PENDLE could see a shift in the political make-up of the council after Labour won only four more seats than the Liberal Democrats in the last elections.

Labour won 23 to the Lib Dems' 19, with the Conservatives securing nine, but Labour councillor Kathleen Shore's move to the Lib Dems early this year has now brought the difference between Labour and the Lib Dems to just two.

Next week 144 candidates will battle it out for 49 seats across 20 wards -- including the new wards of Blacko and Higherford, Higham and Pendleside and Old Laund Booth.

Labour have put forward 43 candidates, the Liberal Democrats have candidates for every seat except the Higham and Pendleside ward, the Conservatives are contesting every seat except one in the Coates ward and the Socialist Alliance have one candidate in the Vivary Bridge and Waterside wards, while the Independent group have a candidate in the Marsden, Southfield and Horsfield wards.

Voters in Pendle will have a number of issues to consider.

The handling of the residential homes closure proposals is high on most people's agenda and has attracted support from all three major parties.

Residents in the Whitefield ward are now waiting for the outcome of the public inquiry into the proposed clearance area in Nelson West which was brought about after English Heritage and a resident action group opposed the scheme.

The inquiry looked into the council's plans to purchase compulsorily the first 160 of the 400 houses it wants to demolish.

Other issues which have attracted interest have been the poor condition of the borough's private housing sector and the recent announcement by the Government that Pendle will be one of nine pathfinder areas to receive government funding, plans for the development of the former Grand Cinema site in Nelson and the policing of the borough, which has recently involved the introduction of new community beat managers and the re-opening of Earby police office.

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