1978 Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 1978 Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council election for the City of Wolverhampton Council was held on Thursday 4 May.

Following the elections no single party had overall control of Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council, the WAR candidates voted with Labour at the mayor making a few weeks later but control passed to the Conservative group following the February 1979 Low Hill by election when the Conservatives gained a seat from Labour.

The 1978 election is notable in that two future Wolverhampton Members of Parliament, Dennis Turner (Bilston East) and Ken Purchase (Eastfield) were both elected to the council.

A vacant seat in St Peters meant two seats were contested in that ward.

The composition of the council prior to the election was:

• Labour 33
• Conservative 24
• Wolverhampton Association of Ratepayers 2
• Vacancy 1

The composition of the council following the election was:

• Labour 29
• Conservative 29
• Wolverhampton Association of Ratepayers 2

Election results

Source:

Bilston East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D Turner	2053
	Conservative	J Boden	712
	National Front	B Hyde	142
	WAR	S Davis	64
Majority			1341
	Labour hold		Swing

Bilston North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C Barber	1518
	Labour	P Richards	1345
	National Front	G McNally	297
Majority			73
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Blakenhall

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J Carpenter	1896
	Labour	B Jones	1761
	Liberal	M Parsley	292
	National Front	Mrs J Johnson	346
	WAR	J Hewes	179
Majority			137
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bushbury

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mrs J Beddoes	1286
	Conservative	Mrs I Bickley	807
	WAR	C J Reynolds	248
	National Front	J Robinson	153
Majority			479
	Labour hold		Swing

Eastfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	K Purchase	2015
	Conservative	Mrs R Smith	929
	National Front	G Cooper	258
	Liberal	C Hallmark	171
Majority			1086
	Labour hold		Swing

Ettingshall

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	E Bold	1292
	Conservative	H Davies	569
	National Front	P Rollason	158
Majority			723
	Labour hold		Swing

Graiseley

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	F Ledsam	2195
	Conservative	P Smith	1253
	National Front	Mrs M Robinson	228
Majority			942
	Labour hold		Swing

Low Hill

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D Hickman	1362
	Conservative	Mrs J Hickman	902
	National Front	D Johnson	178
	Liberal	L Maclean	113
Majority			460
	Labour hold		Swing

Merry Hill

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	B Clarke	3458
	Labour	R Haynes	1284
	WAR	Mrs E M Powell	205
	National Front	B Percival	203
Majority			2174
	Conservative hold		Swing

Oxley

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	F Haley	1309
	WAR	R Stickland	1225
	Labour	P Bateman	1063
	National Front	Mrs C Thomas	132
Majority			693
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Park

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W Morrison	2044
	Labour	S Lydon	847
	Liberal	R Gray	479
	National Front	Mrs C Simpson	120
	WAR	Miss K Johnston	84
Majority			1197
	Conservative hold		Swing

Parkfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G Howells	1553
	Conservative	B Carpenter	591
	National Front	J Thomas	194
	WAR	B V Read	45
Majority			962
	Labour hold		Swing

Penn

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A Bickley	3638
	Labour	J Fenby	597
	WAR	R J Thomas	228
	National Front	J Keating	163
Majority			3041
	Conservative hold		Swing

St Peters

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	I Claymore	2424
	Labour	S S Duhra	2143
	Conservative	Mrs G Hodson	759
	Conservative	J Inglis	609
	National Front	J Bladon	154
	WAR	J Smith	120
	National Front	J Spencer	110
	Labour hold		Swing

Spring Vale

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mrs M Pointon	2030
	Conservative	J Lockley	1447
Majority			583
	Labour hold		Swing

Tettenhall Regis

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	S Morton	2807
	WAR	Mrs J Gunter	733
	Labour	M Powis	399
	National Front	Mrs M Ryan	140
	Ind. Conservative	J Cartwright	117
Majority			2074
	Conservative hold		Swing

Tettenhall Wightwick

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R Watson	3177
	Labour	M Smith	685
	Liberal	Mrs S Ascott	248
	National Front	S Hammond	191
	WAR	T Rathbone	99
Majority			1752
	Conservative hold		Swing

Wednesfield Heath

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W Wootton	2007
	Labour	H Turner	1219
	National Front	G Jones	246
Majority			788
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Wednesfield North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	G Jones	2121
	Labour	A Morey	1865
	National Front	S Mcnally	320
Majority			256
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Wednesfield South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J Davis	1748
	Labour	Mrs C Nicholls	1457
	National Front	J Dutton	182
Majority			291
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing