A NUMBER of intriguing contests are in prospect in the Hyndburn Council election line-up announced this week.
Conservatives and Labour are battling for control of the council which currently stands on a knife-edge, and both will be contesting all 11 seats up for grabs.
The Tories currently have 18 seats to Labour's 17.
But in order to wrest control Labour would have to hold all eight seats it is defending as well as unseating one of the Tories' Oswaldtwistle "big guns", leader Peter Britcliffe and husband-and-wife team Doug and Sandra Hayes.
A major plank of Labour's policy is its pledge to restore the borough's popular community wardens who were axed after funding ran out.
The Tories, on the other hand, will point to the council's improving financial position since a ''black hole'' of £1.8M debt was found in 2003.
Only two other candidates had put their names forward when nominations closed on Monday.
Controversial Nick Collingridge, who resigned as a member of the Clayton-le-Moors Neighbourhood Management Board after being cautioned by police for singing racist songs at a Christmas party, will challenge Labour's Tim O'Kane in the town.
And Lib Dem veteran Bill Greene, who fought Hyndburn in the last two General Elections, will stand against Peter Britcliffe and Labour's Gayle Knight in St Andrew's, Oswaldtwistle.
That contest is being dubbed as a clash of Observer columnists since Peter has written a series of articles on giving up smoking while Gayle has compiled a dieting diary.
Mr Greene, married with four stepdaughters and nine grandchildren, said things had not improved in the ward because councillors were too busy fighting each other rather than working to do what is best for everyone. He added that he believed in democracy and giving voters a real choice.
Elsewhere there is a real family flavour to the 4 May election.
Current Conservative Mayor Janet Storey could be joined on the council by no fewer than three members of her family.
Her sister Lynn Wilson already represents Great Harwood Netherton while husband Philip is standing for the first time in Clayton and daughter Jennet Liddle, 31, will try to unseat the borough's youngest councillor Claire Hamilton in Rishton.
Janet said: "Philip was in the Army for 22 years and then worked abroad for 10 but he has always been interested in politics and now he feels able to stand. He says he could do a better job than me.
"We don't always talk politics in the family but we will all be out canvassing to help each other."
That's with the exception of Janet's brother Jack Cooper who is the "black sheep" of the family as a former Labour councillor.
Another family connection is in Milnshaw ward where mother-of-one Clare Pritchard, 33, is hoping to join dad Malcolm as a Labour member.
Proud Malcolm said: "It would be lovely if she won. It would be the first time a dad and daughter had represented the same ward."
Three Labour councillors, former leader Ian Ormerod, who has suffered ill health, former Mayor Dave Parkins and Susan Shorrock, have decided not to re-stand but veterans Bernard Dawson and Pam Barton will be seeking re-election.
