1980 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election

'All-out' elections to the Wigan Council were held on 1 May 1980, following extensive boundary changes and entirely new wards, yet retaining the number of 24 wards with three seats each for a total of 72 seats. The results were comparable to the 1973 election (also an election where all 72 seats were up for vote), with Labour rewarded a crushing majority in seats for approaching 60% of the vote with their main competitors, the Conservatives, falling to under 30%. The Liberals seen their highest representation yet by way of winning all three seats in Langtree.

Map of the results of the 1980 Wigan council election.

A former Labour councillor who'd represented the just-abolished ward 19 (encompassing central/north Hindley) since the council's creation fought the Hindley ward as an Independent Labour. Overall turnout fell to the slightly higher than usual number of 36.2% from the general election turnout of 75.7% last year, with all wards recording at least one competitor - although that meant in a number of wards Labour were unopposed for one or two of the seats.[1]

Election result
Wigan Local Election Result 1980
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 64 0 0 0 88.9 55.7 48,775 +3.5%
  Conservative 5 0 0 0 6.9 29.0 23,954 -8.9%
  Liberal 3 0 0 0 4.2 6.8 5,634 +1.8%
  Residents 0 0 0 0 0.0 3.0 2,498 +1.7%
  Independent Labour 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.5 1,265 +1.5%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 159 +0.1%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 149 +0.2%

This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:

Party Previous council New council
Labour 56 64
Conservatives 14 5
Liberals 1 3
Independent 1 0
Total 72 72
Working majority  40   56 

Ward results
Abram[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Bennett 2,125 74.0 N/A
Labour N. Cumberbatch 2,028
Labour A. Miller 2,002
Conservative M. Jones 747 26.0 N/A
Majority 1,378 48.0 N/A
Turnout 2,872 28.1 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Ashton-Golborne[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Jones 2,054 69.2 N/A
Labour J. Hilton 2,042
Labour R. McEntegart 2,008
Conservative W. Corless 915 30.8 N/A
Conservative M. Gambles 855
Majority 1,139 38.4 N/A
Turnout 2,969 31.6 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Aspull-Standish[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Singer 2,188 47.0 N/A
Labour W. Mason 2,055
Labour A. Hitchmough 1,934
Conservative J. Wild 1,575 33.8 N/A
Conservative E. Slevin 1,390
Conservative J. Holland 1,375
Liberal M. Rutherford 893 19.2
Liberal J. Leeuwangh 758
Liberal P. Knowles 723
Majority 613 13.2 N/A
Turnout 4,656 46.5 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Atherton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Clarke 2,866 76.9 N/A
Labour J. Sumner 2,791
Labour L. Sumner 2,601
Conservative M. Sharland 862 23.1 N/A
Conservative B. France 752
Majority 2,004 53.8 N/A
Turnout 3,728 38.8 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Bedford-Astley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Jones 2,342 57.5 N/A
Labour H. Hayes 2,226
Labour J. Prytharch 2,165
Conservative S. Johnson 1,728 42.5 N/A
Conservative C. Hampson 1,539
Conservative S. Emerton 1,510
Majority 614 15.1 N/A
Turnout 4,070 41.6 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Beech Hill[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Bishop 2,134 73.9 N/A
Labour J. Maloney 1,960
Labour G. Pullin 1,955
Conservative A. Atherton 754 26.1 N/A
Conservative J. Lawson 727
Conservative J. Wilkinson 653
Majority 1,380 47.8 N/A
Turnout 2,888 32.3 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Bryn[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Lockett 2,028 74.6 N/A
Labour A. Heckles 1,820
Labour R. Lyons 1,800
Conservative D. Gambles 691 25.4 N/A
Conservative C. Michaels 635
Majority 1,337 49.2 N/A
Turnout 2,719 29.0 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Hindley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Robinson 1,799 48.2 N/A
Labour T. Isherwood 1,725
Labour J. Bray 1,382
Independent Labour C. Priestley 1,265 33.9 N/A
Conservative T. Sharples 667 17.9 N/A
Majority 534 14.3 N/A
Turnout 3,731 39.7 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Hindley Green[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Harrison 1,665 66.3 N/A
Labour R. McAllister 1,552
Labour T. Wynn 1,474
Residents J. Venables 846 33.7 N/A
Majority 819 32.6 N/A
Turnout 2,511 23.8 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Hindsford[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. Devlin 2,473 68.7 N/A
Labour S. Little 2,426
Labour A. Wright 2,392
Conservative E. Valentine 1,128 31.3 N/A
Conservative H. Davies 1,091
Majority 1,345 37.4 N/A
Turnout 3,601 33.9 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Hope Carr[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Roberts 2,391 57.1 N/A
Labour F. Newton 2,378
Labour J. Hession 2,239
Conservative B. Powell 1,800 42.9 N/A
Conservative R. Goodwin 1,726
Conservative D. Powell 1,713
Majority 591 14.1 N/A
Turnout 4,191 44.3 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Ince[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Banks 1,651 78.0 N/A
Labour R. Taylor 1,439
Labour A. Rowlandson 1,437
Conservative C. Jones 466 22.0 N/A
Majority 1,185 56.0 N/A
Turnout 2,117 25.7 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Langtree[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal J. Pigott 2,348 46.7 N/A
Liberal E. Hill 1,786
Liberal P. Davies 1,722
Labour J. Hardy 1,516 30.1 N/A
Labour T. Morris 1,336
Labour D. Standring 1,202
Conservative M. Frost 1,169 23.2 N/A
Majority 832 16.5 N/A
Turnout 5,033 49.8 N/A
Liberal win (new seat)
Liberal win (new seat)
Liberal win (new seat)
Leigh Central[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Macdonald 2,309 72.7 N/A
Labour P. Hull 2,204
Labour P. Smith 2,112
Conservative M. Stott 706 22.2 N/A
Conservative G. Byrne 701
Communist H. Kedward 159 5.0 N/A
Majority 1,603 50.5 N/A
Turnout 3,174 35.2 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Leigh East[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Riley 1,987 55.5 N/A
Labour D. Caley 1,874
Labour T. Harper 1,869
Conservative M. Wood 1,591 44.5 N/A
Conservative H. Yates 1,501
Conservative K. Price 1,477
Majority 396 11.1 N/A
Turnout 3,578 36.1 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Lightshaw[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour N. Holt 2,541 66.7 N/A
Labour B. Strett 2,538
Labour B. Strett 2,511
Conservative T. Thompson 1,268 33.3 N/A
Conservative A. Emmett 1,248
Conservative J. Harrison 1,189
Majority 1,273 33.4 N/A
Turnout 3,809 49.9 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Newtown[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Peet 2,017 77.9 N/A
Labour M. Milligan 2,004
Labour J. Bridge 1,956
Conservative D. Hill 571 22.1 N/A
Majority 1,446 55.9 N/A
Turnout 2,588 27.5 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Norley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Maddocks 2,237 81.6 N/A
Labour J. Smith 2,129
Labour N. Turner 2,070
Conservative M. Hill 279 10.2 N/A
Liberal G. Foster 226 8.2 N/A
Liberal P. Gibbons 184
Majority 1,958 71.4 N/A
Turnout 2,742 31.5 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Orrell[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F. Fairbairn 1,809 38.5 N/A
Labour R. Capstick 1,674 35.6 N/A
Conservative J. Hitchen 1,552
Conservative M. Fox 1,546
Labour E. Nickeas 1,517
Labour J. Roberts 1,377
Residents R. Kemp 978 20.8 N/A
Liberal K. Mason 242 5.1 N/A
Majority 35 2.9 N/A
Turnout 47,03 47.7 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Swinley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. France 1,739 54.5 N/A
Conservative G. Lewthwaite 1,698
Conservative C. Giles 1,633
Labour M. Pendleton 827 25.9 N/A
Labour K. Green 818
Labour H. Antill 797
Liberal B. Barber 627 19.6 N/A
Liberal A. Robinson 507
Liberal J. Grayson 463
Majority 912 28.6 N/A
Turnout 3,193 34.7 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Tyldesley East[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Woodcock 2,200 57.8 N/A
Labour F. Walker 2,154
Labour J. Burke 2,099
Conservative K. Hampson 980 25.7 N/A
Conservative J. Davies 929
Liberal G. Pickthall 626 16.4 N/A
Liberal L. Seal 615
Liberal J. Seal 609
Majority 1,220 32.1 N/A
Turnout 3,806 41.3 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Whelley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Coyle 2,069 74.6 N/A
Labour M. Pratt 2,026
Labour W. Pendleton 2,012
Conservative G. Whittle 703 25.4 N/A
Conservative D. Fitton 681
Majority 1,366 49.3 N/A
Turnout 2,772 31.4 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Winstanley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Whittle 1,582 37.5 N/A
Labour G. Taberner 1,528
Labour E. Naylor 1,487
Conservative A. Foster 1,144 27.1 N/A
Conservative J. Michaels 1,068
Conservative E. Bell 1,067
Residents C. Hughes 674 16.0 N/A
Liberal K. Higham 672 15.9 N/A
Liberal J. Fitzpatrick 657
Independent G. Barlow 149 3.5 N/A
Majority 438 10.4 N/A
Turnout 4,221 40.8 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Worsley Mesnes[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Brogan 2,100 76.0 N/A
Labour J. Baldwin 2,017
Labour H. Milligan 1,946
Conservative A. Edwards 662 24.0 N/A
Conservative R. Rogers 641
Conservative J. Unsworth 565
Majority 1,438 52.1 N/A
Turnout 2,762 28.3 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

References
  1. "Wigan Council results from 1973 to 2008" (PDF). wigan.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
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