CONSERVATIVES in Hyndburn have announced a team to run the council for the year ahead following their stunning victory at the local elections.

Tory leader Peter Britcliffe will take up the reins of power at the council's annual meeting next week, with Coun Jim Dickinson as his deputy.

The Tories seized control of the borough after finishing neck-and-neck with Labour at last Thursday's poll.

The two groups were locked on 23 seats apiece, leaving Hyndburn with a hung council. But lone independent councillor Adrian Shurmer, who unseated Labour leader George Slynn, has given his "qualified support" to the Conservatives, allowing them to take power.

In a major shake-up to the way the council is run, housing services has been split into separate regeneration and social housing committees.

And a special budget board has been set up to allow members to monitor the town hall purse strings throughout the year. Coun Jim Dickinson said: "There are some exciting challenges ahead and we believe we have a team which will achieve progress.

"We want to deliver our election pledges on cleaning up the borough, improving housing and economic development.

"One important issue is the installation of showers in older people's homes, because some have been waiting years.

"We want to improve leisure facilities in the borough and we will set substantial money aside for that, as well as seeking partnership funding.

"We have set up the social housing board to bring some of the members closer to the issues. They will go out and meet people and look at how we can raise money for improvements in the private and public sector."

Meanwhile, the Labour group has chosen Coun Ken Curtis to lead the opposition, with Coun Len Dickinson as his deputy. Coun Curtis, 70, a borough councillor for 28 years, will take over for a second time following a stint as council leader during the 1980s.

He said: "We must not oppose for the sake of opposing the leading group. We must work with them to show we are a responsible group, because we are here for the people of Hyndburn."

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