Bury 2023

Local elections held 4 May 2023.

17 ward races

17 seats

6 elected below the proportional quota

35.3% of seats below quota

How to read this page

Each race below shows the share of valid ballots the marginal elected candidate actually won, and compares it to the proportional quota: the share that would be needed to be guaranteed that seat under any proportional voting method (1 seats + 1). For a 1-seat ward the quota is 50%; for 2 seats, 33.3%; for 3 seats, 25%.

Where the actual winning share fell below the quota, we show the gap as points under par — the editorial indictment. Above-par results are just majority mandates and pass without comment. The voting method is the subject of every observation here. Named candidates appear as the public election record requires; the cause being audited is the voting method, not the individuals. See the methodology page for derivations.

If votes were counted by party

Across the 17 wards in this cycle, parties received the vote totals below. The proportional column shows what each party would have won if the 17 seats had been allocated to those vote totals in proportion (how, with caveats). The Δ column is the actual seat count minus the proportional seat count — positive numbers are parties First-Past-the-Post over-represented in this council, negative are parties it under-represented.

Party	Votes	Vote %	Seats won	% of seats	Proportional seats	Proportional %	Δ
Labour Party	23,728	47.8%	11	64.7%	9	52.9%	+2
Conservative and Unionist Party	14,095	28.4%	4	23.5%	5	29.4%	-1
RAD 1ST	3,773	7.6%	2	11.8%	1	5.9%	+1
Green Party	3,193	6.4%	0	0.0%	1	5.9%	-1
Liberal Democrats	2,627	5.3%	0	0.0%	1	5.9%	-1
Independent	1,826	3.7%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
ENG DEM	241	0.5%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Reform UK	105	0.2%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
CPB	37	0.1%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	49,625	100.0%	17	100.0%	17	100.0%	0

Vote share vs seats won

The top bar is each party's share of votes cast in this council. Below, one square per seat, coloured by the party that won it — first the actual First-Past-the-Post result, then what a proportional method would have produced from the same vote totals. Divergence between the bar and the actual grid is the indictment of the method.

Vote share

Actual seats

Proportional seats

Wards in this council

Sorted with the largest gap below the quota first. Click any ward to jump to its full result.

Radcliffe North & Ainsworth · 1 seat · won at 38.7% · +11.3 pts below quota
Tottington · 1 seat · won at 40.5% · +9.5 pts below quota
North Manor · 1 seat · won at 42.5% · +7.5 pts below quota
Holyrood · 1 seat · won at 47.6% · +2.4 pts below quota
Pilkington Park · 1 seat · won at 48.2% · +1.8 pts below quota
Elton · 1 seat · won at 48.4% · +1.6 pts below quota
Bury West · 1 seat · won at 50.1% · above quota
Bury East · 1 seat · won at 55.9% · above quota
Moorside · 1 seat · won at 56.0% · above quota
Ramsbottom · 1 seat · won at 56.4% · above quota
Radcliffe West · 1 seat · won at 56.9% · above quota
Unsworth · 1 seat · won at 57.5% · above quota
Radcliffe East · 1 seat · won at 60.2% · above quota
St Mary's · 1 seat · won at 62.6% · above quota
Redvales · 1 seat · won at 63.7% · above quota
Besses · 1 seat · won at 69.1% · above quota
Sedgley · 1 seat · won at 70.1% · above quota

Race results

Radcliffe North & Ainsworth · single-seat

Marginal winner 38.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +11.3 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,308

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Lancaster, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,279	38.7%	Elected
2	Simpson, K.	RAD 1ST	1,218	36.8%
3	Jamieson, R.	Labour Party	731	22.1%
4	Kirkley, G.	Green Party	80	2.4%

Electorate 9,439 · Ballots cast 3,308 · Back to ward index

Tottington · single-seat

Marginal winner 40.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +9.5 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,010

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Gartside, I.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,219	40.5%	Elected
2	Turner, S.	Labour Party	821	27.3%
3	Warrington, W.	Independent	765	25.4%
4	Dunkerley, B.	Green Party	134	4.5%
5	Tegolo, C.	Liberal Democrats	71	2.4%

Electorate 7,902 · Ballots cast 3,010 · Back to ward index

North Manor · single-seat

Marginal winner 42.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +7.5 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,698

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Hussain, K.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,571	42.5%	Elected
2	Southworth, J.	Labour Party	1,489	40.3%
3	Allen, C.	Green Party	501	13.5%
4	Arthur, E.	Liberal Democrats	137	3.7%

Electorate 8,157 · Ballots cast 3,698 · Back to ward index

Holyrood · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +2.4 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,562

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Ryder, L.	Labour Party	1,696	47.6%	Elected
2	Wright, S.	Liberal Democrats	1,446	40.6%
3	Baron, G.	Conservative and Unionist Party	162	4.5%
4	Curati, P.	Green Party	156	4.4%
5	Morris, V.	ENG DEM	102	2.9%

Electorate 8,615 · Ballots cast 3,562 · Back to ward index

Pilkington Park · single-seat

Marginal winner 48.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +1.8 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,231

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Rubinstein, M.	Labour Party	1,557	48.2%	Elected
2	Jones, N.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,177	36.4%
3	Zaman, S.	Independent	237	7.3%
4	Thomas, C.	Green Party	129	4.0%
5	Foss, D.	Liberal Democrats	94	2.9%
6	Ross, D.	CPB	37	1.1%

Electorate 7,608 · Ballots cast 3,231 · Back to ward index

Elton · single-seat

Marginal winner 48.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference +1.6 pts below quota Valid ballots 3,353

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Morris, C.	Labour Party	1,623	48.4%	Elected
2	Luxton, A.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,486	44.3%
3	Sampson, M.	Green Party	158	4.7%
4	Solomon, R.	Independent	86	2.6%

Electorate 8,879 · Ballots cast 3,353 · Back to ward index

Bury West · single-seat

Marginal winner 50.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −0.1 pts Valid ballots 3,188

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Arif, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,596	50.1%	Elected
2	Chaudhry, A.	Labour Party	1,112	34.9%
3	Connor, J.	Green Party	480	15.1%

Electorate 8,547 · Ballots cast 3,188 · Back to ward index

Bury East · single-seat

Marginal winner 55.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −5.9 pts Valid ballots 2,188

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Farooq, U.	Labour Party	1,223	55.9%	Elected
2	Baron, C.	Conservative and Unionist Party	624	28.5%
3	Hutchinson, L.	Green Party	147	6.7%
4	Cadwallader, K.	Reform UK	105	4.8%
5	Lewis, S.	Liberal Democrats	89	4.1%

Electorate 8,941 · Ballots cast 2,188 · Back to ward index

Moorside · single-seat

Marginal winner 56.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −6.0 pts Valid ballots 2,550

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Ibrahim, B.	Labour Party	1,429	56.0%	Elected
2	Farid, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	697	27.3%
3	Hagan, V.	Independent	216	8.5%
4	Wood, K.	Green Party	208	8.2%

Electorate 8,580 · Ballots cast 2,550 · Back to ward index

Ramsbottom · single-seat

Marginal winner 56.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −6.4 pts Valid ballots 3,654

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Staples-Jones, G.	Labour Party	2,062	56.4%	Elected
2	Strachan, I.	Conservative and Unionist Party	1,296	35.5%
3	Hamdan, W.	Green Party	149	4.1%
4	Bristow, M.	Liberal Democrats	147	4.0%

Electorate 9,185 · Ballots cast 3,654 · Back to ward index

Radcliffe West · single-seat

Marginal winner 56.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −6.9 pts Valid ballots 2,154

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Smith, M.	RAD 1ST	1,226	56.9%	Elected
2	Harcup, J.	Labour Party	669	31.1%
3	Balfour, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	193	9.0%
4	Heath, M.	Green Party	47	2.2%
5	Islam, K.	Liberal Democrats	19	0.9%

Electorate 8,358 · Ballots cast 2,154 · Back to ward index

Unsworth · single-seat

Marginal winner 57.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −7.5 pts Valid ballots 3,144

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Rafiq, T.	Labour Party	1,807	57.5%	Elected
2	Johnson, R.	Conservative and Unionist Party	945	30.1%
3	Hankey, M.	Liberal Democrats	198	6.3%
4	Thomas, L.	Green Party	194	6.2%

Electorate 8,466 · Ballots cast 3,144 · Back to ward index

Radcliffe East · single-seat

Marginal winner 60.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −10.2 pts Valid ballots 2,206

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Walsh, M.	RAD 1ST	1,329	60.2%	Elected
2	McGill, S.	Labour Party	636	28.8%
3	Bernstein, C.	Conservative and Unionist Party	175	7.9%
4	Sharples, H.	Green Party	66	3.0%

Electorate 8,131 · Ballots cast 2,206 · Back to ward index

St Mary's · single-seat

Marginal winner 62.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −12.6 pts Valid ballots 2,959

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Thorpe, S.	Labour Party	1,852	62.6%	Elected
2	Park, J.	Conservative and Unionist Party	427	14.4%
3	Edeoga, U.	Liberal Democrats	426	14.4%
4	Hubble, N.	Green Party	254	8.6%

Electorate 8,727 · Ballots cast 2,959 · Back to ward index

Redvales · single-seat

Marginal winner 63.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −13.7 pts Valid ballots 2,446

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Haroon, S.	Labour Party	1,558	63.7%	Elected
2	Keeley, G.	Conservative and Unionist Party	456	18.6%
3	Bentley, D.	Independent	306	12.5%
4	Johnstone, P.	Green Party	126	5.2%

Electorate 8,706 · Ballots cast 2,446 · Back to ward index

Besses · single-seat

Marginal winner 69.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −19.1 pts Valid ballots 2,269

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Smith, L.	Labour Party	1,567	69.1%	Elected
2	West, M.	Independent	216	9.5%
3	Riu, A.	Conservative and Unionist Party	201	8.9%
4	Fay, C.	Green Party	146	6.4%
5	Morris, S.	ENG DEM	139	6.1%

Electorate 8,166 · Ballots cast 2,269 · Back to ward index

Sedgley · single-seat

Marginal winner 70.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Difference −20.1 pts Valid ballots 2,705

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Elected
1	Quinn, D.	Labour Party	1,896	70.1%	Elected
2	Zuri, S.	Conservative and Unionist Party	591	21.8%
3	Heath, G.	Green Party	218	8.1%

Electorate 8,749 · Ballots cast 2,705 · Back to ward index