VOTING in the council and euro-elections is under way as around 200,000 ballot papers start arriving at homes across the borough.

Here the, minority groups and independent candidates standing for Bolton Council offer their alternative vision of how the borough should be run.

The Green Party has put forward two candidates - Alwynne Cartmell and Alan Johnson - both in the Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward.

Alwynne said: "We believe in putting people and the planet before profit. Everyone should be earning a living wage, not merely existing while fat cats get richer.

"We want to abolish SAT testing for children to reduce stress for teachers and allow youngsters to learn rather than cramming for tests.

"We are opposed to fluoride and want to encourage markets and corner shops to sell quality, reasonably-priced organic food like they did in our parents' day.

"People aged over 50 should have a better quality of life including free public transport, subsidised fitness classes and no council tax."

Anthony Backhouse will contest the Crompton ward as an independent. He said: "If Bolton Council wishes to continue to be charitable in providing benefits and homes to people coming into town, it must first be able to provide adequately for those already here.

"Political Correctness sometimes seems to stand in the way of common sense. I believe that local and central government must be secular and that the majority of people would share this view."

James Pendlebury is an independent candidate standing in the Smithills ward.

He said: "I am the only candidate who is endeavouring to start a different debate which, hopefully, will result in a solution to the country's pension problems while at the same time rewarding all those who, by voting in local and parliamentary elections when called upon to do so, have helped to make everything possible for the next generation."

The Left-wing RESPECT coalition is a new political party founded from the Stop the War Coalition in January. Neil McAlister will represent them in the Rumworth ward.

He said: "We stand for peace, social justice and the principle that everyone deserves high-quality public provision, at every stage of their life.

"We take pride in our diversity as well as our common ground.

"Millions of us opposed the war, but our voices were ignored in parliament and, once the war started, even the Liberal Democrats joined in with support for the war.

"RESPECT calls for an end to imperialist adventures and demand that money be spent instead on scrapping foundation hospitals and tuition fees, re-linking pensions to earnings and building a better NHS and local public services."

Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party will field three candidates in the election. They are Howard Broadbent in the Astley Bridge ward, Lynne Lowe in Crompton, and Dorothy Entwistle in Rumworth.

Mr Broadbent said: "We believe that local services should be run for the benefit of the community and not subject to the 'market forces' philosophy which means pre-determined budgets set by unaccountable bureaucrats.

"We oppose the closing of our schools and the privatisation of school services and facilities.

"At present, the elderly are treated as second-class citizens. That is why we call for restoring the link with pensions and the annual increase in wages. We demand an NHS that is available to all, at the time of need, and completely free of charge."

Michael Ford is to stand as a UK Independence Party candidate in the Smithills Ward. The party wants Britain to withdraw from Europe.

He said: "Local authorities seem to have forgotten that they are there for our benefit, not us for theirs. Council tax payers and motorists are sick and tired of being considered cash cows.

"Bolton residents must be shown more respect and consulted fully on community issues affecting our lives. Secretive deals involving the sale of our precious green open parkland have served to alienate and anger voters.

"I will work tirelessly to give the people of Bolton a democratic voice in the council chamber."