Pendle local election line-up...

THE Liberal Democrats will not field candidates in a quarter of the seats up for grabs in Pendle in the May local elections.

The poll will also see the return of Independent Peter Hartley, otherwise known as Green Pete the poet, who sparked a row last year when he stood as a candidate in both Pendle and Sheffield.

He will join a five-way fight for Vivary Bridge ward, Colne, and six candidates will battle for two seats in neighbouring Waterside following the resignation of Labour's Ann Doult halfway through her time in office due to ill health.

The Lib Dems will not contest four of the 17 seats available on May 4.

Lib Dem group leader Alan Davies said: "We're aiming to take control of the council. We will be fighting a rigorous campaign."

Coun Davies added: "We're concentrating our resources where we think it's best. We're not just putting up candidates for the sake of it."

Former Tory councillor Michael Landriau is trying to return to the chamber by standing in Bradley, Nelson, while Lib Dem Tim Haigh is aiming to return as an Earby councillor and rejoin wife Doris on the authority a year after losing his seat.

Father and son Bryan and Neil Akrigg are aiming to keep hold of neighbouring wards Clover Hill and Brierfield for Labour whilst husband and wife team Tim and Dorothy Ormrod are both fighting to retain seats in Marsden, Nelson, and Waterside, Colne for Labour.

The current make-up of the council is Lib Dem 23, Labour 19, Conservatives eight and one vacant. The candidates by ward are:

BARROWFORD: Tony Beckett (Con); Robert Oliver (Lab); Michael Simpson (Lib Dem).

BOULSWORTH: Jo Belbin (Lib Dem)*; Bob Parsons (Lab); Harold Ryder (Con).

BRADLEY: Michael Landriau (Con); Mohammed Munir (Lib Dem); Christine Stables (Lab).

BRIERFIELD: Bryan Akrigg (Lab)*; Frank Chadwick (Con); Doris Stanworth (Lib Dem).

CLOVER HILL: Neil Akrigg (Lab)*; David French (Lib Dem); Ann Jackson (Con).

COATES: John Edwards (Lab); Morris Horsfield (Con); Jacqueline Taylforth (Lib Dem).

CRAVEN: Edward Myers (Con); Jennifer Purcell (Lab); David Whipp (Lib Dem)*.

EARBY: David Foat (Lab); Tim Haigh (Lib Dem); Christopher Tennant (Con).

HORSFIELD: Colin Nightingale (Lab); Geoffrey Riley (Con); Ian Wensley (Lib Dem).

MARSDEN: Jonathan Eyre (Con); Dorothy Ormrod (Lab)*.

PENDLESIDE: Shelagh Derwent (Con)*; Anthony Martin (Lab). REEDLEY: Pauline McCormick (Con)*; Mohammad Tariq (Lab).

SOUTHFIELD: Mohammad Latif (Lab); Peter Wildman (Con).

VIVARY BRIDGE: Peter Hartley (Ind Green); James Ilott (Con); Dorothy Lord (Lib Dem)*; Peter Nowland (Ind); David Whalley (Lab)

WALVERDEN: Roger Abbiss (Con)*; George Adam (Lab); Ajaz Ditta (Lib Dem).

WATERSIDE (Two seats): John Beck (Lib Dem); Adam Mitchell (Con); Tim Ormrod (Lab)*; Alexandra Thompson (Con); Ian Tweedie (Lab) Linda Whittle (Lib Dem)

WHITEFIELD: Liaquat Ali (Lib Dem); Robert Holden (Con); Rashid Qadri (Lab)

* Denotes retiring councillor.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.