I WOULD like to commend longstanding and respected Smithills Lib Dem Councillor Carole Swarbrick, who with 21 years service to the Liberal Democrats, rejected the Lib Dem budget amendment put forward by her ward colleague and leader, Cllr Roger Hayes at the recent council budget meeting and voted instead for the main Labour budget.

Carole made a speech saying that she was ‘troubled’ with the Lib Dem proposals and voted against her own party. I have never ever seen this occur at council before. Did Cllr Hayes scribble his budget proposals down on the back of one of his cigar packets the night before without consulting his two ward colleagues first? It would appear so. There are only three Lib Dem councillors in Bolton, all representing Smithills and even they can’t agree on their own budget amendment.

In Smithills Ward there seems to be a general pattern of unease and unhappiness with all of Cllr Hayes’s colleagues. Former Lib Dem Cllr Tony Radlett quit in 2014 after one term and moved out of the borough and his successor, Cllr Andrew Martin has now announced that he too is quitting next year in May after one term and will not seek re-election. What on earth is going on with the Lib Dems in Smithills and has this got something to do with Cllr Hayes' leadership?

He is due to become the next Mayor of Bolton in May which means that the Lib Dems will then only have two members on their benches. As a consequence, the Lib Dems at the budget meeting this time next year may not even be able to put a budget amendment forward because if Cllr Swarbrick again disagrees with the Lib Dem budget, she may not even second it.

I say well done to Cllr Swarbrick for doing what she did and for voting with Labour. Perhaps the leader Cllr Roger Hayes or the chairman of her party, Kevin Walsh could explain her actions?

Cllr Richard Silvester,

Labour Co-operative

Horwich North East Ward