Bolton Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Council Logo | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
Sue Johnson since 26 September 2022[3] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 60 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | Greater Manchester Combined Authority Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel |
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 7 May 2026 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Town Hall, Victoria Square, Bolton, BL1 1RU | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Bolton Council, or Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is a Metropolitan Borough Council and provides the majority of local government services in the Borough. The Council has been a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority since 2011.
The Council has been under no overall control since 2019, and has been led by a Labour minority administration since 2023. It is based at Bolton Town Hall.
History
The town of Bolton had been incorporated as a Municipal Borough in 1838, governed by a body formally called the 'Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Bolton', generally known as the Corporation, Town Council or Borough Council. When elected County Councils were established in 1889, Bolton was considered large enough for its existing Council to provide county-level services, and so it was made a County Borough, independent from the new Lancashire County Council, whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Lancashire.[4]
The larger Metropolitan Borough of Bolton and its Council were created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of ten Metropolitan Districts within the new Metropolitan County of Greater Manchester. The first election was held in 1973. For its first year the Council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's eight outgoing authorities, being the Borough Councils of Bolton and Farnworth, and the Urban District Councils of Blackrod, Horwich, Kearsley, Little Lever, Westhoughton and Turton (the latter in respect of its more built up southern part only, the more rural northern part became the parish of North Turton in Blackburn district). The new Metropolitan District and its Council formally came into being on 1 April 1974, at which point the old Districts and their Councils were abolished.[5]
The Metropolitan District was awarded Borough status from its creation, allowing the Chair of the Council to take the title of Mayor, continuing Bolton's series of Mayors dating back to 1838.[6] The Council styles itself Bolton Council rather than its full formal name of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council.[7]
From 1974 until 1986 the Council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by the Greater Manchester County Council. The County Council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to Greater Manchester's ten Borough Councils, including Bolton, with some services provided through joint committees.[8]
Since 2011 the Council has been a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. The Combined Authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across Greater Manchester, notably regarding transport and town planning, but Bolton Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.[9][10]
Governance
Bolton Council provides Metropolitan Borough services. Some strategic functions in the area are provided by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority; the Leader of Bolton Council sits on the Combined Authority as Bolton's representative.[11] Blackrod, Horwich and Westhoughton are civil parishes, each with a Town Council forming an additional tier of local government, the rest of the Borough is unparished.[12]
Political control
Since the 2019 election, Bolton has been under no overall control. Following the 2023 election a Labour minority administration formed to run the Council.[13] The minority administration has continued following the 2024 election.[14] and the 2026 election.[15]
Political control of the Council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows:[16][17]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1974–1980 | |
| Labour | 1980–2003 | |
| No overall control | 2003–2011 | |
| Labour | 2011–2019 | |
| No overall control | 2019–present | |
Leadership
The role of Mayor of Bolton is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the Leader of the Council. The leaders since 1974 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Hanscomb[18][19] | Conservative | 1 Apr 1974 | May 1980 | |
| Bob Howarth[19][20][21] | Labour | May 1980 | Jun 2004 | |
| Barbara Ronson[22][23] | Liberal Democrats | Jun 2004 | May 2006 | |
| Cliff Morris[24][25] | Labour | 24 May 2006 | 31 Dec 2017 | |
| Linda Thomas[26][27] | Labour | 5 Feb 2018 | May 2019 | |
| David Greenhalgh[28][29] | Conservative | 22 May 2019 | 29 Jul 2021 | |
| Martyn Cox[30][31] | Conservative | 25 Aug 2021 | 16 May 2023 | |
| Nick Peel[32] | Labour | 16 May 2023 | 7 May 2026 | |
| Akhtar Zaman[33] | Labour | 20 May 2026 | Incumbent | |
Composition
Following the 2026 election the composition of the Council was:[34]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 20 | |
| Conservative | 10 | |
| Reform | 10 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | |
| Horwich and Blackrod First | 4 | |
| Green | 4 | |
| Farnworth and Kearsley First | 3 | |
| Independent | 4 | |
| Total | 60 | |
Three of the independent Councillors form the "Communities First" coalition. The next election is due in May 2027.[34]
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2023, the Council has comprised 60 Councillors representing 20 Wards, with each Ward electing three Councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the Council (one Councillor for each Ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.[35]
Wards and Councillors
There are 20 Wards, each represented by three Councillors.[36]
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Date first elected | Term of office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astley Bridge | |||||
| Hilary Fairclough[b] | Conservative | 4 May 2000 | 2023–27 | ||
| Toby Hewitt | Conservative | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Ryan Bailey | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Bradshaw | |||||
| James Moller | Conservative | 4 May 2023 | 2023–27 | ||
| Jackie Schofield | Labour Co-op | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Les Webb | Conservative | 4 May 2023 | 2026–30 | ||
| Breightmet | |||||
| Sean Fielding | Labour Co-op | 4 May 2023 | 2023–27 | ||
| Robert Morrisey | Labour Co-op | 4 May 2023 | 2024–28 | ||
| Mike Tucker | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Bromley Cross | |||||
| Samantha Jayne Connor | Conservative | 2 May 2019 | 2023–27 | ||
| Nadim Muslim[c] | Conservative | 3 May 2018 | 2024–28 | ||
| Charlotte Cadden | Conservative | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Farnworth North | |||||
| Hamid Kurram | Labour | 3 May 2018 | 2023–27 | ||
| Susan Haworth | Reform | 16 October 2014 | 2024–28 | ||
| Nadeem Ayub | Labour | 5 May 2022 | 2026–30 | ||
| Farnworth South | |||||
| Maureen Flitcroft | Farnworth and Kearsley First | 4 May 2023 | 2023–27 | ||
| Paula Connor-Bennett | Farnworth and Kearsley First | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Julie Pattison | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Great Lever | |||||
| Mohammed Ayub | Labour | 4 May 2006 | 2023–27 | ||
| Karen Hon | Labour | 4 May 2023 | 2024–28 | ||
| Mohammed Iqbal | Labour | 1 May 2008 | 2026–30 | ||
| Halliwell | |||||
| Rabiya Jiva | Labour | 6 May 2021 | 2023–27 | ||
| Hanif Alli | Green | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Baggy Khan | Green | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor | |||||
| Martyn Cox | Conservative | 6 May 2010 | 2023–27 | ||
| Andrew Morgan | Conservative | 7 May 2015 | 2024–28 | ||
| Anne Galloway | Conservative | 3 May 2018 | 2026–30 | ||
| Horwich North | |||||
| Ryan Bamforth | Independent / Communities First[d] | 4 May 2023 | 2023–27 | ||
| Victoria Rigby | Horwich and Blackrod First | 4 May 2023 | 2024–28 | ||
| Andrea Finney | Horwich and Blackrod First | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Horwich South and Blackrod | |||||
| David Grant | Horwich and Blackrod First | 6 May 2021 | 2023–27 | ||
| Samantha Williamson | Independent / Communities First[e] | 3 May 2018 | 2024–28 | ||
| Peter Wright | Horwich and Blackrod First | 2 May 2019 | 2026–30 | ||
| Hulton | |||||
| Shafaqat Shaikh | Labour | 4 May 2023 | 2023–27 | ||
| Fazeelah Khan | Labour | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Derek Bullock | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Kearsley | |||||
| Debbie Newall | Labour[f] | 5 May 2022 | 2023–27 | ||
| Sylvia Crossley | Farnworth and Kearsley First | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Roger Pedley | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Little Lever and Darcy Lever | |||||
| Andrea Taylor-Burke | Independent[g] | 6 May 2021 | 2023–27 | ||
| Liam Barnard | Labour | 4 May 2023 | 2024–28 | ||
| Derek Wunderley | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Queens Park and Central | |||||
| Akhtar Zaman[h] | Labour | 2 May 2002 | 2023–27 | ||
| Linda Thomas | Labour Co-op | 5 October 1995 | 2024–28 | ||
| Zan Arif | Green | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Rumworth | |||||
| Abdul Atcha | Labour | 5 May 2022 | 2023–27 | ||
| Ayyub Patel | Independent / Communities First[i] | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Zan Arif | Green | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Smithills | |||||
| Roger Hayes | Liberal Democrats | 7 May 1998 | 2023–27 | ||
| Garry Veevers[j] | Liberal Democrats | 2 May 2019 | 2024–28 | ||
| Susan Priest | Liberal Democrats | 5 May 2022 | 2026–30 | ||
| Tonge with The Haulgh | |||||
| Martin Donaghy | Labour Co-op | 3 May 2012 | 2023–27 | ||
| Emily Mort | Labour Co-op | 5 May 2022 | 2024–28 | ||
| Trevor Jones [k] | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Westhoughton North and Hunger Hill | |||||
| Arthur Price | Liberal Democrats | 4 May 2023 | 2023–27 | ||
| Deirdre McGeown | Liberal Democrats | 16 November 2023[l] | 2024–28 | ||
| David Lewis | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
| Westhoughton South | |||||
| David Chadwick | Labour | 4 May 2023 | 2023–27 | ||
| John McHugh | Labour | 2 May 2024 | 2024–28 | ||
| Glen Clarke | Reform | 7 May 2026 | 2026–30 | ||
- Communities First is a coalition of 3 Independent councillors, not a party group
- Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group
- Leader of the Conservative Group
- Part of the "Communities First" coalition.
- Part of the "Communities First" coalition.
- Elected in May 2022 as a One Kearsley candidate and crossed the floor to the Labour Party in October 2023[37]
- Represented the Conservative Party until the election on 7 May 2026 then stepped away to serve the rest of her term as an independent.
- Leader of the Labour Group
- Part of the "Communities First" coalition.
- Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group
- Leader of the Reform UK Group
- By-election following the resignation of Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon.[38]
Premises
The Council is based at Bolton Town Hall on Victoria Square in the centre of Bolton. The building was completed in 1873 for the old Bolton Borough Council.[39][40]
References
- "Mayor of Bolton for 2026-27 is sworn in". Bolton Council. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- "Cllr Zaman appointed Leader of The Council". Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- "Council press release, 27 September 2022". Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- "Great Bolton". A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. London: Victoria County History. 1911. pp. 243–251. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- "Local Government Act 1972: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (sch. 1), retrieved 30 May 2024
- "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- "Find your local council". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
- "The Greater Manchester Combined Authority Order 2011", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2011/908, retrieved 30 May 2024
- "Understand how your council works". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- "GMCA Members". Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- Tooth, Jack (17 May 2023). "Bolton Council leader confirmed as Nick Peel at town hall". The Bolton News. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- Gee, Chris (23 May 2024). "Labour to continue running Bolton Council". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- Dougherty, Dan (20 May 2026). "Bolton council elects new leader". Bolton News. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Bolton" in search box to see specific results.)
- "Bolton". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- Jackson, Norman (30 October 1973). "Leading the way". Manchester Evening News. p. 13. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- Panter, Steve (2 May 1980). "Election Results Special". Manchester Evening News. p. 14. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- "Labour licks wounds after polls". BBC News. 11 June 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- Gee, Chris; George, Thomas (6 April 2021). "Tributes to former MP and council leader who was last surviving 'freeman' of Bolton". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- Tidman, Gareth (30 June 2004). "True grit of town's first woman council leader". Bolton News. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- Tidman, Gareth (5 May 2006). "'We'll empty the bins every week' pledge". Bolton News. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- "Council minutes, 24 May 2006" (PDF). Bolton Council. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- Savage, Ian; Holland, Daniel (8 November 2017). "Bolton Council leader Cliff Morris to step down on December 31 after 11 years in charge". Bolton News. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- "Council minutes, 5 February 2018" (PDF). Bolton Council. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- Timan, Joseph (3 May 2019). "Bolton Council Elections 2019: Labour suffer big defeat". Bolton News. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- "Council minutes, 22 May 2019" (PDF). Bolton Council. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- George, Thomas; Topping, Stephen (29 July 2021). "Bolton Council leader David Greenhalgh dies". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- "Council minutes, 25 August 2021" (PDF). Bolton Council. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- Rennie, Sophie (17 May 2023). "Nick Peel becomes Bolton Council Leader". Place North West. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- "Council minutes, 16 May 2023" (PDF). Bolton Council. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- "Cllr Zaman appointed the Leader of Bolton Council". Bolton Council. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
- "Bolton". Local Councils. Bolton. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- "The Bolton (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/964, retrieved 30 May 2024
- Bolton Council. "Your Councillors - Bolton Council". Bolton Council. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- Gee, Chris (4 October 2023). "Party leader quits and two of his colleagues join Labour in turbulent week for Greater Manchester council". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- Harrigan, Joe (2 October 2023). "Bolton Council: Westhoughton councillor resigns seat". The Bolton news. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- "Contact us". Bolton Council. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- Historic England. "Town Hall, Victoria Square (Grade II*) (1388295)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 May 2024.