The returning leader of Bolton Council says his priority is to attract more people to the town.

Conservative leader Cllr Martyn Cox held onto his position as head of the council after last month's inconclusive elections which left control over the borough deadlocked.

Now, after a historic vote-off that returned power to the Conservative group he has named an unchanged cabinet for the year ahead and says the focus will be on rejuvenating the town and district centres.

Cllr Cox said: “Regeneration isn’t just about building new buildings it’s about giving people a reason to want to come into the town centre and district centres.”

He pointed to Bolton’s recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations as an example of the kind of public events the borough can host to attract people - with the food festival and Ironman tournament to come later in the year.

This is alongside projects such as funding to improve public space on Deansgate and ongoing plans to redevelop Crompton Place.

With the leadership of the council settled at least until the all out elections next year, Cllr Cox has named an unchanged cabinet to take lead the borough until then, though some newer faces have been selected for committees.

Cllr Cox said: “I’ve picked the same team because they’ve all been doing good work in the cabinet.”

He added: “When we first took control in 2019 there have been two changes since then, obviously one of which couldn’t have been foreseen with the death of David Greenhalgh but also Mudasir Dean has joined us since then.”

But the opposition says that people across Bolton have been concerned about the apparent lack of progress.

Labour leader Cllr Nick Peel said: “We’ve got to reflect the general view of the population in Bolton which is that things are just not happening fast enough.”

He added: “People want to see spades in the ground and cranes in the sky and that’s just not happening.

“I’m not saying this is all the council’s fault but they’ve got to keep people informed as to why that is.”