INDEPENDENT councillors could form a coalition with Labour to run Flintshire Council, their leader has said.

Bernie Attridge described the changing of hands from Labour to Independent of all seven Connah's Quay seats as a "historic" day.

Never before has Connah’s Quay not had a Labour county councillor. 

The breaking down of the red wall in Connah's Quay after Friday's election results has left Labour with just one councillor more than the number of independents - 31 and 30 respectively.

Labour is now facing the prospect of forming a coalition - with one with the Liberal Democrats (who have four councillors in Flintshire) a possibility. 

But Bernie Attridge, who has become the leading figure in the Independent movement, has said he is willing to work alongside Labour - a party he quit in 2019.

"I am willing to put past differences aside and work alongside Labour and the other parties for the good of Flintshire," he said. 

"Personally, I want to draw a line on what's happened in the past - we have achieved what we set out to in Connah's Quay."

Mr Attridge said he has so far heard nothing from Labour to suggest they will want to form a coalition with Independent councillors. 

"Our campaign slogan was 'people before politics' - which I think the people of Connah's Quay have really bought into," he said. 

"Politics shouldn't get in the way of doing what's best for the community. Gone are the days are voting purely down party lines - people have had enough of people playing party politics when it comes to dealing with local issues."

Mr Attridge claims at least four Labour councillors are considering defecting to Independent, and that the Lib Dem councillors will not work alongside Labour.