Labour Group leader Nick Peel is to remain on top at the town hall although the group surrendered two seats at the local elections.

Cllr Peel requested the support of at least one other group when the council returned to action at its AGM on Wednesday (May 22).

On an evening when the eyes of the world were on Downing Street he received this support from the six councillors of Horwich and Blackrod First, plus one independent councillor, who alongside the 26 councillors of the Labour Group took them to a majority.

Cllr Peel is to remain on top at the town hall for at least another year as a result.

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On his return to power, he told The Bolton News: "I think we have had 12 months in power, we have had a steady ship, and we want to carry on.

"We are in for another 12 months and of course there is no election next year so maybe it is two years before we put our mandate to the people."

On his priorities in power, he told The Bolton News: "We want to make a lot of progress with social value, which is about keeping the 'Bolton Pound' in Bolton, looking at procurement and how we secure as much spending power as possible for people in Bolton.

"We want to do a lot more on the environment and a lot more on property rationalisation because the budget pressure is not going to change. There is the general election but even with a change of government the budget pressure is not going to change overnight."

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In a post on social media ahead of the AGM the Conservative Group said it was ready to work with other groups to take over from the Labour Group. The Tories, the Liberal Democrats and Farnworth and Kearsley First opposed the motion for Cllr Peel to be the leader but proposed no amendment for anyone else to be the leader in his place.

At 20 minutes the meeting was more than twice as long as the meeting last year but there were no speeches with the time taken up by various votes.

In another post on social media ahead of the AGM the Conservative Group said: "For Labour to win tonight they need the support of at least one other party. It won't be us. They therefore need the support of either the Liberals, [Horwich and Blackrod First] or [Farnworth and Kearsley First to continue to run Bolton. 

"If Labour win tonight it means they'll have run this town for 38 years out of the last 44 years."

Martyn Cox, the leader of the Conservative Group, said: “Whilst we wish any party the best of luck in running our town, the record of the Bolton Labour Party in running Bolton is not a good one.

"It is now our job to hold them to account and to demonstrate to the people that only the Conservatives offer the only viable alternative administration to the Bolton Labour Party”.

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