# 2021 Burnley Borough Council election

The 2021 Burnley Borough Council election took place on 6 May 2021 to elect members of Burnley Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections. As with many other local elections in England, it was postponed from May 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One third of the council was up for election, and each successful candidate will serve a three-year term of office, expiring in 2024. These seats were last contested in 2016.
Following the 2019 election, a coalition executive was formed by all the other parties after Labour lost control of the council. Led by Alan Hosker UKIP had collected all three seats in Hapton with Park ward after 2019. Its three councillors joined the Conservative group in 2020 with Hosker later being elected as group leader. A rupture occurred within the Conservative group later in the year, amidst Hosker's attempts to obtain a position on the executive for himself. This precipitated the collapse of the coalition in September 2020, with Labour's Mark Townsend temporally returning to the role of Council leader in a minority administration, but expected to stand down after the election to become Mayor.
Andrew Newhouse, who won Cliviger with Worsthorne for the Conservatives in 2016, defected to the Burnley and Padiham Independent Party shortly afterward. Bill Brindle, who won Coalclough and Deerplay for the Lib Dems in 2016 but (along with his wife) joined the Labour group in 2018, decided to retire rather than stand again. Mark Payne, who won Gannow for the Lib Dems in 2016, was one of the councillors who left the party over its stance on Brexit to form the Burnley and Padiham Independent Party in 2017. David Roper (Whittlefield with Ightenhill) who also left the party at that time but continued as an independent, was another who did not stand for re-election.
After the election the council remained in no overall control, with Labour's Afrasiab Anwar taking over from Mark Townsend as council leader in a coalition with the Lib Dems.

## State of the Parties

After the election, the composition of the council (compared with May 2019) was:
| Party | Seats | ± |
| Labour | 18 | 4 |
| Conservative | 9 | 5 |
| Liberal Democrat | 8 | 0 |
| BAPIP | 5 | 0 |
| Green | 5 | 3 |
| UKIP | 0 | 3 |
| Independent | 0 | 1 |

## Election results
### Overall election result

Results
Seats Gained by Parties :
| Party | Party | Councillors | Councillors | Councillors | Votes | Votes |
| Party | Party | Elected | Of total | Full Council | | Of total |
| | Labour Party | 5 | 33.3% | 18 / 45 | 7,719 | 34.5% |
| | Conservative Party | 4 | 26.7% | 9 / 45 | 7,261 | 32.4% |
| | Green Party | 3 | 20.0% | 5 / 45 | 3,755 | 16.8% |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2 | 13.3% | 8 / 45 | 2,063 | 9.2% |
| | Burnley and Padiham Independent Party | 1 | 6.7% | 5 / 45 | 1,529 | 6.8% |
| | National Front | 0 | 0.0% | 0 / 45 | 45 | 0.2% |
| | Social Democratic Party | 0 | 0.0% | 0 / 45 | 21 | 0.1% |

## Ward results
### Bank Hall

Bank Hall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lubna Khan | 956 | 66.9 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | Maison McGowan-Doe | 314 | 22.0 | +9.9 |
| | Green | Julie Hurt | 158 | 11.1 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 642 | 44.9 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,428 | 34.1 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Briercliffe

Briercliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Lishman | 693 | 49.9 | −12.8 |
| | Conservative | Mike Steel | 404 | 29.1 | +18.6 |
| | Labour | Shelagh Limmer | 217 | 15.6 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Victoria Alker | 76 | 5.5 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 289 | 20.8 | −27.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,390 | 32.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Brunshaw

Brunshaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Andy Wight | 462 | 38.7 | +20.7 |
| | Conservative | Claire Ingham | 399 | 33.4 | +16.7 |
| | Labour Co-op | Lian Pate | 333 | 27.9 | −21.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 5.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,194 | 25.6 | |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Cliviger and Worsthorne

Cliviger and Worsthorne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Scott Cunliffe | 959 | 47.1 | +34.4 |
| | Conservative | Richard Piers | 757 | 37.2 | −9.1 |
| | Labour | Carol Lukey | 152 | 7.5 | −6.8 |
| | BAPIP | Andrew Newhouse | 71 | 3.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pippa Lishman | 50 | 2.5 | N/A |
| | National Front | Steven Smith | 45 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 202 | 9.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,034 | 47.4 | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Coalclough and Deerplay

Coalclough and Deerplay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jacqueline Inckle | 508 | 36.5 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative | Linda Whittaker | 323 | 23.2 | +11.2 |
| | Labour | Bill Horrocks | 322 | 23.1 | −0.2 |
| | BAPIP | Jimmy Anderson | 178 | 12.8 | −14.7 |
| | Green | Arash Sedighi | 60 | 4.3 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 185 | 13.3 | +10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,391 | 35.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Daneshouse and Stoneyholme

Daneshouse and Stoneyholme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Saeed Chaudhary | 1,376 | 70.6 | −19.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mohammed Hajji-Nazrul | 461 | 23.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Tom Watson | 70 | 3.6 | −0.2 |
| | Green | Janet Hall | 43 | 2.2 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 915 | 47.0 | −37.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,950 | — | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Gannow

Gannow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BAPIP | Mark Payne | 508 | 40.4 | −29.8 |
| | Labour | Fiona Wild | 278 | 22.1 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | Darren Broughton | 250 | 19.9 | +12.1 |
| | Green | Jai Redman | 152 | 12.1 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley Sumner | 69 | 5.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 230 | 18.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,257 | 29.5 | |
| | BAPIP gain from Liberal Democrats | BAPIP gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Gawthorpe

Gawthorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Karen Ingham | 776 | 56.0 | +15.7 |
| | Labour | Kate Proctor | 530 | 38.2 | −2.7 |
| | Green | Joseph Davis | 80 | 5.8 | −2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 246 | 17.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,386 | 30.7 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Hapton with Park

Hapton with Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alan Hosker | 1,256 | 73.8 | +63.1 |
| | Labour | Alun Lewis | 340 | 20.0 | −0.8 |
| | Green | Duncan Reed | 106 | 6.2 | −13.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 916 | 53.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,702 | 36.8 | |
| | Conservative gain from UKIP | Conservative gain from UKIP | Swing | | |

### Lanehead

Lanehead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Asif Raja | 863 | 50.1 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Jamie McGowan | 667 | 38.7 | +27.8 |
| | Green | Mark Alker | 194 | 11.3 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 11.4 | −10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,724 | 37.8 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Queensgate

Queensgate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arif Khan | 1,105 | 64.5 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Alfie White | 444 | 25.9 | +14.1 |
| | Green | Helen Bridges | 163 | 9.5 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 661 | 38.6 | −15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,712 | 41.1 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Rosegrove with Lowerhouse

Rosegrove with Lowerhouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Marcus Johnstone | 387 | 30.5 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Joanne Broughton | 353 | 27.8 | +17.5 |
| | BAPIP | Dave Alexander | 352 | 27.7 | −20.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Taylor | 109 | 8.6 | N/A |
| | Green | Jane Davis | 69 | 5.4 | −5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 34 | 2.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,270 | 25.8 | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | | |

### Rosehill with Burnley Wood

Rosehill with Burnley Wood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phil Chamberlain | 420 | 31.6 | +22.3 |
| | Labour | Margaret Brindle | 411 | 30.9 | +8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter McCann | 379 | 28.5 | −13.1 |
| | Green | Tony Davis | 120 | 9.0 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,330 | 29.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Trinity

Trinity :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Martyn Hurt | 634 | 57.4 | −9.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | Tony Martin | 242 | 21.9 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Susan Nutter | 162 | 14.7 | +11.7 |
| | BAPIP | Stephanie Forrest | 67 | 6.1 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 392 | 35.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,105 | 26.9 | |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Whittlefield with Ightenhill

Whittlefield with Ightenhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Don Whitaker | 666 | 36.8 | +14.4 |
| | Green | Emma Simpkin | 479 | 26.5 | −6.5 |
| | BAPIP | Nicola Sedgwick | 353 | 19.5 | −13.6 |
| | Labour | Shaun Sproule | 207 | 11.4 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kathryn Haworth | 83 | 4.6 | +1.3 |
| | SDP | Mitchell Cryer | 21 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 187 | 10.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,809 | 39.3 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |