2022 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

← 2021 5 May 2022 2023 →
20 out of 60 seats to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 31 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Martyn Cox Nick Peel Roger Hayes Party Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats Last election 20 seats, 38.8% 19 seats, 35.3% 5 seats, 9.7% Seats won 9 8 2 Seats after 23 18 5 Seat change 3 1 Popular vote 23,377 26,041 6,696 Percentage 34.1% 38.0% 9.8%   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Paul Sanders David Grant Party Farnworth and Kearsley First Horwich and Blackrod First Last election 5 seats, 5.4% 3 seats, 3.0% Seats won 0 0 Seats after 3 2 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 2,394 2,442 Percentage 3.5% 3.6%
Winner of each seat at the 2022 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election
council control before election No overall control Subsequent council control No overall control

The 2022 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2022. One third of councillors—20 out of 60—were to be elected. The election took place alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom.

In the previous council election in 2021, the council remained under no overall control. The Conservatives continued running a minority administration with a confidence and supply arrangement with smaller parties, as they had done prior to the election. Labour formed the main opposition with nineteen seats to the Conservatives' twenty.

Background

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Bolton was a district of the Greater Manchester metropolitan county.^[1] The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority was created in 2011 and began electing the mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017, which was given strategic powers covering a region coterminous with the former Greater Manchester metropolitan county.^[2]

Since its formation, Bolton Council has variously been under Labour control, Conservative control and no overall control. Labour most recently regained its majority in the 2011 council election, which it held until the 2019 election. After the 2019 election, Labour held 23 seats with the Conservatives on 20, the Liberal Democrats on 6, the local party Farnworth and Kearsley First on five, the UK Independence Party on three and the local party Horwich and Blackrod First on two, as well as one independent councillor. The Conservatives formed a confidence and supply agreement with the Liberal Democrats, Farnworth and Kearley First, Horwich and Blackrod First and the UK Independence Party so that they could form a minority administration.^[3][4] In the most recent election in 2021, the Conservatives became the largest party with 20 seats to Labour's nineteen, with seven independents, the Liberal Democrats and Farnworth and Kearsley First on five seats each, Horwich and Blackrod First on five and a single UK Independence Party councillor remaining. The Conservatives continued to run a minority administration with support from smaller parties.^[5] The Liberal Democrats ended their working arrangement with the Conservatives in January 2021.^[6] Marie Brady, the leader of the Horwich and Blackrod First party, defected to the Conservative Party after the two other councillors from her party voted against the Conservative budget.^[7]

The positions up for election in 2022 were last elected in 2018. In that election, the Conservatives won nine seats, Labour won eight, and the Liberal Democrats and Farnworth and Kealey First won two each.^[8]

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.^[9][10] The election will take place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards generally 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.

Campaign

The Conservative councillor Adele Warren said that increases in the cost of living would affect the election, with people "frightened about turning their electricity or heating on". She said that the Conservative chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak "could have gone much, much further" with measures to help people.^[11]

Previous council composition

Changes:

• June 2021: Diane Parkinson re-joins Conservatives^[12]
• July 2021: David Greenhalgh (Conservative) dies; by-election held October 2021^[13]
• October 2021: Amy Cowen wins by-election for Conservatives^[14]
• February 2022: Shamim Abdullah leaves Labour to sit as an independent^[15]
• March 2022: Marie Brady leaves Horwich and Blackrod First for Conservatives^[16]
• Sean Hornby leaves UKIP to sit as an independent^[17]

Results summary

2022 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election
Party		This election			Full council			This election
		Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Conservative	9	1	45.0	14	23	38.3	23,377	34.1	-4.7
	Labour	8		40.0	10	18	30.0	26,041	38.0	+2.7
	Independent	0		0.0	7	7	11.7	92	0.1	-2.9
	Liberal Democrats	2		10.0	3	5	8.3	6,696	9.8	+0.1
	Farnworth and Kearsley First	0	2	0.0	3	3	5.0	2,394	3.5	-1.9
	Horwich and Blackrod First	0		0.0	2	2	3.3	2,442	3.6	+0.6
	One Kearsley	1	1	5.0	1	2	3.3	1,099	1.6	N/A
	Reform UK	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	3,922	5.7	N/A
	Green	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	1,440	2.1	-2.0
	Little Lever & Darcy Lever First	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	634	0.9	N/A
	Westhoughton First	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	361	0.5	N/A

Ward results

Statements of persons nominated were published on 6 April.^[18] Incumbent councillors are marked with an asterisk (*).

Astley Bridge

Astley Bridge (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Walsh*	1,743	49.4	12.1
	Labour Co-op	Steve Sutton	1,193	33.8	9.3
	Green	Mark Devereux	254	7.2	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	James Haslam	232	6.6	2.6
	Reform UK	Aimee Monson	108	3.1	N/A
Majority			550	15.6	21.4
Turnout			3,545	34	6.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bradshaw

Bradshaw (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Mudasir Dean*	1,723	52.5	15.9
	Labour	James Tibbits	1,069	32.6	9.9
	Liberal Democrats	Caroline Turner-Preece	301	9.2	6.6
	Reform UK	Daniel Swarsbrick	191	5.8	‘’New’’
Majority			654	19.9	26.1
Turnout			3,289	32	9.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Breightmet

Breightmet (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Adele Warren*	1,504	49.1
	Labour Co-op	George Butler	1,207	39.4	1.3
	Reform UK	Martin McLoughlin	228	7.4	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Becky Forrest	127	4.1	2.2
Majority			297	9.7	1.3
Turnout			3,078	32	1.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Bromley Cross

• Changes relative to 2021 by-election, won by Amy Cowan after the death of David Greenhalgh

Bromley Cross (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Amy Cowen*	2,295	56.4	-13.6
	Labour	Gaynor Cox	1,227	30.2	+13.7
	Green	Lee Harrison	187	4.6	-2.1
	Reform UK	Amy Hare	183	4.5	New’’
	Liberal Democrats	Warren Fox	174	4.3	+1.6
Majority			1,068	26.2	-27.3
Turnout			4,074	39	3.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

Crompton

Crompton (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Emily Mort	1,815	45.7	8.9
	Conservative	Yusuf Davda	1,783	44.9	13.1
	Reform UK	Gareth Fitzsimmons	198	5.0	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Francine Godfrey	174	4.4	0.6
Majority			32	0.8	22.0
Turnout			3,986	27	9.4
	Labour hold		Swing

Farnworth

Farnworth (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Nadeem Ayub	1,406	47.9	7.7
	Farnworth and Kearsley First	Maureen Flitcroft*	1,118	38.1	11.5
	Conservative	Mark Derbyshire	216	7.4	1.0
	Reform UK	Sharon Whitworth	143	4.9	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Christine MacPherson	52	1.8
Majority			288	9.8	N/A
Turnout			2,943	27	3.4
	Labour gain from Farnworth and Kearsley First		Swing

Great Lever

Great Lever (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mohammed Ayub*	1,963	68.3	10.3
	Conservative	Zahra Davda	514	17.9	14.4
	Reform UK	Alex McAllister	149	5.2	N/A
	Green	Heather Rylance	140	4.9	1.1
	Liberal Democrats	Duncan MacPherson	107	3.7	0.1
Majority			1,449	50.4	24.8
Turnout			2,887	27	11.5
	Labour hold		Swing

Halliwell

Halliwell (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Aktar Zaman*	2,071	74.5	1.1
	Conservative	Leslie Webb	335	12.1	6.3
	Reform UK	Norman Cryer	156	5.6	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Liz Turner-Allen	126	4.5	2.6
	Independent	Anthony Massey	92	3.3	0.5
Majority			1,736	62.4	7.4
Turnout			2,795	22	9.2
	Labour hold		Swing

Harper Green

Harper Green (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Hamid Khurram*	1,831	57.0	12.1
	Conservative	Fred Khan	567	17.7	8.7
	Farnworth and Kearsley First	Leanne Oliver	561	17.5	4.8
	Reform UK	Phillip Worthington	180	5.6	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Jaleh Hayes	73	2.3	1.2
Majority			1,264	39.3	20.9
Turnout			3,225	31	3.2
	Labour hold		Swing

Heaton & Lostock

Heaton & Lostock (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Anne Galloway*	2,239	52.3	4.7
	Labour	Janahan Kugathas	1,172	27.4	1.5
	Reform UK	Gordon Campbell	596	13.9	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Jim Priest	270	6.3	3.6
Majority			1,067	24.9	3.2
Turnout			4,290	40	5.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

Horwich & Blackrod

Horwich & Blackrod (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Susan Baines*	1,200	32.0	0.6
	Horwich and Blackrod First	Samantha Williamson	1,143	30.5	2.5
	Labour	Karen Millington	1,129	30.1	1.5
	Green	Jackie Anderson	155	4.1	0.3
	Liberal Democrats	Kevin Walsh	73	1.9	0.1
	Reform UK	Loren Richards	46	1.2	N/A
Majority			57	1.5	‘’N/A’’
Turnout			3,755	34	2.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Horwich North East

Horwich North East (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Kevin McKeon*	1,428	38.0	2.8
	Horwich and Blackrod First	Ryan Bamforth	1,299	34.6	7.8
	Conservative	Charles O’Kelly	641	17.1	1.7
	Liberal Democrats	Matt Turner-Allen	212	5.6	14.2
	Green	David Ebbitt	133	3.5	0.6
	Reform UK	Darren Lear	40	1.1	N/A
Majority			129	3.4	5.0
Turnout			3,760	38	2.3
	Labour hold		Swing

Hulton

Hulton (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Shafi Patel	1,420	44.4	0.5
	Labour	Shafaqat Shaikh	1,189	37.2	8.8
	Green	Wendy Shepherd	241	7.5	15.3
	Liberal Democrats	Neil Maher	179	5.6	3.8
	Reform UK	Robert Lowe	171	5.3	N/A
Majority			231	7.2	9.2
Turnout			3,215	32	5.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

Kearsley

Kearsley (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	One Kearsley	Debbie Newall	1,099	37.9	N/A
	Farnworth and Kearsley First	Peter Flitcroft	715	24.6	27.7
	Labour	Jonathan Owen	593	20.4	4.9
	Conservative	Mark Cunningham	241	8.3	9.3
	Reform UK	Julie Pattison*	221	7.6	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Michael Wilkinson	34	1.2	13.3
Majority			384	13.3	N/A
Turnout			2,909	28	4.4
	One Kearsley gain from Farnworth and Kearsley First

Little Lever & Darcy Lever

Little Lever & Darcy Lever (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Meehan	1,243	37.9	4.7
	Labour	Logan Pratheepan	809	24.7	5.7
	Little Lever & Darcy Lever First	Rees Gibbon	634	19.3	N/A
	Reform UK	Kath Harris	485	14.8	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Scott Turner-Preece	106	3.2	1.4
Majority			434	13.2	+1.0
Turnout			3,280	33	4.0
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Rumworth

Rumworth (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Abdul Atcha	2,017	55.2	8.3
	Conservative	Ayyub Patel	1,297	35.5	6.6
	Green	Alan Johnson	226	6.2	1.2
	Reform UK	Christopher Riley	62	1.7	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	David Cooper	55	1.5	0.8
Majority			720	19.7	14.9
Turnout			3,666	36	1.5
	Labour hold		Swing

Smithills

Smithills (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Sue Priest	1,931	50.7	6.5
	Labour Co-op	Sorie Sesay	980	25.7	0.5
	Conservative	Joan Johnson	612	16.1	6.8
	Reform UK	Helen Shaw	183	4.8	N/A
	Green	Rod Riesco	104	2.7	0.7
Majority			951	25.0	5.7
Turnout			3,814	36	1.4
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Tonge with the Haulgh

Tonge with the Haulgh (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Nick Peel*	1,288	44.8	0.1
	Conservative	Wesley McArdle	1,102	38.3	1.3
	Reform UK	Trevor Jones	401	13.9	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Rosalind Harasiwka	86	3.0	0.1
Majority			186	6.5	1.1
Turnout			2,889	30	0.9
	Labour hold		Swing

Westhoughton North & Chew Moor

Westhoughton North & Chew Moor (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martyn Cox*	1,648	42.7	3.9
	Liberal Democrats	Arthur Price	1,266	32.8	3.8
	Labour	Zulfi Jiva	645	16.7	1.0
	Westhoughton First	Jack Speight	220	5.7	0.9
	Reform UK	Jeff Armstrong	84	2.2	N/A
Majority			382	9.9	0.6
Turnout			3,875	35	2.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

Westhoughton South

Westhoughton South (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David Wilkinson*	1,118	32.7	5.4
	Conservative	Martin Tighe	1,054	30.8	5.2
	Labour	David Chadwick	1,009	29.5	4.6
	Westhoughton First	Richard Brennan	141	4.1	1.4
	Reform UK	Richard Bates	97	2.8	N/A
Majority			64	1.9	26.5
Turnout			3,427	34	1.2
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

By-Elections

Rumworth

Rumworth (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ayyub Patel	1,610	55.0	19.5
	Labour	Ismail Patel	1,102	37.6	17.6
	Green	Alan Johnson	156	5.3	0.9
	Liberal Democrats	David Cooper	36	1.2	0.3
	Reform UK	Christopher Riley	23	0.8	0.9
Majority			508	17.4
Turnout			2,928
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	18.55