AN EX-COUNCILLOR will be made an honorary alderman at a town hall meeting tonight.

Former Bolton mayor Carole Swarbrick, who represented Smithills for 23 years, is expected to be conferred with the title at the council meeting.

Once a Lib Dem councillor, she was suspended from her group after a dispute with the party leader, Cllr Roger Hayes.

The Hartlepool-born teacher served as the Mayor of Bolton between 2015 and 2016.

Councillors will also discuss a senior management shake-up at the town hall which has come under some criticism.

The Labour group blocked the decision, warning that the move could have consequences on frontline services, and demanded further scrutiny.

Cllr Martin McMulkin told a scrutiny committee that the plans are "at odds" with the council's general approach and put forward a motion to be discussed at tonight's meeting.

It said: "During the decade of austerity, Bolton Council has prioritised the protection of frontline services by reducing expenditure at the corporate centre, by reducing non-statutory services and by finding new, more efficient ways of working to deliver more for less."

The opposition group has described the council's approach as "incremental" and have asked for more information on the overall proposal and its financial implications.

Other motions on the agenda include calling for Voter ID at elections, pledging continued support for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and improving Sunday train services at Farnworth, Kearsley and Moses Gate stations.

Any motions which are not discussed tonight will be carried over to the next meeting in November.

Tonight's meeting starts at 7pm in the council chamber.