Bolton Council leader Greenhalgh dies: ‘a fearless champion for his town’

Tributes have poured in after the death of Conservative Cllr David Greenhalgh at the age of 53.

Cllr Greenhalgh is understood to have been unwell and was admitted to the hospital last week. He had been the leader of the council in Bolton since 2019.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham called Greenhalgh a “much-loved local son and fearless champion for his town”. Burnham added Greenhalgh was “Bolton through and through”.

“When fire devastated The Cube in Bolton Town Centre in 2019, David was immediately on site and led from the front,” Burnham said. “He has done the same throughout this most challenging of times, standing up for his beloved Bolton but also for the rest of Greater Manchester.”

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick issued his own tribute to Cllr Greenhalgh on Twitter.

“David was a tireless campaigner and champion for Bolton, never more so than during the pandemic,” Jenrick wrote. “He was kind, generous and a true public servant. He will be sorely missed.”

I’m deeply saddened to hear of David Greenhalgh’s death.

David was a tireless campaigner and champion for Bolton, never more so than during the pandemic.

He was kind, generous and a true public servant. He will be sorely missed. https://t.co/KIaO4KHYoy

— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) July 29, 2021

Bolton Cllr Nadim Muslim wrote in a Facebook post that the respect Cllr Greenhalgh had in the community was “astronomical”.

“Not afraid to poke fun at himself, he worked tirelessly to do what was right for our area and the borough as a whole,” Cllr Muslim wrote. “I know of no one who has worked as hard as he has to make this a better place to live.”

Kevin Whitmore, North and Midlands director for BECG, expressed his sadness over Cllr Greenhalgh’s death on Twitter.

“He was a huge support when I started my career and made me and Sarah feel at home when we moved to Bolton,” Whitmore wrote. “He is a great example of what you can achieve in politics by being kind and collaborative.”

I’m so sorry to hear the news that Cllr David Greenhalgh has passed away. He was a huge support when I started my career and made me and Sarah feel at home when we moved to Bolton. He is a great example of what you can achieve in politics by being kind and collaborative pic.twitter.com/Me5u0y2l2F

— Kevin Whitmore (@kevin_whitmore) July 29, 2021

Manchester Council leader Sir Richard Leese also shared his condolences in a statement on Twitter:

“Although we did not share the same political beliefs, David was always a decent and hardworking colleague in the Greater Manchester community who worked passionately for the people of Bolton,” Leese said.

Council Leader @SirRichardLeese reacts to the death of Bolton Council Leader Cllr David Greenhalgh this evening: pic.twitter.com/sQJCVqOpTO

— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 29, 2021