South Ribble Council leader quits ahead of no confidence vote

The leader of South Ribble Council has resigned after just five months in the hot seat.
Coun Mary Green has resigned as leader of South Ribble CouncilCoun Mary Green has resigned as leader of South Ribble Council
Coun Mary Green has resigned as leader of South Ribble Council

Coun Mary Green announced she was standing down this afternoon, just hours before a meeting to call for a vote of no confidence in her leadership.

And in a bitter parting shot, the 69-year-old blamed members of her own Tory group - as well as a "shocking character assassination" by Labour - for making her job untenable.

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A tearful Coun Green said: "I'm absolutely devastated by what's been going on.

"The Labour party has stooped to gutter politics by saying things about me (in the media) that were blatantly untrue. They have been really brutal and made a nasty and personal attack on my character.

"But to get no support from members of my own party is very hurtful. There is a power struggle going on within the group and certain councillors have refused to be team players, they haven't played ball with me from the word go.

"Some of these people voted for me as leader back in May. So what is going on?"

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The news is the latest episode in a leadership saga - Coun Green was the authority's fourth in less than two years when she was appointed in May.

An extraordinary council meeting is expected to go ahead this evening, even though Coun Green and several other members will boycott it.

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