2026 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election
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7 May 2026
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20 out of 60 seats to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 31 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
| 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[b] | Green | 1[b] | ||
| Independent | 1 | Independent | 5 | ||
Changes 2024–2026:
- June 2024: Ryan Bamforth (Horwich and Blackrod First) leaves party to sit as an independent[c][2]
- November 2024: Charlotte Sears (Horwich and Blackrod First) and Samantha Williamson (Horwich and Blackrod First) leave party to sit as independents[c][3]
- August 2025: Susan Haworth (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent[d][4]
Summary
Background
Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. The Conservatives briefly held control until Labour won their first majority in 1976.[5] Labour formed a majority administration until 2003 when the council fell into no overall control. This lasted until 2011.[6]
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.[7] 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.[8] Labour formed a minority administration with the support of Farnworth and Kearsley First and Horwich and Blackrod First which continues to govern.[9]
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.[10] 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).[11]
Election result
| 2026 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | This election | Full council | This election | |||||||
| Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− | ||
| Labour | 18 | |||||||||
| Conservative | 8 | |||||||||
| Liberal Democrats | 4 | |||||||||
| Independent | 3 | |||||||||
| Farnworth and Kearsley First | 3 | |||||||||
| Horwich and Blackrod First | 2 | |||||||||
| Bolton for Change | 1 | |||||||||
| Green | 1 | |||||||||
