A war of words has erupted in South Ribble after an independent councillor accused the rulding Labour party of failing to help Leyland's axed firemen.

The council's hierarchy reacted angrily to claims by Coun Tom Sharratt they had silenced all opposition to the proposed axing of Leyland's 10 part-time firemen.

Responding to the claim, council leader Gina Lewis said Coun Sharratt was blatantly electioneering.

Coun Sharratt had asked to put forward an emergency motion during Tuesday's policy and resources committee. A previous motion regarding the firefighters had been rejected during a meeting of the full council because fire authority chiefs had been invited to talk at a policy and resources committee meeting.

However, no item on the issue was included for Tuesday's policy and resources meeting, the last before April 1, when the firemen are due to lose their jobs, prompting Coun Sharratt's action.

At the meeting, when he was told there would be no discussion on the firemen, he blasted Coun Lewis for carrying out 'an act of dictatorship' before storming out of the meeting.

Coun Sharratt said: "I believe Coun Lewis has silenced her councillors.

We should be supporting the firemen but in this case we aren't even been allowed to discuss it."

Coun Lewis told the Citizen: "I find it deeply distressing that Coun Sharratt has turned the situation on its head like this.

"In this situation, we can only lobby for the firemen to be kept on and we have done that by writing to the Combined Fire Authority, which took the decision in the first place, and the home office minister, George Howarth, who will number stamp the decision in March.

"We are doing all we can to support the firefighters."

She added: "The claim that I have silenced councillors is nonsense because it was Labour councillors who started off the campaign to save the firemen in the first place.

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