CHORLEY'S Labour party kept the majority of council seats in a tense election night where the counting process overshadowed the results.

Electronic counting machines flown over from the US were put to the test as Chorley's voters registered, at 61 per cent, one of the highest returns in any local election in the country.

The election was carried out entirely by postal vote as part of a pilot scheme aimed at improving voter participation.

Labour secured 22 seats, the Conservatives 16, Liberal Democrats six and Independents three.

The final ward count of Clayton-le-Woods North went to a fourth re-count with the machines, run by Nebraskan electoral technician Jerry Hayek, returning a different result every time.

Eventually Jeff Davies, the returning officer, called the result at 2am.

Conservative Roger Livesey missed out to Liberal Democrat Bill Mellor by four votes.

Pat Haughton, a defeated Conservative candidate and election agent had her doubts about the counting machines.

She said: "We would have had more confidence in a manual count, but that would have been very difficult with the turnout we have had."

The first ever all-out postal election in the borough certainly had its desired effect of dispelling voter apathy.

There were tearful scenes as councillor for eight years June Molyneaux, standing for Labour, missed out in a head-to-head battle against Conservative Pat Case in Heath Charnock and Rivington.

June was comforted by her mother Florence -- a successful candidate.

On the results Ken Ball, Liberal Democrat leader, said: "I am quite happy with the way things have turned out and the amount of votes has been excellent."

And Labour leader John Wilson was pleased too. He said: "I am absolutely delighted with the overall response from the Chorley public.

"It shows they support the plans the Labour Party has put forward for a cleaner, safer Chorley and I am very grateful to all electors."

The Results for Chorley Borough Council Elections on Thursday, May 2.

ASTLEY AND BUCKSHAW WARD

Laura Jane Lennox (Lab)...875

Mark Perks (Con)...851

Patricia Mary Haughton (Con)...834

Margaret Rose Fielden (Lab)...656

BRINDLE AND HOGHTON WARD

David Dickinson (Con)...823

Stephen Charlesworth (Lib Dem)...182

Beverley Gore (Lab)...175

CHORLEY EAST WARD

Raymond Parr (Lab)...1658

Patricia Mary Wilson (Lab)...1651

Terrence Brown (Lab)...1536

Melville Coombes (Ind)...711

Jacqueline C Bettney (Con)...596

Jean Mellor (Lib Dem)...521

CHORLEY NORTH EAST WARD

Dennis Edgerley (Lab)...1624

Adrian Lowe (Lib Dem)...1505

Keith Lowe (Lab) ...1419

James Henry Fleming (Con)...795

Elvi Livesey (Con)...683

Eileen Anne Smith (Lib Dem)...640

Graeme Frost (UK Ind)...401

CHORLEY NORTH WEST WARD

Ralph Snape (Ind)...2973

Joyce Snape (Ind)...2612

Robert Gordon Crabtree (Lab)...1161

Peter Malpas (Con)...1011

Linda Norman (Lib Dem)...669

Peter William Higham (Con)...491

Elsie May Perks (Con)...449

CHORLEY SOUTH EAST WARD

Thomas McGowan (Lab)...1508

Steve Holgate (Lab)...1377

Christopher Michael Snow (Lab)...1282

Geoffrey Goodspeed (Con)...959

Sheila Marsden (Con)...931

Barbara Ann Higham (Con)...788

David Porter (Lib Dem)...510

CHORLEY SOUTH WEST WARD

Roy Lees (Lab)...1522

Anthony Gee (Lab)...1498

John Gerald Wilson (Lab)...1457

Dorothy Margaret Pilkington Livesey (Con)...657

Kevan George Haughton (Con)...632

CLAYTON-LE-WOODS WEST AND CUERDEN WARD

Lesley Elizabeth Brownlee (Lab)...916

Thomas Bedford (Con)...827

Samuel Andrew Chapman (Con)...790

Edward Anthony Murphy (Lab)...749

Gail Patricia Ormston (Lib Dem)...457

CLAYTON-LE-WOODS & WHITTLE-LE-WOODS WARD

James Eric Bell (Con)...1816

John Philip Walker (Con) ...1466

Nigel Harvey Baxter (Con)...1418

Sharon A Gray (Lab) ...905

Glenda Charlesworth (Lib Dem)...869

Stuart Brian Harding (Lib Dem)...861

Darren M Woodruff (Lab)...772

George W Harvey (Lab)...673

CLAYTON-LE-WOODS NORTH WARD

Peter George Buckley (Lib Dem)...909

Stephen John Fenn (Lib Dems)...890

William Richard Mellor (Lib Dem)...875

Roger William Livesey (Cons)...871

Alan Cullens (Cons)...869

Jean Elizabeth Cronshaw (Lab)...861

Margaret Magdalene Cullens (Cons)...853

James Freeman (Lab)...795

Anthony Holden (Lab)...700

EUXTON SOUTH WARD

Geoffrey Russell (Con)...1053

Peter Goldsworthy (Con)...1036

Mary Gray (Lab)...965

Marion Lowe (Lab)...855

EUXTON NORTH WARD

Thomas Gray (Lab)...1086

Daniel Peter Gee (Lab)...989

Rosemary Russell (Con)...773

Gordon Marshall Alexander Mitchell (Con) ...769

Mary Buckley (Lib Dem)...234

HEATH CHARNOCK AND RIVINGTON WARD

Mary Patricia Case (Con)...732

June Molyneaux (Lab)...407

PENNINE WARD

Marie Elizabeth Gray (Con)...645

Janet Ross-Mills (Lib Dem)...350

Peter Wilson (Lab)...178

WHEELTON AND WITHNELL WARD

Iris Elaine Smith (Con)...1137

Christopher Howard (Lab)...884

Simon Parkinson (Con) ...746

Shelagh Graham (Lib Dem)...502

Paul Anthony Lowe (Lab)...514

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