AYORAL hopeful Ivan Lewis has launched a 'manifesto for Bolton' outlying his vision for more freedom over sectors such as education, public transport and health in the borough.

Mr Lewis, the Labour MP for Bury South, is competing with other high profile regional political figures to be his party's choice for candidate for the Greater Manchester Mayor election in May 2017.

The 49-year-old said: "What is absolutely essential for this new Mayor is that he really works for every part of Greater Manchester. 

"The people of Bolton have a right to expect the things they care about, whether it's town centre regeneration, schools or affordable housing, to be addressed because all parts of Bolton have to feel the benefits of devolution.

"I will sign a partnership agreement with both the council and the community in Bolton about what their top three priorities are in terms of me, as mayor, delivering.

"That is what is unique about my campaign."

Mr Lewis said if elected he would seek to renegotiate with Whitehall parts of what he called Greater Manchester's "flawed" devolution deal.

He wants a "fair deal for Bolton" by demanding £1billion to support the integration of health and social care in place of the "inadequate" £450million transformation fund already agreed.

The MP would lobby for the delegation of power and budgets from the Department of Education in order to set up a London-style Greater Manchester Schools Challenge Fund to channel investment into schools including those in Bolton.

He wants more central Government funding made available for the regeneration of town and district centres in partnership with Bolton Council to "restore a sense of civic pride".

As a far as public transport is concerned he intends to freeze bus fares for three years, introduce concessionary fares for children and smartcard ticketing and seek to start a co-operative or not-for-profit public bus company that could bid to run routes if a de-regulated bus system was introduced into Greater Manchester.

Mr Lewis' rivals for the Labour party nomination are Tony Lloyd, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester and its interim mayor, and Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh, and Mr Lewis claims he has endorsement from local current and former politicians.

Mr Lewis said: "Ann Taylor (former Bolton West MP and now Baroness Taylor of Bolton), Julie Hilling (former Bolton West MP), David Crausby (Bolton North MP) and Frank White (former Bolton councillor) support me in this campaign.

"I'm proud my Bolton friends are backing me and that makes a real difference to me and members here in Bolton."