Huge row erupts as Greater Manchester councillor set to lose job after failing to attend meetings for months

A councillor in Rochdale is set to lose his job after not attending a meeting at the authority for six months, sparking the need for an election in his ward.

North Middleton Councillor Peter Allonby, of the Middleton Independents Party, stepped back from his duties due to an ongoing period of ill health, forcing councillors to vote this week (Wednesday, December 13) on whether to grant an extension to his period of leave.

The motion at full council was voted down by the Labour group majority, igniting a row in the chamber over some of the comments made about Coun Allonby.

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Labour Coun Tom Besford read a list which he said were social media posts made by Coun Allonby since July, which included photographs of a walking holiday in Norway, attending a curry night fundraiser, and running a stall at the Springhill Hospice Christmas fair.

Coun Daniel Meredith, cabinet member for housing and regeneration, said: "You can't defend the indefensible. If someone's been running around reporting all this on social media, then technically they're committing fraud."

Opposition councillors reacted furiously to the remarks.

Coun Winkler, deputy leader of Rochdale Conservative group, said: "I'm not going to stand by and watch this. That was the most disgusting onslaught of a man who is not here to defend himself, you should be ashamed of yourself."

East Middleton Coun Paul Beswick, of the Middleton Independents, told the chamber: "You're just doing the man down for the sake of it."

The issue of councillor absences is a controversial one in Rochdale, with Labour Coun Sara Rowbotham from the same ward also currently away due to ill health,