MORE than 60 candidates have been announced to fight for just 15 seats in a borough's local elections next month.

This year 67 candidates will be fighting it out for one seat in each of Burnley's 15 different wards - Bank Hall, Brunshaw, Coalclough with Deerplay, Gannow, Hapton with Park, Queensgate, Rosehill with Burnley Wood, Whittlefield with Ightenhill, Briercliffe, Cliviger with Worsthorne, Daneshouse with Stoneyholme, Gawthorpe, Rosegrove with Lowerhouse and Trinity.

In total, there are 45 seats on Burnley Council and just one seat in each of the 15 wards will be up for grabs on May 3.

The council's current composition is made up of 27 Labour Party councillors, six Liberal Democrats, four Conservative Party and Burnley and Padiham Independent Party candidates, two Free Independents, one UKIP and one Independent.

The Conservatives, the Labour Party and the Green Party will fight in every seat while the Liberal Democrats will contest in nine seats.

This will be the first year the Burnley and Padiham Independent Party stands for election after four former Liberal Democrat split from the group and they will contest in seven seats.

UKIP will contest in just four seats. The UK Veterans' and People's Party and Independent Party will fight in just one seat.

The mostly hotly contested seat will be in Whittlefield with Ightenhill where seven candidates will be standing from seven different parties.

Former Burnley MP and Burnley Liberal Democrat leader Gordon Birtwistle, who has been a councillor for close to 40 years, will be standing for election again in his current Coal Clough with Deerplay ward.

While former Burnley mayor and Conservative councillor David Heginbotham, of Cliviger with Worsthorne ward, will now be running for Briercliffe. who was planning to stand down for election last year.

Some councillors have decided to step down at the upcoming election, including Labour councillors Gary Frayling, Tony Harrison and Patricia Ellis after a combined 28 years of service.

While Liberal Democrat councillors Roger Frost, of Briercliffe, will be standing down after almost 30 years while Tom Porter, of Whittlefield with Ightenhill, will be standing down after almost a decade.

If any election is contested a poll will take place between 7am and 10pm on Thursday, May 3.

Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on April 17. These can be made online via www.gov.uk/registertovote

New applications to vote by post, and amendments or cancellations of existing postal vote or proxy vote arrangements must reach the electoral registration office at Burnley Town Hall, Manchester Road, by 5pm on April 18.