1979 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election
← 1978 3 May 1979 (1979-05-03) 1980 →
23 of 66 seats (One Third and one by-election)
to Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
34 seats needed for a majority
Turnout75.3% (Increase39.7%)[1]
  First party Second party Third party
 
Con
Lab
Lib
Leader Harry Deverill Richard Kimberley Gordon Lindsay
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Leader's seat Prenton Argyle-Clifton-Holt Grange and Oxton
Last election 14 seats,
55.7% 		6 seats,
28.4% 		3 seats,
15.4%
Seats before 45 16 5
Seats won 12 9 2
Seats after 40 20 6
Seat change Decrease5 Increase4 Increase1
Popular vote 93,891 70,639 30,430
Percentage 48.0% 36.2% 15.6%
Swing Decrease7.7% Increase7.8% Increase0.2%
Map of results of 1979 election
Leader of the Council before election

Harry Deverill
Conservative

Leader of the Council after election

Harry Deverill
Conservative

The 1979 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 1979 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England.[2] This election was held on the same day as other local elections.

After the election, the composition of the council was:

Party Seats ±
Conservative 40 Decrease5
Labour 20 Increase4
Liberal 6 Increase1

[3]

Election results

Overall election result

Overall result compared with 1978.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election results, 1979
Party Candidates Votes
Stood Elected Gained Unseated Net % of total % No. Net %
  Conservative 23 12 0 5 Decrease5 54.5 48.0 93,891 Decrease7.7
  Labour 23 9 4 0 Increase4 40.9 36.2 70,639 Increase7.8
  Liberal 17 2 2 1 Increase1 4.5 15.6 30,430 Increase0.2
  National Front 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 368 Steady
  Communist 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.0 77 Decrease0.1

[1][2] [n 1]

Ward results

Birkenhead

No. 1 (Argyle-Clifton-Holt)

Argyle-Clifton-Holt
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Smith 2,867 59.2 Increase6.5
Conservative A. Adams 1,092 22.5 Increase1.0
Liberal J. Smith 887 18.3 Decrease4.1
Majority 1,775 36.7 Increase6.4
Registered electors 7,259
Turnout 66.8 Increase34.4
Labour hold Swing Increase3.2

[2]

No. 2 (Bebington and Mersey)

Bebington and Mersey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Smith 2,802 53.1 Increase4.3
Conservative D. Welsh 1,679 31.8 Decrease13.6
Liberal S. Evans 716 13.6 Increase7.7
Communist J. Norris 77 1.5 New
Majority 1,123 21.3 Increase17.9
Registered electors 7,556
Turnout 69.8 Increase37.2
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase9.0

[2][4]

No. 3 (Cathcart-Claughton-Cleveland)

Cathcart-Claughton-Cleveland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P. Liddell 2,214 36.0 Increase12.1
Liberal A. Jones 2,210 35.9 Decrease2.9
Conservative B. Lloyd 1,734 28.2 Decrease9.2
Majority 4 0.1 N/A
Registered electors 8,641
Turnout 71.3 Increase30.5
Labour gain from Liberal Swing Increase0.8

[2]

No. 4 (Devonshire and Egerton)

Devonshire and Egerton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ronald Leaper 3,454 39.0 Increase6.1
Conservative K. Allen 2,815 31.8 Decrease11.5
Liberal G. Quinn 2,595 29.3 Increase5.5
Majority 639 7.2 N/A
Registered electors 11,925
Turnout 74.3 Increase39.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase8.8

[2]

No. 5 (Gilbrook and St James)

Gilbrook and St James
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Davies 4,001 66.3 Decrease5.9
Conservative K. Hughes 1,225 20.3 Increase1.8
Liberal Alan Brighouse 807 13.4 Increase4.0
Majority 2,776 46.0 Decrease7.7
Registered electors 8,376
Turnout 72.0 Increase40.1
Labour hold Swing Decrease3.9

[2][5]

No. 6 (Grange and Oxton)

Grange and Oxton (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal A. Halliday [n 2] 3,984 41.4 Decrease6.3
Liberal Michael Cooke [n 3] 3,830 – –
Conservative R. Hodkinson 3,241 33.7 Decrease3.1
Conservative O. Donaldson 3,089 – –
Labour J. Coates 2,400 24.9 Increase9.4
Labour Barney Gilfoyle 2,209 – –
Majority 743 7.7 Decrease3.2
Registered electors 13,242
Turnout 72.7 Increase32.1
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing Decrease1.6
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing –

[2]

No. 7 (Prenton)

Prenton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Taylor 6,056 52.3 Decrease12.9
Labour W. Leslie 5,531 47.7 Increase12.9
Majority 525 4.6 Decrease25.8
Registered electors 15,422
Turnout 75.0 Increase45.3
Conservative hold Swing Decrease12.9

[2]

No. 8 (Upton)

Upton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Corcoran 8,387 54.9 Increase14.8
Conservative J. Roberts 6,894 45.1 Decrease14.8
Majority 1,493 9.8 N/A
Registered electors 21,661
Turnout 70.5 Increase45.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase14.8

[2]

Wallasey

No. 9 (Leasowe)

Leasowe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ken Fox 5,072 56.8 Increase1.4
Conservative M. Kemble 2,786 31.2 Decrease9.7
Liberal B. Thomas 1,078 12.1 Increase8.4
Majority 2,286 25.6 Increase11.1
Registered electors 11,982
Turnout 74.6 Increase44.4
Labour hold Swing Increase5.6

[2]

No. 10 (Marlowe-Egremont-South Liscard)

Marlowe-Egremont-South-Liscard
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Hale 4,252 45.2 Decrease14.4
Labour G. Watkins 3,660 38.9 Increase4.7
Liberal M. Canning 1,250 13.3 Increase7.0
National Front F. Buckley 245 2.6 New
Majority 592 6.3 Decrease19.1
Registered electors 12,770
Turnout 73.7 Increase42.1
Conservative hold Swing Decrease9.6

[2][6]

No. 11 (Moreton and Saughall Massie)

Moreton and Saughall Massie
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Williams 2,769 43.8 Decrease9.5
Labour Jim Edwards 2,709 42.8 Increase0.3
Liberal E. Thomas 849 13.4 Increase9.3
Majority 60 0.9 Decrease9.9
Registered electors 8,168
Turnout 77.5 Increase40.9
Conservative hold Swing Decrease4.9

[2]

No. 12 (New Brighton-Wallasey-Warren)

New Brighton-Wallasey-Warren
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C. Whatling 6,974 61.2 Decrease2.5
Liberal N. Stribbling 2,180 19.1 Decrease9.2
Labour D. Mason 2,115 18.6 Increase10.6
National Front J. Milns 123 1.1 New
Majority 4,794 42.1 Increase6.7
Registered electors 14,454
Turnout 78.8 Increase33.4
Conservative hold Swing Increase3.4

[2]

No. 13 (North Liscard-Upper Brighton Street)

North Liscard-Upper Brighton Street
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B. Nottage 4,511 53.3 Decrease22.2
Labour J. Fairbrother 2,356 27.8 Increase11.0
Liberal G. Sharp 1,604 18.9 Increase11.2
Majority 2,155 25.4 Decrease33.3
Registered electors 11,546
Turnout 73.4 Increase43.0
Conservative hold Swing Decrease16.6

[2]

No. 14 (Seacombe-Poulton-Somerville)

Seacombe-Poulton-Somerville
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Wickham 4,400 54.1 Decrease3.9
Conservative G. Elliot 2,463 30.3 Decrease2.8
Liberal P. Mawdsley 1,277 15.7 Increase11.9
Majority 1,937 23.8 Decrease1.1
Registered electors 11,223
Turnout 72.5 Increase38.9
Labour hold Swing Decrease0.5

[2]

Bebington

No. 15 (Higher Bebington and Woodhey)

Higher Bebington and Woodhey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative E. Pike 5,567 67.3 Decrease3.9
Labour P. Wallace 2,704 32.7 Increase12.7
Majority 2,863 34.6 Decrease16.6
Registered electors 10,181
Turnout 81.2 Increase35.9
Conservative hold Swing Decrease8.3

[2]

No. 16 (Park-New Ferry-North Bromborough)

Park-New Ferry-North Bromborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Audrey Moore 3,862 51.8 Decrease0.4
Conservative A. Stacey 3,600 48.2 Increase0.4
Majority 262 3.6 Decrease0.8
Registered electors 9,828
Turnout 75.9 Increase35.3
Labour hold Swing Decrease0.4

[2]

No. 17 (South Bromborough and Eastham)

South Bromborough and Eastham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Allan 4,087 36.0 Increase8.7
Liberal R. Palmer 4,047 35.6 Decrease22.5
Labour Ralph Dunning 3,225 28.4 Increase13.8
Majority 40 0.4 N/A
Registered electors 13,985
Turnout 81.2 Increase35.3
Conservative hold Swing Increase15.6

[2]

No. 18 (Lower Bebington and Poulton)

Lower Bebington and Poulton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dorothy Goodfellow 6,405 55.8 Decrease9.5
Liberal Thomas Harney 2,650 23.1 Increase6.6
Labour A. Woods 2,432 21.2 Increase3.0
Majority 3,755 32.7 Decrease14.3
Registered electors 14,163
Turnout 81.1 Increase41.8
Conservative hold Swing Decrease7.2

[2][7]

Hoylake

No. 19 (Caldy and Frankby)

Caldy and Frankby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Reg Cumpstey 6,454 61.6 Decrease12.9
Liberal B. Crosbie 2,406 22.9 Increase11.0
Labour C. Hiley 1,624 15.5 Increase5.9
Majority 4,048 38.6 Decrease24.0
Registered electors 13,589
Turnout 77.2 Increase42.4
Conservative hold Swing Decrease12.0

[2]

No. 20 (Central-Hoose-Meols-Park)

Central-Hoose-Meols-Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. Thompson 6,053 65.6 Decrease20.4
Liberal F. Lewis 1,890 20.5 New
Labour David Jackson 1,280 13.9 Decrease0.1
Majority 4,163 45.1 Decrease26.9
Registered electors 12,150
Turnout 75.9 Increase37.1
Conservative hold Swing Decrease13.5

[2]

Wirral

No. 21 (Barnston-Gayton-Heswall-Oldfield)

Barnston-Gayton-Heswall-Oldfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative V. Robertson 7,783 86.2 Decrease4.9
Labour W. Gamet 1,244 13.8 Increase4.9
Majority 6,539 72.4 Decrease9.9
Registered electors 11,581
Turnout 77.9 Increase41.3
Conservative hold Swing Decrease4.9

[2]

No. 22 (Irby-Pensby-Thurstaston)

Irby-Pensby-Thurstaston
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. Leigh 5,451 70.3 Decrease8.9
Labour B. Cain 2,300 29.7 Increase8.9
Majority 3,151 40.7 Decrease17.7
Registered electors 10,048
Turnout 77.1 Increase45.5
Conservative hold Swing Decrease8.9

[2]

Notes

• italics denote the sitting councillor • bold denotes the winning candidate

  1. ^ % of total refers to % of wards won.
  2. ^ Elected to serve a 4-year term.
  3. ^ Elected to serve a 1-year term.

References

  1. ^ a b "Local Election Summaries 1979". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Metropolitan Borough of Wirral Election Results 1973-2012 (Pg. 4 and 5)" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Councillor Walter Smith". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Councillor Alan Brighouse". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
  6. ^ "Councillor John Hale". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Councillor Tom Harney". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.

Mellows-Facer, Adam (10 May 2006). "Local election 2006". parliament.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
"BBC NEWS VOTE 2003 WIRRAL". BBC News. 1 May 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2018.

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