COUNCILLOR Azhar Ali clung on to his role as leader of Pendle Council by one vote after the Liberal Democrats put forward their own leader, Coun Alan Davies, for the position.

When the recent elections resulted in both parties securing 19 seats, the leaders of the individual parties were unsure as to who would deal with the administration of the hung council.

At the meeting of the full council Coun Davies said that his group had 11 priorities he wanted to see taken on board -- including scrapping the current leader/cabinet structure, the establishment of an Anti Social Behaviour Unit and further expansion of the area committee system in which each town controls its own affairs -- and he wanted to know the feelings of the other parties on these priorities before a new leader was chosen.

He said: "Without substantial agreement on the list we have provided then Pendle's programme for next year would not be one that we could wholeheartedly support. We believe in working openly and honestly with others but not for things we do not believe in.

"I hope that with the addition of good initiatives from the other groups we can agree a programme and then get on with giving Pendle people the council that they deserve."

The list was not approved by the majority of other councillors in the council chamber so Coun John David moved that Coun Davies become the new leader of the council.

In a vote on the position, Coun Ali received 19 votes for his reinstallment and 18 against, while Coun Davies received 18 for and 19 against.

Coun Ali said: "I have read the list sent out by the Lib Dems and a lot of what is in there is existing Pendle Council policy, such as issues around noise nuisance and safer side streets.

"As far as the political structure goes we have agreed to take a review of it in six months time. I think there are many ways of taking this council forward with the current structure, but making sure there is greater involvement with people not only on council, but outside of it too."

Coun Tony Beckett, leader of the Conservative Party, said: "I am quite sure that most of the things on the list most councillors would agree with but I think we should leave things as they are."