A NEW UKIP councillor is set to return to the planning committee that he previously chaired as a member of the Labour party.

Newly-elected Little Lever councillor Sean Hornby will be UKIP’s representative on Bolton Council’s planning committee after ousting Labour’s Anthony Connell from his council seat earlier this month.

He replaces fellow UKIP councillor Paul Richardson who has sat on the committee for the past year.

Cllr Hornby left the Labour party after being suspended in 2010 amid allegations that thousands of pounds had gone missing from local party accounts during his time as party treasurer.

No charges were ever brought and the 50-year-old said he is hoping the issue will now be dropped so he can focus on representing the people of Little Lever as a councillor and a planning committee member.

He said: “I am very passionate about planning, it is a part of the council I really like because decisions are being made by elected members and its one of the committees where you are not whipped.

“This means we can vote in terms of planning grounds and on what we feel is best for the town.”

Cllr Hornby, who is also the landlord of the The landlord of the Queens Hotel in Bradley Fold, said he is not concerned about joining a committee dominated by his former party because the planning process should be “non-political.”

He said: “I am confident I can get my voice heard, planning is supposed to be a non-political area, although it often appears that people vote on block — that shouldn’t be the case.

“There will be times that I will support the Labour group because it is about what is best for Bolton.”

He added: “It does wind me up that people keep bringing up the allegations of the past, there was never any charges and I really think it is time for people to move on.”

Cllr Hornby became UKIP’s third councillor in Bolton earlier this month, ending Anthony Connell’s 25-year stint as a Little Lever Councillor.

He said: “Taking Anthony Connell off the council took a lot of hard work and the community in Little Lever clearly believe I am the best person to represent the area and I will do my very best for them.”