LABOUR continued to dominate the town hall in the battle for control of the new unitary authority Blackburn with Darwen.

The biggest changes were the increase in the number of Asian councillors - from three to nine - and the two new seats created by boundary changes in North Turton and Tockholes.

The only nail-biting moment in the county council elections for Hyndburn was council leader George Slynn's close contest with Conservative Association chairman Win Frankland and Liberal Democrat Michael Gradwell.

The borough's only new face is Councillor Ian Ormerod, who replaced retiring Cath Thom in Rishton, Altham and Clayton-le-Moors.

BLACKBURN with DARWEN:

Audley: P Greenwood (Lab) 2,201, W Taylor (Lab) 1,992, S Kiani (Lab) 1,784.

Bastwell: M Bari (Lab) 1,779, Mafooz Hussein (Lab) 1,657, Mo Hussain (Lab) 1,529.

Beardwood and Lammack: Sheila Williams (Con) 2,322, M Lee (Con) 2,138, J Hirst (Con) 2,122.

Corporation Park: G Taylor (Con) 1,490, D Walsh (Lab) 1,294, A Whalley (Lab) 1,250.

Ewood: M Bateson (Lab) 1,855, F Oldfield (Lab) 1,780, J Milburn (Lab) 1,594.

Higher Croft: J Bury (Lab) 1,350, A Kay (Lab) 1,164, J Fairless (Lab) 1,115.

Little Harwood and Whitebirk: F Gorton (Lab) 1,867, D Greenwood (Lab) 1,721, J Virmani (Lab) 1,386.

Livesey with Pleasington: E Arnold (Con) 2,226, A Cottam (Con) 2,145, J Williams (Con) 1,949.

Meadowhead: M Rishton (Lab) 1,488, J Parker (Lab) 1,341, W Pickup (Lab) 1,309.

Mill Hill: M Doherty (Lab) 1,646, D Harling (Lab) 1,327, G Barton (Lab) 1,315.

Queen's Park: S Greenwood (Lab) 1,582, S Mulla (Lab) 1,090, P Edmondson (Lib Dem) 1,058.

Roe Lee: M McGarvey (Con) 1,814, D Pearson (Con) 1,709, D Taylor (Con) 1,678.

Shadsworth: J Blackburn (Lab) 1,632, M Madigan (Lab) 1,275, A Humphrys (Lab) 1,176

Shear Brow: H Akhtar (Lab) 1,836, M Johnson (Lab) 1,795, A Patel (Lab) 1,600.

Wensley Fold: D Rishton (Lab) 1,642, C Hollern (Lab) 1,641, M Khan (Lab) 1,558.

Earcroft: S Danczuk (Lab) 1,728, M Barrett (Lab) 1,566, M Leaver (Lab) 1,527.

East Rural: F Slater (Con) 630, G Evans (Lab) 341, B Dunning (Lib Dem) 289.

Marsh House: F Connor (Lab) 1,909, K Ramsden (Lab) 1,520, D Peterson (Lab) 1,510.

North Turton with Tockholes: C Rigby (Con) 1,623, J Peet (Lab) 1,021.

Sudell: E Entwistle (Lab) 1,756, P Browne (Lib Dem) 1,726, D Brindle (Lab) 1,562.

Sunnyhurst: D Smith (Lab) 1,941, S Reid (Lab) 1,528, D Hollings (Lab) 1,525.

Whitehall: K Foster (Lib Dem) 1,184, D Foster (Lib Dem) 1,183.

HYNDBURN:

*denotes sitting councillor

Accrington Central: *D Pollit (Lab) 2,880; S Crooks (Con) 1,453.

Accrington South: *W Dwyer (Lab) 3,794, D Scholes (Con) 2,566, T Whitchelo (Lib Dem) 998.

Church and Accrington North: *J Battle (Lab) 4,601, A Barter (Con) 2,405, M Pritchard (Lib Dem) 1,312.

Great Harwood: *G Slynn (Lab) 2,824, W Frankland (Con) 2,112, M Gradwell (Lib Dem) 1,312.

Oswaldtwistle: *D Westell (Lab) 4,871, B Walmsley (Con) 3,854.

Rishton, Clayton-le-Moors, Altham: I Ormerod (Lab) 4,541, R Pinder (Con) 3,367.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.