THE future of Darwen Town Council is at breaking point after a furious spat between councillors.

Four members stormed out in protest over a vote to remove the deputy leader, which Liberal Democrat members claim is an “unnecessary role”.

Mayor Paul Browne called for the meeting to be disbanded after For Darwen Party councillors Phil Jones, Nella Melia and Steve Potter, and Labour’s Trevor Maxfield, walked out over the motion to remove Coun Jones from his role.

But Coun Browne was persuaded that it would be unfair for members of public who had turned up to speak.

Coun Jones had been stripped of the role then reinstated earlier this year because the original vote had not been put on the agenda, and was illegal.

Coun Browne said: “It’s all right them walking out, but they’re not taking their responsibility seriously as councillors.

“I have never known anything like this in my whole time as a councillor. It’s farcical.”

Coun Martin McCaughran said: “This is very unprofessional and is disrespectful to the public.”

Coun Steve Potter was first to walk out of the meeting. He said: “This has gone on long enough. We have always tried to be non-political, but this has become very political and I cannot take part.”

Coun Jones failed in his request for Coun Browne to step down as mayor and then walked out, followed by councillors Melia and Maxfield.

Coun Maxfield, who was a For Darwen Party leader of the council before joining Labour, said: “Now you can’t vote because you haven’t got en-ough people.”

10 of the 13 town councillors were in attendance.

Town council leader Steve Duncan said Standing Orders decided at last year’s AGM showed there was no need for a deputy leader, and a vote could be taken if a third of councillors were present.

The six remaining members then voted unanimously to remove Coun Jones from the role.

Afterwards, Coun Jones said: “It’s not legal, you need 50 per cent of councillors to vote, and they didn’t have that.

"It’s disgusting, they don’t know how to run a council.”