Bolton: Remembrance Day funding agreed

This comes after long running concerns that pushing marshalling costs from the police onto local organisers and town councils could have seen such events like these become unaffordable in outlying districts.

But now, following a meeting of Bolton Council this Monday the authority has decided to use its own funds, coming to just under £12,000 for this year, to keep the events going, much to the relief of many of those districts’ representatives.

Cllr Paul Heslop, who represents Kearsley, said: “This has been something we’ve campaigned for over a few years now ever since GMP took the decision to withdraw marshalling from some of the outlying towns.

“This was a huge financial challenge for us in Kearsley, as we were expecting to have to pay up to £1000.

Bolton Council has made a major decision on funding for Remembrance Day events (Image: Newsquest)

“It was eventually agreed that the council would agree to pay for marshalling, and we’re delighted that the executive member has come to this decision because it really does future proof the event in Kearsley as it does for other towns throughout the borough.

“So we’re really grateful that this decision has come about.”

Greater Manchester Police had originally taken the decision in 2019 that though they would continue to attend such events, traffic management would have to be the responsibilities of organisers.

But town hall leaders feared that though they would have been able to continue hosting Remembrance events in the centre of Bolton itself, parades and ceremonies would have struggled to keep going in districts like Kearsley, Little Lever, and others further away from the centre.

In response, the authority has decided to use £11,952 of funding from the council’s event reserve for the events that have just passed in November.

The the costs of Remembrance events in times to come will found from future years’ approved budgets.

Cllr Heslop said: “Many people in Kearsley and other similar sized towns won’t be going into Bolton on Remembrance day, they’ll be wanting to remember their loved ones, of many years ago in some cases, closer to home.

“So this is a real boost for them.”

The plans were approved by Bolton Council at a meeting this Monday.

Council deputy leader Cllr Hilary Fairclough, who approved the plan, said that she hoped this would show the value Bolton placed on events like these.

She said: "We've always funded the main town centre events and the bigger outlying areas tend to have their own parish councils who can help out.

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"So its for the smaller ones really, in fact they're popping up more and more now in other areas so we felt it was only right to take this decision."

She added: "It's something that Bolton in particular really values because its about honouring people who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

"So again, we felt it was only right that we fund the things that are essential for people's safety when they're taking part."