# 2006 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 4 May 2006. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control, with the Labour Party overtaking the Liberal Democrats as the largest party and resuming control of the council after a two-year break.
20 seats were contested, with the Labour Party winning 10 seats, the Conservatives 7 and the Liberal Democrats 3 Overall turnout was 34.3%.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Labour 22
* Conservative 21
* Liberal Democrat 17

## Election result

Bolton Local Election Result 2006 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 10 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 50.0 | 37.7 | 25,452 | +5.8% |
| Conservative | 7 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 35.0 | 40.1 | 27,096 | +3.2% |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 15.0 | 18.9 | 12,789 | -11.0% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.2 | 1,500 | +1.9% |
| Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 379 | +0.3% |
| Veritas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 288 | +0.4% |

## Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 20 | 19 | 21 |
| Labour | Conservative | Lib Dems |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 22 | 21 | 17 |
| Labour | Conservative | Lib Dems |

## Ward results
### Astley Bridge ward

Astley Bridge ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Walsh | 2,424 | 65.3 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Muhammad Rafiq | 686 | 18.5 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jaleh Salari | 351 | 9.5 | −8.7 |
| | Socialist Labour | Howard Broadbent | 250 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,738 | 46.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,711 | 36.0 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Soc Lab 7.7 | |

### Bradshaw ward

Bradshaw ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Brierley | 2,319 | 64.3 | +4.8 |
| | Labour | Janice Sutton | 751 | 20.8 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Howarth | 539 | 14.9 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,568 | 43.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,609 | 39.0 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Con 4.7 | |

### Breightmet ward

Breightmet ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lynda Byrne | 1,435 | 45.6 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | Richard Elliot | 1,358 | 43.2 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edward Hill | 351 | 11.2 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 77 | 2.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,144 | 31.0 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 4.3 | |

### Bromley Cross ward

Bromley Cross ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Greenhalgh | 2,725 | 65.0 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | Anthony Terrible | 712 | 17.0 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Atty | 462 | 11.0 | −4.4 |
| | Green | Elizbaeth Spencer | 297 | 7.1 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,013 | 47.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,191 | 40.0 | −8.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Green 5.7 | |

### Crompton ward

Crompton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sufrana Bashir-Ismail | 1,932 | 44.7 | +21.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Valibhai Patel | 1,132 | 26.2 | −25.6 |
| | Conservative | Donald Fairclough | 941 | 21.8 | +0.1 |
| | Veritas | Anthony Backhouse | 190 | 4.4 | +4.4 |
| | Socialist Labour | Lynne Lowe | 129 | 3.0 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 800 | 18.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,324 | 43.0 | +0.0 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | LD to Labour 23.7 | |

### Farnworth ward

Farnworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Noel Spencer | 1,296 | 58.9 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | Peter Taylor | 509 | 23.1 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Connor | 394 | 17.9 | −9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 787 | 35.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,199 | 21.0 | −6.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 8.2 | |

### Great Lever ward

Great Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mohammed Ayub | 1,889 | 58.7 | +19.4 |
| | Conservative | Christine Wild | 669 | 20.8 | −19.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gulamali Jiva | 335 | 10.4 | −10.2 |
| | Green | Alan Johnson | 327 | 10.2 | +10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,220 | 37.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,220 | 34.0 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Labour 19.4 | |

### Halliwell ward

Halliwell ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Akhtar Zaman | 2,289 | 69.4 | +12.2 |
| | Conservative | Jamie Douglas | 605 | 18.3 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nathan Biney | 404 | 12.2 | −10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,684 | 51.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,298 | 34.0 | −1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 11.2 | |

### Harper Green ward

Harper Green ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Laurence Williamson | 1,194 | 49.4 | +6.0 |
| | Conservative | Robert Tyler | 768 | 31.8 | +4.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Willis | 454 | 18.8 | −10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 426 | 17.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,416 | 25.0 | −5.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Labour 8.2 | |

### Heaton and Lostock ward

Heaton and Lostock ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Colin Shaw | 3,329 | 69.0 | +6.4 |
| | Labour | John Gillatt | 828 | 17.2 | −1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Snowden | 668 | 13.8 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,501 | 51.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,825 | 46.0 | −7.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Con 5.7 | |

### Horwich and Blackrod ward

Horwich and Blackrod ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Hollick | 1,151 | 35.1 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | Isabel Seddon | 1,105 | 33.7 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Cronnolley | 1,025 | 31.2 | −5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46 | 1.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,281 | 35.0 | −7.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | LD to Con 4.5 | |

### Horwich North East ward

Horwich North East ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Rock | 1,449 | 40.0 | −16.4 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Wallen | 1,169 | 32.3 | +9.0 |
| | Labour | Madeline Murray | 1,004 | 27.7 | +7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 280 | 7.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,622 | 38.0 | −8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | LD to Con 12.7 | |

### Hulton ward

Hulton ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Morgan | 1,741 | 53.5 | +9.2 |
| | Labour | Romanna Kowalczuk | 1,051 | 32.3 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linden Greensitt | 463 | 14.2 | −7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 690 | 21.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,255 | 33.0 | −8.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | LD to Con 8.2 | |

### Kearsley ward

Kearsley ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Derek Burrows | 1,158 | 42.5 | +10.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Collison | 1,079 | 39.6 | −16.6 |
| | Conservative | Diane Bamber | 487 | 17.9 | +6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 79 | 2.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,724 | 28.0 | −5.0 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | LD to Labour 13.5 | |

### Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward

Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sean Hornby | 1,573 | 42.0 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | David Broadie | 1,427 | 38.1 | −0.1 |
| | Green | Alwynne Cartmell | 345 | 9.2 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Wendy Connor | 298 | 8.0 | −6.0 |
| | Veritas | William Jones | 98 | 2.6 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 146 | 3.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,741 | 40.0 | −4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | LD to Green 4.3 | |

### Rumworth ward

Rumworth ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ismail Ibrahim | 2,028 | 68.5 | +22.5 |
| | Conservative | John Heyes | 932 | 31.5 | +15.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,096 | 37.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,960 | 29.0 | −9.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Smithills ward

Smithills ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Silvester | 1,621 | 42.4 | −10.3 |
| | Conservative | Dennis Bray | 1,345 | 35.1 | +12.3 |
| | Labour | Joseph Hayes | 861 | 22.5 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 276 | 7.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,827 | 38.0 | −4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | LD to Con 11.3 | |

### Tonge with the Haulgh ward

Tonge with the Haulgh ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nicholas Peel | 1,598 | 54.2 | +1.7 |
| | Conservative | Mudasir Dean | 874 | 29.6 | −6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rosalind Harasiwka | 252 | 8.5 | −2.8 |
| | Green | James Tomkinson | 227 | 7.7 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 724 | 24.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,951 | 31.0 | −6.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | Con to Green 7.1 | |

### Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward

Westhoughton North & Chew Moor ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Higson | 1,486 | 43.1 | +10.3 |
| | Labour | David Chadwick | 1,146 | 33.2 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Gilfallan | 515 | 14.9 | −23.4 |
| | Green | Eric Hyland | 304 | 8.8 | +8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 9.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,451 | 35.0 | −8.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | LD to Con 16.8 | |

### Westhoughton South ward

Westhoughton South ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julia Silvester | 997 | 36.3 | −11.0 |
| | Labour | Barbara Ramsden | 916 | 33.3 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Michael Baker | 837 | 30.4 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 81 | 3.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,750 | 30.0 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | LD to Con 8.6 | |