Coates was one of the 20 electoral wards that formed the Parliamentary constituency of Pendle, Lancashire, England.

The ward returned three councillors to represent the northern half of Barnoldswick on Pendle Borough Council.

The incumbent councillors were Marjorie Adams, Lindsay Gaskell and Janine Throupe, all Liberal Democrats.

[2] As of the May 2011 Council election, Coates had an electorate of 4,166.

[7] In 1974 it was moved from the West Riding of Yorkshire to Lancashire.