THE voters of Bolton will give their verdict on Labour's first year in Government when they go to the polls tomorrow. Labour has as tight a grip on Bolton Council as Tony Blair has in Parliament. The party currently holds 48 of the 60 seats, with the Liberal Democrats and Tories having six each.

There are 20 seats up for grabs tomorrow - 15 are held by Labour, three by the Liberal Democrats and two by the Conservatives.

A low turnout is predicted across the country because it is just 12 months after the General Election and opinion polls are showing satisfaction with the Government.

Locally, it is difficult to predict any major shocks and the composition of Bolton Council could be very much as it is now by Friday morning.

Nevertheless, the local elections will be the first indication whether the Tories can either kick-start a revival . . . or sink even further into political oblivion.

It will also be an important round of elections for the Liberal Democrats. Both they and the Tories will be hoping to emerge as the clear opposition on the council. They have been sharing the role for the past two years.

The Tories at the very least will have to hold on to the seats they are defending - at Bromley Cross and Deane-cum-Heaton.

But if they are showing any signs of revival, they will be looking to make gains in areas which were once traditional Tory strongholds.

Labour will be hoping Lynda Byrne holds on to the Bradshaw seat which she won in a shock result four years ago and that Eric Hyland can hold Hulton Park.

One of the most interesting battles will be in Astley Bridge where former Tory deputy leader John Walsh is hoping to revive his political career by taking on Labour's Cllr Steve Hynes.

The Liberal Democrats will also be hoping to welcome back a former leader - Roger Hayes, who is standing in Smithills after a break of two years.

The party will also be hoping to hold on to seats in Horwich where Cllr Bob Ronson is defending what is usually the most unpredictable of wards, and Westhoughton where Cllr David Wilkinson is the sitting councillor.

The three main parties are putting up candidates in all 20 wards and there are seven other candidates.

Three are from the Socialist Labour Party in Daubhill, Farnworth and Harper Green.

There is an Independent Conservative in Hulton Park, Independent Labour in Blackrod and an Independent candidate in Farnworth. There is also a candidate who describes himself as positively progressive in Central ward.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.