A FIFTH councillor has resigned from Ribble Valley Council’s Tory group.

St Mary’s ward councillor Ruth Hargreaves has said she will be ‘working with the Democratic Conservative Group’.

It was formed at the beginning of this month by three senior councillors who resigned from the borough’’s ruling Tory group.

Tjey were former council deputy leaders Cllrs Terry Hill and Paul Elms, as well as chairman of the Ribble Valley Community Safety Partnership, Cllr Robert Thompson.

On July 15,Whalley’s Cllr Joyce Holgate also resigned the Conservative whip and joined the rebel group.

Cllr Hargreaves told the council’s leader Cllr Ken Hind in her resignation letter: “I am very unhappy with your style of leadership. Whilst I accept that you won the recent leadership contest, you should acknowledge that half of the group did not vote for you."

Cllr Hind was unavailable for comment.