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 21 (Ince-in-Makerfield )[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour R. Taylor Unopposed N/A N/A Labour A. Rowlandson Unopposed N/A N/A Labour A. Banks Unopposed N/A N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 22 (Orrell and Billinge )[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour J. Whittle 2,155 38.1 N/A Labour S. Waring 1,931 Conservative J. Simpkin 1,910 33.8 N/A Labour L. Grime 1,818 Conservative F. Fairbairn 1,705 Independent A. Atherton 1,587 28.1 N/A Majority 245 4.3 N/A Turnout 5,652 44.6 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Conservative win (new seat)
Ward 23 (Tyldesley - Shakerley)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour S. Little 1,616 70.8 N/A Labour M. Devlin 1,559 Labour A. Wright 1,509 Independent J. Barnes 666 29.2 N/A Majority 950 41.6 N/A Turnout 2,282 28.6 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
Ward 24 (Tyldesley - Astley Green and Blackmoor)[1] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour R. Rawson 1,223 49.8 N/A Labour F. Walker 1,219 Labour F. Hampson 1,151 Own Occ. F. Valentine 862 35.1 N/A Own Occ. H. Pawsey 853 Own Occ. E. Myers 742 Independent J. Parry 369 15.0 N/A Majority 361 14.7 N/A Turnout 2,454 34.3 N/A Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat) Labour win (new seat)
References ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Wigan Council results from 1973 to 2008" (PDF) . wigan.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2012 . County councils (England)County councils (Wales)County councils (Scotland) Aberdeenshire Angus Argyll Ayrshire Banffshire Berwickshire Buteshire Caithness Clackmannanshire Dumfriesshire Dunbartonshire East Lothian Fife Inverness-shire Kincardineshire Kinross-shire Kirkcudbrightshire Lanarkshire Midlothian Moray Nairnshire Orkney Peeblesshire Perthshire Renfrewshire Ross and Cromarty Roxburghshire Selkirkshire Stirlingshire Sutherland West Lothian Wigtownshire Zetland Unicameral area Metropolitan boroughs City corporations District councils (England)District councils (Wales) Aberconwy Afan Alyn and Deeside Anglesey - Ynys Môn Arfon Blaenau Gwent Brecknock Cardiff Carmarthen Ceredigion Colwyn Cynon Valley Delyn Dinefwr Dwyfor Glyndŵr Islwyn Llanelli Lliw Valley Meirionnydd Merthyr Tydfil Monmouth Montgomery Neath Newport Ogwr Preseli Radnor Rhondda Rhuddlan Rhymney Valley South Pembrokeshire Swansea Taff-Ely Torfaen Vale of Glamorgan Wrexham Maelor District councils (Northern Ireland)Town councils Airdrie Arbroath Ayr Clydebank Coatbridge Dunfermline Dumfries East Kilbride Falkirk Greenock Hamilton Inverness Kilmarnock Motherwell and Wishaw Paisley Perth Port Glasgow Sui generis