The 2026 Bolton Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 60 members of Bolton Council in Greater Manchester were elected.
Prior to the election, the council was under no overall control. Labour were the largest party and ran the council as a minority administration. At this election, the council remained under no overall control. Labour lost seats, but remained the largest party. One of those to lose their seat was the incumbent leader of the council, Nick Peel. Reform UK made the most gains, winning nine of the twenty seats being contested. After the election, Labour chose Akhtar Zaman to be its new group leader. He was formally appointed as the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 20 May 2026, leading a Labour minority administration.
Council composition After 2024 election Before 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats 26 25 15 15 6 6 5 5 6 3 1 1 1 5 0 1 Changes 2024–2026: June 2024: Ryan Bamforth (Horwich and Blackrod First) leaves party to sit as an independent November 2024: Charlotte Sears (Horwich and Blackrod First) and Samantha Williamson (Horwich and Blackrod First) leave party to sit as independents August 2025: Susan Haworth (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent December 2025: Susan Haworth (Independent) joins Reform
Summary
Background Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. The Conservatives briefly held control until Labour won their first majority in 1976. Labour formed a majority administration until 2003 when the council fell into no overall control. This lasted until 2011.
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. 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. Labour formed a minority administration with the support of Farnworth and Kearsley First and Horwich and Blackrod First which continues to govern.
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.The Bolton (Electoral Changes) Order 2022 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).
Election result
Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Astley Bridge John Walsh Conservative Yes Bradshaw Les Webb Conservative Yes Breightmet Adele Warren Conservative Yes Bromley Cross Amy Cowen Conservative No Farnworth North Nadeem Ayub Labour Yes Farnworth South Paul Sanders Farnworth and Kearsley First Yes Great Lever Mohammed Iqbal Labour Yes Halliwell Safwaan Patel Labour Yes Heaton, Lostock & Chew Moor Anne Galloway Conservative Yes Horwich North Charlotte Moncado-Sears Independent Yes Horwich South & Blackrod Peter Wright Horwich and Blackrod First Yes Hulton Aalaina Khan Labour No Kearsley Tracey Wilkinson Farnworth and Kearsley First Yes Little Lever & Darcy Lever David Meehan Conservative Yes Queens Park & Central Richard Silvester Labour Co-op Yes Rumworth Sajid Ali Labour Yes Smithills Susan Priest Liberal Democrats Yes Tonge with the Haulgh Nicholas Peel Labour Co-op Yes Westhoughton North & Hunger Hill Martin Tighe Conservative Yes Westhoughton South David Wilkinson Liberal Democrats Yes
Wards Astley Bridge
Bradshaw Ward
Breightmet
Bromley Cross
Farnworth North
Farnworth South
Great Lever
Halliwell
Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor
Horwich North
Horwich South and Blackrod
Hulton
Kearsley
Little Lever & Darcy Lever
Queen's Park & Central
Rumworth
Smithills
Tonge with the Haulgh
Westhoughton North & Hunger Hill
Westhoughton South
Post-election changes
By-elections
Rumworth
References