2026 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

2026 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

←  2024 7 May 2026 (2026-05-07) 2027 →
20 out of 60 seats to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 31 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Nick Peel Nadim Muslim Garry Veevers Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader's seat Tonge with the Haulgh Bromley Cross Smithills Last election 26 seats, 33.7% 15 seats, 19.5% 6 seats, 7.4% Seats before 25 15 6   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Tracey Wilkinson David Grant Party Farnworth and Kearsley First Horwich and Blackrod First Green Leader's seat Kearsley Horwich South and Blackrod Last election 5 seats, 4.0% 6 seats, 7.4% 1 seat, 8.9% Seats before 5 3 1
Leader before election Nick Peel Labour Leader after election TBD

The 2026 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 60 members of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council in Greater Manchester will be elected.

Background

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. The Conservatives briefly held control until Labour won their first majority in 1976. ^[1] Labour formed a majority administration until 2003 when the council fell into no overall control. This lasted until 2011. ^[2]

The 2019 election saw Labour reduced to minority status with 24 seats. The Conservatives formed a minority administration with support from UKIP, Farnworth and Kearsley First, and Horwich and Blackrod First. ^[3] The Conservatives became the largest party on the council in 2021, and retained minority control until 2023 when Labour once again became the largest party. ^[4] Labour formed a minority administration with the support of Farnworth and Kearsley First and Horwich and Blackrod First which continues to govern. ^[5]

The 2023 election was held under a new set of boundaries, meaning that this election is for the councillors who placed second in each of the three-member wards. ^[6] Labour will be defending 7 seats, the Conservatives will be defending 7, the Liberal Democrats will be defending 2, Horwich and Blackrod First will be defending 2, and Farnworth and Kearsley First will be defending 2 (including a seat in Kearsley gained in a 2023 by-election). ^[7]

Council composition

After 2024 election			Before 2026 election
Party		Seats	Party		Seats
	Labour	26		Labour	25
	Conservative	15		Conservative	15
	Liberal Democrats	6		Liberal Democrats	6
	Farnworth and Kearsley First	5		Farnworth and Kearsley First	5
	Horwich and Blackrod First	6		Horwich and Blackrod First	3
	Green	1 [a]		Green	1 [a]
	Independent	1		Independent	5

Changes 2024–2026:

• June 2024: Ryan Bamforth (Horwich and Blackrod First) leaves party to sit as an independent ^{[b] [8]}
• November 2024: Charlotte Sears (Horwich and Blackrod First) and Samantha Williamson (Horwich and Blackrod First) leave party to sit as independents ^{[b] [9]}
• August 2025: Susan Haworth (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent ^{[c] [10]}

References

1. Sits as part of the Communities First group with the label "Green Party/Communities First".
2. Part of the Communities First group, which is not registered as a political party.
3. It has been reported that Haworth has joined Reform UK, but she is listed on Bolton Council's website as an independent.

1. "BBC News - Election 2011 - England council elections - Bolton". BBC News. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
2. "Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
3. Dobson, Charlotte (10 May 2019). "Bolton Tories take over council for first time in 40 years". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
4. "Local elections 2023: Labour replace Conservatives as Bolton Councils's biggest party". ITV News. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
5. "Bolton Council leader confirmed in eight-minute meeting at town hall". The Bolton News. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
6. The Bolton (Electoral Changes) Order 2022
7. "Local Elections Archive Project — Kearsley Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
8. Tooth, Jack (13 June 2024). "Councillor leaves Horwich and Blackrod hyper-local party". The Bolton News. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
9. Gee, Chris (11 November 2024). "Two Bolton councillors quit their party". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
10. Gee, Chris (10 December 2025). "Bolton gets first Reform councillor as former Labour member joins party". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 1 January 2026.