We are very pleased to announce that our Horwich colleague Lynn Rock was elected last night in the Lever Park by-election. Here she is pictured with Westhoughton councillor David Wilkinson, left, and her husband and fellow councillor Steve Rock, right. The results of the election were: Turnout 19.5% Green: 85 Lynn Roc,  Liberal Democrat: 218 Labour:  211 Lib Dem Majority: 7 Lib Dem gain from Labour Labour lose majority control of Horwich Town Council

Thousands of people in our area will stop paying tax altogether from April, whilst many more will pay less tax. The personal income tax band has been...

Five large areas of green fields in Westhoughton have been sold by the Hulton Estate to developers for £8 MILLION. They have been bought by Peel Holdings,...

A referendum on the biggest change to the way we vote in Britain will happen on May 5th. For years some politicians have enjoyed comfortable seats where they do very little work but still get elected year, after year, after year. But all that could be about the change when, on May 5th, you will have the chance to change the way the electoral system works. You will have two choices: Keep the same old system, known as First Past The Post, which results in MPs enjoying their ‘safe’...

The football fields at Mill Street are being improved AT LAST by the council. The council has taken so long to do the work that the field will not be ready...

Westhoughton's market traders are proving they can turn around the fortunes of our town centre market. The market went through a period of decline but determined...

The team at Westhoughton Liberal Democrats would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported us both locally and nationally in this year's elections. Jackie Pearcey was not elected this time for Bolton West, but held the Liberal Democrat share of the vote well. But now Bolton West faces the prospect of years with another Labour MP. Results for the local elections will be announced today, Friday.

Only the Liberal Democrats can secure a fair deal for Westhoughton's hard-working residents. Labour have failed us on bins, failed us on roads, and failed us on community facilities. The Tories have only ever propped up Labour in the town hall. The Tory candidate for Westhoughton North thinks Chew Moor is called 'Chew Valley' and the Tory candidate for Westhoughton South lives MILES AWAY in Astley Bridge. Julia Silvester (South) and Derek Gradwell (North) are your local, Liberal Democrat...

The Conservative candidate for the Westhoughton North with Chew Moor ward was left red-faced after residents spotted he spelt the name of the ward he wants to represent INCORRECTLY. Chew Moor has now become "Chew Valley". We at the Liberal Democrats will be the first to admit that there's the occasional slip-up in our Focus newsletters, but we always try to get the name of the ward right (it usually helps).

The Tory candidate for Bolton West in this year's General Election has been criticised in the national media for answering a question planted by her husband at a town hall debate in Westhoughton. Labour criticised the move by telling the BBC: "It's very disappointing that the Conservative Party feel the need to drop in a candidate's spouse into the audience to ask a question while passing themselves off as a member of the public." The row has escalated and Tory chiefs will be fearing that it may overshadow...