“I WANT to carry on.”

That’s the message from Kirklees Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan after his Labour group emerged stronger from this year’s elections.

The party now holds 27 of the 69 seats on Kirklees, after making three gains yesterday.

Clr Khan believes his party should go on running a minority administration on the hung council.

“As the largest party, we should run the administration, but with input from other political groups,” he said.

“The public expect us to settle our differences to work together in their best interests. I will be in contact with the leaders of the other groups to look for areas of common concern.”

Councillors elected Clr Khan to a four-year term as leader last May.

However, the Labour man volunteered at the time to put himself up for re-election every 12 months.

Clr Khan said yesterday that he would go ahead with the promise at this year’s annual council meeting on May 25.

“I have a four-year term but I will ask the council for their endorsement at this month’s meeting,” he said.

The Greenhead man said anger at public spending cuts had helped his party in this year’s election.

“I put our success down to grassroots campaigning on key issues,” he said.