Tories Strengthen Grip on West Lancs

THE Conservatives have strengthened their grip on power in West Lancashire.

They won back Scott Ward and Wrightington to take their overall majority to 12.

The party also fought off a challenge from deselected Tory councillor Margaret Edwards, who was bidding to take back the seat as an independent.

And in Labour leader Terry Rice's Up Holland ward, they forced a recount but lost out by just 27 votes.

However, they lost ex-council chairman Pat Taylor's Bickerstaffe seat to Labour candidate Paul Cotterill by nearly 70 votes.

The overall result is being seen as a 'tit-for-tat' affair, with seats swapping hands between the two main parties.

Speaking at the end, council leader Geoff Roberts said the electorate had given the Tories another mandate to continue in the same vein since they won power in 2002.

However Labour's Bob Pendleton vowed that Labour would return to fight hard next year.

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