LABOUR has lost its overall majority on Blackburn with Darwen Council after a councillor suspended himself from the party.

Coun Hussain Akhtar, who "concocted a story" in a bid to get off environmental health charges concerning his shop, told party members he was "sorry for the embarrassment" he had caused.

He will now sit as an independent councillor, leaving Labour to rely on mayor Dorothy Walsh's casting vote if all other parties vote against them.

Of the 64 seats, Labour now has 32, the Tories, 15, LibDems, 13, England First Party, two and there are two independents.

Although Labour does not command an actual majority, opposition councillors said it changed very little as all other parties would have to agree to defeat the group.

Councillors said Coun Akhtar, who is up for re-election in 2008, was also unlikely to vote against Labour if he wished to rejoin in the future, and under convention mayor Dorothy Walsh had to vote with the controlling group.

Coun Akhtar was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000 this week after admitting two breaches of regulations at his store Akhtar's Food Store in Whalley Range, Blackburn.

A district judge was told that cockroaches, a dead mouse, and rodent droppings in Bombay mix were found at Coun Akhtar's store in August 2005.

The district judge Miriam Shelvey said Mr Akhtar "concocted" a promise from the council that his store would not be inspected for a period of time.

In February 2005 he was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £650 costs after admitting four offences of selling food past its use-by date.

And in August he pleaded guilty to the sale of single cigarettes.

The Shear Brow representative said he needed time away from party commitments to concentrate on the store he had neglected.

He said: "I understand the need for the highest standards for people involved in public life."

"I intend to use this time to take every measure to ensure my business meets all the required standards now and in the future."

Coun Akhtar has been a councillor since 1998, and Coun Kate Hollern, the council's Labour leader, said: "He is extremely sorry for any embarrassment he has caused the Labour group and his friends and family.

"Hopefully this period in which he has chosen to remove himself from the Labour group will allow him to sort himself out so there is no repeat of these unfortunate lapses."

Coun Colin Rigby, leader of the Conservative opposition, said: "In practice this does not change a great deal."