Overview
- Voters in Bolton, Oldham and Trafford will elect one third of council seats on Thursday, May 7, with photo ID required at polling stations.
- In Bolton’s no-overall-control council, the Pollcheck model projects Reform to win six of the 20 seats up, with Labour retaining only two and the rest split among Conservatives, Greens, Liberal Democrats and hyper-local groups.
- A high-profile Bolton contest in Tonge with the Haulgh pits council leader Nick Peel against Reform chair Trevor Jones, as residents cite potholes, fly-tipping and a struggling town centre as top concerns.
- In Trafford, where Labour holds 41 of 63 seats, the party defends 14 of 21 seats as Reform targets a first foothold and the Conservatives and Greens chase ward gains in places like Hale, Timperley and Bowdon.
- Oldham’s race, already under no overall control, features heated campaigning and crowded fields across key wards, with local figures warning the result could force unusual coalitions.