PRESTON Borough Council is reeling from the news that council leader Ian Hall has been ousted from his seat representing the Fishwick ward.

Coun Hall has represented Fishwick since 1978, but following a series of boundary changes, the ward is to be made smaller and will have only two councillors in future. Harold Parker and Ismail Patel have been selected to represent Fishwick.

Coun Hall said: "I don't see it as a major tragedy. It is a matter for the members of the Fishwick branch. The ward members chose the other two.

"I am disappointed but I understood that one of the three had to take a seat elsewhere. Obviously one of the councillors was going to be unsuccessful as three into two doesn't go. It is as simple as that."

Now Coun Hall who has served on the council for 37 years, is to try to become councillor of the neighbouring St Matthew's ward.

The move has been supported by long-serving councillor Rose Kinsella, mayor of Preston from 1998 to 1999, who has stepped down from the St Matthew's ward owing to ill health. She said: "It is no detriment to Ian Hall not being selected. He was not short-listed. One of them would have had to go. There is nothing callous about it.

"He is a good councillor with years of experience. I think he could be an asset to St Matthew's."

Despite ill health, councillor Kinsella is determined to stay in politics. She said: "I formally told the Labour group that owing to health problems I would not be standing again.

"I am still the chair of the branch, and I will stay as chair of the branch. I am still involved in the party, but not as a councillor.

And Coun Hall has denied that allegations of misconduct made last year caused him to lose his seat. The council leader was found to have broken a Government code of conduct by having outside interests in the running of Preston bus station last October.