1991 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election

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Map of the results of the 1991 Wigan council election. Wigan88.png
Map of the results of the 1991 Wigan council election.

Elections to the Wigan council were held on Thursday, 2 May 1991, with one third scheduled for re-election. Like the last election, this seen a wider variety of party candidates than most previous, but only marginally improved upon the nadir of the year before in terms of candidates, with four wards uncontested (the record low until beaten last year), Conservatives fighting just above one half of the seats and the Liberal Democrats just under - although the Lib Dems near doubled last year's total, both were historically disappointing. Minor party participation consisted of three Independent Labour candidates - including a former Beech Hill Labour councillor - two Liberals, a return of an Independent in Hindley Green and one remaining Green - their lowest fielded when participating - in Atherton.

Contents

Results on the night largely turned out to be the converse of the 1988 election with Labour suffering a significant fall in their vote share, mostly to the advantage of the Lib Dems, as they decisively won back second place. There were three gains in total, with two Lib Dem gains from Labour and one vice versa. The Lib Dems achieved a notable gain in the unblemished Labour ward of Bedford-Astley, as well as a second gain in the once consistently-Labour Beech Hill. Labour managed to return Winstanley to sole Labour representation again, but their total of 18 seats was the lowest accomplished in just under a decade for them. Elsewhere the Conservative's successfully defended Swinley this time around, and the Independent Labour comfortably held Hindley. Turnout fell to a fairly average figure of 34.5%. [1]

Election result

Wigan Local Election Result 1991
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 1812-175.058.039,434-11.2%
  Liberal Democrats 421+116.719.913,578+8.7%
  Conservative 10004.215.110,251+1.9%
  Independent Labour 10004.23.42,311+3.4%
  Liberal 00000.01.81,215+0.2%
  Independent 00000.01.2820+0.3%
  Green 00000.00.6424-2.7%

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

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Labour6463
Liberal Democrats56
Conservatives22
Independent Labour11
Liberal00
Independent00
Green00
Total7272
Working majority 56  54 

Ward results

Abram [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour B. Hampson2,37383.7N/A
Conservative J. Horsewell46116.3N/A
Majority1,91267.4N/A
Turnout 2,83429.2N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Ashton-Golborne [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Hilton2,19173.0-6.0
Conservative A. Calder80927.0+6.0
Majority1,38246.0-12.0
Turnout 3,00030.5-6.1
Labour hold Swing -6.0
Aspull-Standish [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats G. Davies2,37650.7+20.6
Labour T. Mugan1,78238.1-15.2
Conservative J. Carrington52411.2-5.3
Majority59416.6-10.4
Turnout 4,68243.0-3.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +17.9
Atherton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Summer2,02775.3-5.0
Green S. Bickerton42415.7-3.9
Independent Labour D. Graeme2429.0+9.0
Majority1,60359.6-1.1
Turnout 2,69329.1-6.2
Labour hold Swing -0.5
Bedford-Astley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats J. Lea1,81251.4+51.4
Labour H. Hayes1,71348.6-21.8
Majority992.8-38.1
Turnout 3,52535.5+1.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing +36.6
Beech Hill [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats V. Milton1,99254.1+5.2
Labour S. Shaw1,18832.3-18.9
Independent Labour J. Parkinson3208.7+8.7
Conservative A. Porter1824.9+4.9
Majority80421.8+19.5
Turnout 3,68241.9-4.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing +12.0
Bryn [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Foster2,54080.6-0.1
Conservative B. Smith61019.4+0.1
Majority1,93061.3-0.2
Turnout 3,15032.3-2.6
Labour hold Swing -0.1
Hindley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Labour E. Edwardson1,74962.4+62.4
Labour T. Bailey1,05337.6-37.1
Majority69624.8-34.1
Turnout 2,80229.0-7.9
Independent Labour hold Swing +49.7
Hindley Green [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. McAllister2,02771.2-1.0
Independent J. Vickers82028.8+11.3
Majority1,20742.4-12.3
Turnout 2,84724.7-7.9
Labour hold Swing -6.1
Hindsford [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. LittleUnopposedN/AN/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Hope Carr [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour L. Birtles1,56140.9-8.0
Liberal Democrats J. Croft1,49139.1-12.0
Conservative J. Midgley76420.0+20.0
Majority701.8-0.4
Turnout 3,81638.1+0.3
Labour hold Swing +2.0
Ince [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Molyneaux2,21784.1N/A
Liberal Democrats J. Shaw42015.9N/A
Majority1,79768.2N/A
Turnout 2,63733.5N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Langtree [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats S. Jeffers2,00339.0+21.9
Labour M. Gallagher1,81135.2-14.1
Liberal K. White81915.9-5.9
Conservative J. Davies5079.8-1.8
Majority1923.7-23.8
Turnout 5,14045.4-1.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +18.0
Leigh Central [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour B. Thomas1,72259.6N/A
Liberal Democrats R. Whalley1,16640.4N/A
Majority55619.2N/A
Turnout 2,88832.1N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Leigh East [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. KennedyUnopposedN/AN/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Lightshaw [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour B. Strett3,06366.1-9.8
Conservative S. Hide1,57033.9+9.8
Majority1,49332.2-19.6
Turnout 4,63343.2-0.7
Labour hold Swing -9.8
Newtown [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour M. Milligan2,09075.6-13.9
Liberal Democrats L. Brooks67324.3+24.3
Majority1,41751.3-27.9
Turnout 2,76330.0-9.2
Labour hold Swing -19.1
Norley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. ParkerUnopposedN/AN/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Orrell [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Capstick1,95952.3-15.7
Conservative H. Melling1,35436.2+4.2
Liberal Democrats J. Lancaster42911.4+11.4
Majority60516.2-19.9
Turnout 3,74236.5-2.5
Labour hold Swing -9.9
Swinley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Wolstenholme1,97451.7+3.9
Labour A. Bullen1,84248.3-3.9
Majority1323.4-0.8
Turnout 3,81643.0-6.1
Conservative hold Swing +3.9
Tyldesley East [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. HopkinsonUnopposedN/AN/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Whelley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour M. Pendleton2,11669.8-9.1
Liberal K. Smith39613.0+13.0
Conservative F. Sidebotham36111.9+0.9
Liberal Democrats H. Wagner1605.3+5.3
Majority1,72056.7-11.2
Turnout 3,03334.4-3.7
Labour hold Swing -11.0
Winstanley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour G. Roberts1,95653.3-10.0
Liberal Democrats V. Gasteen1,05628.7+7.9
Conservative I. Cunliffe66018.0+2.1
Majority90024.5-18.0
Turnout 3,67231.3-6.2
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing -8.9
Worsley Mesnes [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Baldwin2,20382.2-10.1
Conservative R. Clayton47517.7+10.1
Majority1,72864.5-20.2
Turnout 2,67827.3-5.8
Labour hold Swing -10.1

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Wigan Council results from 1973 to 2008" (PDF). wigan.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012.