Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1978

Elections in 1978 were 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 Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough 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

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
	Independent 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