A COUNCILLOR who paid a £1,000 fine for receiving an overpayment of benefits was under growing pressure today to identify themselves.

Rossendale borough yesterday refused to the name the elected representative a month after the penalty was revealed at a public meeting.

Council leader Alyson Barnes and her Labour colleague Sean Serridge are calling on the individual to admit they are the councillor who paid the fine.

She also called for an investigation by the council’s standards committee.

Tory representative for Greensclough ward Jimmy Eaton said it should remain ‘a private matter’.

At the full Rossendale Borough Council meeting on July 12, Whitworth and Healey’s Cllr Serridge asked Cllr Barnes if there were any members who had been penalised for incorrect benefit claims.

She replied: “I am limited as to what I can say. One councillor has been issued with one of these penalty notices.

“The value of the penalty was £1,000 and that was levelled in 2016.”

Yesterday the Lancashire Telegraph asked Rossendale Council to name the councillor concerned. A spokesman said: “Unfortunately I’m told we can’t release the name of the councillor due to data protection (the information is third party data).

“I can confirm the penalty was £1,000 in September 2016. That’s all legal have advised we can say.”

The overpayment is understood to concern council tax benefit. The fine is the maximum penalty available without court action.

Cllr Serridge said: “I think the councillor concerned should come forward and I do not see this is an issue for the Data Protection Act.

“It is council taxpayers’ money. The public should know the identity of the councillor who should not be allowed to vote on financial matters.

“I understand to receive an administrative penalty the person must have admitted claiming in error.”

Cllr Barnes said: “I am unhappy we cannot name the councillor concerned and believe this individual should come forward and identify themselves. This reflects badly on all of us so there should be a standards committee inquiry.”

Cllr Eaton said: “It’s not me. I believe it’s right this remains a private matter between the councillor concerned and the borough.”

Cllr Serridge said: “I am sure there will be a complaint to the council’s standards committee who should then investigate.”