LABOUR will make a second attempt to keep control of Burnley Council tomorrow.

It will again propose its boss, Cllr Mark Townsend, should continue as leader of a minority administration.

The party lost its majority on the council after it shed five seats in the local elections on May 2.

On May 15, an attempt by Labour to keep control and install Cllr Townsend as leader was narrowly defeated.

Since then, there have been talks with other parties and the group’s deputy leader Cllr John Harbour said he was hopeful its proposal would be passed tomorrow night.

Liberal Democrat group leader and former Burnley MP Cllr Gordon Birtwistle said the other parties were ready to put forward an alternative proposal.

He said the smaller groups had offered Labour the chance to keep Cllr Townsend as leader and hold three posts on a new six councillor executive but had received no reply.

There are 45 seats on Burnley Council, of which Labour now has 22. The Lib Dems have eight, the Tories four and Ukip three councillors. There are five Burnley and Padiham Independent Party councillors, two Greens and one independent.

Cllr Birtwistle said if Labour did not agree to their current proposal, opposition parties would put forward an alternative with a different leader.

He declined to discuss the details but said: “The Liberal Democrats would not support Labour’s current proposal of a minority administration led by Cllr Townsend.”

Any alternative leader is likely to be a Burnley and Padiham Independent. Their leader Cllr Mark Payne said: “We would not support the proposed Labour minority administration.”

Cllr Andy Fewings, leader of the Greens, said: “We have spoken to everyone. Labour has not responded meaningfully.”

Cllr Harbour said: “We have been in talks with other groups. We are hopeful we can get support.”