Date set for decision on which party will lead Bolton council

The decision on who leads Bolton council for the next year is set to be made at a meeting later this month. After the local elections last week the council remains in no overall control.

However, the Labour Party has by far the largest group of councillors on the 60-strong council. They have 26 members, down from 28 before the elections.

The second biggest party is the Conservatives with 15, the same as before polling. The make up of power in the borough continues with the Liberal Democrats and Horwich & Blackrod First having six councillors each with Farnworth & Kearsley First five members.

The remaining two seats are held by the borough’s first ever Green Party councillor, Hanif Alli, who defeated Labour into second in Halliwell and an Independent, Ayyub Chota Patel, who won a seat in Rumworth.

After a period of Conservative minority control from 2019 to 2023, Labour took charge of Bolton Town Hall in May 2023, again with a minority of seats.

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Since then, their leader Nick Peel, has led the council. The annual general meeting of the full council has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 22, where a vote will be taken to determine who leads the council.

As Labour does not have an overall majority, the continuance of Coun Peel as leader is not a foregone conclusion. Informal discussions are expected to take place between the parties before the council elects the new leader.

The fact that Labour does not have a controlling majority means to retain power the group will need to work informally with others. Coun Paul Sanders, from Farnworth & Kearsley First summed up the likely scenario.

He said: “Bolton Labour will have to concede, moderate, and work with others to get