By-elections called in Farnworth and Westhoughton

Voters will go to the polls on March 8 to choose a replacement for Cllr Asif Ibrahim, who stepped down last month due to time pressures.

The former Labour representative said that Farnworth residents deserved ‘nothing less than total commitment to the role’ when he confirmed his resignation.

The ward is a Labour stronghold, with its other two seats held by Cllrs Jean Gillies and Noel Spencer.

A town council by-election will also be held in Westhoughton on the same day as the Farnworth vote.The election in the White Horse ward was triggered by the resignation of Phil Ashcroft amid a row with his own party.

The former Conservative councillor, who represented the ward for 12 years, claimed he felt like his party had no faith in him after he was not selected to contest two Bolton Council.

The deadline for nominations for either election is 4pm next Friday, February 9.

Last month, the Tories won a council seat from Labour in the Hulton ward by-election triggered by the death of Cllr Darren Whitehead.