THREE Conservative candidates in Rossendale Council's 'all out' elections next month live in Halifax, Cliviger and Threshfield, near Skipton.

All have business interests in the borough, but Labour leader Coun Graham Pearson who is seeking re-election in his Hareholme ward, said: "They may work here but can they truly represent the ward they are standing in if they do not live in the area?"

Rossendale Council was politically divided 24 Conservatives to 12 Labour after the 2000 local elections.

But after boundary changes the 13 wards have been increased to 14 with a new Goodshaw ward being created. The number of councillors remains the same at 36 -- meaning the two major parties had to find 72 candidates between them in order to contest every seat.

All of Labour's candidates live in Rossendale and most reside in the ward they are bidding to be elected in.

In Cribden ward, Richard Clifford Moorfield is standing for the Conservatives and he lives in Threshfield. In Longholme, James Albert Fuke, from Sowood, Halifax, is hoping to secure one of the three seats and in Healey and Whitworth, former Rossendale councillor Andrew Neville, whose home is in Cliviger, is a candidate.

Deputy Conservative leader Coun Neil Smith, a business partner of Mr Neville, said: "They will still be able to represent their ward without any problems if they are elected.

"We chose the best candidates for each post."

A spokeswoman for Rossendale Council said the rules surrounding election candidates state they must either live, work or own land in the borough, be over 21 and not be bankrupt.

Tory Councillor Stephen Birtwell is standing for re-election not representing any party after he was deselected by his party for Worsley ward.

Coun Birtwell, chairman of community services committee, said he has written to the local party asking for reasons why he had not been selected, but he had still not received a detailed reply.