title: Salford City Council elections
text: # Salford City Council elections
  
  Salford City Council elections are generally held three years out of every four, with a third of the council being elected each time. Salford City Council is the local authority for the metropolitan borough of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2020, 60 councillors have been elected from 20 wards.
  
  ## Political control
  
  From 1889 to 1974 Salford was a county borough, independent of any county council. Under the Local Government Act 1972 it had its territory enlarged and became a metropolitan borough, with Greater Manchester County Council providing county-level services. The first election to the reconstituted city council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. Greater Manchester County Council was abolished in 1986 and Salford became a unitary authority. The Labour Party has held a majority of the seats on the city council since the reforms of 1974:
  
  | Party | Party | Period |
  | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | 1974–present |
  
  ### Leadership
  
  Prior to 2012, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leaders from 1974 to 2012 were:
  
  | Councillor | Party | From | To |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Les Hough | Labour | 1974 | 26 Apr 1987 |
  | Ken Edwards | Labour | 20 May 1987 | May 1988 |
  | Bill Hinds | Labour | May 1988 | May 2003 |
  | John Merry | Labour | May 2003 | 6 May 2012 |
  
  In 2012 the council changed to having a directly elected mayor. The mayors since 2012 have been:
  
  | Mayor | Party | Party | From | To |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Ian Stewart | | Labour | 7 May 2012 | 8 May 2016 |
  | Paul Dennett | | Labour | 9 May 2016 | |
  
  ## Council elections
  
  * 1998
  * 1999
  * 2000
  * 2002
  * 2003
  * 2004 (boundary changes took place for this election)
  * 2006
  * 2007
  * 2008
  * 2010
  * 2011
  * 2012
  * 2014
  * 2015
  * 2016
  * 2018
  * 2019
  * 2021 (boundary changes took place for this election)
  * 2022
  * 2023
  
  ## Borough result maps
  
  * 2016 results map
  * 2018 results map
  
  ## By-election results
  
  ### May 1996 to May 1998
  
  Cadishead By-election 1 May 1997 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | | 2,654 | 62.3 | −21.1 |
  | | Conservative | | 1,141 | 26.8 | +26.8 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | | 466 | 10.9 | −5.7 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,512 | 35.5 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,261 | | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Winton By-election 1 May 1997 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | | 3,963 | 68.3 | −7.4 |
  | | Conservative | | 1,034 | 17.8 | −4.7 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | | 807 | 13.9 | +2.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,929 | 50.5 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,804 | | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Walkden North By-Election 4 December 1997 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | | 705 | 78.6 | −4.1 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | | 108 | 12.0 | +4.8 |
  | | Conservative | | 84 | 9.4 | −0.7 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 597 | 66.6 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 897 | 10.5 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### May 2000 to May 2002
  
  Barton By-election 7 June 2001 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Neville Clarke | 2,070 | 64.1 | +8.6 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Powis | 594 | 18.4 | −2.0 |
  | | Conservative | Judith Tope | 564 | 17.5 | −6.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,476 | 45.7 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,228 | 42.8 | +24.4 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Ordsall By-election 7 June 2001 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Susan Slater | 1,025 | 58.7 | −6.9 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Ann Gibbons | 587 | 33.6 | +8.6 |
  | | Independent | Sheila Wallace | 81 | 4.6 | +4.6 |
  | | Socialist Alliance | Gary Duke | 54 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 438 | 25.1 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,747 | | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### May 2004 to May 2006
  
  Eccles By-election 25 November 2004 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Jane Murphy | 842 | 40.4 | +1.3 |
  | | Conservative | Michael Edwards | 677 | 32.5 | +3.6 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Deborah Rushton | 566 | 27.1 | −4.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 165 | 7.9 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,085 | 26.3 | −12.8 |
  | | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
  
  Langworthy By-election 10 March 2005 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Gina Loveday | 720 | 55.4 | +13.2 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | John Deas | 410 | 31.6 | +9.1 |
  | | Conservative | Jeremiah Horgan | 169 | 13.0 | −2.8 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 310 | 23.8 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,303 | 14.8 | −16.0 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Ordsall By-election 10 March 2005 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | James Harold | 439 | 59.9 | +21.3 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Bernard Carson | 144 | 19.6 | −11.1 |
  | | Conservative | Johnathan Thomason | 96 | 13.1 | −3.6 |
  | | Green | Jadwiga Irksa | 32 | 4.4 | +4.4 |
  | | Independent | Alan Valentine | 22 | 3.0 | −11.0 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 295 | 40.3 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 734 | 12.6 | −15.6 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Swinton South By-election 10 March 2005 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Valerie Burgoyne | 643 | 34.9 | −2.2 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Joseph O'Neill | 579 | 31.5 | −0.8 |
  | | Conservative | Christopher Davies | 543 | 29.5 | +0.0 |
  | | Green | Ian Davies | 76 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 3.4 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,843 | 22.1 | −14.4 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Barton By-election 29 September 2005 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Norbert Potter | 676 | 45.6 | +1.6 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Roy Laurence | 389 | 26.2 | −4.1 |
  | | Conservative | Judith Tope | 189 | 12.7 | −13.0 |
  | | UKIP | Bernard Gill | 137 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
  | | Independent | Alan Valentine | 93 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 287 | 19.4 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,489 | 17.1 | −15.4 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### May 2008 to May 2010
  
  Pendlebury by-election 19 March 2009 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | John Ferguson | 1,055 | 38.2 | +1.3 |
  | | Conservative | Jillian Collinson | 874 | 31.6 | +0.4 |
  | | BNP | Eddy O'Sullivan | 373 | 13.5 | +0.2 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Paul Gregory | 368 | 13.3 | -0.9 |
  | | Independent | Stuart Cremins | 49 | 1.8 | -2.6 |
  | | Green | Diana Battersby | 43 | 1.6 | +1.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 181 | 6.6 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,762 | 30.7 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Irwell Riverside By-election 21 May 2009 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Matt Mold | 606 | 37.6 | -13.3 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Steven Middleton | 293 | 18.2 | -1.1 |
  | | BNP | Gary Tumulty | 276 | 17.1 | +3.8 |
  | | Conservative | Chris Bates | 189 | 11.7 | -4.7 |
  | | Green | Rob Mitchell | 125 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
  | | UKIP | Duran O'Dwyer | 123 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 313 | 19.4 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,612 | 17.6 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### May 2010 to May 2011
  
  Walkden North by-election, 3 March 2011 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Brendan Patrick Ryan | 1,291 | |
  | | Conservative | Chris Bates | 209 | |
  | | English Democrat | Laurence Depares | 125 | |
  | | BNP | Keith Fairhurst | 92 | |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Susan Carson | 62 | |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,082 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,786 | 20.9 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  ### May 2011 to May 2012
  
  Eccles By-election, 20 October 2011 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Michael Wheeler | 1,227 | 54.46 |
  | | Conservative | Nicholas Johnson | 701 | 31.11 |
  | | BNP | Kay Pollitt | 147 | 6.52 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Valerie Kelly | 125 | 5.54 |
  | | Independent | Alan Dominic Valentine | 53 | 2.35 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 526 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,253 | 25.15 |
  
  ### May 2012 to May 2014
  
  Weaste and Seedley By-election, 20 June 2013 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Paul Wilson | 785 | 44.4 | -10.3 |
  | | UKIP | Glyn Wright | 401 | 22.7 | +22.7 |
  | | Conservative | Adam Kennaugh | 260 | 14.7 | +2.0 |
  | | Green | Mary Ferrer | 80 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
  | | BNP | Kay Pollitt | 74 | 4.2 | -4.5 |
  | | Independent | Matt Simpson | 64 | 3.6 | +3.6 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Valerie Kelly | 58 | 3.3 | -15.4 |
  | | TUSC | Terry Simmons | 30 | 1.7 | +1.7 |
  | | Independent | Alan Valentine | 15 | 0.8 | +0.8 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 384 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1778 | 19.9 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Election followed the death of Councillor Janet Rochford (Labour).
  
  Weaste and Seedley By-election, 10 October 2013 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Stephen Hesling | 803 | 52.9 |
  | | UKIP | Glyn Wright | 280 | 18.4 |
  | | Conservative | Adam Kennaugh | 240 | 15.8 |
  | | Independent | Matt Simpson | 96 | 6.3 |
  | | Green | Andrew Olsen | 42 | 2.8 |
  | | BNP | Kay Pollitt | 29 | 1.9 |
  | | TUSC | Terry Simmons | 24 | 1.4 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 523 | 34.5 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,518 | 16.6 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Swinton South By-election, 7 January 2014 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Neil Blower | 661 | 45.1 | -0.5 |
  | | Conservative | Anne Broomhead | 298 | 20.3 | +4.3 |
  | | UKIP | Robert Wakefield | 215 | 14.7 | +14.7 |
  | | Green | Joe O'Neill | 196 | 13.4 | -3.4 |
  | | English Democrat | Paul Whitelegg | 54 | 3.7 | -1.1 |
  | | TUSC | Steve Cullen | 43 | 2.9 | +2.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 363 | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Election followed the death of Councillor Norbert Potter (Labour).
  
  ### May 2016 to May 2018
  
  Kersal By-election, 2 March 2017 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Arnold Saunders | 850 | 42.0 | -1.4 |
  | | Labour | Mike Pevitt | 553 | 27.3 | -21.5 |
  | | Independent | Jonny Wineberg | 354 | 17.5 | +17.5 |
  | | UKIP | Christopher Barnes | 182 | 9.0 | +9.0 |
  | | Green | Jason Reading | 48 | 2.4 | -3.4 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Adam Slack | 39 | 1.9 | +1.9 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 297 | 14.6 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,033 | 24.12 | |
  | | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
  
  Election followed the death of Councillor Harry Davies (Labour).
  
  Claremont By-election, 8 June 2017 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Neil Andrew Reynolds | 3,300 | 61.58 |
  | | Conservative | Charlotte Woods | 1,455 | 27.15 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Stef Lorenz | 319 | 5.95 |
  | | Green | Daniel Towers | 236 | 4.40 |
  | | The Republic Party | Stuart Cremins | 49 | 0.91 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,845 | 34.43 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,384 | 65 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Election follows the resignation of Councillor Sareda Dirir (Labour).
  
  Claremont By-election, 5 October 2017 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Mike Pevitt | 718 | 46.50 |
  | | Conservative | Charlotte Woods | 447 | 28.95 |
  | | Independent | Mary Ferrer | 171 | 11.08 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Stef Lorenz | 162 | 10.49 |
  | | Green | Daniel Towers | 46 | 2.98 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 271 | 17.55 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,550 | 18.53 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Election followed the death of Councillor Joe Murphy (Labour).
  
  Langworthy By-election, 14 December 2017 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Wilson Nkurunziza | 601 | 57.7 |
  | | Conservative | James Ian Mount | 183 | 17.6 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Jake Overend | 125 | 12.0 |
  | | Green | Ian Pattinson | 72 | 6.9 |
  | | Independent | Michael James Felse | 55 | 5.3 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 476 | 45.7 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,041 | 11.8 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Election followed the death of Councillor Paul Longshaw (Labour).
  
  ### May 2018 to May 2019
  
  Eccles By-election, 27 September 2018 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Mike McCusker* | 1,071 | 54.5 |
  | | Conservative | Andrew Darlington | 474 | 24.1 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Jake Overend | 156 | 7.9 |
  | | Green | Helen Alker | 123 | 6.2 |
  | | UKIP | Keith Hallam | 100 | 5.1 |
  | | Women's Equality | Caroline Stephanie Dean | 39 | 2 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 597 | 30.4 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1966 | 20.92 |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
  
  Election followed the resignation of Councillor Peter Wheeler (Labour).
  
  ### May 2021 to May 2022
  
  Blackfriars and Trinity By-election, 4 November 2021 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Roseanna Wain | 408 | 51.8 | -2.3 |
  | | Green | David Jones | 160 | 20.3 | -6.4 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Joseph Allen | 152 | 19.3 | +13.0 |
  | | Conservative | Christopher Bates | 68 | 8.6 | +0.8 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 248 | 31.5 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 788 | 10.1 | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.1 | |
  
  Election followed the death of Councillor Raymond Walker (Labour).
  
  