OWL group calls for an ‘innovative’

THE leader of the Our West Lancashire (OWL) group of councillors said he is willing to work with the other parties after Labour lost its control of the council.

In a bruising local election, Labour lost three seats, meaning it no longer has a majority and therefore the ability to automatically form its own cabinet.

Instead, it must form an alliance with another party, attempt to run a minority leadership or form a crossparty working relationship.

That decision will be made at a council meeting on May 19 and OWL chairman Cllr Adrian Owens has opened the door to working alongside the larger two parties.

Cllr Owens was re-elected in Derby ward, while fellow OWL group independent George Clandon won the Burscough West seat which had been held by Labour.

Labour had been in control of the council but saw its share of councillors drop to 26, two below the total needed for a majority and the ability to form its own cabinet.

Speaking after the results were announced, Cllr Owens said the public did not trust either party to run the council alone.

He said: “”Firstly, I want to thank everyone who voted in these elections and especially those residents who supported Our West Lancashire. It was wonderful to see George Clandon elected in Burscough West.

“The council is now “No Overall

Control” and the clear message from West Lancashire voters is that they don’t have confidence in either of the two big parties.

Labour lost four seats to OWL at the last election and lost a further three to others this time.

Another Independent was elected in Skelmersdale, the first non-Labour councillor in the town for decades.

“Meanwhile, the local Conservatives are languishing. They’ve lost a quarter of their councillors under their current Leader in the past seven years.

He added: “Our West Lancashire are ready to talk to both Labour and Conservative. No one has a monopoly of good ideas. We would favour a council with an all-party Executive where the voices of all councillors and the resi