Benchill (ward)

Benchill
Benchill
Ward
	Benchill (1994) within Manchester
	Coat of arms
Country	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	North West England
County	Greater Manchester
Metropolitan borough	Manchester
Created	May 1954, May 1982
Named after	Benchill
Government
• Type	Unicameral
• Body	Manchester City Council
UK Parliamentary Constituency	Manchester Wythenshawe

Benchill was an electoral division of Manchester City Council which was represented from 1954 until 1971, and again from 1982 until 2004. It covered the Benchill area of Wythenshawe.

Overview

Benchill ward was created in 1954,^[1] following the City Council's successful application to create two new wards for the Wythenshawe estate.^[2] The ward covered the eastern portion of the former Wythenshawe ward and inherited its councillors. In 1971,^[3] the ward was abolished and its area was divided between the new Crossacres ward and Northenden ward.

After a city-wide boundary revision in 1982, the ward was revived.^[4] It would continue to cover the Benchill area until it was abolished again in 2004.^[5]

During both periods of its existence, the ward formed part of the Manchester Wythenshawe Parliamentary constituency.^[6]^[7]

Councillors

Election
1954	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Lloyd (Lab)	W. Frost (Lab)
1955	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Lloyd (Lab)	W. Frost (Lab)
1956	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Lloyd (Lab)	R. L. Griffiths (Lab)
1957	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Lloyd (Lab)	R. L. Griffiths (Lab)
1958	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Lloyd (Lab)	R. L. Griffiths (Lab)
1959	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Lloyd (Lab)	R. L. Griffiths (Lab)
1960	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Lloyd (Lab)	A. Williamson (Con)
1961	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	D. L. Cooke (Con)	A. Williamson (Con)
1962	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	D. L. Cooke (Con)	A. Williamson (Con)
1963	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	D. L. Cooke (Con)	J. Hussey (Lab)
1964	H. S. Gatley (Lab)	H. Brown (Lab)	J. Hussey (Lab)
1965	B. B. Williams (Con)	H. Brown (Lab)	J. Hussey (Lab)
1966	B. B. Williams (Con)	H. Brown (Lab)	N. Pritchard (Con)
1967	B. B. Williams (Con)	A. A. O'Connor (Con)	N. Pritchard (Con)
1968	B. B. Williams (Con)	A. A. O'Connor (Con)	N. Pritchard (Con)
1969	B. B. Williams (Con)	A. A. O'Connor (Con)	N. Pritchard (Con)
1970	B. B. Williams (Con)	R. L. Griffiths (Lab)	N. Pritchard (Con)
Ward abolished (1971-1982)
1982	A. Home (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1983	A. Home (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1984	A. Home (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1986	A. Home (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1987	A. Home (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1988	A. Home (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1990	D. Lunts (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1991	D. Lunts (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1992	D. Lunts (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1994	A. Harding (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1995	A. Harding (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1996	A. Harding (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1998	A. Harding (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
1999	A. Harding (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
June 1999	I. Freeman (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
2000	I. Freeman (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
2002	I. Freeman (Lab)	V. Myers (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
June 2002	I. Freeman (Lab)	I. Wilmott (Lab)	N. Warren (Lab)
2003	R. Unwin (Lab)	I. Wilmott (Lab)	T. Cross (Lab)

Elections

Elections in 1950s

May 1954

1954
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Frost*	3,115	57.2	−6.1
	Conservative	A. Williamson	2,206	40.5	+6.7
	Communist	G. Taylor	125	2.3	N/A
Majority			909	16.7	−12.8
Turnout			5,446
	Labour hold		Swing

May 1955

1955
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	H. Lloyd*	2,606	51.6	−5.6
	Conservative	J. H. Prince	2,304	45.6	+5.1
	Communist	G. Taylor	142	2.8	+0.5
Majority			302	6.0	−10.7
Turnout			5,052
	Labour hold		Swing

May 1956

1956 (2 vacancies)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	H. S. Gatley*	2,467	57.9	+6.3
	Labour	R. L. Griffiths	2,357	55.3	+3.7
	Conservative	R. Clarkson	1,665	39.0	−6.6
	Conservative	E. Birley	1,658	38.9	−6.7
	Communist	G. Taylor	190	4.5	+1.7
Majority			692	16.2	+10.2
Turnout			4,264
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

May 1957

1957
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R. L. Griffiths*	2,710	58.6	+0.7
	Conservative	E. Birley	1,911	41.4	+2.4
Majority			799	17.2	+1.0
Turnout			4,621
	Labour hold		Swing

May 1958

1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	H. Lloyd*	2,456	59.1	+0.5
	Conservative	E. Birley	1,623	39.1	−2.3
	Communist	G. Taylor	75	1.8	N/A
Majority			833	20.0	+2.8
Turnout			4,154
	Labour hold		Swing

May 1959

1959
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	H. S. Gatley*	2,414	50.5	−8.6
	Conservative	A. Williamson	2,225	46.5	+7.4
	Communist	M. Taylor	141	3.0	+1.2
Majority			189	4.0	−16.0
Turnout			4,780
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in 1960s

May 1960

1960
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A. Williamson	2,441	49.9	+3.4
	Labour	R. L. Griffiths*	2,339	47.8	−2.7
	Communist	M. Taylor	116	2.3	−0.7
Majority			102	2.1
Turnout			4,896
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

May 1961

1961
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	D. L. Cooke	2,813	49.5	−0.4
	Labour	H. Lloyd*	2,747	48.4	+0.6
	Communist	M. Taylor	118	2.1	−0.2
Majority			66	1.1	−1.0
Turnout			5,678
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

May 1962

1962
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	H. S. Gatley*	3,303	51.8	+3.4
	Conservative	B. Moore	1,890	29.6	−19.9
	Liberal	J. Glithero	1,037	16.3	N/A
	Communist	M. Taylor	151	2.3	+0.2
Majority			1,413	22.1
Turnout			6,381
	Labour hold		Swing

May 1963

1963
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Hussey	3,445	52.6	+0.8
	Conservative	A. Williamson*	1,974	30.1	+0.5
	Liberal	J. Glithero	1,023	15.6	−0.7
	Communist	M. Taylor	110	1.7	−0.6
Majority			1,471	22.5	+0.4
Turnout			6,552
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

May 1964

1964
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	H. Brown	2,304	46.7	−5.9
	Conservative	D. L. Cooke*	2,013	40.8	+10.7
	Liberal	J. Glithero	523	10.6	−5.0
	Communist	M. Taylor	96	1.9	+0.2
Majority			291	5.9	−16.6
Turnout			4,936
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

May 1965

1965
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	B. B. Williams	2,828	49.3	+8.5
	Labour	A. A. Smith*	2,399	41.9	−4.8
	Liberal	H. Horton	382	6.7	−3.9
	Communist	M. Taylor	122	2.1	+0.2
Majority			429	7.4
Turnout			5,731
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

May 1966

1966
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	N. Pritchard	2,630	50.4	+1.1
	Labour	J. Hussey*	2,467	47.3	+5.4
	Communist	M. Taylor	123	2.3	+0.2
Majority			163	3.1	−4.3
Turnout			5,220
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

May 1967

1967
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A. A. O'Connor	2,839	58.4	+8.0
	Labour	H. Brown*	1,933	39.7	−7.6
	Communist	M. Taylor	93	1.9	−0.4
Majority			906	18.7	+15.6
Turnout			4,865
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

May 1968

1968
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	B. B. Williams*	3,112	61.4	+3.0
	Labour	R. L. Griffiths	1,815	35.8	−3.9
	Communist	M. Taylor	142	2.8	+0.9
Majority			1,297	25.6	+6.9
Turnout			5,069
	Conservative hold		Swing

May 1969

1969
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	N. Pritchard*	2,921	59.6	−1.8
	Labour	R. L. Griffiths	1,860	38.0	+2.2
	Communist	M. Taylor	120	2.4	−0.4
Majority			1,061	21.6	−4.0
Turnout			4,901
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in 1970s

May 1970

1970
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R. L. Griffiths	3,188	53.0	+15.0
	Conservative	Y. I. Emery	2,716	45.2	−14.4
	Communist	M. Taylor	107	1.8	−0.6
Majority			472	7.9
Turnout			6,011
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Elections in 1980s

May 1982

1982 (3 vacancies)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Alfred Home	2,136	58.8
	Labour	Veronica Myers	2,125	58.5
	Labour	Neil Warren	2,050	56.4
	Liberal	Herbert Griffiths	827	22.8
	Liberal	Gilbert Stacey	751	20.7
	Liberal	Bridget Brannan	679	18.7
	Conservative	Valerie Corrigan	460	12.7
	Conservative	David Harrington	437	12.0
	Conservative	Tracey Dennett	422	11.6
Majority			1,223	33.7
Turnout			3,634	35.9
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

May 1983

1983
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Warren*	2,579	72.1	+9.7
	Conservative	Mirjam Malbon	554	15.5	+2.0
	Liberal	Gilbert Stacey	443	12.4	−11.8
Majority			2,025	56.6	+7.6
Turnout			3,576
	Labour hold		Swing	+3.8

May 1984

1984
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Veronica Myers*	2,147	75.7	+3.6
	Conservative	Gladys Parry	425	15.0	−0.5
	Liberal	Gilbert Stacey	264	9.3	−3.1
Majority			1,722	60.7	+4.1
Turnout			2,836
	Labour hold		Swing	+2.0

May 1986

1986
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Home*	2,157	72.4	−3.3
	Independent	A. Bradshaw	567	19.0	+19.0
	Conservative	D. Hurst	256	16.1	+1.1
Majority			1,590	53.4	−7.3
Turnout			2,980
	Labour hold		Swing	-11.1

May 1987

1987
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Warren*	2,022	62.6	−9.8
	Liberal	Ann Bradshaw	1,207	37.4	+37.4
Majority			815	25.2	−28.2
Turnout			3,229
	Labour hold		Swing	-23.6

May 1988

1988
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	V. M. Myers*	1,735	60.0	−2.6
	Independent	D. A. Morris	482	16.7	+16.7
	SLD	A. Bradshaw	407	14.1	−23.3
	Conservative	W. F. Hurst	267	9.2	+9.2
Majority			1,253	43.3	+18.1
Turnout			2,891
	Labour hold		Swing	-9.6

Elections in 1990s

May 1990

1990
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D. Lunts	2,147	71.9	+11.9
	Independent	D. A. Morris	327	10.9	−5.8
	Conservative	L. G. Maguire	213	7.1	−2.1
	Liberal Democrats	A. Bradshaw	204	6.8	−7.3
	Green	H. F. Bramwell	96	3.2	+3.2
Majority			1,820	60.9	+17.6
Turnout			2,987
	Labour hold		Swing	+8.8

May 1991

1991
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	N. Warren*	1,714	71.8	−0.1
	Liberal Democrats	A. Bradshaw	349	14.6	+7.8
	Conservative	C. Roberts	323	13.5	+6.4
Majority			1,365	57.2	−3.7
Turnout			2,386	28.4
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.8

May 1992

1992
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	V. Myers*	979	67.8	−4.0
	Conservative	T. Roberts	311	21.5	+8.0
	Liberal Democrats	M. Dunn	154	10.7	−3.9
Majority			668	46.3	−10.9
Turnout			1,444
	Labour hold		Swing	-6.0

May 1994

1994
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Harding	1,620	71.1	+3.3
	Communist (ML)	L. Worthington	294	12.9	+12.9
	Liberal Democrats	J. Redmond	228	10.0	−0.7
	Conservative	M. Joyce	138	6.1	−15.4
Majority			1,326	58.2	+11.9
Turnout			2,280
	Labour hold		Swing	-4.8

May 1995

1995
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Niel Warren*	1,455	86.1	+15.0
	Liberal Democrats	Janice Redmond	189	11.2	+1.2
	Independent	J. Pickering	45	2.7	+2.7
Majority			1,266	75.0	+16.8
Turnout			1,689
	Labour hold		Swing	+6.9

May 1996

1996
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Veronica Myers*	1,037	77.7	−8.4
	Liberal Democrats	Janice Redmond	124	9.3	−1.9
	Conservative	Carol Roberts	101	7.6	+7.6
	Socialist	T. Jefferies	72	5.4	+5.4
Majority			913	68.4	−6.6
Turnout			1,334
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.2

May 1998

1998
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George Harding*	791	76.1	−1.6
	Liberal Democrats	Janice Redmond	178	17.1	+7.8
	Conservative	Anthony Green	70	6.7	−0.9
Majority			613	60.0	−8.4
Turnout			1,039
	Labour hold		Swing	-4.7

May 1999

1999
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Niel Warren*	790	79.7	+3.6
	Liberal Democrats	Janice Redmond	111	11.2	−5.9
	Conservative	Brian Birchenough	90	9.1	+2.4
Majority			679	68.5	+8.5
Turnout			991	13.6
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.7

June 1999 (by-election)

By-election: 10 June 1999
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Isobel Freeman	730	54.2	−25.5
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Bradshaw	529	39.3	+28.1
	Conservative	Brian Birchenough	88	6.5	−2.6
Majority			201	14.9	−53.6
Turnout			1,347	18.3	+4.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-26.8

Elections in 2000s

May 2000

2000
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Veronica Myers*	556	69.3	−10.4
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Bradshaw	109	13.6	+2.4
	Conservative	Carol Roberts	99	12.3	+3.2
	Socialist Labour	Paul Arnold	25	3.1	+3.1
	Green	Roy Snape	13	1.6	+1.6
Majority			447	55.7	−12.8
Turnout			802	11.7	−1.9
	Labour hold		Swing	-6.4

May 2002

2002
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Isobel Freeman*	765	69.9	+0.6
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Bradshaw	165	15.1	+1.5
	Conservative	Joyce Kaye	109	10.0	−2.3
	Green	Hannah Berry	56	5.1	+3.5
Majority			600	54.8	−0.9
Turnout			1,095	15.4	+3.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.4

June 2002 (by-election)

By-election: 13 June 2002
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ian Wilmott	440	70.5	+0.6
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Bradshaw	85	13.6	−1.5
	Conservative	Adrian Hutchinson	67	10.7	+0.7
	Socialist Labour	Mervyn Drage	32	5.1	+5.1
Majority			355	56.9	+2.1
Turnout			624	8.8	−6.6
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.0

May 2003

2003 (2 vacancies)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tony Cross	592	70.4	+0.5
	Labour	Richard Unwin	564
	Liberal Democrats	William Fisher	102	12.1	−3.0
	Conservative	Joyce Kaye	85	10.1	+0.1
	Conservative	Carol Roberts	82
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Vann	67
	Green	Peter Powell	62	7.4	+2.3
	Green	Stephen Walford	50
Majority			462	58.3	+3.5
Turnout			841	12.8	−2.6
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.7

References

↑ LABOUR TALKES FIVE TORY SEATS: WINS SIX NEW ONES, Manchester Guardian, May 14, 1954, p.4
↑ MUNICIPAL WARD SPLIT INTO THREE, Manchester Guardian, January 13, 1954, p.4
↑ Council graph shows new records, The Guardian, May 24, 1971, p.6
↑ Manchester City Council Election Results, 2nd Edition, Swarbrick (1993).
↑ "Manchester 2004 council election results". manchester.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2004-06-26. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
↑ "Representation of the People Act 1948: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1948 c. 65 (sch. 1), retrieved 27 February 2023
↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Manchester) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/606, retrieved 26 February 2023

[1] LABOUR TALKES FIVE TORY SEATS: WINS SIX NEW ONES, Manchester Guardian, May 14, 1954, p.4

[2] MUNICIPAL WARD SPLIT INTO THREE, Manchester Guardian, January 13, 1954, p.4

[3] Council graph shows new records, The Guardian, May 24, 1971, p.6

[4] Manchester City Council Election Results, 2nd Edition, Swarbrick (1993).

[archive-5] "Manchester 2004 council election results". manchester.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2004-06-26. Retrieved 2012-01-12.

[6] "Representation of the People Act 1948: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1948 c. 65 (sch. 1), retrieved 27 February 2023

[7] "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Manchester) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/606, retrieved 26 February 2023

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