Councillors have voted two new members onto Morecambe Town Council via the rare method of a show of hands.
Lynda Dagdeviren and Wendy Cowley were "co-opted" onto the town council after a vote by existing councillors at a meeting on Thursday night.
Co-option is a process that takes place when no election is called; in this case because candidates hadn't been put up for election by the required 10 members of the electorate.
Councillor Dagdeviren will represent the Liberal Democrats in Harbour ward (the West End of Morecambe).
This takes the Lib Dems' number of councillors on Morecambe Town Council to eight - the most of any political group.
Councillor Dagdeoiren was a community psychiatric nurse for 15 years and has returned to the local area after living in Turkey, where she was part of a local council.
Councillor Cowley, a family lawyer, will represent the new Bay Independent Group in the Lowlands Road ward.
Beyond Radio understands that four people had applied for the seats in total, although one had then withdrawn.
Lynda Dagdeviren, Wendy Cowley and a third candidate, Joanne Ainscough, all gave speeches to councillors before the decision at Morecambe Town Hall on Thursday night, to explain why they felt they should become councillors.
It was then proposed that Lynda Dagdeoiren and Wendy Cowley become the new councillors, which was agreed via separate votes.
Roger Dennison, from the Morecambe Bay Independents, abstained from the vote.
Councillor Dennison said he hadn't received the letters of application. Chairman, Councillor Cary Matthews, said all councillors had been sent the applications via email.
The co-option took place to fill vacant seats following the deaths of Councillors Janice Hanson (Harbour) and Shirley Burns (Lowlands Road) earlier this year.
There are 26 councillors on Morecambe Town Council.
The political make-up of the council is now Liberal Democrats (8), Morecambe Bay Independents (6), Bay Independent Group (5), Labour (3), Independent (2), Renew (1), Non-Affiliated (1).
The Bay Independent Group was formed last month when four councillors (Cary Matthews, Vicky Boyd-Power, Paul Anderton and Jake Goodwin) broke away from the Morecambe Bay Independents.
Councillors in attendance at last night's meeting were Paul Anderton, John Bates, Vicky Boyd-Power, Catherine Pilling, Patricia Clarke, Roger Dennison, Jake Goodwin, Jim Pilling, Paul Hart, Bill Jackson, Louise Stansfield, Phil Forster and chairman Cary Matthews.
The two new councillors joined in the meeting following their co-option, but were asked not to participate in any subsequent voting on other agenda items.
Also at Thursday's meeting, held at Morecambe Town Hall, a £20,000 boost for local festivals was agreed.
Councillors voted, via a majority, to spend an extra £20,000 on festivals, £10,000 on office equipment, £12,292.64 on staffing and put £10,000 into its general reserves.
For more details on this, see our related story: Morecambe Town Council to discuss £20K boost for festivals and £10K office equipment spend - Beyond Radio
Councillor Roger Dennison abstained from the vote.
The town council also agreed who would be on its new festivals and events committee.
The committee is a group of councillors who make decisions on applications for grant funding from local festival and event organisers.
The members of the new committee will be councillors Clarke, Goodwin, Boyd-Power, Pattison, Whitaker, Jackson, Forster, Stansfield, Matthews and Cowley.
UPDATE: Two men charged with robbery and burglary offences at Morecambe and Lancaster shops
LISTEN: Community garden taking shape in memory of Heysham toddler
Second earthquake in two days hits Silverdale as tremors felt across Morecambe Bay
£2.5m funding boost for Eden Project Morecambe will help create new visitor zone
British Transport Police office returns to Lancaster Railway Station
Ryelands Community Connect scheme aims to bring together locals
Twenty vehicles caught speeding during police crackdown in Lancaster
Councillors call for halt to demolition of vandalised Morecambe 'youth hut'
Coastal pollution clean-up training to be held on Morecambe beach
Man seriously injured at Morecambe pub "making excellent progress" as investigation continues
Vandals target tractors used by King's Guide to Sands of Morecambe Bay to keep walkers safe
MP hopes for improved mobile signal at last as new mast installed in Lancaster
Maternity services at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary officially exit national special measures
Crews tackle kitchen fire in Lancaster
Opening date announced for animal rescue charity's new Morecambe home
Lancaster MP takes on Morecambe 10K in aid of new children's playground
Tributes paid to twice-Lancaster mayor who served on council for 56 years
Dancing Eric Morecambe Statue part of police campaign to warn about AI deepfakes
PHOTOS: Great Wall of China trek raises more than £300K for Lancaster hospice
Another earthquake hits Silverdale as tremors felt across Lancaster and Morecambe Bay
