TORIES and Lib Dems may be in Government together but at a local level there is no love lost.

Cheshire West and Chester Council Conservative leader Cllr Mike Jones has asked Lib Dem Hoole councillor Bob Thompson to consider tendering his resignation as both a councillor and chairman of Chester and District Housing Trust (CDHT).

That’s because Cllr Thompson recently claimed the controversial location for a homeless hostel at Richmond Court, Boughton, came from the council and not building owner CDHT, which has been awarded the contract to run the facility along with Forum Housing.

Opponents argued the location choice was ‘not a consequence of an open tendering process’ but Cllr Jones insisted it was CDHT which concluded Richmond Court was the best match to the council specification.

Cllr Jones (Tattenhall), speaking at the full council, said: “If Cllr Thompson did say what was reported then he really ought to consider his position on CDHT and as a councillor on this council.”

But Cllr Thompson hit back at Cllr Jones, who was recently found to have broken the authority’s code of conduct according to a draft report.

He said afterwards: “I find it frankly mind boggling that the leader of this council, who has been reported in the local and national press with various issues – most recently insulting residents of his own ward by calling them ‘d***heads’ – has the brass neck to call on another councillor to resign.

“He really ought to get his own house in order.”

Cllr Thompson has previously stood by his remarks about the procurement process but will no longer discuss what he regards as ‘a distraction’.