A hyper-local party has started a partnership with an independent councillor from elsewhere in the borough to avoid the group losing ground on Bolton Council.

Horwich and Blackrod First approached Derek Bullock, a councillor for Hulton Ward, about a working agreement towards the start of this year.

The hyper-local party started the partnership in light of the result of a by-election for Westhoughton North and Hunger Hill Ward, on November 16, where the Liberal Democrats' Deirdre McGeown won a seat which was held by the Conservatives' Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon previously. It left the Liberal Democrats with one more seat than Horwich and Blackrod First in the chamber.

Cllr David Grant, its leader, said the impact on the party in the chamber and on associated committees was not one which was acceptable to the party.

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Cllr Grant said: "The thinking is twofold because the budget is based on political balance and the committees are based on political balance. As the Lib Dems won an additional seat we would be dropping down the pecking order for the budget and for the committees. 

"After speaking to Cllr Bullock he agreed to come on board as a part of a working agreement but he is still not a part of the political party as such. 

"We won a committee rather than losing two committees and having eyes on all the committees is vital for any political party so this is what it is was.

"Anyone can be a part of a working agreement as long as their politics align with ours and as an independent councillor his politics align with ours."

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Cllr Bullock became an independent councillor because he was expelled from the Conservative Party over a social media post allegation.

Cllr Bullock said he was innocent and was intending to take evidence the alleged comment was a fake to GMP.

Cllr Grant said: "None of it was proven.

"If it was proven it would be different."

The Bolton News asked Cllr Bullock for a comment.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.