Our West Lancashire
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Our West Lancashire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | OWL |
| Leader | Adrian Owens |
| Deputy Leader | Paul Hesketh |
| Founded | February 2015 |
| Ideology | |
| Colours | Orange |
| Slogan | Putting residents first and foremost |
| West Lancashire Borough Council | 6 / 45 |
| Lancashire County Council | 2 / 84 |
| Website | |
| ourwestlancashire | |
Our West Lancashire (OWL) is a localist political party[1] in West Lancashire, United Kingdom.[2] As of October 2025 it held 7 seats on West Lancashire Borough Council.[3] As of May 2025, the party also holds 2 seats in West Lancashire on Lancashire County Council.[4] The group has drawn members from all of the major parties in West Lancashire. Former Labour councillor, Neil Furey joined the group in May 2025. [5] It claims to "put residents before the party whip".[2]
Our West Lancashire was formed in February 2015 by Adrian Owens, a former Conservative Party councillor, Deputy Leader of West Lancashire Borough Council and candidate for West Lancashire in the 2010 United Kingdom general election, coming second with 17,540 votes,[6] after breaking off from the West Lancashire Conservative group on West Lancashire Borough Council. He was joined by Ian Davis in 2017, who won a by-election on Derby Ward.[7] The group gained a further four seats on West Lancashire Borough Council in the 2019 election.
In 2021, Our West Lancashire gained a further seat in Burscough West which led to the council going to No Overall Control. As a result, Our West Lancashire councillor, Gordon Paul Johnson became Mayor of West Lancashire and committee chairs were shared between all three political groups with Labour retaining the Leadership of the council.
Policies
Our West Lancashire is a localist party, and claims to "put residents before the party whip".[2] Their policies include reducing the number of councillors on West Lancashire Borough Council from 54 to 36, a reduction of a third. They also propose policies such as "revitalising" Ormskirk town centre, replacing the swimming pools in Skelmersdale and Ormskirk and improving West Lancashire Borough Council's free tree scheme.[8] OWL also publish data on councillors' attendance and publish a yearly alternative budget.[9]
The group is opposed to the whipping system.[2]