A CONSERVATIVE County councillor has been expelled from the party after an investigation into his benefit claims.

The move reduces the Conservative majority on the authority to just two.

Cllr David Stansfield, who represents the Helmshore area on Lancashire County Council, was suspended last month pending an investigation after paying back £3,000 in wrongly-claimed council tax benefits plus a £1,000 fine.

Lee Parker, the chairman Rossendale and Darwen Conservative Association , said: “Cllr Stansfield has been expelled due to a breach of the Code of Conduct and behaviour not befitting a Conservative councillor”.

It also emerged yesterday that Cllr Stansfield and his wife, Cllr Val Roberts leader of Rossendale Council’s Tory group leader and member of Hyndburn Conservative Association, and her husband are alleged to have shared “offensive” comments on Facebook,

Cllr Peter Britcliffe, chairman of the County Council Conservative Group and President of Hyndburn Conservative Association, said: “We shall discuss the complaint about Cllr Roberts at our next association meeting. We now have a fine majority of the county council.”

Neither Cllr Stansfield nor Cllr Roberts responded to requests for comment.