PARTY leaders settled their differences last night after a Lancashire Evening Telegraph article called on them to stop behaving like children.

Pendle Council's Labour leader Frank Clifford realised something needed to be done after reading yesterday's article which highlighted that councillors had been caught up in a "childish" row over who sits where in the council chamber.

Before the public full council meeting leader of the council and Lib Dem leader Alan Davies, Labour leader Frank Clifford and Tony Beckett, leader of the Tory party, held a telephone conference to thrash out a decision.

Frank Clifford contacted the Lancashire Evening Telegraph earlier today and said: "After I saw the article I realised it was the sensible thing to do to get together with the other party leaders and come to an amicable resolution. We reached an agreement and everyone is satisfied."

The Tories, who used sit at the front, said they should swap seats with Labour as they are now the second largest group.

But Labour, who shared the back two rows with the Liberal Democrats, said they didn't want to move as they would have their backs faced to the group.

The Tories and Lib Dems claim Labour have been childish after weeks of discussions saw the groups failing to reach a compromise.

But now Labour, who have swapped, say they are happy with the new arrangement.

Labour councillor Colin Waite said after the meeting at Nelson Town Hall: "We are all happy. We are at the heart of democracy, being in the middle.

"The problem we had before is that where we were going to be sat meant that we had our backs to everyone and we couldn't properly become involved in debate."

Council leader Alan Davies opened last night's meeting by saying: "There has been further discussions between group leaders tonight.

"The pattern in front of us tonight is what will prevail from now on."