LABOUR resisted challenges from all sides as they strengthened their presence in the council chamber by one seat in yesterday's (Thurs May 2) local elections. There were no major shocks as many leading candidates retained their seats.

But the main winner on the night was democracy as the average turnout was 36.3 per cent, up nine per cent compared to 2000.

The new balance of the council is Labour 33, Conservatives, 12, and Lib Dems three.

Seven candidates for the Environment and Wildlife party all lost.

Tory group leader David Higgin retained his Tottington seat with a 1,069 majority, but saw his party lose one seat to Labour on the night.

The casualty was in Radcliffe North where Labour's Sharon Briggs ousted Tory councillor Denise Bigg with a majority of 296.

Councillor Higgin said: "We are disappointed that we did not do better. We had high hopes of gaining a few seats this time. Turnout percentages were quite good which was positive, but they were not good results for us."

Labour leader Councillor John Byrne said: "This is absolutely marvellous compared with 2000 when we lost seats, and we were fearful we might lose seats again. The Tories were expecting to take three seats and the Lib Dems, Sedgley.

He added: "We have got school closures hanging round our necks, but we are doing what we think is right."

Ex-mayors John Costello (Elton) and Gordon Sharkey (Unsworth) were both re-elected in what were considered marginal wards.

The narrowest winning margin was Labour's Joan Grimshaw, who defeated Tory rival Peter Redstone by 88 votes in Pilkington Park.

A major factor in the increased vote is thought to have been the postal vote which, for the first time in a local election, was made freely available.

Sixteen seats were in the melting pot at last night's count, which make up one third of Bury Council. Before last night, Labour had held 32, Conservatives 13, and Lib Dems 3.

A triumphant Ivan Lewis, Bury South MP, said the result was a vindication of a Labour Government and council working in partnership.

Where you vote went:

(* denotes councillor seeking re-election, Turnouts are percentages of the total number of people in the ward eligible to vote)

RAMSBOTTOM

*Dorothy Gunther (Con)...2301

Vera McClung (Lab)...1508

Fiona Davison (Lib Dem)...466

Majority...793

Turnout..38.6.

TORY HOLD

TOTTINGTON

*David Higgin (Con)...2182

Victor McClung (Lab)...1113

James Eagle (Lib Dem)...470

Majority...1069

Turnout...37.22

TORY HOLD

ELTON

*John Costello (Lab)...1433

Kevin Gould (Con)...1248

Robert Sloss (Lib Dem)...351

Louise Llewellyn (E&W)...230

Majority...185

Turnout...35.52

LABOUR HOLD

MOORSIDE

*Dot Cassidy (Lab)...1437

Beverly Sullivan (Con)...1234

Mary Heath (E&W)...257

Winifred Rohmann (Lib Dem)...206

Majority...203

Turnout...38

LABOUR HOLD

CHURCH

*Jack Walton (Con)...1936

Andrew McAnulty (Lab)...1425

Michael Wellock (E&W)...410

Majority...511

Turnout...42.7

TORY HOLD

REDVALES

*Farook Chaudhry (Lab)...1338

Azhar Mahmood (Con)...1032

Martin Robinson-Dowland (Lib Dem)...441

Glyn Heath (E&W)...246

Majority...306

Turnout...37.48

LABOUR HOLD

EAST

*Mike Connolly (Lab)...1410

Peter Ashworth (Con)...575

Victor Hagan (Lib Dem)...231

David Bentley (E&W)...154

Majority...935

Turnout...31.43

LABOUR HOLD

UNSWORTH

*Gordon Sharkey (Lab)...1444

Sam Cohen (Con)...1168

Geoffrey Young (Lib Dem)...281

Martin Prescott (E&W)...175

Majority...276

Turnout...38.01

LABOUR HOLD

RADCLIFFE NORTH

Sharon Briggs (Lab)...1994

*Denise Bigg (Con)...1698

Majority...296

Turnout...35.1

LABOUR GAIN

RADCLIFFE CENTRAL

Andrea Hughes (Lab)...1803

Alan Bigg (Con)...616

Bryn Hackley (Lib Dem)...382

Majority...1,187

Turnout...32.24

LABOUR HOLD

RADCLIFFE SOUTH

*Steve Perkins (Lab)...1238

David Green (Con)...909

Theodor Tymczyna (Lib Dem)...209

Bryan Partington (E&W)...164

Majority...329

Turnout...31.02

LABOUR HOLD

PILKINGTON PARK

Joan Grimshaw (Lab)...1438

Peter Redstone (Con)...1350

Mary D'Albert (Lib Dem)...299

Majority...88

Turnout...39.16

LABOUR HOLD

BESSES

Ken Audin (Lab)...1,277

Mark Roberts (Con)...473

Ann Garner (Lib Dem)...303

Majority...804

Turnout...29.8

LABOUR HOLD

ST MARY'S

Keith Grime (Lab)...1779

Antony Barlow (Con)...871

Michael Halsall (Lib Dem)...516

Gerard Van Hecke (Ind)...171

Majority..908

TURNOUT.36.84

LABOUR HOLD

SEDGLEY

Peter Timperley (Lab)...1894

Janet Turner (Lib Dem)...943

Marilyn Vincent (Con)...573

Majority...951

Turnout...42.42

LABOUR HOLD

HOLYROOD

*Tim Pickstone (Lib Dem)...1426

Susan Worsley (Lab)...869

Jeannette Chrystal (Con)...465

Rita McLoughlin (Soc All)...112

Majority...557

Turnout...35.24

LIB DEM HOLD