Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has told the people of Bolton “it’s up to you to decide” after recent controversies about a referendum to join Lancashire.

Earlier this year Bolton councillors dismissed the idea of a referendum after a town hall debate in June.

But last week when facing questions from the public Mr Burnham  said though he favoured the current set-up it was best left to voters in Bolton to decide these issues.

Mr Burnham said: “It’s not my choice, it’s your choice.”

He added: “It’s all for you to decide, it’s not for me to dictate to you.”

The Bolton News: Trevor Jones and Nick Buckley campaigning to return Bolton to Lancashire earlier this yearTrevor Jones and Nick Buckley campaigning to return Bolton to Lancashire earlier this year (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Burnham had been taking queries from the public as part of a Mayor’s Question Time event hosted at Deane Road based University of Bolton last Thursday.

One of those questions was put by Dylan Evans, who told the mayor that 3,000 people had signed a petition calling for Bolton to leave the Greater Manchester city region and return to the historic county of Lancashire.

Bolton first became part of Greater Manchester under the Local Government Act of 1972.

The petition to take the borough back to Lancshire had been organised by the Bolton for Change party in May this year.

But Mr Burnham said that though he “personally does not think there should be a referendum” it would be up to voters in the borough itself.

They can do so, he said by electing their own councillors and make their own decisions on these issues.

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Be he believed the city region grouping with Manchester was the better set up.

He said: “I happen to believe that it does bring you benefits like the Bee Network.”

Mr Burnham also pointed out that many younger people and people in areas like Farnworth were likely to feel stronger ties to Manchester than to the historic country governed from County Hall in Preston.

He also said he felt referendums were “divisive” and pointed to the 2016 EU membership referendum and the 2014 Scottish independence referendum as examples.

Mr Burnham said: “I think it would provoke a lot of negativity at a time when we should be sorting out housing and the transport system.”