Elections results 2021: Tories hold on to Lancashire County Council

Geoff Driver has been involved in politics in Lancashire for almost 60 years

The Conservatives have held on to control of Lancashire County Council after its deputy leader said residents "put their trust" in the party.

It reached the 43-seat threshold to remain in control at County Hall.

The leader will be decided by a secret ballot of Tory group members after Geoff Driver stepped down.

Labour held on to power in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Preston, but lost control of Rossendale and West Lancashire. Tories won back Pendle.

West Lancashire now has no overall control after Labour lost three seats, leaving them two seats short of a majority.

The Conservatives have made significant gains in council elections elsewhere in England, while Labour has lost control in some of its former strongholds.

County councillor Keith Iddon told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he believed the Tories had secured victory because they had delivered on promises made at the 2017 election and "turned the county council around from having a £200m deficit".

The deputy leader said he had put his name forward for the vacant position as county council leader after Mr Driver - who has led the authority for the eight out of the last 12 years - decided to step down at this election.

• Lancashire County Council results

• West Lancashire Borough Council results

Meanwhile, Labour opposition group leader Azhar Ali said the wider political backdrop had prevented the party in Lancashire from capturing the county council.

"There is a national Tory bounce on the back of the vaccination rollout, despite almost 130,000 people having died - and it's very difficult to swim against a tide that was in favour of the Conservatives in these elections," he said.

The Tory party made the 43-seat threshold to form an administration at County Hall

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