BLACKPOOL Council was thrown into turmoil this week following the shock resignation of Ivan Taylor as leader.

Coun Taylor, who has been council leader since 1991, announced his resignation on Monday (June 5), saying he wanted to devote more time to "family responsibilities."

His daughter Lisa is currently awaiting trial on charges of housing benefit fraud totalling more than £20,000.

Mr Taylor himself has been involved in controversy amid allegations he did not declare his ownership of a house at Enfield Road, Blackpool, in the register of members interests. As a councillor he was legally obliged to do so, and he may now face a council enquiry.

The events of the past week have left the Labour group "rudderless" and thrown into doubt the council's future according to the Conservative leader Peter Callow. He said: "The Labour Party is in a state of turmoil without him. He was its captain and it is rudderless without him. Mr Taylor was the one figure that held the party together and the whole future of the council may now be in doubt.

"Furthermore there is no long term successor to Ivan. He is a tough act to follow and he has left a void which cannot be filled.

"We all sympathise with his family problems but his position was becoming increasingly untenable and we do not yet know the full details of the matter."

Deputy leader Coun George Bancroft is in charge until a new leader is elected on July 12.

He said: "Obviously party members are very shocked but those who know Ivan personally know he and his wife Sylvia are going through a very torrid time at the moment and he feels rightly his first priority is with his family. He has the full support of all his colleagues and he is going to be an incredibly tough act to follow."

Ivan Taylor was first elected to the council in 1966 and, except for two short periods, he has served on the council since that time.

He became leader of the Labour group in 1973 and led the opposition until Labour took control of the council in 1991.