INDEPENDENT Jack Alston is set to be Burnley's mayor next year, after Labour finance chief Peter Kenyon declined the invitation to be civic leader.

Coun Kenyon, the most senior councillor not to have been mayor, refused the offer at a private session of the town's policy committee.

Retired dentist Coun Kenyon was not available for comment today, but a town hall spokesman said he had declined for a number of reasons, including the fact that he had never sought to be mayor, although, having received the invitation, he had carefully considered it.

He also had many other commitments.

It means that Coun Alston, a Lowerhouse ward councillor for 18 years and next most senior member, will be invited to take on the mayoralty -- his second invitation in a year!

Last year he was invited to be civic leader if the then mayor-elect Coun Rafique Malik was defeated at May's municipal elections.

He was called upon when previous standby, Padiham Councillor Ann Hudson, declined and then quit the council for personal reasons.

In the event, he was not needed, after Coun Malik was re-elected in Daneshouse ward and became this year's mayor.

Coun Alston, a Labour representative for many years, resigned from the party at the height of the council house allocations row three years ago.

He later successfully defended his seat as an Independent.