Hyndburn former leader denies he refused to give up office (From Blackburn Citizen)

Hyndburn former leader denies he refused to give up office

8:00pm Wednesday 29th June 2011 in Hyndburn By Emma Cruces, Reporter

COMMENT: Coun Britcliffe

CLAIMS Hyndburn Council’s former leader refused to give up his spacious office and the leader’s desk after May’s election are being denied.

A leading online political blog, Political Scrapbook, has claimed that Coun Peter Britcliffe instructed council staff that his desk should be put in storage for “when he returns”.

This account is also backed by the borough’s MP Graham Jones.

However Coun Britcliffe strenuously denies this, saying he moved out soon after the election and Labour’s delay moving into the office was due only to offices being decorated.

He said the comment about his desk was merely an ‘offhand’ comment that a large meeting desk would not fit in his new, smaller office.

However MP Graham Jones said that the delay in handing over the office ‘dragged on for weeks’ with the former leader “unable to let go”.

Mr Jones said: “I just think that being leader of the council means everything to Peter. It is obviously very different being leader of the oppostion and this meant moving out of the office. It’s clear he was deeply upset and struggled with having to move out of the office.”

The new Labour leader Miles Parkinson declined to comment.

Coun Britcliffe said: “It is just nonsense. We moved out after the election, I simply remarked that the meeting desk would not fit in the smaller office. The desk was one we had purchased using our leader’s budget, but it is still in the leader’s office.”

A council spokeswoman said: “Prior to the election an agreement was reached on a pre-set timetable for office relocations which meant a move after the annual general meeting of the council on June.

“After the election a review of office accommodation was undertaken and many options were considered.”