Elections to Manchester City Council were held on Thursday, 4 May 1972. One third of the councillors were up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a two-year term of office. These were the final elections held in Manchester before the Local Government Act 1972 abolished the city corporation and reformed it as a metropolitan borough. The Labour Party retained overall control of the council.Left, Left, Left! Labour make sweeping gains, Manchester Evening News, May 5, 1972, p.16Conservatives go against pattern in Manchester, The Guardian, May 6, 1972, p.8
Election result
PartyVotesSeatsFull CouncilLabour Party 64,692 (51.8%) 8.4 20 (60.6%) 7 101 (76.5%)Conservative Party 55,615 (44.6%) 9.013 (39.4%) 731 (23.5%)Liberal Party 3,423 (2.7%) 0.2 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)Communist 683 (0.5%) 0.90 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)Independent 240 (0.2%) 0.10 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)Residents 135 (0.1%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
Full council
+ ↓ 101 31
Aldermen
+ ↓ 27 6
Councillors
+ ↓ 74 25
Ward results
Alexandra
Ardwick
Baguley
Barlow Moor
Beswick
Blackley
Bradford
Brooklands
Burnage
Charlestown
Cheetham
Chorlton
Collegiate Church
Crossacres
Crumpsall
Didsbury
Gorton North
Gorton South
Harpurhey
Hulme
Levenshulme
Lightbowne
Lloyd Street
Longsight
Miles Platting
Moss Side
Moston
Newton Heath
Northenden
Old Moat
Rusholme
Withington
Woodhouse Park
Aldermanic elections
Aldermanic election, 3 January 1973
Caused by the death on 30 November 1972 of Alderman Stanley Jolly (Labour, elected as an alderman by the council on 17 February 1965).DEATHS, Manchester Evening News, December 1, 1972, p.17City rate fixed fixed at 13s in pound, Manchester Guardian, February 18, 1965, p.18
In his place, Councillor Norman Thompson (Conservative, Alexandra, elected 9 May 1957)ONE SEAT MORE FOR LABOUR, Manchester Guardian, May 10, 1957, p.4 was elected as an alderman by the council on 3 January 1973.The city's last alderman?, Manchester Evening News, January 3, 1973, p.11
PartyAldermanWardTerm expires Conservative Norman Thompson Levenshulme 1974
References