A NEW Labour and Liberal Democrat joint administration took control of a borough on Wednesday night. The partnership between the two parties was approved at the annual meeting of Burnley Council which had been left ‘hung’ after May 6’s local elections. The move makes new Labour group boss Cllr Afrasiab Anwar the borough’s first South Asian heritage political boss. He was elected despite his party, which had run Burnley Council as a minority administration since September following the collapse of the previous multi-party coalition, losing four councillors in the local elections. The polls left Labour with with 18 councillors with 23 needed to form a majority administration.
This leaves them on 18 with 23 needed to former a majority administration. A major blow was the loss of deputy leader Lian Pate in Brunshaw ward who was the leading candidate to take over the Labour group leadership when current party and council boss Cllr Mark Townsend stands down to become Mayor of the borough later this month. Labour also lost Gawthorpe ward to the Conservatives, Trinity ward to the Greens and Coal Clough and Deerplay to the Liberal Democrats. It was a good election for the Green Party as their representation on the council rose from two to five with wins in Brunshaw for Andy Wight, Scott Cunliffe in Cliviger with Worsthorne, and Martin Hurt in Trinity ward.
AN extension to a pub-turned Tesco store has been approved by councillors despite worries about noise and a 16-foot fence to muffle the sound of deliveries. The shop s neighbour was one of several objectors and was supported by Liberal Democrat councillor Gordon Birtwistle when the application was debated by Burnley Borough Development Control Committee on Thursday. The proposals would add a storage extension to the Tesco Express branch on the corner of Brunshaw Road and Rimington Avenue. The property was formerly the Brunshaw Public House, converted in 2012 to the supermarket chain s outlet. Planning permission was granted for the modular extension and closed-boarded 3.5metre acoustic timber fence.
Updated
Friday, 30th April 2021, 2:30 pm
The shop’s neighbour was one of several objectors and was supported by Liberal Democrat councillor Gordon Birtwistle when the application was debated by Burnley Borough Development Control Committee on Thursday.
The proposals would add a storage extension to the Tesco Express branch on the corner of Brunshaw Road and Rimington Avenue.
The property was formerly the Brunshaw Public House, converted in 2012 to the supermarket chain’s outlet.
Burnley Town Hall
Planning permission was granted for the modular extension and closed-boarded 3.5metre acoustic timber fence.
A condition was imposed restricting deliveries to between 9am and 5pm on Mondays to Saturdays only.
Currently Cllr Mark Townsend leads a minority Labour administration with 22 councillors. Ranged up against it are eight Liberal Democrats, six Conservatives, six Burnley and Padiham Independent Party councillors, two Greens and one Independent. With 15 wards up for election and 61 candidates from seven parties standing the campaign is turning out to be a real dogfight. Labour needs just one gain to form a majority able to implement its priorities of jobs and pandemic recovery but will really struggle to achieve this - and even hold on to the eight wards it is defending. The Liberal Democrats are confident of regaining the Coal Clough with Deerplay seat which went Labour when retiring councillor Bill Brindle defected and are eyeing an unlikely victory in Daneshouse and Stoneyholme.