# 2019 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2019 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2019 to elect members of Bolton Council in Greater Manchester, England. This was on the same day as other local elections. The Labour Party, which had run the council since 2006 and had maintained a majority since 2011, lost overall control of the Council.
20 seats were contested and the Labour Party won 6 seats, the Conservative Party won 6 seats, the Liberal Democrats won 3 seats, Farnworth and Kearsley First won 2 seats, Horwich and Blackrod First won 2 seat, and UKIP won 1 seat.
After the election, the total composition of the council was as follows:
* Labour 24
* Conservative 20
* Liberal Democrats 6
* Farnworth and Kearsley First 5
* UK Independence Party 3
* Horwich and Blackrod First 2
The Conservatives formed an agreement with all the other opposition parties, the Liberal Democrats, Farnworth and Kearsley First, UKIP and Horwich and Blackrod First in order to form a minority administration. For the first time since the period between 2004 and 2006, the Labour Party went into opposition. This was also the first time in history at Bolton Council that the party with the largest number of seats was not in charge of running the council.

## Election results

2019 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 6 | 7 | 35.0 | 18 | 24 | 40.0 | 22,920 | 31.4 | –6.6 |
| | Conservative | 6 | 1 | 35.0 | 14 | 20 | 33.3 | 20,862 | 28.6 | –5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 3 | 2 | 15.0 | 3 | 6 | 10.0 | 9,283 | 12.7 | –1.1 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | 2 | 2 | 10.0 | 3 | 5 | 8.3 | 5,162 | 7.1 | +1.3 |
| | UKIP | 1 | | 5.0 | 2 | 3 | 5.0 | 7,809 | 10.7 | +7.8 |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First | 2 | 2 | 10.0 | 0 | 2 | 3.3 | 3,059 | 4.2 | New |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,237 | 3.1 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,607 | 2.1 | +0.1 |

## Council composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 31 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Labour | Conservative | LD | U | IND |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 24 | 20 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Labour | Conservative | LD | U | IND |
LD - Liberal Democrats U - UKIP IND - Independent (politician

## Ward results

Winning candidates are highlighted in bold.

### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Wild | 1,732 | 39.4 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Warren Fox | 1,417 | 32.2 | −3.9 |
| | Labour | Steve Sutton | 597 | 13.6 | −7.8 |
| | Independent | Mohammed Tanveer Akhtar | 369 | 8.4 | +8.4 |
| | UKIP | Paul Gannon | 283 | 6.4 | +6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 315 | 7.2 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,398 | 43.0 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to Independent 8.1 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stuart Haslam | 1,888 | 55.6 | −1.5 |
| | Labour | Kirith Ahluwalia | 464 | 13.7 | −12.1 |
| | Independent | Eric Hyland | 333 | 9.8 | +1.7 |
| | UKIP | Chris Marcroft | 329 | 9.7 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Howarth | 200 | 5.9 | +0.8 |
| | Green | Laura Diggle | 179 | 5.3 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,424 | 42.0 | +10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,393 | 38.1 | +0.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Labour to UKIP 10.9 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Beverley Fletcher | 1,344 | 41.2 | −6.2 |
| | Labour | John Byrne | 1,060 | 32.5 | −6.6 |
| | UKIP | Ryan Wood | 627 | 19.2 | +11.8 |
| | Green | Trish Bolton | 138 | 4.2 | +0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Turner | 95 | 2.9 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 284 | 8.7 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,264 | 35.1 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to UKIP 9.2 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Samantha Conner | 2,566 | 62.5 | −10.8 |
| | Labour | James Entwistle-Wilkinson | 658 | 16.0 | −9.6 |
| | UKIP | William Roger Townshend | 342 | 8.3 | +8.3 |
| | Green | Liz Spencer | 296 | 7.2 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Allen | 241 | 5.9 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,905 | 46.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,103 | 39.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Crompton ward

Crompton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin McMulkin | 2,078 | 50.5 | −6.6 |
| | Conservative | Siraj Patel | 1,243 | 30.2 | +11.6 |
| | UKIP | Jeff Armstrong | 470 | 11.4 | +11.4 |
| | Green | Dan Bolton | 164 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Langdon | 158 | 3.8 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 835 | 20.3 | −18.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,113 | 38.1 | +1.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Conservative 9.3 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | Lisa Weatherby | 1,864 | 52.9 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Jean Gillies | 1,270 | 36.0 | −1.3 |
| | UKIP | John Cotter | 176 | 2.9 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | Jennifer Kirk | 124 | 4.5 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine McPherson | 51 | 1.4 | +0.0 |
| | For Britain | Simon Collins | 38 | 1.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 594 | 16.7 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,522 | 33.7 | +3.7 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First gain from Labour | Farnworth and Kearsley First gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Great Lever ward

Great Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Madeline Murray | 1,928 | 51.2 | −24.8 |
| | Conservative | Arfan Khan | 1,254 | 33.6 | +21.4 |
| | UKIP | Derek R Wunderley | 272 | 7.3 | +7.3 |
| | Green | David Figgins | 169 | 4.5 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Duncan McPherson | 105 | 2.8 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 674 | 18.1 | −45.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,728 | 38.5 | +5.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Conservative 23.1 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Thomas | 1,770 | 63.6 | −6.6 |
| | Conservative | Yasir Waseem Faisal | 370 | 13.3 | −0.3 |
| | UKIP | Sandra Harvey | 295 | 10.6 | +10.6 |
| | Green | Pamela Spurling | 140 | 5.0 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Falch | 118 | 4.2 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | Anthony Massey | 89 | 3.2 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,400 | 50.3 | −6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,782 | 32.0 | −3.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to UKIP 8.6 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Susan Haworth | 1,484 | 46.5 | −6.8 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | Peter Flitcroft | 923 | 28.9 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Robert Tyler | 285 | 8.9 | −4.5 |
| | UKIP | David Harvey | 266 | 8.3 | +3.9 |
| | Green | Matthew Barnes | 92 | 2.9 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Walsh | 52 | 1.6 | −0.1 |
| | Independent | Harun Abdullahi Mohamed | 90 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 561 | 17.6 | −10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,192 | 32.5 | −3.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to UKIP 5.3 | |

### Heaton and Lostock ward

Heaton and Lostock ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Allen | 2,324 | 54.2 | −12.2 |
| | Labour | John Gillatt | 1,026 | 23.9 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Priest | 437 | 10.2 | +4.3 |
| | UKIP | Daniel Wheatley | 276 | 6.4 | +6.4 |
| | Green | Heather Rylance | 227 | 5.3 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,298 | 30.2 | −8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,290 | 40.5 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Horwich and Blackrod ward

Horwich and Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First | Peter Wright | 1,482 | 37.4 | +37.4 |
| | Labour | Stephen Pickup | 1,041 | 26.3 | −14.7 |
| | Conservative | Michael Baines | 978 | 24.7 | −22.9 |
| | UKIP | Samantha Jane Chadwick | 199 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rebecca Forrest | 133 | 3.3 | −3.3 |
| | Green | Keith Cocker | 130 | 3.3 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 441 | 11.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,963 | 38.2 | +4.5 |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First gain from Labour | Horwich and Blackrod First gain from Labour | Swing | Conservative to HBFI 30.0 | |

### Horwich North East ward

Horwich North East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First | Marie Brady | 1,577 | 37.5 | +37.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon Stone | 984 | 23.4 | −11.1 |
| | Labour | Joyce Kellett | 926 | 22.0 | −14.0 |
| | Conservative | Emily Siddall | 370 | 8.8 | −15.0 |
| | UKIP | Zak Brown | 203 | 4.8 | +4.8 |
| | Green | Rod Riesco | 140 | 3.3 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 593 | 14.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,200 | 43.1 | +5.1 |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First gain from Labour | Horwich and Blackrod First gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Hulton ward

Hulton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derek Bullock | 1,617 | 46.6 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Shafaqat Shaikh | 1,157 | 33.4 | −5.8 |
| | UKIP | Amy Wunderley | 389 | 11.2 | +5.4 |
| | Green | Wendy Shepherd | 181 | 5.2 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek Gradwell | 122 | 3.5 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 460 | 13.3 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,466 | 35.0 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to UKIP 5.6 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | Paul Heslop | 2,376 | 67.8 | +15.5 |
| | Labour | Kevan Jones | 529 | 15.1 | −9.6 |
| | UKIP | William Pilkington | 283 | 8.1 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative | Kamaran Fathulla | 192 | 5.5 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Connor Goodwin | 128 | 3.6 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,847 | 52.6 | +25.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,508 | 34.0 | −0.1 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First gain from Labour | Farnworth and Kearsley First gain from Labour | Swing | Labour to FKF 12.5 | |

### Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward

Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UKIP | Sean Hornby | 1,395 | 39.3 | +11.5 |
| | Conservative | David Meehan | 1,060 | 29.8 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | Kevin Allsop | 928 | 26.1 | −11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Mulligan | 169 | 4.7 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 335 | 9.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,552 | 37.2 | +2.5 |
| | UKIP hold | UKIP hold | Swing | Labour to UKIP 11.4 | |

### Rumworth ward

Rumworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ebrahim Adia | 2,541 | 72.9 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative | Hafiz Butt | 380 | 11.0 | −0.2 |
| | Green | Alan Johnson | 275 | 7.9 | +0.5 |
| | UKIP | Michael Armstrong | 221 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Cooper | 72 | 2.1 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,161 | 61.9 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,489 | 35.6 | +1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to UKIP 4.5 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gary Veevers | 1,968 | 52.2 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Ruth Pitchford | 864 | 22.9 | −7.4 |
| | UKIP | Joe Harris | 479 | 12.7 | +12.7 |
| | Conservative | Sam Rimmer | 457 | 12.1 | −6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,104 | 29.3 | +10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,768 | 36.0 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | Labour to UKIP 10.0 | |

### Tonge with The Haulgh ward

Tonge with The Haulgh ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elaine Sherrington | 1,152 | 42.2 | −8.2 |
| | Conservative | Brian Matthews | 760 | 27.8 | −6.1 |
| | UKIP | Trevor Jones | 663 | 24.3 | +16.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rosalind Harasiwka | 154 | 5.6 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 392 | 14.4 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,729 | 31.3 | +0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to UKIP 12.2 | |

### Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward

Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon | 1,565 | 39.0 | +6.8 |
| | Conservative | Zoe Jennifer Catherine Kirk-Robinson | 1,270 | 31.7 | −11.9 |
| | Labour | Mike Jarvis | 565 | 14.1 | −4.1 |
| | Westhoughton First Independent | Jack Speight | 319 | 7.9 | +1.2 |
| | UKIP | Kieran Boardman | 292 | 7.3 | +7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 295 | 7.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,011 | 37.3 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | Conservative to UKIP 9.6 | |

### Westhoughton South ward

Westhoughton South ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deirdrie McGeown | 1,114 | 33.1 | −20.1 |
| | Labour | David Chadwick | 889 | 26.5 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | Martin Tighe | 648 | 19.2 | −2.9 |
| | UKIP | Jenny Armstrong | 349 | 10.4 | +10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 225 | 6.7 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,369 | 34.7 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | Liberal Democrats to Independents 15.5 | |