CS Knowledge Base

Elections to Stockport Council were held on Thursday, 4 May 1978. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 1982. The Conservative Party retained overall control of the council.^[1]^[2]

Election result

Party	Votes		Seats			Full Council
Conservative Party	46,675 (49.9%)	0.2	11 (55.0%)	11 / 20	1	40 (66.7%)	40 / 60
Labour Party	23,868 (25.5%)	4.3	6 (30.0%)	6 / 20	1	13 (21.7%)	13 / 60
Liberal Party	20,694 (22.1%)	2.5	2 (10.0%)	2 / 20	2	4 (6.7%)	4 / 60
Heald Green Ratepayers	2,204 (2.4%)	0.4	1 (5.0%)	1 / 20		3 (5.0%)	3 / 60
National Front	124 (0.1%)	N/A	0 (0.0%)	0 / 20	N/A	0 (0.0%)	0 / 60
Communist	64 (0.1%)	0.1	0 (0.0%)	0 / 20		0 (0.0%)	0 / 60

↓
13	4	3	40

^[3]

Ward results

No.1 (Brinnington & Lancashire Hill)

Brinnington & Lancashire Hill
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	K. Ford*	2,956	65.8	+5.1
	Conservative	G. Harris	1,304	29.0	−3.0
	Liberal	C. Ashworth	230	5.2	−2.1
Majority			1,652	36.8	+8.0
Turnout			4,490	34.0	+3.0
	Labour hold		Swing

No.2 (Manor & Little Moor)

Manor & Little Moor
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	E. Gallacher	1,468	48.9	+5.8
	Conservative	B. Skitt	1,409	38.5	−2.9
	Liberal	R. Quayle	375	12.6	−1.0
Majority			309	10.4	+8.7
Turnout			2,982	35.7	−3.4
	Labour hold		Swing

No.3 (Vernon & Offerton)

Vernon & Offerton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	P. Brogan	1,561	46.4	+7.4
	Conservative	E. Williamson*	1,525	44.4	+4.5
	Liberal	B. Tuck	336	9.2	−11.9
Majority			74	2.0
Turnout			3,636	35.0	−6.1
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

No.4 (Heaviley & Davenport)

Heaviley & Davenport
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Lowe*	2,738	65.2	+2.4
	Labour	C. Gill	1,021	24.3	+7.8
	Liberal	E. Fantom	438	10.5	−10.2
Majority			1,717	40.9	−1.2
Turnout			4,197	38.7	−2.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.5 (Adswood & Cale Green)

Adswood & Cale Green
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Cameron*	2,072	52.0	+7.5
	Conservative	E. Howard	1,562	39.2	−2.4
	Liberal	J. Rees	223	5.6	−8.3
	National Front	K. Walker	124	3.2	N/A
Majority			510	12.8	+9.9
Turnout			3,981	35.1	+1.5
	Labour hold		Swing

No.6 (Edgeley & Cheadle Heath)

Edgeley & Cheadle Heath
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	V. Holland*	2,250	45.3	+16.5
	Conservative	W. Wilson	1,383	27.9	−1.5
	Liberal	S. Howell	1,329	26.8	−12.5
Majority			867	17.4
Turnout			4,962	45.3	−1.4
	Labour hold		Swing

No.7 (Heaton Mersey & Heaton Norris)

Heaton Mersey & Heaton Norris
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	P. Whitney	3,311	62.7	−2.5
	Labour	T. Broome	1,601	30.3	+10.1
	Liberal	H. Burrows	368	7.0	−7.6
Majority			1,710	32.4	−12.6
Turnout			5,280	41.3	−0.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.8 (Heaton Moor & Heaton Chapel)

Heaton Moor & Heaton Chapel
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. A. MacCarron*	2,549	52.0	−11.8
	Labour	M. Evans	1,426	29.1	+5.5
	Liberal	G. Fenton	930	18.9	+6.3
Majority			1,123	22.9	−17.3
Turnout			4,905	41.7	−2.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.9 (Reddish Green & Longford)

Reddish Green & Longford
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Verdeille*	3,096	58.6	+9.0
	Conservative	D. Lloyd	1,940	36.7	−2.2
	Liberal	D. Swindley	185	3.5	−6.0
	Communist	N. Bourne	64	1.2	−0.8
Majority			1,156	21.9	+11.2
Turnout			5,285	44.5	+2.5
	Labour hold		Swing

No.10 (Bredbury Goyt)

Bredbury Goyt
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	P. Gilleney	2,720	58.4	+0.7
	Liberal	L. Rice	1,009	21.6	−6.0
	Labour	W. Prince	932	20.0	+5.4
Majority			1,711	36.8	+6.7
Turnout			4,661	40.7	−3.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.11 (Bredbury Tame)

Bredbury Tame
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	B. Norris*	2,193	44.9	−0.6
	Labour	P. Scott	1,584	34.8	+4.4
	Liberal	D. Humphries	921	20.3	−3.8
Majority			461	10.1	−5.0
Turnout			4,550	43.8	−2.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.12 (Heald Green)

Heald Green
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Heald Green Ratepayers	R. Crook*	2,204	43.4	−11.9
	Conservative	A. Roney	2,117	41.7	+19.1
	Labour	M. Lawley	487	9.6	+2.2
	Liberal	J. Allan	267	5.3	−9.4
Majority			87	1.7	−31.0
Turnout			5,075	48.6	+0.8
	Heald Green Ratepayers hold		Swing

No.13 (Cheadle & Gatley)

Cheadle & Gatley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	B. Johnson*	4,048	63.7	+1.0
	Liberal	P. Porgess	1,788	28.1	+2.5
	Labour	H. Volante	523	8.2	−3.5
Majority			2,260	35.6	−1.5
Turnout			6,359	49.0	+0.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.14 (Cheadle Hulme South)

Cheadle Hulme South
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	B. Leah*	2,606	58.0	+34.0
	Conservative	T. Radcliffe	1,701	37.9	−3.1
	Labour	S. Rimmer	187	4.1	−2.5
Majority			905	20.1
Turnout			4,494	50.5	−6.4
	Liberal hold		Swing

No.15 (Cheadle Hulme North & Adswood)

Cheadle Hulme North & Adswood
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	K. G. Anstis*	2,586	47.6	+11.8
	Conservative	J. Walsh	2,229	41.0	−8.6
	Labour	R. Heys	622	11.4	−3.2
Majority			357	6.6
Turnout			5,437	46.2	−5.2
	Liberal hold		Swing

No.16 (Torkington & Norbury)

Torkington & Norbury
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A. Law*	3,008	55.0	+3.8
	Liberal	K. Lawrence	1,801	32.9	−7.1
	Labour	J. Vosper	659	12.1	+3.3
Majority			1,207	22.1	+10.9
Turnout			5,468	45.6	−6.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.17 (Ladybrook)

Ladybrook
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A. Doherty	1,979	62.6	+2.3
	Liberal	J. Ashworth*	1,016	32.2	−2.6
	Labour	A. Pitt	164	5.2	+0.3
Majority			963	30.4	+4.9
Turnout			3,159	55.0	−4.5
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

No.18 (Park & Pownall)

Park & Pownall
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. B. Leck*	3,779	63.9	+0.7
	Liberal	R. Tilley	1,729	29.2	−2.3
	Labour	G. Lomax	339	6.9	+1.6
Majority			2,050	34.7	+3.0
Turnout			5,912	48.0	−6.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

No.19 (Marple)

Marple
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	S. Clarke	2,488	57.2	+7.6
	Liberal	G. Gribble	1,330	30.6	−10.5
	Labour	M. Stevens	532	12.2	+2.9
Majority			1,158	26.6	+18.1
Turnout			4,350	46.4	−6.1
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing

No.20 (Mellor & High Lane)

Mellor & High Lane
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. Cooke*	2,692	64.1	+3.0
	Liberal	J. Hart	1,117	26.6	−4.7
	Labour	W. Watson	388	9.3	+1.7
Majority			1,575	37.5	+7.7
Turnout			4,197	48.3	−4.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

References

↑ "Metropolitan Borough of Stockport Election Results 1973-2012 (Pg. 1 and 2)" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
↑ Stockport, Manchester Evening News, May 5, 1978, p.18
↑ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 28 November 2023.

[local-1] "Metropolitan Borough of Stockport Election Results 1973-2012 (Pg. 1 and 2)" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 28 November 2023.

[2] Stockport, Manchester Evening News, May 5, 1978, p.18

[3] "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 28 November 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

(1977 ←) 1978 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1979)
London boroughs	Barking Barnet Bexley Brent Bromley Camden Croydon Ealing Enfield Greenwich Hackney Hammersmith 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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District councils (England)	Basingstoke and Deane Bath Brentwood Broxbourne Burnley Cambridge Cannock Chase Chorley Colchester Congleton Eastbourne Eastleigh Ellesmere Port and Neston Elmbridge Fareham Halton Harlow Hart Hartlepool Havant Hertsmere Huntingdon Milton Keynes Mole Valley Pendle Peterborough Preston Rochford Rossendale Runnymede Shrewsbury and Atcham South Bedfordshire South Cambridgeshire Southend-on-Sea Tamworth Tandridge Thamesdown Three Rivers Tunbridge Wells Watford Welwyn Hatfield West Lancashire Winchester Woking
Regional councils (Scotland)	Borders Central Dumfries and Galloway Fife Grampian Highland Lothian Orkney Shetland Strathclyde Tayside Western Isles

Council elections in Greater Manchester
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Manchester	1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1945 1946 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 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 2026
Oldham	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 2026
Rochdale	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 2026
Salford	1844 May 1845 November 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1945 1946 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 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 2026
Stockport	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 2026
Tameside	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 2026
Trafford	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 2026
Wigan	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 2026
County Council	1973 1977 1981
See also: Wards Boundary changes