BURNLEY residents go to the polls on May 5 with the Liberal Democrats still ruling the roost.

However, the party, under Coun Charlie Briggs, is running a minority administration with 20 out of the borough’s 45 seats.

The next largest party, Labour, has only 15, but will by buoyed by a recent by-election victory, which saw Bea Foster take a seat at Rosegrove with Lowerhouse.

The Lib Dems and Conservatives, who currently hold five seats, have forged an alliance before to share control.

From a high of nine councillors, the British National Party is down to two but also saw an increased turnout at Rosegrove, beating the Liberal Democrats into third place.

Council leader Coun Charlie Briggs is facing a four-way fight to retain his Gannow seat, with former county councillor Stephen Large, Tory Barry Robinson and David Shapcott, of the British National Party, on the ballot.

And ex-Labour group deputy leader Mark Townsend is bidding to return to the fold, vying for his old Brunshaw seat against Kathryn Haworth (Lib Dem) and Alex Harrison (Con).

Independent councillor John Jones, who now lives in the Stockport area, is not seeking re-election there.

Other councillors standing down include Hapton with Park’s Len Starr, former BNP head, and ex-mayor Maureen McCaffrey, in Coal Clough with Deerplay.

Fifteen places are up for grabs, including two vacant seats caused by the death of Frank Ashworth, in Rosehill with Burnley Wood, and Imtiaz Hussain’s disqualification for non-attendance, in Bank Hall ward.

Labour and the Lib Dems are the only parties fielding candidates in every ward.

Bank Hall

John Fifield Labour
Arthur Gordon Lishman Liberal Democrat.

Briercliffe

Brian Cooper Labour
Anne Rosemarie Kelly Liberal Democrat
Susan Margaret Nutter Conservative.

Brunshaw

Alex Harrison Conservative
Kathryn Haworth Liberal Democrat
Mark Townsend Labour.

Cliviger with Worsthorne

Tony Martin Labour
Paula Christine Riley Liberal Democrat
Cosima Towneley Conservative.

Coalclough with Deerplay

Margaret Brindle Liberal Democrat
Anthony Jackson Conservative
Alex Mclachlan Labour
Angela Denise Vanns British National Party.

Daneshouse with Stoneyholme

Wajid Khan Labour
Abdul Rokib Liberal Democrat.

Gannow

Charlie Briggs Liberal Democrat
Stephen James Large Labour
Barry Robinson Conservative
David Shapcott British National Party.

Gawthorpe

David Matthew Carter Liberal Democrat
John Harbour Labour
Paul Robinson British National Party.

Hapton with Park

Derek Dawson British National Party
Joanne Greenwood Labour
Claire Gemma McCann Liberal Democrat
Victoria Louise Taylor Conservative.

Lanehead

Paul Coates Conservative
Michael Gerard McHugh UK Independence Party
Ann Royle Labour
Martin William Smith Liberal Democrat.

Queensgate

Janet Brown Liberal Democrat
Mohammed Arif Khan Labour.

Rosegrove with Lowerhouse

Mathew Isherwood Conservative
Paul McDevitt British National Party
Kate Mottershead Liberal Democrat
Stephen Paul Reynolds Labour.

Rosehill with Burnley Wood

Paul Fraser Campbell Labour
Tracy Kennedy Liberal Democrat
Christopher William Vanns British National Party.

Trinity

Martyn Hurt Liberal Democrat
Elizabeth Monk Labour
Jack Picton Conservative
Chris Vanns British National Party.

Whittlefield with Ightenhill

Ida Carmichael Conservative
Nicholas Anthony Madden Labour
Debbie Porter Liberal Democrat.