THE overall position of Craven District Council was little changed following the poll, in which ten seats were up for election, although two wards were uncontested.

In the Bentham ward, sitting Conservative councillor Gerald Hurtley, 47, of Low Bentham, who has held the seat for five years, was returned with 521 votes.

His challenger, Independent Manuel Camacho, 59, from Bentham, was not far behind and polled 490 votes.

The overall results were 11 seats for the Conservatives who lost two, ten for the Independents who gained two, and nine for the Liberal Democrats who kept the same number of seats.

The council has been controlled by an Independent and Lib Dem group and the election paves the way for the same arrangement to continue.

May 2, 2003 10:00