Leaders of pilot projects aimed at creating “alliances” of people, charities and businesses to make improvements all over Bolton have met to discuss findings.

The Community Alliances were launched at the end of last year after the old Area Forums were scrapped.

Area forums had not met since before the pandemic despite having £10,000s still to spend in most cases, but members of the new Community Alliances have now met to discuss their work.

Council leader, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “It was a pleasure to attend the first Community Alliances event and see first-hand the pride and dedication of local people.

“The council is committed to working with the groups to support and enable the good work to come to fruition.

The Bolton News: Community Alliances will replace the old Area ForumsCommunity Alliances will replace the old Area Forums (Image: Bolton Council)

“I’d like to say a big thank you to the seven Community Alliances for their hard work and vision in helping to shape this new approach.”

In December 2022, The Bolton News reported Area Forums across the borough still had thousands of pounds available to spend despite not having met since before March 2020.

In September last year responding to questions about their future at a full council meeting, Cllr Peel said that Area Forums had become an “outdated model".

He claimed that attendance at the meetings before the pandemic could often be “very low” but that the new Community Alliances would signal a “fresh approach".

These new groups will assign an “area co-ordinator” to each community who will advise and support different groups, charities, business and individuals looking to make connections.

The Community Alliances have been launched in Bradshaw, Halliwell, Horwich South and Blackrod, Kearsley, Tonge with the Haulgh, Rumworth and Smithills as pilot areas.

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This will come ahead of a trailed rollout across the rest of the borough.

An event held to discuss the work of the pilot Community Alliances heard speeches from Cllr Peel and other council officials.

The attendees were encouraged to discuss where they felt they had succeeded so far and where they felt they needed to make progress.

The meeting also conversations around encouraging more young people and local businesses to get involved in the alliances.