LABOUR gained an extra two seats taking overall during the Barrow Borough Council elections.

The party already held half of the 38-seats before a third of them went up for grabs during Thursday's election.

Following the election Labour has 21-seats, Conservative lost one and now has 14 seats and the Independent Party stayed the same with three seats. The average turnout of voters for the borough was 24.81 per cent.

Both councillors representing Dalton North and Dalton South wards were voted in again. A recount had to be held for the Dalton North seat but Labour councillor, John Major, of Lancaster Street, Dalton, clinched the seat with a majority of 17. He was first elected onto the council in 1996. Conservative candidate Lynn Murray, of Turnstown Crescent, Askam-in-Furness, got 414 votes and Independent candidate Tom Weall, of Snipe Gill, Marton, 368.

The turnout of voters in Dalton North was 25.45 per cent and in Dalton South 21.4 per cent.

In the Dalton South ward conservative councillor Dorothy James, of Prince Street, Dalton, claimed the seat with a majority of 86. Independent candidate Ian Singleton, of Lord Street, Dalton got 137 votes, Labour candidate Dennis Toye, of William Street, Dalton, 341 votes and Dorothy Turner of the People's Party, 58.

Coun James was first elected onto Barrow Borough Council 12-years ago. She is also a Dalton Town councillor after joining in November 2,001.

Coun James said: "I am really pleased to have been voted on again as it isn't easily. I am really grateful to everyone for voting for me.

"I have two main projects that I am going to work on and they are setting up a youth council in Dalton and trying to get some playing fields in the town, so I will be working with Coun Gordon Murray.

"Now that the elections are out of the way, as they are hard work, I can get on with the projects."

May 2, 2003 11:00