Metropolitan borough council · England

Bolton

Bolton is a metropolitan borough council. It is a single-tier authority, so it runs both local and larger services.

What this council is responsible for

Bolton
Metropolitan borough council · E08000001
  • Planning applications
  • Bin and recycling collection
  • Council tax and business rates collection
  • Housing and homelessness
  • Licensing
  • Environmental health
  • Parks and leisure
  • Local elections
  • Schools and education
  • Adult social care
  • Children’s services
  • Roads and highways
  • Waste disposal
  • Libraries
  • Trading standards
  • Public health
Official website →
Type
Metropolitan borough council
Single tier
Official code
E08000001
ONS GSS code
Nation
England
Local planning authority
Yes. Decides planning applications in its area.
Combined authority
Greater Manchester
Strategic transport, economic development, skills

Other bodies covering this area

Greater Manchester
Combined authority
  • Strategic transport
  • Economic development
  • Skills
Greater Manchester
Fire and rescue authority
  • Fire and rescue
38
Postcode sectors
20
Wards
3
Constituencies

5 of these postcode sectors are shared with a neighbouring council. Postcode sectors are a Royal Mail construct and do not follow council boundaries.

Boundary

Map loads when it scrolls into view

Ultra-generalised boundary (500 m) from the ONS Open Geography Portal, Open Government Licence v3. Indicative at this scale; not for legal or planning use. See it among its neighbours on the UK map →

Towns in this area

Parliamentary constituencies

Wards

20 wards recorded in this council area.

Astley Bridge · Bradshaw · Breightmet · Bromley Cross · Farnworth North · Farnworth South · Great Lever · Halliwell · Heaton, Lostock & Chew Moor · Horwich North · Horwich South & Blackrod · Hulton · Kearsley · Little Lever & Darcy Lever · Queens Park & Central · Rumworth · Smithills · Tonge with the Haulgh · Westhoughton North & Hunger Hill · Westhoughton South

Postcode sectors

BL1 1 · BL1 2 · BL1 3 · BL1 4 · BL1 5 · BL1 6 · BL1 7 · BL1 8 · BL1 9 · BL11 1 · BL2 1 · BL2 2 · BL2 3 · BL2 4 · BL2 5 · BL2 6 · BL3 1 · BL3 2 · BL3 3 · BL3 4 · BL3 5 · BL3 6 · BL4 0 · BL4 4 · BL4 7 · BL4 8 · BL4 9 · BL5 1 · BL5 2 · BL5 3 · BL6 4 · BL6 5 · BL6 6 · BL6 7 · BL6 9 · BL7 9 · BL78 1 · BL78 7

Sources: ONS Open Geography Portal (boundaries and names, retrieved 2026-09-05, Open Government Licence v3); National Statistics Postcode Lookup May 2026; Wikidata (official website, CC0). Official code E08000001.