WITH the Bolton Council elections taking place on May 5, political reporter Liam Thorp is taking a closer look at some of the key battlegrounds and speaking to the candidates vying for your all-important votes.

IN yesterday’s feature we looked at what is expected to be a two-way battle between Labour and UKIP in Little Lever and Darcy Lever and Kearsley could play host to a similarly close run contest.

UKIP has put the ward as its second top target for this year’s elections and candidate Mark Cunningham will stand in the ward for a third year in a row.

The 53-year-old has reason to be hopeful ahead of this year’s vote after securing strong second place finishes in the past two years — even coming within 43 votes of a council seat in 2014.

But Labour has dominated the ward in recent years and candidate Carole Burrows will be hoping the work she has done since her election in 2012 will be enough to retain her council seat.

In terms of local issues — there were few more vivid images printed in The Bolton News in the past year than of the brutal flooding that decimated the Prestolee area of the ward and several of the candidates have put dealing with issues related to the deluge high up on their priorities.

There are also concerns about the state of the roads in the area as well as the volume of littering and dog fouling taking place in Kearsley.

Cllr Burrows, aged 63, said she would love an opportunity to continue to help people in Kearsley.

She said: “I want to carry on the work I have been doing over the past four years.

“I have been trying to help the people of Kearsley and trying to make the ward safer, cleaner and give a voice to people who feel like they don’t have one.

“Some of the issues that I think people care most about around here include dog fouling, litter and fly tipping.

“I am out with my litter grabber every fortnight trying to help and will continue to work with local people on these issues.

She added: “A lot of the leaflets I have seen from UKIP in Kearsley do not focus on local issues and I think it is important that we remember this is a local election for local people.”

Mr Cunningham hopes he can go one better in this year’s vote, he said: “In common with all UKIP members, I don’t have to toe the party line and can represent the people who vote for me — we can make a difference and say what needs to be said, even if it potentially doesn’t go along with what the national party is saying.

“Some of the main topics at the top of my list in Kearsley are the state of the roads in the area and the situation with the bins. There are also various issues stemming from the flooding we had.”

He added: “I think it is important to have a true, independent representation and a different voice coming into the council chamber.”

In a novel approach, 27-year-old Liberal Democrat candidate Aaron Hepworth said that if he is elected he will not claim any of his council allowance and would instead use that money to help local charities.

He said: “People should vote for the Liberal Democrats in Bolton because we are the only party standing up for the ordinary people in Bolton.

“If i am elected I would not claim my salary for being a councillor and would instead help local charities in the area on a month to month basis.

“More broadly i would campaign hard to have all of Kearsley’s roads fixed, particularly in Stoneclough where the flooding has severely damaged roads in Prestolee and the surrounding areas. “

Tory candidate Richard Elliot believes people living in Kearsley are being short-changed in what they are getting for an increased council tax.

He said: “People in Kearsley are fed up of having to pay more to the council and getting less in return.

“The increase in their Council Tax has cost the residents of Kearsley an extra £165,000 this year. “Labour, UKIP and Lib Dems all proposed increases, which is scandalous when the council are sat on over £140m in reserves.

He added: "Conservatives offer value for money; more money spent on local roads and pavements; and stronger enforcement on litter louts, fly tippers and irresponsible dog owners."