Neil Wilby Media

Former Oldham Council Leader, Sean Fielding, has taken the next step towards heading up a different local authority in the Greater Manchester Region.

A surprise announcement earlier today confirmed that he had taken up a Cabinet role at Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council. His previous, non-executive, role on this Council was Chair of the Licensing Committee.

Cllr Fielding swept to victory in the Breightmet ward last May, topping the poll in the all-out election, after a two year break from politics, and will now take over the Adults, Health and Well-being portfolio from Cllr Linda Thomas, who has served Bolton as both Mayor and Leader of the Council.

His LinkedIn profile describes him as a public affairs professional and he is employed by Cavendish, a public relations and communications services company, as an Associate Director.

He was ousted in Oldham, after three years as Leader and nine years as a councillor in his home town of Failsworth, following a persistent and vicious smear campaign launched against him by a local independent party and a notorious, Tameside-based conspiracy theorist (read more here).

Cllr Fielding is expected to become the Leader of Bolton Council, and take on wider responsibilities in the Region, within the next fifteen months. Assuming, of course, the Labour Party continue to control the most seats in the town.

Since the 2019 election, Bolton has been under no overall control. Since the 2023 election, the Labour Party had led a minority administration. The Leader of the Council since May 2023 has been Cllr Nick Peel. 

Page last updated: Monday 11th March, 2024 at 1525 hours

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