ANOTHER victory was handed to Labour by the people of Lancashire in the county council election last week.

Out of nine electoral divisions in Preston, six emerged as Labour seats leaving two Liberal Democrats and one Conservative.

From the six divisions in South Ribble, Labour won four, Conservatives gained one and one went to an independent.

Lancashire County Council's new leader Hazel Harding said: "We have all kinds of initiatives coming from the education side and also from the social care side.

"We are concerned with development of the NHS and plan to deliver services for the public. One thing we want is one-stop shops to stop people shopping in other areas.

"Our main concern is enhancing communication with the people across the 12 districts. We are looking at different ways of working within the cabinet within the cabinet so that people can communicate with their individual councillors.

"One major new initiative is to invite youngsters into the county hall to sit and talk to councillors and tell them what they want."

Doreen Pollitt, deputy leader of the County Council, added: "We have lost some good friends and good councillors - they will certainly be missed - but we've also got new members coming to us for the first time and they will be made more than welcome.

"We have seen the benefit of having a Labour government having spent many years with Labour in opposition and I think now that we will reap the benefits.

She added: "Our campaign has been the same as that of the general election - we have concentrated on education, social care and providing more services for people under them. The people of Lancashire are happy with a labour controlled authority -- it is the 21st year of a Labour controlled county which is a wonderful achievement and we are very grateful to the people of Lancashire."