1981 Lancashire County Council election

Last updated

1981 Lancashire County Council Election
Flag of Lancashire.svg
  1977 7 May 1981 (1981-05-07)1985 

All 99 seats on Lancashire County Council
50 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
Party Labour Conservative Liberal
Last election12 seats, 28.0 %83 seats, 61.7 %1 seat, 6.8 %
Seats after53386
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 41Decrease2.svg 45Increase2.svg 5
Popular vote191,885184,41042,304
Percentage44.4 %42.7 %9.8 %
SwingIncrease2.svg 16.4 pptDecrease2.svg 19.0 pptIncrease2.svg 3.0 ppt

Leader before election


Conservative

Elected Leader


Labour

Elections were held to Lancashire County Council as part of the wider 1981 United Kingdom local elections and under new division boundaries. [1] Any multi-member wards were abolished and each of 99 wards returned one councillor in this election. The election saw a significant Labour recovery from the previous, along with a Conservative fall, leading Labour to gain control of the council for the first time in its history.

Contents

Results

1981 Lancashire County Council elections
PartyThis electionFull councilThis election
SeatsNetSeats %OtherTotalTotal %VotesVotes %+/−
  Labour 53Increase2.svg 4153.55353.5191,88544.4Increase2.svg 16.4
  Conservative 38Decrease2.svg 4538.43838.4184,41042.7Decrease2.svg 19.0
  Liberal 6Increase2.svg 56.166.142,3049.8Increase2.svg 3.0
  Residents 2Increase2.svg 22.022.08,3471.9Increase2.svg 1.7
  Independent 0Steady2.svg0003,824 [n 1] 0.9Decrease2.svg 0.2
  Workers Revolutionary 0NEW0004730.1NEW
  Green 0NEW000369 [n 2] 0.1NEW
  SDP 0NEW0003570.1NEW
  National Front 0Steady2.svg0001090.0Decrease2.svg 1.7
  Communist 0Steady2.svg000850.0Decrease2.svg 2.4
53
38
6
2
PartySeats
Labour 53
Conservatives 38
Liberals 6
Residents 2

Ward results

Accrington Central
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C. Westall 1,950 66.6 N/A'"`UNIQ−−ref−00000016−QINU`"'
Conservative W. Parkinson62121.2
SDP J. Pickup35712.2
Majority 132945.4
Accrington South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Keeley 2,522 61.0
Conservative M. Martin161339.0
Majority 90922.0
Alexandra & Victoria
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour P. Hall 1,973 57.2
Conservative K. Hancock147642.8
Majority 49714.4
Amounderness
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative E. Mallalieu 1,982 53.7
Labour W. Jones122733.2
Liberal D. Penswick48413.1
Majority 75520.4
Anchorsholme & Norbreck
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative L. Broughton 2,382 52.1
Labour R. Lewis91420.0
Liberal O. Driver84818.6
Residents association J. Berry4249.3
Majority 146832.1
Bacup
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour P. Navin 2,471 56.4
Conservative D. Wood191143.6
Majority 56012.8
Bank Top & Brookhouse
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour L. Proos 3,161 84.0
Conservative D. Harwood60416.0
Majority 255767.9
Billinge & Revidge
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Murray 2,498 67.0
Labour S. Harrington122933.0
Majority 126934.0
Bispham & Ingthorpe
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative T. Percival 2,071 46.9
Labour D. Wheeldon166437.7
Liberal M. Cotton67915.4
Majority 4079.2
Brownhill & Pleckgate
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour M. Higginson 2,071 43.1
Conservative T. Marsden188039.2
Liberal F. Beetham85017.7
Majority 1914.0
Brunswick & Claremont
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Kirton 2,561 61.6
Conservative M. Smith159638.4
Majority 96523.2
Burnley Central East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. Booth 3,420 76.5
Conservative L. Bullock105123.5
Majority 236953.0
Burnley Central West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Maekin 2,938 57.2
Conservative M. Tate219442.8
Majority 74414.5
Burnley North East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour I. Cooney 2,809 52.5
Conservative F. Brown151428.3
Liberal J. Davey103019.2
Majority 129524.2
Burnley Rural
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C. Platt 2,469 53.3
Conservative J. Wyld216546.7
Majority 3046.6
Burnley South West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Keller 2,850 63.9
Conservative J. Howarth78117.5
Liberal S. Parksinson76517.1
Workers Revolutionary R. Waring651.5
Majority 206946.4
Burnley West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Entwistle 2,883 53.1
Conservative J. Brown254646.9
Majority 3376.2
Cathedral & Green Bank
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour H. White 3,119 83.4
Conservative M. Tappenden-Cousins61916.6
Majority 250066.9
Chorley East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Yates 2,918 61.2
Conservative A. Crompton134828.3
Liberal C. Jones50310.5
Majority 157032.9
Chorley North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Glynn 1,777 44.7
Labour R. Hubbold148637.4
Liberal F. Wilson70817.8
Majority 2917.3
Chorley Rural East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Case 2,362 49.3
Labour J. Nuttall168835.3
Liberal R. Yates58312.2
Green E. Coulston1553.2
Majority 67414.1
Chorley Rural North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Ambrose 2,647 54.5
Labour F. Higson185938.3
Independent ratepayer G. Butler3487.2
Majority 7887.2
Chorley Rural West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Moorcroft 2,734 61.0
Labour L. Fishman175039.0
Majority 98421.9
Chorley West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour P. Deady 3,704 72.6
Conservative S. Freeland139527.4
Majority 230945.3
Church & Accrington North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour L. Dickinson 3,105 62.3
Conservative H. Taylor187937.7
Majority 122624.6
Cleveleys
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative F. Townend 2,346 64.9
Labour S. Delaney80922.4
Liberal J. Simpson46012.7
Majority 153742.5
Clifton & Marton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Turton 2,401 54.2
Conservative J. Metcalf202945.8
Majority 3728.4
Clitheroe
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Chatburn 1,780 41.9
Labour W. Maunders129730.5
Liberal C. Hopwood117027.5
Majority 48311.4
Colne
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal A. Greaves 2,739 48.1
Conservative A. Fraser154527.2
Labour H. Simpson140624.7
Majority 119421.0
Darwen South & Turton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal C. Grills 2,229 57.4
Conservative W. Birch165442.6
Majority 57514.8
Earcroft & West Rural
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative A. Bland 1,786 53.8
Labour A. Emery153646.2
Majority 2507.5
Ewood & Higher Croft
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Bury 2,714 78.1
Conservative P. Hough76221.9
Majority 195256.2
Foxhall & Talbot
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Allcock 1,493 46.3
Conservative J. Battersby130140.3
Liberal C. Penswick43113.4
Majority 1926.0
Fylde East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Spencer 2,117 52.4
Residents association J. Payne110327.3
Labour P. Simpson82120.3
Majority 101425.1
Fylde West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative G. Bradley 1,997 57.1
Independent G. Bamber103429.6
Labour L. Dixon46413.3
Majority 96327.6
Garstang
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Fitzherbert-Brockholes 2,728 68.9
Liberal J. Busby82520.8
Labour B. Moreland40610.3
Majority 190348.1
Great Harwood
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Slynn 2,433 56.1
Conservative J. Hall190443.9
Majority 52912.2
Greenlands & Warbreck
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Jacobs 1,842 45.9
Liberal A. Heyworth111727.8
Labour J. Readman95123.7
Green M. Palmer1052.6
Majority 72518.1
Haslingden
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Hatton 3,346 54.4
Conservative G. Woodcock280545.6
Majority 5418.8
Hawes Side & Tyldesley
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. McCrae 2,090 52.8
Conservative H. Hunt186847.2
Majority 2225.6
Hesketh
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Aspden 2,482 54.1
Conservative E. Funk141230.8
Liberal J. Rogers69615.2
Majority 107023.3
Heysham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Quick 2,296 43.4
Labour A. Garbett202238.3
Liberal H. Steel96718.3
Majority 2745.2
Highfield & Stanley
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. Jackson 1,907 51.4
Conservative G. Heap180048.6
Majority 1072.9
Hillhouse
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative C. Ashworth 2,018 48.6
Labour W. Goldsmith175242.2
Liberal N. Scullion3789.1
Majority 2666.4
Lancaster City
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Clark 2,312 57.6
Conservative D. Skyes169942.4
Majority 61315.3
Lancaster East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Henig 3,221 69.7
Conservative A. Morris140130.3
Majority 182039.4
Lancaster Rural Central
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative W. Brown 2,223 56.4
Liberal R. Fenton120030.5
Labour S. Robertson51613.1
Majority 102326.0
Lancaster Rural North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Bates 2,266 53.5
Liberal P. Wooff113026.7
Labour R. Rye83719.8
Majority 113626.8
Lancaster Rural South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative P. Entwistle 2,123 40.5
Liberal D. Hardy160330.6
Labour J. Yates151728.9
Majority 113626.8
Layton & Park
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. Wright 2,172 49.0
Conservative M. Laye145132.8
Liberal B. Morris69715.7
National Front A. Hanson1092.5
Majority 72116.3
Longridge
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Coulston 3,080 72.7
Labour D. Roebuck115427.3
Majority 192645.5
Lytham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Residents association J. Wilding 1,941 43.8
Conservative G. Caldwell177140.0
Labour N. Horridge72116.3
Majority 1703.8
Marine
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour N. Walsh 1,974 48.9
Conservative K. Storey133833.2
Independent social democrat S. Bate72217.9
Majority 63615.8
Morecambe East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative G. Robinson 2,833 65.5
Labour J. O'Donnell149234.5
Majority 134131.0
Morecambe West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Stanley 2,139 51.9
Conservative K. Brook198548.1
Majority 1543.7
Nelson
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. French 3,499 63.4
Conservative D. Rigby119721.7
Liberal P. Berry82314.9
Majority 230241.7
Ormskirk
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative H. Ballance 2,578 53.6
Labour A. Williams223446.4
Majority 3447.1
Oswaldtwistle
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Neville 2,112 47.4
Conservative T. Renshaw194043.6
Independent I. Marsden4019.0
Majority 1723.9
Pendle East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal W. Sargeant 2,004 47.0
Conservative W. Blackham145234.0
Labour R. Dobney80919.0
Majority 55212.9
Pendle South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour N. Taylor 3,034 51.3
Liberal J. White156826.5
Conservative C. Kemp131422.2
Majority 146624.8
Pendle West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative K. Sumner-Clough 2,407 49.7
Labour K. Shore167534.6
Liberal D. Hewitt75915.7
Majority 73215.1
Poulton-Le-Fylde
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative V. Scrine 2,763 58.6
Labour M. Wheatley124226.4
Independent conservative F. Lofthouse70715.0
Majority 152132.3
Preston Central East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Nelson 3,374 72.0
Conservative G. Wilkins131128.0
Majority 206344.0
Preston Central West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour I. Short 2,081 44.0
Conservative J. McGrath206343.6
Liberal J. Hanney58512.4
Majority 180.4
Preston East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Farrington 3,558 76.7
Conservative P. Worrall107923.3
Majority 247953.5
Preston North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative M. Horam 2,473 62.0
Liberal B. Moore87221.9
Labour A. Richardson64316.1
Majority 160140.1
Preston Rural East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative T. Croft 3,441 75.6
Labour Oldcorn H.110824.4
Majority 233351.3
Preston Rural West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative P. Clegg 2,066 48.1
Labour H. Parker114926.8
Liberal J. Wright107825.1
Majority 91721.4
Preston South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Wegg 3,216 75.3
Conservative J. Bosson91021.3
Workers Revolutionary V. Stephens1463.4
Majority 230654.0
Preston South West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. McGrath 2,948 62.0
Conservative E. Kerr101621.4
Liberal P. Hulse79416.7
Majority 193240.6
Preston West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Higney 2,329 48.1
Conservative A. Scarsbrook172935.7
Liberal A. Carmichael78616.2
Majority 60012.4
Queens Park & Shadsworth
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Smith 2,439 70.6
Liberal H. Dickinson53115.4
Conservative A. Salmon48514.0
Majority 190855.2
Ribble Valley North East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Watson 3,163 74.4
Labour A. Barton109025.6
Majority 207348.7
Ribble Valley South West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative G. Nickson 2,413 68.0
Labour D. Alber58916.6
Independent F. Ellis54615.4
Majority 182451.4
Rishton Clayton Altham
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. Mercer 2,351 50.1
Conservative P. Galbraith234149.9
Majority 100.2
Rossendale East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour P. Coward 2,340 54.9
Conservative A. King191945.1
Majority 4219.9
Rossendale West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Bland 2,938 56.9
Conservative M. Ingham222743.1
Majority 71113.8
Skelmersdale Central
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour L. Ellman 2,556 90.7
Workers Revolutionary J. Simons2629.3
Majority 229481.4
Skelmersdale East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Prunty 2,709 59.5
Conservative T. Baxter176138.7
Communist T. Aldridge851.9
Majority 94820.8
Skelmersdale West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C. Cheetham 2,690 81.8
Conservative S. Huyton59818.2
Majority 209263.6
Skerton
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Jones 3,271 68.1
Conservative J. Taylor153131.9
Majority 174036.2
South Ribble Central
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour M. Lyons 1,854 54.2
Conservative R. Charnley156845.8
Majority 2868.4
South Ribble East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour T. Sharratt 2,029 53.3
Conservative R. Welham178146.7
Majority 2486.5
South Ribble North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Davies 2,501 52.8
Conservative G. Woods223247.2
Majority 2695.7
South Ribble North West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative W. Winn 2,987 68.7
Labour D. King135931.3
Majority 162837.5
South Ribble South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal N. Orrell 2,438 46.6
Labour L. Day146728.0
Conservative W. Jackson126324.1
Independent W. Lamb661.3
Majority 97118.6
South Ribble South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal N. Orrell 2,438 46.6
Labour L. Day146728.0
Conservative W. Jackson126324.1
Independent W. Lamb661.3
Majority 97118.6
South Ribble South West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Haigh 3,448 67.2
Conservative R. Smith89117.4
Liberal D. Golden79515.5
Majority 255758.9
South Ribble West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Jenksinson 2,080 59.3
Liberal M. Roper98228.0
Labour G. Nicholson44612.7
Majority 109831.3
Squires Gate & Waterloo
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Hanson 2,191 65.6
Labour G. Cotton114734.4
Majority 104431.3
St Annes North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Residents association J. Lane 2,897 58.1
Conservative J. Gouldbourn156531.4
Labour A. Calder3336.7
Green G. Dawson1092.2
National Front W. Smith801.6
Majority 133226.7
St Annes South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative T. Carter 2,003 44.6
Residents association J. Parkinson198244.1
Labour B. Cowap50611.3
Majority 310.5
Sudell & Sunnyhurst
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal P. Browne 1,719 44.3
Labour G. Toole126733.4
Conservative R. Wood80821.3
Majority 45211.9
West Craven
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal D. Whipp 2,904 42.4
Conservative J. Maisey213731.2
Labour R. Macsween181326.5
Majority 76711.2
West Lancashire East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Aspinwall 3,165 62.7
Labour R. Lennon188137.3
Majority 128425.4
West Lancashire North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative S. Taylor 2,899 73.1
Labour P. Wynn106626.9
Majority 183346.2
West Lancashire South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative R. Kirby 2,889 77.6
Labour B. Brown83322.4
Majority 205655.2
Whitworth
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Kershaw 2,120 51.5
Conservative M. Crabtree199848.5
Majority 1223.0
Wyre Side
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Elletson 2,523 56.1
Liberal L. Moat157435.0
Labour H. Brooke4018.9
Majority 94921.1

Notes

  1. Includes alternate independent labels: Independent ratepayers', independent social democrat, independent conservative.
  2. As Ecology Party.

References

  1. The County of Lancashire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1981 S.I. 1981/43