title: 1976 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election
text: # 1976 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election
  
  The 1976 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 6 May 1976 to elect Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council members in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
  
  After the election, the composition of the council was:
  
  | Party | Seats | ± |
  | - | - | - |
  | Conservative | 42 | 5 |
  | Labour | 18 | 3 |
  | Liberal | 6 | 2 |
  
  ## Election results
  
  ### Overall election result
  
  Overall result compared with 1975.
  
  Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election results, 1976 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Votes | Votes | Votes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Party | Party | Stood | Elected | Gained | Unseated | Net | % of total | % | No. | Net % |
  | | Conservative | 23 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 72.7 | 54.3 | 53,029 | 0.4 |
  | | Labour | 23 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 22.7 | 26.9 | 26,276 | 1.9 |
  | | Liberal | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4.5 | 18.4 | 17,928 | 1.3 |
  | | Communist | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.2 | 187 | |
  | | Ind. Conservative | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.1 | 98 | N/A |
  | | National Party | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.1 | 89 | N/A |
  | | Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.0 | 37 | 0.1 |
  
  ## Ward results
  
  ### Birkenhead
  
  **No. 1 (Argyle-Clifton-Holt)**
  
  Argyle-Clifton-Holt :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | William Lungley | 1,354 | 46.9 | 2.3 |
  | | Liberal | Roy Perkins | 1,135 | 39.3 | 0.5 |
  | | Conservative | F. Morton | 397 | 13.8 | 2.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 219 | 7.6 | 1.8 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,498 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.0 | 5.4 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.9 | |
  
  **No. 2 (Bebington and Mersey)**
  
  Bebington and Mersey :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | H. Welsh | 1,224 | 50.9 | 6.1 |
  | | Labour | K. Muir | 987 | 41.1 | 3.0 |
  | | Liberal | J. Hughes | 193 | 8.0 | 9.1 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 237 | 9.8 | 3.1 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,846 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30.6 | 0.5 |
  | | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 1.6 | |
  
  **No. 3 (Cathcart-Claughton-Cleveland)**
  
  Cathcart-Claughton-Cleveland :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Liberal | John Evans | 1,605 | 42.9 | 0.4 |
  | | Conservative | R. Stretch | 1,209 | 32.3 | 1.4 |
  | | Labour | Walter Smith | 798 | 21.3 | 4.5 |
  | | National Party | R. Williams | 89 | 2.4 | New |
  | | Communist | J. Gowling | 44 | 1.2 | New |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 396 | 10.6 | 1.8 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,235 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.6 | 2.2 |
  | | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | 0.9 | |
  
  **No. 4 (Devonshire and Egerton)**
  
  Devonshire and Egerton :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | J. Lee | 1,902 | 45.5 | 7.3 |
  | | Labour | J. Macdougal | 1,322 | 31.6 | 7.1 |
  | | Liberal | E. Hughes | 958 | 22.9 | 14.4 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 580 | 13.9 | 13.0 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,209 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.3 | 0.4 |
  | | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | 6.5 | |
  
  **No. 5 (Gilbrook and St James)**
  
  Gilbrook and St James :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | A. Jones | 1,579 | 58.7 | 1.6 |
  | | Conservative | H. Kirkby | 562 | 20.9 | 0.2 |
  | | Liberal | Roy Wood | 551 | 20.5 | 1.7 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,017 | 37.8 | 2.9 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,611 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31.3 | 3.6 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.5 | |
  
  **No. 6 (Grange and Oxton)**
  
  Grange and Oxton :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | M. Hesketh | 2,490 | 48.6 | 1.5 |
  | | Liberal | A. Halliday | 1,689 | 33.0 | 0.2 |
  | | Labour | A. Woods | 944 | 18.4 | 1.7 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 801 | 15.6 | 1.3 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,849 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.9 | 3.6 |
  | | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | 0.6 | |
  
  **No. 7 (Prenton)**
  
  Prenton :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Harry Deverill | 3,304 | 64.6 | 9.3 |
  | | Labour | J. Pennington | 1,382 | 27.0 | 0.1 |
  | | Liberal | J. Edwards | 427 | 8.4 | 9.4 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,922 | 37.6 | 9.2 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,492 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.0 | 2.8 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.6 | |
  
  **No. 8 (Upton)**
  
  Upton :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | M. Winter | 3,271 | 56.9 | 1.6 |
  | | Labour | Bernard Gilfoyle | 2,338 | 40.6 | 7.3 |
  | | Communist | G. Hughes | 143 | 2.5 | 1.0 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 933 | 16.3 | 5.7 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 20,914 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27.5 | 0.2 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.9 | |
  
  ### Wallasey
  
  **No. 9 (Leasowe)**
  
  Leasowe :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Bill Wells | 2,135 | 50.2 | 1.4 |
  | | Conservative | J. Merrill | 1,707 | 40.1 | 4.8 |
  | | Liberal | M. Goodwin | 373 | 8.8 | New |
  | | Independent | G. Smith | 37 | 0.9 | 2.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 428 | 10.1 | 3.4 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,715 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 36.3 | 10.0 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.7 | |
  
  **No. 10 (Marlowe-Egremont-South Liscard)**
  
  Marlowe-Egremont-South-Liscard :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | M. Ebbs | 2,439 | 54.9 | 13.0 |
  | | Labour | E. Williams | 1,306 | 29.4 | 2.7 |
  | | Liberal | D. Green | 695 | 15.7 | New |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,133 | 25.5 | 10.3 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,883 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.5 | 0.3 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.2 | |
  
  **No. 11 (Moreton and Saughall Massie)**
  
  Moreton and Saughall Massie :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | I. Walker | 1,653 | 53.8 | 7.1 |
  | | Labour | G. Watkins | 1,134 | 36.9 | 2.2 |
  | | Liberal | J. Jenkins | 188 | 6.1 | New |
  | | Ind. Conservative | G. Brotherton | 98 | 3.2 | New |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 519 | 16.9 | 4.9 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,266 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.3 | 6.2 |
  | | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 2.5 | |
  
  **No. 12 (New Brighton-Wallasey-Warren)**
  
  New Brighton-Wallasey-Warren :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Kate Wood | 3,513 | 53.1 | 9.8 |
  | | Liberal | D. Caldwell | 2,509 | 37.9 | 12.3 |
  | | Labour | B. Lloyd | 593 | 9.0 | 1.1 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,004 | 15.2 | 22.1 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,758 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.8 | 2.1 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 11.1 | |
  
  **No. 13 (North Liscard-Upper Brighton Street)**
  
  North Liscard-Upper Brighton Street :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | R. Venner | 2,304 | 58.7 | 11.5 |
  | | Liberal | F. Storey | 982 | 25.0 | 10.5 |
  | | Labour | John McCabe | 637 | 16.2 | 1.2 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,322 | 33.7 | 21.5 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,662 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.6 | 2.0 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 10.8 | |
  
  **No. 14 (Seacombe-Poulton-Somerville)**
  
  Seacombe-Poulton-Somerville :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | T. Duffy | 2,288 | 58.4 | 8.4 |
  | | Conservative | A. Chantry | 1,418 | 36.2 | 7.3 |
  | | Liberal | R. Edge | 215 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 870 | 22.2 | 15.7 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,730 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.4 | 6.5 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.9 | |
  
  ### Bebington
  
  **No. 15 (Higher Bebington and Woodhey)**
  
  Higher Bebington and Woodhey :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Tim Richmond | 3,805 | 75.9 | 6.1 |
  | | Labour | M. Irvine | 1,208 | 24.1 | 4.3 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,597 | 51.8 | 1.8 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,128 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.5 | 3.9 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.9 | |
  
  **No. 16 (Park-New Ferry-North Bromborough)**
  
  Park-New Ferry-North Bromborough :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | P. McCarthy | 1,775 | 47.4 | 1.2 |
  | | Conservative | O. Donaldson | 1,643 | 43.8 | 4.5 |
  | | Liberal | W. Walsh | 329 | 8.8 | 5.7 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 132 | 3.6 | 3.3 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,774 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.3 | 2.8 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.7 | |
  
  **No. 17 (South Bromborough and Eastham)**
  
  South Bromborough and Eastham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | D. Jones | 2,457 | 38.0 | 9.7 |
  | | Liberal | Phillip Gilchrist | 2,330 | 36.0 | 16.6 |
  | | Labour | M. Halliday | 1,686 | 26.0 | 7.0 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 2.0 | 12.7 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,509 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 47.9 | 5.0 |
  | | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 6.4 | |
  
  **No. 18 (Lower Bebington and Poulton)**
  
  Lower Bebington and Poulton :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Michael Moore | 4,040 | 71.1 | 10.0 |
  | | Labour | D. Roscoe | 1,063 | 18.7 | 2.3 |
  | | Liberal | P. Cubbin | 581 | 10.2 | 12.2 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,977 | 52.4 | 13.7 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,417 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.8 | 3.5 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 6.9 | |
  
  ### Hoylake
  
  **No. 19 (Caldy and Frankby)**
  
  Caldy and Frankby :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | J. Gaughan | 3,528 | 72.3 | 0.9 |
  | | Liberal | B. Crosbie | 824 | 16.9 | 0.4 |
  | | Labour | J. Seaman | 526 | 10.8 | 0.5 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,704 | 55.4 | 1.3 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,785 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.2 | 0.2 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.7 | |
  
  **No. 20 (Central-Hoose-Meols-Park)**
  
  Central-Hoose-Meols-Park :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Frank Jones | 3,621 | 69.8 | 14.1 |
  | | Liberal | I. Smith | 1,214 | 23.4 | 20.9 |
  | | Labour | J. Pennington | 351 | 6.8 | New |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,407 | 46.4 | 35.0 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,708 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.3 | 3.3 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 17.5 | |
  
  ### Wirral
  
  **No. 21 (Barnston-Gayton-Heswall-Oldfield)**
  
  Barnston-Gayton-Heswall-Oldfield (2) :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | A. Maddox | 4,143 | 85.3 | 6.8 |
  | | Conservative | M. Gates | 4,120 | – | – |
  | | Liberal | G. Collins | 501 | 10.3 | 7.6 |
  | | Liberal | A. Conway | 495 | – | – |
  | | Labour | Peter Corcoran | 212 | 4.4 | 0.8 |
  | | Labour | J. Gilfoyle | 204 | – | – |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,642 | 75.0 | 14.4 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,178 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.4 | 2.9 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.2 | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | – | |
  
  **No. 22 (Irby-Pensby-Thurstaston)**
  
  Irby-Pensby-Thurstaston :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | A. Jones | 2,399 | 65.1 | 5.9 |
  | | Labour | H. Ellis-Thomas | 658 | 17.9 | 12.7 |
  | | Liberal | G. Hunt | 629 | 17.1 | 6.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,741 | 47.2 | 18.6 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,632 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.3 | 5.9 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.3 | |
  