2000 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Wigan Council were held on 4 May 2000. One-third of the council was up for election, as well as an extra vacancy in Norley - both of which were uncontested. Since the election, there had been a by-election in which the Liberal Democrats gained the seat being fought in Hindsford from Labour.

Map of the results of the 2000 Wigan council election.

The previous year had seen a peak in candidates contesting, but with the absence of the Greens, who had fielded a full slate last time around, candidates returned to a normal level. Some of those who'd stood for the Greens decided to run on an independent list, covering a quarter of the wards. There were a further handful of Independent candidates elsewhere, including the return of John Vickers in Hindley Green after an eight-year absence, and a second attempt of Jack Sumner in Leigh East, to produce the highest number of Independents contesting since 1973. The Conservatives fielded their highest amount, at 21, since 1982, and the Lib Dems - whilst still much reduced from their Alliance years - produced a stronger showing than recent years of ten candidates. Labour, as usual, contested every seat.

Turnout followed recent trends, at a slightly improved 19.5%, although the three wards that trailed postal voting seen marked increases.[1] Similarities ended there, as the Conservatives seen a dramatic recovery in their fortunes, with their voter share rising to the highest since 1980, and their vote near double recent years figures. Labour, in turn, suffered double-digit swings against them in most wards, with a sharp fall in their vote share to pre-peak levels and their lowest vote figure since the council's inception, narrowly surpassing the previous figure set in 1975. The Lib Dems seen another year of modest improvement in their vote, and the two returning Independents, as well as a third in Hindley garnered large swings towards them.

In all, there were two gains on the night, with Labour gaining in Beech Hill to return it to full Labour representation after a decade of Lib Dem inroads, and a loss to the Conservatives who won back representation on the council by way of their first win in Orrell since 1982. The Lib Dems narrowly held onto their newly won seat in Hindsford, with a 56-vote majority.[2][3]

Election result
Wigan Local Election Result 2000
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 23 1 1 0 92.0 56.9 25,190 -10.8%
  Conservative 1 1 0 +1 4.0 25.1 11,108 +12.4%
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 1 -1 4.0 11.9 5,281 +3.0%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0.0 4.4 1,956 +4.1%
  Independent Green 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.6 712 +1.6%

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 69
Liberal Democrat 3 2
Conservative 0 1
Independent 0 0
EIE 0 0
Total 72 72
Working majority  66   66 

Ward results
Abram[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Bennett 769 68.8 -10.2
Conservative M. Parr 348 31.1 +17.4
Majority 421 37.7 -27.6
Turnout 1,117 12.4 +0.0
Labour hold Swing -13.8
Ashton-Golborne[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour N. Ash 1,065 64.4 -5.8
Conservative R. Rees 588 35.6 +17.9
Majority 477 28.8 -23.8
Turnout 1,653 15.7 -1.3
Labour hold Swing -11.8
Aspull-Standish[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Ready 1,256 50.2 -8.0
Conservative T. Peet 671 26.8 +12.2
Liberal Democrats J. Beswick 493 19.7 -1.4
Independent Green D. Schanzl 82 3.3 +3.3
Majority 585 23.4 -13.7
Turnout 2,502 21.4 +1.1
Labour hold Swing -10.1
Atherton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Clarke 1,108 63.4 -11.3
Liberal Democrats C. Thomson 363 20.8 +20.8
Conservative R. Oxley 276 15.8 -0.5
Majority 745 42.6 -15.7
Turnout 1,747 20.3 +1.8
Labour hold Swing -16.0
Bedford-Astley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Rigby 1,230 54.4 -16.8
Conservative N. Dugmore 656 29.0 +11.4
Liberal Democrats F. Graham 281 12.4 +12.4
Independent Green L. Maile 94 4.1 +4.1
Majority 574 25.4 -28.2
Turnout 2,261 26.8 +8.4
Labour hold Swing -14.1
Beech Hill[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Halliwell 1,286 55.1 -1.8
Liberal Democrats T. Beswick 918 39.3 -2.2
Conservative J. Pietre 130 5.6 +5.6
Majority 368 15.8 +0.4
Turnout 2,334 26.1 -1.0
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +0.2
Bryn[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. Millington 1,178 69.4 -8.3
Conservative M. Green 518 30.5 +15.2
Majority 660 38.9 -23.6
Turnout 1,696 17.2 -0.9
Labour hold Swing -11.7
Hindley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Robinson 877 49.5 -17.1
Independent B. Worthington 683 38.6 +38.6
Conservative S. Isherwood 210 11.9 +11.9
Majority 194 11.0 -29.5
Turnout 1,770 17.5 +0.7
Labour hold Swing -27.8
Hindley Green[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Murphy 843 48.4 -28.8
Independent J. Vickers 566 32.5 +32.5
Conservative A. Davies 331 19.0 +4.9
Majority 277 15.9 -47.2
Turnout 1,740 16.0 +1.9
Labour hold Swing -30.6
Hindsford[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats G. Lingings 1,163 46.5 -6.9
Labour M. Aldred 1,107 44.2 +4.5
Conservative D. Angell 124 4.9 +0.3
Independent T. Norris 108 4.3 +4.3
Majority 56 2.2 -11.5
Turnout 2,502 23.7 +0.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -5.7
Hope Carr[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Liptrot 946 39.1 -10.8
Conservative A. Oxley 672 27.8 +6.8
Liberal Democrats P. Hough 511 21.1 +21.1
Independent Green C. Maile 289 11.9 +11.9
Majority 274 11.3 -9.4
Turnout 2,418 23.7 -3.6
Labour hold Swing -8.8
Ince[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K. Baldwin 864 75.1 -12.3
Conservative A. Eccles 165 14.3 +6.7
Independent Green N. Maile 121 10.5 +10.5
Majority 699 60.8 -19.7
Turnout 1,150 14.9 -0.2
Labour hold Swing -9.5
Langtree[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Brown 1,129 47.9 -17.6
Conservative J. Peet 789 33.5 +33.5
Liberal Democrats H. Wagner 438 18.6 -9.3
Majority 340 14.4 -23.2
Turnout 2,356 20.2 +2.3
Labour hold Swing -25.5
Leigh Central[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K. Thomas 877 70.2 -8.5
Conservative N. Isherwood 372 29.8 +19.7
Majority 505 40.4 -27.1
Turnout 1,249 14.7 -2.6
Labour hold Swing -14.1
Leigh East[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B. Jarvis 877 54.7 -14.0
Independent J. Sumner 416 26.0 +16.9
Conservative D. Davies 309 19.3 +3.6
Majority 361 28.8 -24.2
Turnout 1,602 15.0 -0.2
Labour hold Swing -15.4
Lightshaw[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Kelly 1,552 60.2 -7.0
Conservative J. Grundy 1,024 39.8 +16.3
Majority 528 20.5 -23.3
Turnout 2,576 21.5 +0.2
Labour hold Swing -11.6
Newtown[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. Coghlin 758 68.9 -14.2
Liberal Democrats M. McGowan 250 22.7 +11.0
Independent Green N. Bird 92 8.4 +8.4
Majority 508 46.2 -25.2
Turnout 1,100 13.0 -1.4
Labour hold Swing -12.6
Norley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B. Bourne Unopposed N/A N/A
Labour J. Prescott Unopposed N/A N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Orrell[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Winstanley 1,003 51.6 +16.0
Labour E. Swift 940 48.4 -10.2
Majority 63 3.2 -19.7
Turnout 1,943 21.3 +1.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +13.1
Swinley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Walsh 1,020 45.1 -7.5
Conservative J. Davies 934 41.3 +10.9
Liberal Democrats A. Robinson 272 12.0 -1.8
Independent Green D. Saunders 34 1.5 +1.5
Majority 86 3.8 -18.4
Turnout 2,260 26.5 +1.3
Labour hold Swing -9.2
Tyldesley East[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Stephenson 1,023 56.9 -17.9
Liberal Democrats C. Jones 592 32.9 +32.9
Independent A. Vickers 183 10.2 +10.2
Majority 431 24.0 -25.7
Turnout 1,798 15.3 -0.8
Labour hold Swing -25.4
Whelley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Coyle 1,565 75.1 -11.0
Conservative E. Mather 518 24.9 +24.9
Majority 1,047 50.2 -21.9
Turnout 2,083 25.8 +6.5
Labour hold Swing -17.9
Winstanley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Winkworth 2,059 65.3 -4.8
Conservative J. Cartwright 1,094 34.7 +14.0
Majority 965 30.6 -18.8
Turnout 3,153 25.4 +9.0
Labour hold Swing -9.4
Worsley Mesnes[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Brogan 861 69.6 -11.8
Conservative T. Sutton 376 30.4 +18.7
Majority 485 39.2 -30.6
Turnout 1,237 13.1 -0.8
Labour hold Swing -15.2

By-elections between 2000 and 2002
Atherton By-Election 5 April 2001[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Bob Splaine 830 49.1 +28.3
Labour Mark Aldred 796 47.0 -16.4
Conservative Rosina Oxley 66 3.9 -11.9
Majority 34 2.1 -40.5
Turnout 1,692 19.9 -0.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing +22.3
Hope Carr By-Election 7 June 2001[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John O'Brien 2,569 46.4 +7.3
Liberal Democrats Peter Hough 1,887 34.1 +13.0
Conservative James Grundy 1,002 18.1 -9.7
Socialist Alliance Keith Fry 82 1.5 +1.5
Majority 682 12.3 +1.0
Turnout 5,540 53.4 +29.7
Labour hold Swing -2.8
Hindsford By-Election 25 October 2001[5][7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mark Aldred 1,059 50.9 +6.7
Liberal Democrats Neil Hogg 945 45.5 -1.0
Conservative Nigel Dugmore 75 3.6 -1.3
Majority 114 5.4 +3.2
Turnout 2,079 19.5 +4.2
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +3.8

References
  1. "Local Elections 2000 - Report on Postal Ballot Pilot Scheme". wiganmbc.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2000. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  2. "Wigan". BBC News Online. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
  3. "Wigan Council results from 1973 to 2008" (PDF). wigan.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  4. "Lib-Dem election cheer". Bolton Evening News. 6 April 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  5. "Local Authority Byelection Results". gwydir.demon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  6. "Andy secures place at No 10". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 15 June 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  7. "Fourth time lucky for Aldred". leighreporter.co.uk. 1 November 2001. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  8. "Tories win Richmondshire". The Guardian. London. 26 October 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
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