A COUNTY councillor has defended his ‘sacking’ of a school governor and political rival after nearly 20 years service.

Liberal Democrat borough councillor David Clegg has been removed from the governing body of Lord Street Primary in Colne and colleagues have accused Pendle Central Conservative member George Askew of being ‘vindictive’.

But Coun Askew said Coun Clegg, unlike other governors, made no effort to renew his tenure and alternative candidates were considered instead.

Coun Clegg had served as a Lord Street governor for nearly 18 years, 12 of which were as chairman.

He said: “I am very sorry to have been ditched in this way. I have always worked in the best interests of the school and not in any party political way, running local schools is not the place for political arguments.

"If this is the way that Mr Askew wants to do things now, they no doubt have the power to do so.”

He added that he did not think the move would be good for the school.”

Coun Tony Greaves, a fellow Colne councillor, said the ‘cheap and vindictive’ move had provoked a lot of anger in the town.

Lib Dems lost three seats across Pendle in the 2009 county polls and under current proportional representation rules would not have been entitled to be represented on school governing bodies.

Coun Askew said he did not agree with this and had reappointed several Lib Dems as governors across the borough.

He also reappointed the man who formerly held his Pendle Central seat, Tim Ormrod, at Colne’s Primet Primary.

Coun Askew said: “In most cases the individual has made contact with me to explain why they would like to remain a school governor even though they appreciate that their political party has no allocation.

“This was not the case with David Clegg, even though his term ended as long ago as February 19.

“On the other hand, in this case I had other individuals who had expressed a strong interest in becoming a school governor at Lord Street and are very enthusiastic about doing the job.

“This is not a case of political spite and it is upsetting that the Liberals are saying that about me.”

Coun Askew is standing in the borough elections for Boulsworth ward and Coun Clegg in Vivary Bridge ward, both in Colne.