A WAR of words has broken out between town councillors and their former colleagues who quit last week over 'Labour bias'.
The councillors - Glyn Bull, Sally Mansell, Mary Lyon, Tony Vickers and ex-town mayor Mel Slater - have been attacked for their united stand, which came shortly after the election and investiture of the new town mayor, Lesley Cotterill.
And, in a twist of events, Cllr Cotterill now claims three of the councillors who resigned have asked to come back on the town council, but their application has been refused.
Vale Royal Borough councillor Arthur Neil, deputy leader of the Labour group, claims there are inconsistencies with the group's claim that parish-level government should be apolitical.
He said: 'Not one of those who resigned was ever actually elected to the town council. Each of them was
happy for the Labour group on the town council to co-opt them on to the council, Labour Party member or not, rather than stand for election as an Independent. How intellectually strong and principled is that?'
Town councillor Steve Gough challenged the 'famous five', as he labels them, over their complaints of council control through the Labour whip.
'Councillors past and present will not disagree with me when I say members of the Labour Party do not always agree on certain issues or vote the same way,' he said.
'I have been a member of the town council for 14 years and in that time the whip has been applied only once, this year's annual council meeting.'
Cllr Gough also said Mel Slater served as chief whip when serving on the borough council.
In response, Mrs Slater told the Chronicle: 'Yes, I was the party whip - but I never had to put the whip on. There's a difference putting the whip on in a borough council of 60-odd members and a little town council.'
Explaining the reasoning behind the resignations, Mrs Slater said the use of the Labour whip on committee elections was 'the final straw'.
She said: 'The party pulled the whip on the Labour members so when they came to the council meet-
ing there was no democratic vote. Labour makes sure anybody not representing the party doesn't stand a chance of becoming a member of one of the committees.'
The former councillors said such politically-motivated behaviour did not help Northwich and its residents.
Though the resignations have angered members, it is business as usual according to town council chief executive Steve Sharman.
He said: 'It makes no difference to us, we are still cracking on with everything.
'The election officer at Vale Royal Borough Council was notified immediately and the vacancies were advertised straight away. They will remain advertised for the next 21 days and if no-one takes up the offer putting their name forward to become a member, the controlling council will co-opt people.'
