A COUNCILLOR has blasted Pendle Council after it announced the cancellation of a number of meetings.

Colin Waite is appalled at the decision made by the chief executive and group leaders to cancel seven meetings, which means the council will not meet until after the June elections

The portfolio holder for democracy said he would write to chief executive Stephen Barnes expressing his anger at the move and calling for the reinstatement of the meetings.

He said: "I am appalled at the manner in which this has been one. I am led to believe this was agreed between the chief executive and the leader of the council with no consultation with any committee chairman."

Meetings to be affected by last Tuesday's decision last are, the overview and scrutiny committee, the executive, West Craven Committee, Brierfield and Reedley Committee, Nelson Committee, Barrowford and Western Parishes Committee and the Colne and District Committee.

Coun Waite said it is the first time in the history of the council it had happened. He added: "I will be writing to the chief executive demanding that area committees and the executive meeting go ahead as agreed by the annual council meeting."

The vice-chair of Nelson Area Committee, Coun Neil Akrigg, said residents' issue would not be dealt with for two months.

He said: "Have the chief executive and leader been forced to run away from making hard decisions before the elections?"

Leader of the Council Alan Davies defended the move, saying it was done to reflect what normally happens in the run-up to elections.

He said: "The elections have been moved this year, and in the run up to elections the calendar is cleared the month before. We have done this to reflect what happens every election year. It was done with the agreement of all three political group leaders."