BOLTON Council is to fight proposals to hold general election-style ballots in which all councillors would be up for election at the same time.

At a full meeting of the council, all the political parties unanimously backed a motion to oppose the move, which councillors believe could "destabilise" the council.

Their leaders will now write to the Government, the Local Government Association and MPs to voice their concerns.

Under the present system, elections for the three seats in each of the borough's 20 wards are staggered over a four-year period.

But under the Electoral Commission's proposals currently being considered by the Government, local elections would take place once every four years when every seat would be contested.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Barbara Ronson said: "The proposed system is likely to lead to less stability for the council and less responsiveness to the wishes of the electorate.

"The Electoral Commission believes it will mean increased turnouts, but the huge changes it will cause will unsettle the running of the council."

She also claimed the move would result in political parties directing policies at election time to win favour with the electorate.

The Council Leader, Labour's Cllr Bob Howarth, said all parties wished to stay with the present system.

"As far as I am concerned the council's position is clear - we want to stay as we are," he said

Cllr Andy Morgan, of the Conservatives, said although the move could make elections more exciting and dramatic, it would cause them to be dominated by the "short-termist" issue of the day.

"We believe this will have a negative effect on the running of the council and result in a huge turnover of councillors," he said.