THE battle for power in the Pendle Council chamber will get under way in the next few weeks after yesterday’s elections left Labour and the Conservatives with 18 councillors each on the 49-seat council.
In the second phase of results, Labour gained a seat in Reedley from the Conservatives for the second year in a row and also won a seat in Vivary Bridge from the Liberal Democrats.
The Conservatives held both seats in Boulsworth, while Lord Tony Greaves was re-elected in Waterside.
The Tories also held on to Earby, the Mayor of Pendle, Liberal Democrat Coun. Nadeem Ahmed, was returned in Whitefield and Labour won comfortably in Walverden.
The first set of results had seen the Tories pick up a seat in Marsden ward from the British National Party, while the Liberal Democrats took the seat in Craven ward vacated by Independent Glenn Whittaker.
Overall, Labour has picked up two seats, while the number of Conservative and Liberal Democrats has remained unchanged.
The Conservatives, as the largest party, have held all the seats on the council’s Executive for the past year, but there will no doubt be a serious debate as to who takes the seven seats - including that of council leader left vacant by the decision of Coun. Mike Blomeley not to seek re-election.
A full list of results will appear here later.