Bolton: Cllr Elaine Sherrington calls time in office after 24 years

Cllr Elaine Sherrington, who represents Tonge with the Haulgh, will be stepping down from her role after the upcoming all out council elections next month.

Cllr Sherrington, who stands for Labour, had a stint as the mayor and has held multiple executive positions for the local authority in her time.

She said: “The thing is, it comes to an end anyway.

"I’m a great believer that when people turn 70 they move away from what they do.

“I think when you get to a certain age you need to allow younger people to get involved.

Cllr Sherrington when she became Mayor in 2018, with her daughter Sam Sherrington

“I’ve done lots of things I’m quite proud of, and I’ve tried very hard to give our community what they want.

“Lots of things have been put in that are really great, there’s no-one thing that is greater than the other.”

Cllr Sherrington has reflected on the work she has done for the community.

She said: “I was an executive member for years to do with the environment and I was also executive member for adults as well, you do a lot of work to get things done.

“I went back to the weekly bin collection and did the four bin system. I was over those things when they were being done.

Cllr Sherrington as she was sworn in as mayor

“All that was done but when I talk to people about it they say ‘you were over the bins weren’t you!’

The councillor is also quick to praise her fellow ward representatives.

She added: “There’s lots of things we’ve got done in the ward, not just me but my two very good colleagues.

"My colleagues have worked with me on everything I’ve done in Tonge.

“That goes back to former councillors and comes through to Nick Peel and Martin Donaghy, we’ve all worked very hard together for the constituents of our ward at the forefront.

“It’s not easy, it’s a hard decision, but I think there comes a time. You can’t go on forever.”