1982 is when life starts getting interesting. The newly formed Liberal/SDP alliance is on the scene (founded a year earlier in March 1981).

The Alliance storm to victory in Bredbury with over 50% of the vote.  My friend Ken Anstis was elected in Cheadle Hulme North and the Alliance won in Cheadle Hulme South too.

The Conservatives were still sweeping all before them in Cheadle ward, but Iain Kirk was flying the Alliance flag.  John Ashworth (who’s sadly missed) took Edgeley for the Alliance and a young, dynamic Peter Burns swept into Heald Green, keeping the Ratepayer’s Association tradition alive.  Bryan Leck held West Bramhall for the Conservatives in 1982, as he held Bramhall South for them in 2010, and my Conservative namesake Ian Roberts was elected in Great Moor.

For our side, 1982 was the start.  Before then we were winning very few seats – some years only one out of 21.  The Alliance didn’t exactly sweep all before it that year, but the trend is clear, and in a few years time we’ll see the Social and Liberal Democrats (as they’ll be called by then) as the largest party on the Council.

Those of us johnny-come-lately types around today could do worse than remember the slogging of people like Ken Anstis, John Ashworth and Iain Kirk that made everything that came later possible.

06/05/82
1982
Stockport
Bredbury
(10820) @ 1
			vote	share
Humphries D. Ms.	Lib/SDP		2733	52.6
Treharne A.	Con		1385	26.6
Peachey R.	Lab		1080	20.8
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	48	25.9
Brinnington
(8977) @ 1
			vote	share
Ford K.	Lab		2189	65.4
Torevell M.	Lib/SDP		688	20.5
Field F.	Con		472	14.1
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	37.3	44.8
Cale Green
(9458) @ 1
			vote	share
Boyd R.	Lab		1695	44.2
Hendry J. Ms.	Con		1082	28.2
Gaskell H.	Lib/SDP		1008	26.3
Wightman J.	Ecol		54	1.4
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	40.6	16
Cheadle
(9809) @ 1
			vote	share
Needham J.	Con		2730	58.2
Kirk I.	Lib/SDP		1686	35.9
Kellett A.	Lab		276	5.9
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	47.8	22.3
Cheadle Hulme North
(11148) @ 1
			vote	share
Anstis K.	Lib/SDP		2910	56.5
Walsh J.	Con		1754	34.1
Stoddard N.	Lab		487	9.5
ffff
1980: Lib		Turnout	46.2	22.4
Cheadle Hulme South
(11031) @ 1
			vote	share
Leah A.	Lib/SDP		3289	53.5
Radcliffe T.	Con		2525	41.1
Brown R.	Lab		336	5.5
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	55.8	12.4
Davenport
(9412) @ 1
			vote	share
Lowe G.	Con		2042	46.4
Dawson V. Ms.	Lib/SDP		1187	27
Hoad E. Ms.	Lab		1085	24.6
Bamforth R.	Ecol		89	2
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	46.8	19.4
East Bramhall
(12154) @ 1
			vote	share
Doherty A. Ms.	Con		3549	57.4
Ridley H.	Lib/SDP		2357	38.1
Scott G. Ms.	Lab		276	4.5
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	50.9	19.3
Edgeley
(10406) @ 1
			vote	share
Ashworth J.	Lib/SDP		2419	48.1
McMullen J.	Lab		1772	35.2
Thomson W.	Con		780	15.5
Downs J. Ms.	WRP		59	1.2
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	48.3	12.9
Great Moor
(11082) @ 1
			vote	share
Roberts I.	Con		1986	41.5
Begg J.	Lib/SDP		1472	30.8
Mobbs J. Ms.	Lab		1268	26.5
Leatherbarrow G.	Ecol		58	1.2
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	43.2	10.7
Hazel Grove
(12035) @ 1
			vote	share
Law A. Ms.	Con		2759	46.7
Robinson D.	Lib/SDP		2706	45.8
Hughes B. Ms.	Lab		440	7.5
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	49.1	0.9
Heald Green
(10591) @ 1
			vote	share
Burns P.	Res		3133	62.2
Clark L. Ms.	Con		926	18.4
Comer S. Ms.	Lib/SDP		598	11.9
Lawley M.	Lab		359	7.1
Lasker S. Ms.	Ecol		20	0.4
ffff
1980: Res		Turnout	47.5	43.8
Heaton Mersey
(11203) @ 1
			vote	share
Whitney P.	Con		2834	52.2
Banks M. Ms.	Lab		1277	23.5
Vittoz P.	Lib/SDP		1237	22.8
Chapman F. Ms.	Ecol		84	1.5
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	48.5	28.7
Heaton Moor
(9889) @ 1
			vote	share
McCarron J.	Con		2526	57.6
Langrish J.	Lib/SDP		1211	27.6
Solomon D.	Lab		646	14.7
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	44.3	30
Manor
(9333) @ 1
			vote	share
Gallacher E.	Lab		1495	38.9
Armstrong H.	Con		1168	30.4
Rimmer S.	Lib/SDP		1131	29.4
Ashton E. Ms.	Ecol		50	1.3
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	41.2	8.5
North Marple
(8838) @ 1
			vote	share
Childerstone J.	Con		2304	47.9
Warwick B.	Lib/SDP		1972	41
Howard A.	Lab		539	11.2
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	54.5	6.9
North Reddish
(11532) @ 1
			vote	share
Halliday P.	Lab		2717	52.4
Gamblin P.	Con		1279	24.7
Pyle T.	Lib/SDP		1145	22.1
Bourne N.	Comm		44	0.8
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	45	27.7
Romiley
(11579) @ 1
			vote	share
Gilleney P.	Con		2531	47.4
Ravenscroft B.	Lib/SDP		1546	28.9
Hughes J.	Lab		1266	23.7
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	46.1	18.4
South Marple
(9826) @ 1
			vote	share
Cooke J.	Con		2670	51.6
Brailsford D.	Lib/SDP		2097	40.5
Town W.	Lab		325	6.3
Nicholls M.	Ecol		83	1.6
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	52.7	11.1
South Reddish
(11042) @ 1
			vote	share
Mobbs A.	Lab		1897	44.9
Francis B.	Con		1188	28.1
Files I.	Lib/SDP		880	20.8
Hunt J.	Ind Lib		219	5.2
Ledger S. Ms.	Ecol		40	0.9
ffff
1980: Lab		Turnout	38.3	16.8
West Bramhall
(11816) @ 1
			vote	share
Leck J.	Con		3784	62.8
Davies T.	Lib/SDP		1928	32
Hamilton I.	Lab		235	3.9
Bamber N.	Ecol		77	1.3
ffff
1980: Con		Turnout	51	30.8

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