# 2011 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 5 May 2011, along with the 2011 United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 2015.
21 seats were contested, including 2 seats in the Horwich North East ward following Barbara Ronson's resignation. The Labour Party won 15 seats, whilst the Conservatives won 5 and the Liberal Democrats 1.
The Labour Party gained overall control of the council for the first time since 2003.
After the election, the composition of the council was as follows:
* Labour 35
* Conservative 20
* Liberal Democrats 5

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 2011 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 15 | 5 | 0 | +5 | | 49.3 | 38,148 | +9.8 |
| Conservative | 5 | 0 | 2 | -2 | | 33.2 | 25,745 | -0.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | | 12.7 | 9,801 | -8.7 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.6 | 2,762 | +1.4 |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 299 | -1.1 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.9 | 692 | -0.8 |

## Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 30 | 22 | 8 |
| Labour | Conservative | Lib Dems |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 35 | 20 | 5 |
| Labour | Conservative | Lib Dems |

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Vernon Wild | 1,982 | 46.1 | −0.4 |
| | Labour | Asif Ismail Ibrahim | 1,481 | 34.5 | +5.0 |
| | Independent | Neville Mercer | 430 | 10.00 | +4.3 |
| | Astley Bridge First | Stuart Anthony Lever | 202 | 4.7 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Richard Atty | 202 | 4.7 | −13.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 501 | 11.6 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,297 | 42.9 | −26.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative | Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative | Swing | LD to Labour 9.2 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Diana Brierley | 2,328 | 55.7 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | Kate Challender | 1,567 | 37.5 | +10.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Frederick Howarth | 285 | 6.8 | −10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 761 | 18.1 | −8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,209 | 47.7 | −24.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.4 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Byrne | 2,045 | 60.2 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | Sandra MacNeill | 1,176 | 34.6 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tracey Odessa Kane | 176 | 5.2 | −10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 869 | 25.4 | +10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,420 | 36.0 | −23.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.5 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Andrew Wilkinson | 2,821 | 59.7 | +5.2 |
| | Labour | Tony Muscat | 1,244 | 26.3 | +3.5 |
| | Green | Rosa Sarah Shaw | 336 | 7.1 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Atty | 327 | 6.9 | −11.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,577 | 33.2 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,755 | 45.0 | −29.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Con 8.4 | |

### Crompton ward

Crompton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Guy J. Harkin | 2,403 | 68.7 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative | Gareth James Morris | 713 | 20.4 | −1.6 |
| | Green | Alex Shaw | 218 | 6.2 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gabrielle McDowall | 164 | 4.7 | −10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,690 | 48.0 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,522 | 35.1 | −26.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.6 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jean Gillies | 1,855 | 68.8 | +15.9 |
| | Conservative | Ibby Ismail | 383 | 14.2 | −6.8 |
| | Green | Diana Hayes | 231 | 8.6 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Wendy Connor | 226 | 8.4 | −11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,472 | 54.0 | +32.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,726 | 25.5 | −20.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 13.8 | |

### Great Lever ward

Great Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Madeline Murray | 2,282 | 68.5 | +19.0 |
| | Conservative | Anjani Kumar | 612 | 18.4 | −13.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aqeel Akhtar | 241 | 7.2 | −6.5 |
| | Green | David William Collins | 198 | 5.9 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,670 | 49.5 | −31.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,375 | 35.5 | −22.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 16.0 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Carol Thomas | 2,235 | 75.8 | +10.7 |
| | Conservative | Joylon Horton Greenhalgh | 377 | 12.8 | −4.2 |
| | Green | Ian David McHugh | 195 | 6.6 | +6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Francine Godfrey | 143 | 4.8 | −13.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,858 | 62.6 | +15.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,969 | 33.1 | −22.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 11.8 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Clare | 1,918 | 69.2 | +24.6 |
| | Conservative | Jay Patel | 616 | 22.2 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Arthur Connor | 236 | 8.5 | −14.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,302 | 45.2 | +23.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,881 | 30.0 | −24.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 19.6 | |

### Heaton and Lostock ward

Heaton and Lostock ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bob Allen | 3,175 | 62.0 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | John William Gillatt | 1,394 | 27.2 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Joyce MacPherson | 316 | 6.2 | −9.4 |
| | Green | Hannah Louisa Middleton | 240 | 4.7 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,781 | 34.6 | +1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,149 | 48.5 | −27.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Con 7.0 | |

### Horwich and Blackrod ward

Horwich and Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lindsey Ann Kell | 1,851 | 49.1 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | John Raymond Birchall Barrow | 1,425 | 37.8 | +3.0 |
| | Green | Graham Chadwick | 281 | 7.4 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Andrew Kane | 215 | 5.7 | −14.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 426 | 11.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,804 | 39.7 | −26.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | LD to Labour 13.1 | |

### Horwich North East ward

Two seats were up for election in this ward.
Horwich North East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joyce Kellett | 1,869 | 24.6 | |
| | Labour Co-op | Richard Silvester | 1,526 | 20.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Michael Rock | 1,217 | 16.0 | |
| | Conservative | Carol Ann Forshaw | 1,135 | 14.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Thomson | 1,017 | 13.4 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Sloan | 837 | 11.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | (Kellett) 652 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | (Silvester) 309 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats |

### Hulton ward

Hulton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philip John Ashcroft | 1,671 | 46.4 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Shafaqat Shaikh | 1,369 | 38.0 | +6.3 |
| | Green | James Tomkinson | 344 | 9.6 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew David Tyas Cooper | 215 | 6.0 | −8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 302 | 8.4 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,599 | 36.7 | −25.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Labour 7.4 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Liam Irving | 1,630 | 52.4 | +6.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Patricia Rothwell | 953 | 30.6 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative | Michelle Ionn | 529 | 17.0 | −5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 677 | 21.5 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,144 | 30.2 | −26.3 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | Con to Labour 5.9 | |

### Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward

Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anthony Connell | 1,988 | 50.0 | +18.4 |
| | Conservative | Rees Gibbon | 1,057 | 26.6 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eric John Hyde | 714 | 18.0 | −2.8 |
| | Green | Alwynne Cartmell | 217 | 5.5 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 931 | 23.3 | +19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,992 | 41.2 | −24.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.6 | |

### Rumworth ward

Rumworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ebrahim Adia | 2,677 | 77.1 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | Ruth Kenny | 374 | 10.8 | −3.9 |
| | Green | Alan Johnson | 300 | 8.6 | +8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Charles Tyas Cooper | 119 | 3.4 | −11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,303 | 66.4 | +11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,470 | 34.6 | −21.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Green 10.2 | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carole R. Swarbrick | 1,642 | 40.0 | −0.7 |
| | Labour | Sean Francis Harkin | 1,344 | 32.8 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | Christine Deidre Porter | 913 | 22.3 | −1.9 |
| | Green | Rachel Elizabeth Mann | 202 | 4.9 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 298 | 7.2 | −8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,125 | 41.6 | −25.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | Con to Labour 4.7 | |

### Tonge with the Haulgh ward

Tonge with the Haulgh ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elaine Sherrington | 1,714 | 55.2 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Kath Kavanagh | 933 | 30.0 | +2.7 |
| | BNP | Dorothee Sayers | 299 | 9.6 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Anthony Harasiwka | 160 | 5.2 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 781 | 25.0 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,124 | 35.1 | −22.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 8.2 | |

### Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward

Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christopher Peacock | 2,038 | 47.8 | +17.4 |
| | Conservative | Patricia Allen | 1,837 | 43.1 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Cooper | 392 | 9.2 | −18.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 201 | 4.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,304 | 39.3 | −28.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | LD to Labour 18.1 | |

### Westhoughton South ward

Westhoughton South ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Andrew Chadwick | 1,718 | 49.5 | +14.9 |
| | Conservative | Michael Baker | 851 | 24.5 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek John Gradwell | 841 | 24.2 | −5.1 |
| | Independent | Glenn George Kaalman | 60 | 1.7 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 933 | 26.2 | +20.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,562 | 37.1 | −26.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.0 | |