MORE than 70 people packed a meeting of Leigh Town Council as a vote of no confidence in its Tory leader and his administration was voted down.

Carole Mulroney, town councillor for St Clement’s, lost her no confidence motion against Bernard Arscott on Wednesday as 13 Tory councillors outvoted the remaining three non-political councillors.

The previously apolitical council was taken over by the Conservatives by default in May’s elections as wards were left undefended by candidates.

The council has been mired in controversy ever since.

It faced a backlash by seeking to raise councillors’ allowances by 60 per cent before dropping the bid.

The council then suspended long-serving town clerk Helen Symmons without warning and without giving a reason.

The administration has also ordered an inquiry into staffing levels.

Speaking at the meeting, where angry residents made their feelings known from the public gallery, Ms Mulroney, who is also a Lib Dem city councillor, said: “I never thought I would see the day when Leigh Town Council would suffer such ignominy. In four short months it has been dragged into the mire, the subject of public ridicule.

“There is a dereliction of duty to the residents of Leigh, misleading of fellow councillors, ignoring of residents’ questions and cancelled meetings and events. So much for being effective and efficient.

“You are bereft of ideas and have taken peremptory actions without any plan or care for the effects on people or services.”

Ms Mulroney said politics should be “left at the door” of the council which was formed 25 years ago.

She added: “This madness needs to end now, the town council was never broken, there was no need to fix it. If you haven’t managed to put a case against the town clerk in four months there clearly isn’t a case to answer. Reinstate her now. The staff, other councillors and above all the residents deserve better.”

Leigh resident Leslie Parris attended the meeting. He said: “The new councillors have divided the council 13 to 3 in a parish council that traditionally should be non-political.

“During their four months they have suspended the town clerk, alienated the staff, and failed to complete agendas or minutes. The meeting showed just how badly this council is performing.”

Bernard Arscott, chairman of Leigh Town Council was approached for a comment.