Burnley: Labour back in control of hung council

Burnley had 327.3 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of people up to 27 September

Labour has returned to power at Burnley Council despite not having a majority.

Councillor Mark Townsend was elected leader at a meeting on Wednesday.

It follows the collapse of a coalition of the Independents, Tories and Lib Dems last month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

The new leader said the authority's priority was to "get on top of the virus" as Burnley currently has the highest rate of coronavirus infections in England.

Public health figures show the town had 327.3 cases per 100,000 of people in the week up to 27 September.

Mr Townsend received 28 votes for the top job, with only three councillors voting against him out of the 45.

'Health emergency'

A bid by Independent councillor David Roper to stand for the leader failed after he was not seconded.

The coalition led by the Burnley and Padiham Independent Party's councillor Charlie Briggs fell apart when new Tory leader councillor Alan Hosker removed two members - councillor Cosima Towneley and councillor Ivor Emo - from the ruling executive.

The Lib Dems leader councillor Gordon Birtwistle refused to accept Mr Hosker and his other nomination councillor Andrew Newhouse as replacements, and Mr Briggs resigned last month.

Mr Townsend said the council needs to put "what has happened in the past".

He said it was "very challenging times because we have a health emergency and a jobs crisis".

"We are at the top of a league that we definitely do not want to be top of when you look at the infection rates for Covid-19 and we face a very difficult autumn and winter in front of us," he said.

"We now need to look forward not back... and do everything we can as a council working with partners to get on top of this virus."