Bolton elects one third of the council each year, with a rest year every four years, and Labour will be hoping to reclaim control

There are 21 seats up for grabs in Bolton’s local elections on 2 May - but all parties will be ultimately trying to deliver a reasonable service on 'totally savage' budget cuts

The recent by-election in Rochdale, won not by Labour or Conservative but George Galloway, raised questions about whether the Gaza vote could impact broader election outcomes

The council’s masterplan envisages adding accommodation for 5,000 people to the town centre

“It’s sad that it’s got a reputation in certain parts of Bolton, a very undeserved reputation” 

Local arts organisations are pushing for culture to be the catalyst for the town’s rebirth

There is nowhere in the UK where the cost of renting has increased as much as in Bolton

“The government has put the small brewing industry in such distress by failing to cut VAT..." - as brewers in and around Bolton innovate and battle for success, at least 100 nationwide have closed and for many - simply surviving is the day-to-day priority

Hilary Mitchell grew up in poverty in Bolton in the 90s. Here she explores what poverty looked like then - and what it means today

Levelling Up was a key part of the Conservative manifesto in 2019 - but spending increasingly limited funds to even compete for investment can be problematic