Bolton Council

Last updated

Bolton Council
Coat of arms of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council.png
Bolton Council Logo.svg
Council Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Andrew Morgan,
Conservative
since 15 May 2024 [1]
Nick Peel,
Labour
since 16 May 2023
Sue Johnson
since 26 September 2022 [2]
Structure
Seats60 councillors
Bolton Council 2024.svg
Political groups
  Labour (26)
  Conservative (15)
  Horwich & Blackrod First (6)
  Liberal Democrat (6)
  Farnworth & Kearsley First (5)
  Green (1)
  Independent (1)
Joint committees
 Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Last election
 2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Bolton Town Hall.jpg
Town Hall, Victoria Square, Bolton, BL1 1RU
Website
www.bolton.gov.uk

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.

Contents

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 to provide its own county-level services, and so it became a county borough, independent from the new Lancashire County Council, whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Lancashire. [3]

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. [4]

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. [5] The council styles itself Bolton Council rather than its full formal name of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council. [6]

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. [7]

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. [8] [9]

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. [10] 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. [11]

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. [12] The minority administration is continuing following the 2024 election. [13]

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows: [14] [15]

Party in controlYears
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 first leader of the metropolitan borough council, John Hanscomb, had been the last leader of the old Bolton County Borough Council. The leaders since 1974 have been: [16]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
John Hanscomb Conservative 19741980
Bob Howarth [17] Labour 198013 Jun 2004
Barbara Ronson Liberal Democrats Jun 2004May 2006
Cliff Morris [18] Labour May 200631 Dec 2017
Linda Thomas Labour 5 Feb 201822 May 2019
David Greenhalgh [19] Conservative 22 May 201929 Jul 2021
Martyn Cox Conservative 25 Aug 202116 May 2023
Nick Peel Labour 16 May 2023Incumbent

Composition

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was: [20]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 26
Conservative 15
Horwich and Blackrod First 6
Liberal Democrats 6
Farnworth and Kearsley First 5
Green 1
Independent 1
Total60

The next election is due in May 2026.

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. [21]

Wards and councillors

There are 20 wards, each represented by three councillors. [22]

WardCouncillorPartyDate first electedTerm of office
Astley Bridge
Hilary Fairclough [lower-alpha 1] Conservative
4 May 2000
2023–27
John Walsh Conservative
7 May 1998
2023–26
Toby Hewitt Conservative
2 May 2024
2024–28
Bradshaw
James Moller Conservative
4 May 2023
2023–27
Les Webb Conservative
4 May 2023
2023–26
Jackie Schofield Labour Co-op
2 May 2024
2024–28
Breightmet
Sean Fielding Labour Co-op
4 May 2023
2023–27
Adele Warren Conservative
3 May 2018
2023–26
Robert Morrisey Labour Co-op
4 May 2023
2024–28
Bromley Cross
Samantha Jayne Connor Conservative
2 May 2019
2023–27
Amy Marie Cowen Conservative
28 Oct 2021
2023–26
Nadim Muslim Conservative
3 May 2018
2024–28
Farnworth North
Hamid Kurram Labour
3 May 2018
2023–27
Nadeem Ayub Labour
5 May 2022
2023–26
Susan Haworth Labour
16 October 2014
2024–28
Farnworth South
Maureen Flitcroft Farnworth and Kearsley First
4 May 2023
2023–27
Paul Sanders [lower-alpha 2] Farnworth and Kearsley First
9 March 2018
2023–26
Paula Connor-Bennett Farnworth and Kearsley First
2 May 2024
2024–28
Great Lever
Mohammed Ayub Labour
4 May 2006
2023–27
Mohammed Iqbal Labour
1 May 2008
2023–26
Karen Hon Labour
4 May 2023
2024–28
Halliwell
Rabiya Jiva Labour
6 May 2021
2023–27
Safwaan Patel Labour
4 May 2023
2023–26
Hanif Alli Green
2 May 2024
2024–28
Heaton, Lostock
and Chew Moor
Martyn Cox [lower-alpha 3] Conservative
6 May 2010
2023–27
Anne Galloway Conservative
3 May 2018
2023–26
Andrew Morgan Conservative
7 May 2015
2024–28
Horwich North
Ryan Bamforth Horwich and Blackrod First
4 May 2023
2023–27
Craig Rotheram Horwich and Blackrod First
4 May 2023
2023–26
Victoria Rigby Horwich and Blackrod First
4 May 2023
2024–28
Horwich South
and Blackrod
David Grant Horwich and Blackrod First
6 May 2021
2023–27
Peter Wright Horwich and Blackrod First
2 May 2019
2023–26
Samantha Williamson Horwich and Blackrod First
3 May 2018
2024–28
Hulton
Aalaina Khan Labour
4 May 2023
2023–27
Shafaqat Shaikh Labour
4 May 2023
2023–26
Fazeelah Khan Labour
2 May 2024
2024–28
Kearsley
Debbie Newall Labour [lower-alpha 4]
5 May 2022
2023–27
Tracey Wilkinson Farnworth and Kearsley First
16 November 2023 [lower-alpha 5] . [23]
2023–26
Sylvia Crossley Farnworth and Kearsley First
2 May 2024
2024–28
Little Lever
and Darcy Lever
Andrea Taylor-Burke Conservative
6 May 2021
2023–27
David Meehan Conservative
5 May 2022
2023–26
Liam Barnard Labour
4 May 2023
2024–28
Queens Park
and Central
Akhtar Zaman [lower-alpha 6] Labour
2 May 2002
2023–27
Richard Silvester Labour Co-op
5 May 2011
2023–26
Linda Thomas Labour Co-op
5 October 1995
2024–28
Rumworth
Abdul Atcha Labour
5 May 2022
2023–27
Sajid Ali Labour
4 May 2023
2023–24
Ayyub Patel Independent
2 May 2024
2024–28
Smithills
Roger Hayes Liberal Democrats
7 May 1998
2023–27
Susan Priest Liberal Democrats
5 May 2022
2023–26
Garry Veevers [lower-alpha 7] Liberal Democrats
2 May 2019
2024–28
Tonge with The Haulgh
Martin Donaghy Labour Co-op
3 May 2012
2023–27
Nick Peel [lower-alpha 8] Labour Co-op
4 May 2000
2023–26
Emily Mort Labour Co-op
5 May 2022
2024–28
Westhoughton North
and Hunger Hill
Arthur Price Liberal Democrats
4 May 2023
2023–27
Martin Tighe Conservative
4 May 2023
2023–26
Deirdre McGeown Liberal Democrats 16 November 2023 [lower-alpha 9]
2024–28
Westhoughton South
David Chadwick Labour
4 May 2023
2023–27
David Wilkinson Liberal Democrats
3 May 2018
2023–26
John McHugh Labour
2 May 2024
2024–28
  1. ↑ Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group
  2. ↑ Leader of Farnworth and Kearsley First
  3. ↑ Leader of the Conservative Group
  4. ↑ Elected in May 2022 as a One Kearsley candidate and crossed the floor to the Labour Party in October 2023 [23]
  5. ↑ Elected in a by-election following the resignation of Paul Heslop, Leader of One Kearsley
  6. ↑ Deputy Leader of the Labour Group
  7. ↑ Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group
  8. ↑ Leader of the Labour Group
  9. ↑ By-election following the resignation of Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon. [24]

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. [25] [26]

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References

  1. ↑ "New mayor will champion the amazing work of Bolton charities". Bolton Council. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "Council press release, 27 September 2022" . Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  3. ↑ "Great Bolton". A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. London: Victoria County History. 1911. pp. 243–251. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (sch.1), retrieved 30 May 2024
  5. ↑ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 28 March 1974. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Find your local council". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 5 April 2024
  8. ↑ "The Greater Manchester Combined Authority Order 2011", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2011/908, retrieved 30 May 2024
  9. ↑ "Understand how your council works". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  10. ↑ "GMCA Members". Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  11. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  12. ↑ Tooth, Jack (17 May 2023). "Bolton Council leader confirmed as Nick Peel at town hall". The Bolton News. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  13. ↑ Gee, Chris (23 May 2024). "Labour to continue running Bolton council". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  14. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Bolton". BBC News Online . 19 April 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  16. ↑ "Council minutes". Bolton Council. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  17. ↑ 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.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ George, Thomas; Topping, Stephen (29 July 2021). "Bolton Council leader David Greenhalgh dies". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  20. ↑ "Local elections 2024: full mayoral and council results for England". The Guardian. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  21. ↑ "The Bolton (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2022/964, retrieved 30 May 2024
  22. ↑ Bolton Council. "Your Councillors - Bolton Council". Bolton Council. Archived from the original on 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  23. 1 2 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.
  24. ↑ Harrigan, Joe (2 October 2023). "Bolton Council: Westhoughton councillor resigns seat". The Bolton news. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  25. ↑ "Contact us". Bolton Council. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  26. ↑ Historic England. "Town Hall, Victoria Square (Grade II*) (1388295)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 30 May 2024.
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