The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council elections were held on Thursday, 8 May 1986, with one third of the council and a vacancy in Odsal to be elected. The elections resulted in Labour gaining control of the council.^[1]^[2]

Election result

Bradford Local Election Result 1986^[2]
	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
Labour	22	11	0	+11	71.0	44.6	64,440	-0.3%
Conservative	9	2	9	-7	29.0	34.9	50,350	-3.7%
Alliance	0	0	4	-4	0.0	19.9	28,741	+3.5%
Green	0	0	0	0	0.0	0.2	324	+0.2%
Independent	0	0	0	0	0.0	0.2	240	+0.2%
Revolutionary Communist	0	0	0	0	0.0	0.1	158	+0.1%
BNP	0	0	0	0	0.0	0.1	139	+0.1%

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

Party		Previous council	New council
	Labour	40	51
	Conservatives	44	37
	Alliance	6	2
Total		90	90
Working majority		-10	12

Ward results

Baildon^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C. Charlesworth	3,014	48.9	+11.4
	Alliance (Liberal)	K. Greenwood	1,876	30.4	-18.6
	Labour	R. Baxter	1,092	17.7	+4.2
	Green	C. Harris	185	3.0	+3.0
Majority			1,138	18.4	+7.0
Turnout			6,167
	Conservative gain from Alliance		Swing	+15.0

Bingley^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W. Nunn	2,255	44.5	-4.4
	Labour	Y. Tough	1,805	35.6	+5.7
	Alliance (Liberal)	S. Whitehead	1,005	19.8	-1.3
Majority			450	8.9	-10.1
Turnout			5,065
	Conservative hold		Swing	-5.0

Bingley Rural^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Eaton	2,673	51.7	-5.2
	Labour	J. Leitch	1,280	24.7	+1.2
	Alliance (Liberal)	B. Parker	1,218	23.5	+4.0
Majority			1,393	26.9	-6.4
Turnout			5,171
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.2

Bolton^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M. Young	1,690	37.7	+1.1
	Conservative	F. Lee	1,504	33.6	-9.5
	Alliance (SDP)	C. Hare	1,283	28.7	+8.4
Majority			186	4.1	-2.4
Turnout			4,477
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+5.3

Bowling^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M. Walters	3,021	68.8	-4.3
	Conservative	M. Siddique	690	15.7	-11.3
	Alliance (SDP)	G. Beacher	682	15.5	+15.5
Majority			2,331	53.1	+7.0
Turnout			4,393
	Labour hold		Swing	+3.5

Bradford Moor^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R. Billheimer	3,091	67.9	+4.7
	Conservative	H. Gill	926	20.4	-5.6
	Alliance (SDP)	E. Hallmann	532	11.7	+0.9
Majority			2,165	47.6	+10.3
Turnout			4,549
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.1

Clayton^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G. Mitchell	2,344	45.8	-2.2
	Conservative	G. Seager	2,024	39.6	-0.2
	Alliance (SDP)	S. Illingworth	747	14.6	+2.5
Majority			320	6.3	-2.0
Turnout			5,115
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	-1.0

Craven^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Dawson	2,021	39.5	-4.0
	Alliance (Liberal)	R. Binns	2,018	39.4	+2.7
	Labour	A. Smith	1,076	21.0	+1.2
Majority			3	0.1	-6.7
Turnout			5,115
	Conservative gain from Alliance		Swing	-3.3

Eccleshill^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M. Millgate	2,004	46.1	+0.1
	Conservative	S. Swallow	1,272	29.3	-7.2
	Alliance (Liberal)	J. Taylor	803	18.5	+1.1
	Independent	D. Willoughby	189	4.3	+4.3
	BNP	G. Robinson	74	1.7	+1.7
Majority			732	16.9	+7.3
Turnout			4,342
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+3.6

Great Horton^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	S. Collard	2,504	53.2	-0.6
	Conservative	J. Beeson	1,493	31.7	-4.8
	Alliance (SDP)	R. Dowson	708	15.0	+5.4
Majority			1,011	21.5	+4.1
Turnout			4,705
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+2.1

Heaton^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	C. James	2,400	42.2	+13.6
	Conservative	C. Hobson	2,317	40.8	-19.2
	Alliance (SDP)	J. Hewitt	931	16.4	+5.0
	Revolutionary Communist	J. Bahr	35	0.6	+0.6
Majority			83	1.5	-29.9
Turnout			5,683
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+16.4

Idle^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Fosse	1,404	33.4	+2.2
	Conservative	H. Lytchett	1,369	32.6	+0.1
	Alliance (Liberal)	I. Horner	1,314	31.3	-5.0
	BNP	B. Coupe	65	1.5	+1.5
	Independent	A. Cribb	51	1.2	+1.2
Majority			35	0.8	-3.0
Turnout			4,203
	Labour gain from Alliance		Swing	+1.0

Ilkley^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	B. Cussons	2,739	48.0	-5.2
	Alliance (Liberal)	R. Battey	2,213	38.8	+1.7
	Labour	R. Fox	756	13.2	+3.5
Majority			526	9.2	-6.8
Turnout			5,708
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.4

Keighley North^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	K. Metcalfe	2,256	40.3	+0.1
	Labour	L. Ali	1,889	33.7	-13.3
	Alliance (SDP)	P. Panteli	1,453	26.0	+13.1
Majority			367	6.6	-0.3
Turnout			5,598
	Conservative hold		Swing	+6.7

Keighley South^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Rye	2,913	70.5	+4.4
	Conservative	D. Lynas	669	16.2	-4.7
	Alliance (SDP)	J. Arnold	548	13.3	+0.3
Majority			2,244	54.3	+9.2
Turnout			4,130
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.5

Keighley West^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	P. Beeley	2,521	49.6	-2.7
	Conservative	E. Owens	1,567	30.8	-2.3
	Alliance (Liberal)	S. Green	998	19.6	+5.0
Majority			954	18.8	-0.4
Turnout			5,086
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.2

Little Horton^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	K. Ryalls	2,686	72.7	+1.4
	Conservative	G. Johnson	622	16.8	-2.5
	Alliance (SDP)	D. Jagger	385	10.4	+1.1
Majority			2,064	55.9	+4.0
Turnout			3,693
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.9

Odsal^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	E. Johnson	2,546	51.3	+0.9
	Labour	R. Martin	2,493
	Conservative	T. Hill	1,575	31.7	-0.3
	Conservative	H. Thorne	1,400
	Alliance (SDP)	D. Hopkins	846	17.0	-0.6
Majority			971	19.5	+1.2
Turnout			4,967
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.6

Queensbury^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	C. Warman	2,155	43.3	+1.1
	Conservative	J. Rees	1,961	39.4	-5.1
	Alliance (SDP)	L. Hudson	856	17.2	+4.0
Majority			194	3.9	+1.7
Turnout			4,972
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+3.1

Rombalds^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	P. Gadsby-Peet	2,738	50.6	-5.7
	Alliance (SDP)	J. Ryan	1,834	33.9	+9.3
	Labour	J. O'Neill	842	15.5	-3.6
Majority			904	16.7	-15.0
Turnout			5,414
	Conservative hold		Swing	-7.5

Shipley East^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T. Miller	2,647	61.4	+4.2
	Conservative	S. Newton	927	21.5	-6.1
	Alliance (Liberal)	P. Britton	738	17.1	+1.9
Majority			1,720	39.9	+10.3
Turnout			4,312
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.1

Shipley West^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D. Heseltine	2,568	44.2	-5.9
	Labour	D. Wardle	1,990	34.3	-1.3
	Alliance (SDP)	M. Attenborough	1,107	19.1	+4.8
	Green	S. Shepherd	139	2.4	+2.4
Majority			578	10.0	-4.6
Turnout			5,804
	Conservative hold		Swing	-2.3

Thornton^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	S. Tetley	2,151	50.9	+6.9
	Conservative	D. Downey	2,073	19.1	+3.9
Majority			78	1.8	+0.7
Turnout			4,224
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+1.5

Toller^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G. Whitfield	3,039	54.9	+5.9
	Conservative	V. Binney	1,803	32.6	-6.8
	Alliance (SDP)	J. Brennan	691	12.5	+1.0
Majority			1,236	22.3	+12.7
Turnout			5,533
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.3

Tong^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D. Smith	2,088	67.2	-12.8
	Conservative	K. Sotomayer-Sugden	548	17.6	-2.3
	Alliance (SDP)	W. Smyth	448	14.4	+14.4
	Revolutionary Communist	A. Kent	21	0.7	+0.7
Majority			1,540	49.6	-10.6
Turnout			3,105
	Labour hold		Swing	-5.2

Undercliffe^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R. Sowman	2,538	58.3	+0.5
	Conservative	D. Green	1,181	27.1	-4.0
	Alliance (SDP)	I. Glenn	634	14.6	+3.5
Majority			1,357	31.2	+4.6
Turnout			4,353
	Labour hold		Swing	+2.2

University^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M. Riaz	4,068	77.1	-1.0
	Conservative	J. Austin	767	14.5	+1.5
	Alliance (SDP)	M. Khan	340	6.4	+0.2
	Revolutionary Communist	M. Singh	102	1.9	+1.9
Majority			3,301	62.5	-2.5
Turnout			5,277
	Labour gain from Alliance		Swing	-1.2

Wibsey^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	C. Richardson	2,060	45.3	-1.3
	Conservative	E. Manogue	1,572	34.6	-16.8
	Alliance (SDP)	T. Lindley	917	20.2	+20.2
Majority			488	10.7	+6.0
Turnout			4,549
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+7.7

Worth Valley^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	S. Midgley	2,125	48.0	-5.7
	Labour	R. Kelly	1,520	34.3	-2.5
	Alliance (Liberal)	R. Quayle	782	17.7	+8.2
Majority			605	13.7	-3.2
Turnout			4,427
	Conservative hold		Swing	-1.6

Wyke^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D. Mangham	2,320	54.5	-0.9
	Conservative	V. Owen	1,101	25.9	-1.8
	Alliance (SDP)	R. Blagboro	834	19.6	+2.8
Majority			1,219	28.6	+0.9
Turnout			4,255
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.4

References

^ "Vote 2012: Bradford". BBC News Online. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af "District results: Bradford". The Yorkshire Post. 9 May 1986.

v t e (1985 ←) 1986 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1987)
London boroughs	Barking and Dagenham Barnet Bexley Brent Bromley Camden Croydon Ealing Enfield Greenwich Hackney Hammersmith and Fulham Haringey Harrow Havering Hillingdon Hounslow Islington Kensington and Chelsea Kingston upon Thames Lambeth Lewisham Merton Newham Redbridge Richmond upon Thames Southwark Sutton Tower Hamlets Waltham Forest Wandsworth Westminster
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Regional councils (Scotland)	Borders Central Dumfries and Galloway Fife Grampian Highland Lothian Orkney Shetland Strathclyde Tayside Western Isles
LEAs	Inner London Education Authority

v t e Council elections in West Yorkshire
Mayor	2021 2024
Bradford	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
Calderdale	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
Kirklees	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
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Wakefield	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024
West Yorkshire CC	1973 1977 1981 Abolished
West Riding CC	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes