PRESTON City Council's elections brought no real surprises with the Labour party keeping control of the council.

But with 25 seats, Labour have no overall majority.

So the Liberal Democrats called on the council's cabinet to step down, and agree to forming a rainbow coalition to represent the parties proportionately.

Coun Bill Chadwick, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "The people of Preston have decided not to entrust Government to one party.

"There is no one party with out-right control.

"We are therefore calling on the cabinet to resign immediately.

"But we are delighted with the result, and we made two gains. So from a party point of view we are absolutely thrilled."

But Coun Ian Hall, head of the Labour party, and council leader, has no intention of sharing power.

He said: "Coun Chadwick's view is that the whole of the cabinet and scrutiny committee should be shared out according to the seats. I don't agree because you have to have a party that is running the situation.

"How do you run a cabinet? My view is that the biggest party should run things. There are adequate safe guards."

And a delighted Coun Ken Hudson, Conservative leader, saw his party's seats increase by two.

He said: "We expected to have picked up more seats but we are delighted.

"Tulketh was a tense ward, with two re-counts, but Coun McManus won, and we are delighted to retain a very good, hard-working councillor.

"We have got a number of new councillors -- we made two gains, going up from 17 seats to 19."

And the eyes of the North West were on Preston as it experimented with two wards voting by post.

Pamela Gordon from the Electoral Commission in London was in Preston to oversee the process as the votes were counted from Preston Rural North and Ribbleton.

She said: "They look very encouraging and as far as I know they fit a pattern so that postal voting looks as if it has got a definite future to expand.

"The commission will be making recommendations to the Government. The question of postal voting comes within that.

"There are around three dozen pilots around the country. But it's not all postal votes.

"Some have internet voting or mobile phones. Some people are trying out different ballot papers.

"We will be doing calculations when we look at what has happened across the board."

The three party leaders were due to meet this morning to discuss the running of the council.

Results Round-up:

Ashton ward

Keith Sedgewick (Cons) 579, William Tyson (Cons) 558.

Brookfield ward

John Browne (Lab) 871, Nerys Eaves (Lab) 728, Jonathan Saksena (Lab) 804.

Cadley ward

Alan Hackett (Lib Dem) 1070, Michael Onyon (Lib Dem) 880.

College ward

Kathleen Cartwright (Cons) 731, Jill Truby (Cons) 680.

Deepdale ward

Joyce Cartwright 572, Terry Cartwright 637.

Fishwick ward

Harold Parker (Lab) 534, Ismail Patel (Lab) 476.

Garrison ward

Jennifer Greenhalgh (Cons) 982, Stuart Greenhalgh (Cons) 949, Marie Milne (Cons) 940.

Greyfriars ward

Geoff Driver (Cons) 1770, Joseph Hood (Cons) 1883, Peter Horton (Cons) 1701.

Ingol ward

Bill Chadwick (Lib Dem) 970, Margaret Marshall (Lib Dem) 896, Ronald Marshall (Lib Dem) 889.

Larches ward

Kathleen Derbyshire (Lib Dem) 723, Daniel Gallagher (Lib Dem) 710, Peter Ward (Lab) 705.

Lea ward

Christine Abram (Lib Dem) 903, Norman Abram (Lib Dem) 870, Pauline Brown (Lib Dem) 837.

Moor Park ward

John Collins (Lab) 655, Franceso De Molfetta (Lab) 608.

Preston Rural East ward

Neil Cartwright (Cons) 905, Geoff Swarbrick (Cons) 926.

Preston Rural North ward

Kathryn Calder (Cons) 1715, Ken Hudson (Cons) 1826, Martin Landless (Cons) 1746.

Ribbleton ward

Andy Campbell (Lab) 985, Brian Rollo (Lab) 924, Patricia Woods 1000.

Riversway ward

Elaine Abbot (Lab) 650, Bhikhu Patel (Lab) 581, Alan Valentine (Lib Dem) 697.

Sharoe Green ward

Elizabeth Clarkson (Cons) 1043, Rowena Edmondson (Cons) 1067, Eric Fazckerley (Cons) 1041.

St George's ward

Yunis Khan (Lab) 491, Siraz Natha (Lab) 471.

St Matthew's ward

Veronica Afrin (Lab) 785, Ian Hall (Lab) 762, Albert Richardson (Lab) 907.

Town Centre ward

Ronald Atkins (Lab) 802, Ken Cole (Lab) 786, Musa Jiwa (Lab) 708.

Tulketh ward

Jean Al-Serraj (Lab) 764, Matthew Brown (Lab) 718, Margaret McManus (Cons) 680.

University ward

Lynford Crompton (Lab) 256, John Swindells (Lab) 223.