City rivals hopeful in race for power; With just 10 days before the local elections, we begin our daily countdown in Liverpool, where Labour are desperate to prise power from the Liberal Democrats, as David Bartlett reports ELECTION COUNTDOWN LIVERPOOL Elections 2008.

Byline: David Bartlett 

THE Liberal Democrat grip on Liverpool may slip next week for the first time in a decade.

The party has been the dominant force in the city since 1998, but has seen a huge majority slowly eroded from the heady days when it had 70 of the city's 90 seats.

Lib-Dems go to the polls with 47 seats, eight less than 2007, and the city's electoral cycle appears to be swinging against the party.

Despite this, its demise is far from certain.

Council leader Warren Bradley remains upbeat, and has urged his party to step out of its comfort zone brought on by 10 years in power.

He told the Daily Post this is the party's most focused campaign for years.

The Lib-Dems are trumpeting the regeneration of Liverpool, the new BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, improving schools and lower council tax as their major achievements.

Politicos in the city are divided on whether the Lib-Dems will cling on to power, or whether Labour can take enough seats to create a hung council, where neither party has more than the 46 seats needed for an absolute majority. It seems difficult for Labour to take out-and-out control, but the prospect of a hung council is a real possibility.

Joe Anderson's Labour can smell blood - the council was rated the worst in the country by the Audit Commission because of its finances, and the Lib-Dem leadership is marred by an ethical standards investigation.

The cancelled Mathew Street festival fiasco, the pounds 20m hole in the Capital of Culture finances, and bitter arguments within the Lib-Dems have provided Cllr Anderson with ammunition.

A recent spate of defections from the Lib-Dems has played havoc with the arithmetic of how the election will play out.

On paper, the Lib-Dems have 47 seats, Labour 35, there are four Liberals, one Green, and an independent, with two vacancies.

The Lib-Dems are defending 16 seats, Labour 13, Liberals two.

The Cressington seat of Beatrice Fraenkel, who will stand in a vacant Labour safe seat in Kirkdale, is likely to return to the Lib-Dems (back to 48).

Former Lib-Dem Ann Hines faces a struggle to keep her seat in West Derby, since defecting to the Liberals. If Cllr Hines fails, the Lib-Dems would take 49.

The two vacant seats are likely to return Labour councillors, putting Labour on 37. The party hopes for gains in County, Belle Vale, Kensington, and Anfield.

That would place the party on 41, and with the Greens hoping to get a second councillor in St Michael's, the Lib-Dems would be left with 43.

But Labour losses cannot be ruled out. The Lib-Dems narrowly took Croxteth from Labour last year, and Liberal leader Steve Radford is confident about grabbing Clubmoor from the party.

If a hung council scenario were to pan out, the smaller parties - the Liberals and the Greens - would hold the balance of power.

Political observers reckon that a political cold war could break out at the town hall in this event.

Cllr Radford claims he does not want positions to secure his support and will measure the Labour and Lib-Dems against set criteria, before deciding which way to jump.

His criteria are: stopping housing demolitions and building on parks, and a commitment of sound financial management.

Warren Bradley is the biggest heavyweight up for election this year - defending his Wavertree seat with one of the biggest majorities in the city.

His wife, Pauline, is standing in Kirkdale, and his loyal housing and neighbourhoods leader, Marilyn Fielding, is defending her seat in County.

Economic development leader Flo Clucas, and newly-installed education leader Erica Kemp, are also defending their seats.

On the Labour side, former Lord Mayor Jack Spriggs is up for re-election in Fazakerley.

Former Labour planning chairman Tony Concepcion is once more bidding for a political comeback in Knotty Ash against the current planning chairman Lib-Dem Dave Irving.

The Liberals' leader, Steve Radford, is defending his seat in his power base of Tuebrook, while recent recruit Ann Hines hopes to beat her former Lib-Dem colleagues to keep West Derby.

Solo Green councillor John Coyne is hoping for a victory for Elaine Allen in St Michaels.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives are bidding to end their years in the political wilderness and gain a first councillor in years.

The BNP have fielded the largest number of candidates ever in the city - 11, while UKIP are standing in one ward.

Urged party to step out of its comfort zone

LIVERPOOL DAILYPOST.CO.UK

HAVE your say on the local elections in Liverpool this year - visit www.liverpooldaily post.co.uk/elections and take part in our poll. Also, watch the leaders of the main parties explaining why they should get your vote.

JIM HANCOCK: PAGE 11

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CAPTION(S):

Lord Rennard, chief executive of the Liberal Democrats, with council leader Warren Bradley, at the BT Convention Centre; Only time will tell . . . the statue of Minerva, goddess of wisdom, on top of the Town Hall; Joe Anderson welcomes Beatrice Fraenkel to the Labour party