THE Green Party has been elected onto Burnley Council for the first time in its 28 year history.

Members described the election result as 'momentous' and 'historic' after Green Party candidate Andrew Fewings was named the councillor for Trinity ward.

He received 789 votes, significantly more than the second placed Labour candidate in the same ward, Howard Baker, the outgoing mayor of Burnley.

Cllr Fewings, who was the only party candidate to be elected across East Lancashire, described the shock victory not merely a win for himself but for the party as a whole.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be elected as the Green Party's first ever councillor on Burnley Council. It's a win for the whole team, not just myself.

"It was a comprehensive win after I won around 65 per cent of the vote. I'm passionate about working on a number of empty properties in our ward.

"I would like to see them up and running again rather than using green spaces for the sake of it."

Green party candidate Jai Redman added: "It's momentous, historic and all of those things are true but not this is not a surprise for us.

"We worked hard with the local community and so supportive in the last couple of years. The hard work starts here now and we are right behind Andy all the way."

UKIP came out surprise winners in Burnley's local election despite the party losing more than 120 councillors on a national level.

Tom Commis becomes the second UKIP councillor to be elected onto Burnley Council, alongside Cllr Alan Hosker, after he received 565 votes from people who live in Hapton with Park.

He narrowly beat the Labour candidate and outgoing councillor Jean Cunningham, who received 512 votes.

Cllr Commis said: "I'm very pleased and grateful to the people of Hapton for electing me.

"I know I have a big job to do to live up to Alan Hosker but I will be working on that during my time on the council.

Cllr Hosker added: "I'm a bit disappointed (about the result) because our other candidates put a lot of work in but we have now got two councillors and we are close to getting back on track."

Despite losing two seats in this year's election, the Labour party retained overall control of the council with 25 seats in total.

Council leader Mark Townsend, who is the leader of the Labour Party, said: "I'm disappointed that we have lost two excellent councillors in Hapton with Park and Trinity.

"Local circumstances in each of those wards decided that but overall we had a record to defend over our six years in control and I think we have defended that extremely well."

Burnley and Padiham Independent Party gained their first ever seat in a local election after Neil Mottershead received 665 votes in the Gannow ward.

The party, which now has four members sitting on the council, was formed last years after a number of Liberal Democrat councillors split from the party.

Former Burnley MP and Liberal Democrat leader Gordon Birtwistle, who was re-elected, said the result was 'expected' after the party lost one seat but retain five on the council.

He said: "We lost Whittlefield with Ightenhill but it was to be expected because Tom Porter, who stood down this year, was one of the most respected councillors in that area."

Cllr Jeff Sumner, who was also re-elected in Rosehill with Burnley Wood ward for the seventh time in a row, said: "It's a great feeling. I must thank the voters of Burnley Wood and Rosehill for their continuous support. I'm a person politician not a party politician and do what I can for the people in my ward."

The Conservative chairman of association and candidate Andrew Newhouse described the result as 'wonderful' after they gained an extra seat on the council in the most hotly contested ward of the election.

Cllr Newhouse said: "It is wonderful and we are over the moon with the result. We are back to five on the council and we got the seat that we really wanted."

Despite the success it came at a cost for the Conservatives as their leader, David Heginbotham, lost his seat on the council.

Cllr Newhouse added: "It's obviously disappointing. He has always engaged his time as a councillor. I'm sure he will keep fighting and helping us in the future."

Election results (in full)

1) Gannow (30.9% turnout)

Neil Mottershead - Burnley and Padiham Indepdent Party - 665 votes (ELECTED)

Christine Sollis - Labour Party - 390 votes

Donald Whitaker - Conservative Party - 152 votes

Kathryn Haworth - Liberal Democrats - 70 votes

Jason Redman - Green Party - 25 votes

2) Brunshaw (24.3% turnout)

Paul Campbell - Labour Party - 648 votes (ELECTED)

Ellen Sunter - Conservatives - 287 votes

Steven Smith - Independent - 171 votes

Janet Hall - Green Party - 52 votes

3) Gawthorpe (29.1% turnout)

Frank Cant - Labour - 463 votes (ELECTED)

Leonard Horace - UKIP - 390 votes

Phillip Clarke - Conservatives - 212 votes

Brendan Morris - Burnley and Padiham Independent - 198 votes

Clare Long-Summers - Green Party - 45 votes

4) Queensgate (33.2% turnout)

Susan Graham - Labour - 693 (ELECTED)

Naweed Manzur - Lib Dems - 386

Susan Nutter - Conservatives - 221

Nigel Baldwin - Greens - 83

5) Bank Hall (34.4% turnout)

Afrasiab Anwar - Labour - 1,096 votes (ELECTED)

Diane Sunter - Conservatives - 228 votes

Martyn Hurt - the Greens - 136 votes

6) Briercliffe (29.4% turnout)

Gordon Lishman - Liberal Democrats - 667 votes (ELECTED)

Christopher Lewis - Labour Party - 292 votes

David Heginbotham - Conservatives - 235 votes

James Mellor - Burnley and Padiham Independent Party - 71 votes

Sarah Hall - the Green Party - 48 votes

7) Cliviger with Worsthorne (38% turnout)

Ivor Emo - Conservatives - 1,035 votes (ELECTED)

Andrew Devanney - Labour - 475 votes

Ceri Carmichael - Green Party - 121 votes

8) Coalclough with Deerplay (32.3% turnout)

Gordon Birtwistle - Lib Dems - 654 (ELECTED)

William Horrocks - Labour Party - 377

Thomas Watson - Conservatives - 193

Anne Whittles - Green party - 76

9) Daneshouse with Stoneyholme (44% turnout)

Shah Hussain - Labour Party - 1,693 (ELECTED)

Neil Kennedy - Lib Dems - 74

Alexander Hall - Green Party - 42

Sheldon Slater - Conservatives - 33

10) Hapton with Park (33.6% turnout)

Tom Commis - UKIP - 565 (ELECTED)

Jean Cunnignham - Labour - 512

Thomas Page - Conservatives - 213

John Alexander - Burnley and Padiham Independent Party - 160

Sandra Byrne - Lib Dems - 84

Stephen Murphy - Green Party - 24

11) Lanehead (33.9% turnout)

Shbana Khan - Labour - 870 (ELECTED)

Margaret Lishman - Lib Dems - 339

Narayana Picton - Conservatives - 281

Crissie Harter - Green Party - 91

12) Rosegrove with Lowerhouse (24.4% turnout)

Beatrice Foster - Labour - 537 (ELECTED)

Lorraine Mehanna - Burnley and Padiham Independent Party - 297

Matthew Nuttall - Conservatives - 176

Barbara Baldwin - Green Party - 81

Ernest Calderbank - UKIP - 74

13) Rosehill with Burnley Wood (31.4% turnout):

Jeff Sumner - Lib Dems - 699 (ELECTED)

Gail Barton - Labour - 493

Philip Chamberlain - Conservatives - 188

Georgiana Ormrod - Green Party - 62

14) Trinity (29.7% turnout):

John Fewings - Green Party - 789 (ELECTED)

Howard Baker - Labour - 291

Michael Paterson - Conservatives - 75

Janet Weaver - Burnley and Padiham Independent Party - 45

15) Whittlefield with Ightenhill (32% turnout)

Dale Ferrier - Conservatives - 415 (ELECTED)

Emma Payne - Burnley and Padiham Independent Party - 356

Grace Donovan - Labour - 326

Peter McCann - Lib Dems - 264

Peter Gill - UKIP - 89

Laura Fisk - Green Party - 40

Raymond Hogan - UK Veterans' and People's Party - 22