Elections to Wigan Council were held on 6 May 1999. One-third of the council was up for election. Prior to the election, the Liberal Democrats had gained the seat being fought in Beech Hill from Labour in a by-election, and long-time Labour councillor for Atherton, Jack Sumner, had defected to independent.
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town and former county borough, Wigan and includes the towns and villages of Leigh, part of Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Orrell, Standish, Atherton, Tyldesley, Golborne, Lowton, Billinge, Astley, Haigh and Aspull. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an amalgamation of several former local government districts and parishes. The borough has three civil parishes and lies directly to the west of the City of Salford and southwest of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton. The local authority is Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.
The Liberal Democrats are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. It is currently led by Vince Cable. They have 11 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 96 members of the House of Lords, one member of the European Parliament, five Members of the Scottish Parliament and one member in the Welsh Assembly and London Assembly. At the height of its influence, the party formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2015 with its leader Nick Clegg serving as Deputy Prime Minister.
The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists. The party's platform emphasises greater state intervention, social justice and strengthening workers' rights.
All wards were fought for the first time since 1992, and the election boasted the highest number of candidates excepting the all-out elections of 1973 and 1980. The increase came from the Green Party standing a full-slate, seemingly energised by their third place the previous year, with both Labour and the Conservatives repeating their recent contesting rates. The Lib Dem's showing of six candidates, conversely, resembled a party resigned to fourth place. Elsewhere the aforementioned Independent was fighting Leigh East, and an incumbent Independent Labour candidate sought her fourth term in Hindley.
The Green Party of England and Wales is a green, left-wing political party in England and Wales. Headquartered in London, since September 2018, its co-leaders are Siân Berry and Jonathan Bartley. The Green Party has one representative in the House of Commons, one in the House of Lords, and three in the European Parliament. In addition, it has various councillors in UK local government and two members of the London Assembly.
The Conservative Party, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom. The governing party since 2010, it is the largest in the House of Commons, with 313 Members of Parliament, and also has 249 members of the House of Lords, 18 members of the European Parliament, 31 Members of the Scottish Parliament, 12 members of the Welsh Assembly, eight members of the London Assembly and 8,916 local councillors.
Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles (5 km) east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically in Lancashire, Hindley borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield, Aspull, Westhoughton, Atherton and Westleigh in the former borough of Leigh. In 2001, Hindley had a population of 23,457, increasing to 28,000 at the 2011 Census. It forms part of the wider Greater Manchester Urban Area.
The previous year had brought about the worst turnout recorded, and this election did little to improve upon it, increasing by just one percent to 18.4%. The general picture too was one of little difference to the preceding election. All three main parties managed to improve their vote upon the previous year's historic lows, but none were able to in a significant manner, and as such, their figures remained at historically poor levels. The party shares were also little changed, with a modest recovery of the Lib Dems and the Greens achieving a new peak mainly at the expense of Labour.
Labour, however, made a net gain as they retook their seat in Beech Hill from last year's by-election victors the Lib Dems, and finally ousted the Independent Labour who'd held her seat in Hindley for more than a decade. Their solitary loss was a shock defeat in their previously safe seat of Hindsford, as the Lib Dems surged on a 21.6% swing to displace Samuel Little from the council – whose incumbency had been uninterrupted in the 25-year-long history of the council up to that point. The comparable record of the independent was ended as he made little progress in Leigh East and the Greens looked no more competitive than the previous year – and actually less in certain areas. [1] [2]
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 23 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 95.8 | 67.7 | 29,012 | -1.6% | |
Liberal Democrat | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.2 | 8.9 | 3,839 | +2.2% | |
Conservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 12.7 | 5,428 | -0.6% | |
Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 9.3 | 4,004 | +0.6% | |
Independent Labour | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 440 | +1.0% | |
Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 147 | -1.5% | |
This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:
Party | Previous council | New council | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 69 | 70 | |||
Liberal Democrat | 2 | 2 | |||
Conservative | 0 | 0 | |||
Green | 0 | 0 | |||
Independent Labour | 1 | 0 | |||
Independent | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 72 | 72 | |||
Working majority | 66 | 68 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | B. Hampson | 890 | 79.0 | -7.5 | |
Conservative | M. Green | 155 | 13.8 | +0.3 | |
Green | P. Murphy | 81 | 7.2 | +7.2 | |
Majority | 735 | 65.3 | -7.7 | ||
Turnout | 1,126 | 12.4 | +0.6 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Hilton | 1,227 | 70.3 | +17.5 | |
Conservative | F. Parkinson | 308 | 17.6 | +8.9 | |
Green | L. Maile | 211 | 12.1 | +12.1 | |
Majority | 919 | 52.6 | +35.0 | ||
Turnout | 1,746 | 17.0 | -2.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +4.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Davies | 1,375 | 58.2 | -8.2 | |
Liberal Democrat | J. Beswick | 499 | 21.1 | +21.1 | |
Conservative | E. Mather | 345 | 14.6 | -5.8 | |
Green | D. Schanzi | 145 | 6.1 | -7.1 | |
Majority | 876 | 37.0 | 9.0 | ||
Turnout | 2,364 | 20.3 | +1.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -14.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Holmes | 1,188 | 74.7 | +2.7 | |
Conservative | N. Isherwood | 260 | 16.3 | -0.6 | |
Green | P. Brown | 142 | 8.9 | -2.1 | |
Majority | 928 | 58.4 | +3.2 | ||
Turnout | 1,590 | 18.4 | +1.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +1.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Lea | 1,110 | 71.2 | -4.7 | |
Conservative | N. Dugmore | 275 | 17.7 | +17.7 | |
Green | K. Barry | 173 | 11.1 | -12.9 | |
Majority | 835 | 53.6 | +1.7 | ||
Turnout | 1,558 | 18.4 | +2.7 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -11.2 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. Collins | 1,386 | 56.9 | +3.1 | |
Liberal Democrat | T. Beswick | 1,012 | 41.5 | -4.7 | |
Green | A. Deardon | 39 | 1.6 | +1.6 | |
Majority | 374 | 15.3 | +7.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,437 | 27.1 | +0.5 | ||
Labour gain from Liberal Democrat | Swing | +3.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Atkinson | 1,396 | 77.8 | +2.0 | |
Conservative | A. Davies | 275 | 15.3 | +0.7 | |
Green | D. Sanderson | 123 | 6.8 | -2.7 | |
Majority | 1,121 | 62.5 | +1.2 | ||
Turnout | 1,794 | 18.1 | +0.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +0.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Topping | 1,120 | 66.7 | -0.5 | |
Independent Labour | E. Edwardson | 440 | 26.2 | +26.2 | |
Green | C. Littler | 119 | 7.1 | -25.6 | |
Majority | 680 | 40.5 | +6.0 | ||
Turnout | 1,679 | 16.7 | +2.6 | ||
Labour gain from Independent Labour | Swing | -13.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | P. Turner | 1,197 | 77.2 | +2.2 | |
Conservative | D. Morris | 219 | 14.1 | -4.3 | |
Green | E. Brown | 134 | 8.6 | +2.0 | |
Majority | 978 | 63.1 | +6.5 | ||
Turnout | 1,550 | 14.2 | +0.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +3.2 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | R. Bleakley | 1,299 | 53.4 | +20.3 | |
Labour | S. Little | 966 | 39.7 | -22.9 | |
Conservative | L. Dugmore | 114 | 4.7 | +4.7 | |
Green | W. Jolly | 52 | 2.1 | -2.1 | |
Majority | 333 | 13.7 | -15.9 | ||
Turnout | 2,431 | 22.8 | +4.6 | ||
Liberal Democrat gain from Labour | Swing | +21.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | C. Hale | 1,382 | 49.9 | +0.8 | |
Green | C. Maile | 807 | 29.1 | -4.6 | |
Conservative | A. Oxley | 580 | 20.9 | +3.8 | |
Majority | 575 | 20.8 | +5.4 | ||
Turnout | 2,769 | 27.3 | +1.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Molyneux | 1,021 | 87.4 | -2.7 | |
Green | N. Maile | 81 | 6.9 | +6.9 | |
Conservative | H. Topping | 66 | 5.6 | -4.3 | |
Majority | 940 | 80.5 | +0.3 | ||
Turnout | 1,168 | 15.2 | +1.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -4.8 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | M. Crosby | 1,369 | 65.5 | -3.9 | |
Liberal Democrat | F. Graham | 583 | 27.9 | +2.8 | |
Green | E. Kismul | 138 | 6.6 | +1.1 | |
Majority | 786 | 37.6 | -6.7 | ||
Turnout | 2,090 | 17.9 | +1.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | B. Thomas | 1,174 | 78.7 | -1.8 | |
Green | S. Critchley | 167 | 11.2 | +0.5 | |
Conservative | T. Matthews | 150 | 10.0 | +1.4 | |
Majority | 1,007 | 67.5 | -2.3 | ||
Turnout | 1,491 | 17.3 | -0.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -1.1 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | K. Cunliffe | 1,112 | 68.7 | -5.0 | |
Conservative | D. Davies | 254 | 15.7 | -3.2 | |
Independent | J. Sumner | 147 | 9.1 | +9.1 | |
Green | N. Howarth | 105 | 6.5 | -0.8 | |
Majority | 858 | 53.0 | -1.7 | ||
Turnout | 1,618 | 15.2 | +0.2 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -0.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | B. Strett | 1,693 | 67.2 | -6.1 | |
Conservative | N. Culshaw | 591 | 23.5 | +1.4 | |
Green | S. Clarke | 234 | 9.3 | +4.7 | |
Majority | 1,102 | 43.8 | -7.5 | ||
Turnout | 2,518 | 21.3 | -0.0 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.7 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Birch | 1,036 | 83.1 | +7.8 | |
Liberal Democrat | L. Fain | 146 | 11.7 | +0.9 | |
Green | H. Wilkinson | 65 | 5.2 | +2.6 | |
Majority | 890 | 71.4 | +7.4 | ||
Turnout | 8,648 | 14.4 | -0.1 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +3.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S. Parker | 1,050 | 94.2 | +3.0 | |
Green | D. Smith | 64 | 5.7 | -3.0 | |
Majority | 986 | 88.5 | +5.9 | ||
Turnout | 1,114 | 15.6 | +1.3 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +3.0 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Capstick | 1,051 | 58.5 | -1.1 | |
Conservative | M. Winstanley | 639 | 35.6 | +1.5 | |
Green | N. Bird | 105 | 5.8 | -0.5 | |
Majority | 412 | 22.9 | -2.6 | ||
Turnout | 1,795 | 19.7 | +0.8 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -1.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Ball | 1,143 | 52.6 | -0.9 | |
Conservative | J. Davies | 661 | 30.4 | +0.2 | |
Liberal Democrat | A. Robinson | 300 | 13.8 | +1.3 | |
Green | D. Saunders | 67 | 3.1 | -0.7 | |
Majority | 482 | 22.2 | -1.1 | ||
Turnout | 2,171 | 25.2 | +2.2 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -0.5 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S. Hellier | 1,406 | 74.8 | N/A | |
Green | P. Thake | 473 | 25.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 933 | 49.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,879 | 16.1 | N/A | ||
Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | T. Butler | 1,345 | 86.1 | +1.8 | |
Green | J. Wilkinson | 217 | 13.9 | +7.3 | |
Majority | 1,128 | 72.2 | -3.0 | ||
Turnout | 1,562 | 19.3 | +2.5 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -2.7 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Roberts | 1,290 | 70.1 | -8.0 | |
Conservative | J. Cartwright | 381 | 20.7 | -1.2 | |
Green | J. Critchley | 170 | 9.2 | +9.2 | |
Majority | 909 | 49.4 | -6.8 | ||
Turnout | 1,841 | 16.4 | +1.9 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Baldwin | 1,085 | 81.4 | -1.5 | |
Conservative | T. Sutton | 155 | 11.6 | -5.4 | |
Green | A. Connor | 92 | 6.9 | +6.9 | |
Majority | 930 | 69.8 | +3.9 | ||
Turnout | 1,332 | 13.9 | +0.4 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | Graham Lingings | 921 | 57.1 | +3.7 | |
Labour | 693 | 42.9 | +3.2 | ||
Majority | 227 | 14.2 | +0.5 | ||
Turnout | 1,614 | 15.0 | -7.8 | ||
Liberal Democrat gain from Labour | Swing | +0.2 | |||
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