2024 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2024 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2024. The election took place alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom. The council remained under no overall control and continued to be run by a Labour minority administration.

Background

In December 2022, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England made The Bolton (Electoral Changes) Order 2022, which officially abolished all 20 existing wards and established 20 new wards with new boundaries. All 60 wards were contested at the 2023 elections. The elected councillor who received the least number of votes in each ward at the previous election will have their seat up in this election.

Electoral process

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. The election will take place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards being represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Bolton aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

Previous council composition

Changes 2023–2024:

• 4 May 2023: Derek Bullock (Conservative) was re-elected at the 2023 elections as a Conservative after being selected by the local Conservative Association, but has sat as an independent after being expelled by the national Conservative Party in April 2023 due to racist comments.
• 2 October 2023: Paul Heslop (One Kearsley) resigns; by-election scheduled for 16 November 2023.
• 2 October 2023: Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon (Conservative) resigns; by-election scheduled for 16 November 2023.
• 3 October 2023: Debbie Newall and Melanie Livsey (One Kearsley) join the Labour Party, marking the dissolution of their former party.
• 16 November 2023: Tracey Wilkinson wins Kearsley by-election; Farnworth and Kearsley First gain seat from One Kearsley.
• 16 November 2023: Deirdre McGeown wins Westhoughton North and Hunger Hill by-election; Liberal Democrats gain seat from the Conservatives.
• 14 March 2024: Craig Rotheram (Horwich and Blackrod First) resigns; by-election scheduled for 2 May 2024.
• April 2024: Amjid (Jack) Khan (Rumworth) expelled from Labour for seeking to stand as an MP for other parties.

Summary

Following the election the council remained under no overall control. Labour made a net loss of one seat from their pre-election position, but remained the largest party and continued to form a minority administration after the election.

Election result

Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows, with sitting councillors standing for re-election marked with an asterisk.

Astley Bridge

Bradshaw

Breightmet

Bromley Cross

Farnworth North

Farnworth South

Great Lever

Halliwell

Heaton, Lostock & Chew Moor

Horwich North

Horwich South & Blackrod

Hulton

Kearsley

Little Lever & Darcy Lever

Queens Park & Central

Rumworth

Smithills

Tonge with the Haulgh

Westhoughton North & Hunger Hill

Westhoughton South

References