We are a local group campaigning to stop the council from changes Westhoughton Town Hall into commercial use that the community have never been given the chance to consult on.

The  community are asking for a full and fair consultation on the development and how Bolton Council are spending £7 million pounds that we believe the community do not want. 

In 2018 Bolton Council had agreed to spend £2.5 million to upgrades the buildings structures retain its heritage and the services that our town and residents used and need.

A further £16 million was allocated by Bolton Council to spend on improving Town Centres and £4 million was earmarked for Westhoughton, a town that is part of Bolton West Borough. 

A consultation was proposed and set up in 2019. The public part of which ran for only 4 weeks in February 2020 far short of government guild-lines and to date no explain why they only choice this short time frame. Councillor have yet to answer many question this being one of them.

From 27000 residents the consultation had 159 responses and the steering group was not representative of the disadvantaged groups in our community. 

Bolton council kept the steering group in the dark and ripped up the previous Masterplan making adaptions and changes without letting our community know the decision on a final proposal to included installing two restaurants and a café into the building to generate income for the council but no services for the towns community would return. They have also failed to answer the question where the extra reviewing raised would go would it go bank into Westhoughton or in to Bolton Councils purse.

The library was reduced in size with proposals to change its purpose, layout and design without public consultation  and the future of our Carnegie Hall and community use of the building is under threat. 

When the final proposal became public knowledge leaked by a local Liberal Democracy Facebook Page the community signalled its concern and dissatisfaction at the outcome and process and our campaign focus group came to life. 

Despite all our efforts to engage with ward members of Bolton Council, our communications were ignored.  

We have lots of local support with over 1200 residents signing a paper petition to stop and give the residents a voice in a full consultation.

All we are asking for is a open consultation allowing Westhoughton residents to have their say on these plans