Benefits case councillor says no to Blackburn with Darwen mayor role

Salim Mulla, who was in line to become this year’s deputy, and then mayor in 2012, said he did not want the office to be ‘clouded in controversy’.

Coun Mulla, who is also chairman of Lancashire Council of Mosques, had been set to face a court battle over benefit charges from the Department for Work Pensions.

But last week the Lancashire Telegraph revealed he had settled the case by paying an ‘administrative penalty’ after the amount he was alleged to have wrongly claimed was reduced.

He had been widely expected to take the role of deputy mayor at Thursday’s mayor-making meeting, with the council leader confirming he was ‘next in line’ based on his length of service.

But in a statement released to the Lancashire Telegraph, he said: “I am aware that there has been some debate about the fact that I am the Labour Party's nomination for the role of deputy mayor of the borough of Blackburn with Darwen in 2011.

“This debate centres on the fact that, for some months, I have been facing benefits charges.

“These charges have now been dropped but there remain a number of outstanding technical issues that need to be resolved between the Department of Work and Pensions and myself before a very complicated chapter of events can be closed.

“I care too much about the prestige and honour attached to the role of Deputy Mayor to allow it to be clouded in controversy and, therefore, I have withdrawn my name and asked the Labour Group to make another nomination at the annual general meeting of the council on Thursday.

"I do this with a lot of sadness.”

Labour will now have to come up with an alternative candidate before Thursday.

Council leader Kate Hollern said: “I said at the time that everything had to be cleared up by today.

"It isn’t, and that is essential when we appoint a deputy mayor.”

Mike Lee, the Conservative group leader, welcomed Coun Mulla’s decision, while Lib Dem David Foster said: “He’s done the honourable thing.”