Lancashire County Council elections: Burnley results

The party captured 48 seats - two more than at the last county poll in 2017 - comfortably surpassing the 43-seat threshold needed for it to remain in power.

Labour also gained two seats and the Green Party added a second county councillor to their number on the authority.

It was a disappointing day for the Liberal Democrats, who lost two seats - one of which was previously held by county group leader David Whipp.

Independent representation on the council was also wiped out, with the authority having had four members not aligned to a political party before this week's vote.

Burnley offered up the biggest surprise of results day when the Green Party's Andy Fewings captured Burnley Central West, leaping from fourth place in 2017. He will now join Lancaster Central's long-serving Gina Dowding as the second Green voice at County Hall.

County Cllr Fewings - who also leads the Greens on Burnley Council - said he was delighted to see the "Green surge" in the town, with the party also breaking through the 1,000-vote mark in the Burnley Rural division.

“For years people in the borough have felt let down by politics but can now see that another way is possible.

“It is hardworking Green supporters, members and councillors who have shown that we don’t take people for granted. Instead, we try to do what it takes in order to help improve their lives.

“Other parties try to exploit people’s fears to gain their votes. The Green Party encourages hope and a vision for a better and more prosperous society.

"I am glad the people of Burnley Central West share our vision and I would like to thank them for putting their faith in me," he said.

The Green victory saw Labour former cabinet member Tony Martin was ousted from the seat he had held since 2013, pushed back into fourth place in the division.

Labour cancelled out that loss by snatching Burnley South West from Lib Dem Jeff Sumner by just five votes.

Meanwhile, Alan Hosker - who became the only gain for UKIP anywhere in the country at local elections in 2017 when he won the Padiham and Burnley West seat on the county council - retained the division, but this time for the Conservatives. The Labour leader of Burnley Council, Mark Townsend, trailed more than 1300 votes behind in second place.

Here are the Burnley results in full:

Lab - 3

Con - 2

Green - 1

Key

INC - incumbent

CM - cabinet member

GL - party group leader

BURNLEY CENTRAL EAST (LAB HOLD)

Mohammed Hajji Nazrul - Liberal Democrats - 561

Claire Ingham - Conservative and Unionist Party - 703

Sobia Malik (INC) - Labour Party - 1854

Andy Wight - Green Party - 579

BURNLEY CENTRAL WEST (GREEN GAIN FROM LAB)

Gordon Birtwistle - Liberal Democrats - 386

Andy Fewings - Green Party - 1081

Tony Martin (INC) - Labour and Co-operative Party - 535

Emma Payne - Burnley and Padiham Independent Party - 613

Don Whitaker - Conservative and Unionist Party - 830

BURNLEY NORTH EAST (LAB HOLD)

Usman Arif - Labour Party - 2187

Helen Bridges - Green Party - 281

Waseem Chowdhary - Liberal Democrats - 945

Tom Commis - Conservative and Unionist Party - 937

BURNLEY RURAL (CON HOLD)

Scott Cunliffe - Green Party: Save Our Green Space - 1002

Marcus Johnstone - Labour and Co-operative Party - 551

Pippa Lishman - Liberal Democrats - 777

Andrew Newhouse - Burnley and Padiham independent Party - 178

Cosima Towneley (INC) - Conservative and Unionist Party - 1608

BURNLEY SOUTH WEST (LAB GAIN FROM LIB DEM)

Peter Gill - Conservative and Unionist Party - 795

Neil Mottershead - Burnley and Padiham independent Party - 786

Lian Pate - Labour and Co-operative Party - 853

Duncan Reed - Green Party - 160

Jeff Sumner (INC) - Liberal Democrats - 848

PADIHAM AND BURNLEY WEST (CON GAIN FROM UKIP)

Sarah Hall - Green Party - 190

Alan Hosker (INC for UKIP) - Conservative and Unionist Party - 2299

Peter McCann - Liberal Democrats - 292

Mark Townsend - Labour Party - 919