# 2021 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2021 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election to elect members of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council took place on 6 May 2021, on the same day as other local elections.
21 seats were contested, including a by election in Astley Bridge Ward, following the death of Cllr Paul Wild. The Conservative Party won 10 seats, the Labour Party won 7 seats, Farnworth and Kearsley First won 2 seats, Horwich and Blackrod First won 1 seat, and the Liberal Democrats won 1 seat.
After the election, the total composition of the council was as follows:
* Conservative 20
* Labour 19
* Liberal Democrats 5
* Farnworth and Kearsley First 5
* Horwich and Blackrod First 3
* UK Independence Party 1
* Independents 7

## Election results

2021 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 % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 10 | 2 | 50.0 | 10 | 20 | 33.3 | 30,255 | 38.8 | 9.4 |
| | Labour | 7 | 1 | 35.0 | 12 | 19 | 32.0 | 27,517 | 35.3 | 3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 | 2 | 5.0 | 3 | 5 | 8.0 | 7,562 | 9.7 | 3.3 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | 2 | 1 | 10.0 | 4 | 5 | 8.0 | 4,203 | 5.4 | 1.7 |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First | 1 | 1 | 5.0 | 2 | 3 | 5.0 | 2,380 | 3.0 | 1.2 |
| | UKIP | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2.0 | 585 | 0.7 | 10.0 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,168 | 4.1 | 1.0 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,698 | 2.2 | New |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 655 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| | For Britain | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 16 | 0.0 | New |

## Council composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 18 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 15 |
| Labour | Conservative | LD | U | IND |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 20 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 15 |
| Conservative | Labour | LD | U | IND |
LD - Liberal Democrats U - UKIP IND - Independent (politician)

## Ward results

Winning candidates are highlighted in bold.

### Astley Bridge

Astley Bridge (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hilary Fairclough | 2,569 | 61.5 | +22.1 |
| | Conservative | Samuel Rimmer | 1,746 | 41.8 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | Safwaan Patel | 1,025 | 24.5 | +10.9 |
| | Labour | Steve Sutton | 897 | 21.5 | +7.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Mulligan | 386 | 9.2 | −23.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Haslam | 380 | 9.1 | −23.1 |
| | Bolton for Change | Paul Eccleshare | 311 | 7.4 | +7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | (Fairclough) 823 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | (Rimmer) 721 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jacqueline Radcliffe | 2,539 | 68.4 | +12.8 |
| | Labour | Logan Pratheepan | 842 | 22.7 | +9.0 |
| | Green | Steph Howes | 214 | 5.6 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Caroline Turner-Preece | 96 | 2.6 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,697 | 46.0 | +2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,712 | 41.3 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | UKIP to Conservative 11.2 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stuart Hartigan | 1,576 | 49.1 | +7.9 |
| | Labour | Bernadette Gallagher | 1,222 | 38.1 | +5.6 |
| | Bolton for Change | Sandy Holt | 262 | 8.2 | +8.2 |
| | Green | Chich Hewitt | 86 | 2.7 | −4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Wilkes | 60 | 1.9 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 354 | 11.0 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,228 | 33.2 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | UKIP to BFC 10.4 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nadim Muslim | 2,748 | 61.7 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Emily Mort | 1,261 | 28.3 | +12.3 |
| | Green | Liz Spencer | 282 | 6.3 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Turner | 164 | 3.7 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,487 | 33.4 | −13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,455 | 42.8 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | UKIP to Labour 10.3 | |

### Crompton ward

Crompton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rabiya Jiva | 2,266 | 54.6 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Siraj Patel | 1,319 | 31.8 | +1.6 |
| | Bolton for Change | Tracy Fenton | 281 | 6.8 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Francine Godfrey | 158 | 3.8 | −0.0 |
| | Green | Heather Rylance | 124 | 3.0 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 947 | 22.8 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,148 | 36.4 | −1.7 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | UKIP to BFC 9.1 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | Paul Sanders | 1,647 | 49.6 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | Nadeem Ayub | 1,335 | 40.2 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Bashim Dean | 279 | 8.4 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine McPherson | 61 | 1.8 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | 9.4 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,322 | 30.4 | −3.3 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First hold | Farnworth and Kearsley First hold | Swing | UKIP to Conservative 4.9% | |

### Great Lever ward

Great Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mohammed Iqbal | 2,133 | 58.0 | +6.3 |
| | Conservative | Nalik Nazar | 1,190 | 32.3 | −1.3 |
| | Green | David Figgins | 223 | 6.0 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Duncan McPherson | 134 | 3.6 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 943 | 25.6 | +7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,680 | 38.5 | +0.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | UKIP to Labour 6.8 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kate Lewis | 2,113 | 73.4 | +9.8 |
| | Conservative | Malaika Dean | 529 | 18.4 | +5.1 |
| | Green | Christopher Taylor | 103 | 3.6 | −1.4 |
| | Independent | Anthony Massey | 79 | 2.7 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Newall | 55 | 1.9 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,584 | 55.0 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,879 | 31.2 | +0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | UKIP to Labour 10.2 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Champak Mistry | 1,565 | 44.9 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative | Fred Khan | 922 | 26.4 | +17.5 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | Peter Flitcroft | 777 | 22.3 | −6.6 |
| | Green | Wendy Shepherd | 128 | 3.7 | +0.8 |
| | Bolton for Change | Paul Gannon | 54 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeleh Hayes | 39 | 1.1 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 643 | 18.4 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,485 | 34.2 | +2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | UKIP to Conservative 12.9 | |

### Heaton and Lostock ward

Heaton and Lostock ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andy Morgan | 2,799 | 57.0 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | John Gillatt | 1,419 | 28.9 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Priest | 488 | 9.9 | −0.3 |
| | Green | Katie Jones | 205 | 4.2 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,380 | 28.1 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,911 | 45.9 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | UKIP to Labour 5.7 | |

### Horwich and Blackrod ward

Horwich and Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First | David Grant | 1,303 | 33.0 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | Finlay Stanley | 1,288 | 32.6 | +7.9 |
| | Labour | Joan Pritchard-Jones | 1,130 | 28.6 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Andrew Bovill | 149 | 3.8 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Walsh | 80 | 2.0 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 11.1 | −10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,950 | 36.2 | −2.0 |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First gain from Independent | Horwich and Blackrod First gain from Independent | Swing | UKIP to Conservative 6.4 | |

### Horwich North East ward

Horwich North East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Richard Silvester | 1,412 | 35.2 | +13.2 |
| | Horwich and Blackrod First | Ryan Bamforth | 1,077 | 26.8 | −10.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon Stone | 794 | 19.8 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | Hannah Wright | 618 | 15.4 | +6.6 |
| | Green | Keith Cocker | 117 | 2.9 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 335 | 8.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,018 | 40.3 | −2.8 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | HBF to Labour 11.9 | |

### Hulton ward

Hulton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Toby Hewitt | 1,695 | 44.9 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Shafaqat Shaikh | 1,075 | 28.4 | −5.0 |
| | Green | Paris Hayes | 860 | 22.8 | +17.6 |
| | Bolton for Change | Jeff Armstrong | 77 | 2.0 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matt Allen | 67 | 1.8 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 620 | 16.4 | +3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,774 | 37.2 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | UKIP to Green 14.4 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First | Tracey Wilkinson | 1,779 | 52.3 | −15.4 |
| | Conservative | Mark Cunningham | 600 | 17.6 | +12.1 |
| | Labour | Abdul Atcha | 528 | 15.5 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Debbie Newall | 493 | 14.5 | +10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,179 | 34.7 | −17.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,400 | 32.4 | −1.6 |
| | Farnworth and Kearsley First gain from Conservative | Farnworth and Kearsley First gain from Conservative | Swing | FKF to Conservative 13.7 | |

### Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward

Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrea Taylor-Burke | 1,536 | 42.6 | +12.8 |
| | Labour | James Entwistle | 1,095 | 30.4 | +4.3 |
| | UKIP | Rees Gibbon | 585 | 16.2 | −23.1 |
| | Bolton for Change | Brett Varnam | 179 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| | Green | Gillian Hewitt | 148 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Scott Turner-Preece | 46 | 1.8 | −2.8 |
| | For Britain | Simon Collins | 16 | 0.4 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 441 | 12.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,605 | 37.0 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative gain from UKIP | Conservative gain from UKIP | Swing | UKIP to Conservative 12.9 | |

### Rumworth ward

Rumworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Shamim Abdullah | 2,417 | 63.5 | −9.3 |
| | Conservative | Shafi Patel | 1,100 | 28.9 | +18.0 |
| | Green | Alan Johnson | 196 | 5.1 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Cooper | 90 | 2.3 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,317 | 34.6 | −27.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,803 | 37.5 | +1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Labour to Conservative 13.6 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Hayes | 1,728 | 44.2 | −8.0 |
| | Labour | Sorie Seesay | 986 | 25.2 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Joan Johnson | 883 | 22.9 | +10.8 |
| | Bolton for Change | Daniel Bentham | 177 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| | Green | David Ebbitt | 134 | 3.4 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 742 | 19.3 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,908 | 37.4 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | UKIP to Conservative 11.7 | |

### Tonge with The Haulgh ward

Tonge with The Haulgh ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Donaghy | 1,272 | 44.9 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Wesley McArdle | 1,120 | 39.6 | +11.8 |
| | Bolton for Change | Trevor Jones | 357 | 12.6 | +12.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Becky Forrest | 81 | 2.9 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 152 | 5.4 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,830 | 30.9 | −0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | UKIP to BFC 18.4 | |

### Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward

Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrea Finney | 1,937 | 46.6 | +14.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Arthur Price | 1,207 | 29.0 | −10.0 |
| | Labour | Zulfi Jiva | 652 | 15.7 | +1.6 |
| | Westhoughton First Independent | Jack Speight | 201 | 4.8 | −3.1 |
| | Green | Amanda Stewart | 107 | 2.6 | +2.6 |
| | Active for Westhoughton | Richard Bates | 52 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 730 | 17.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,156 | 37.8 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Lib Dem to Conservative 12.4 | |

### Westhoughton South

Westhoughton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Christopher Hill | 1,262 | 36.0 | +16.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Maher | 955 | 27.3 | −5.8 |
| | Labour | Mike Jarvis | 871 | 24.9 | +0.5 |
| | Westhoughton First | Richard Brennan | 194 | 5.5 | −5.4 |
| | Active for Westhoughton | Victoria Rowley | 129 | 3.7 | +3.7 |
| | Green | Elizabeth McManus | 92 | 2.6 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 307 | 8.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,503 | 35.2 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | UKIP to Conservative 15.0 | |