UKIP expanded its number of councillors on the authority from three to five at last week’s Bolton Council elections

UKIP expanded its number of councillors on the authority from three to five at last week’s Bolton Council elections — but has been told its members will still have to use the same room in the town hall.

Party bosses said the room is too small and does not allow space for all five councillors to sit around a table to discuss ideas and policies.

It has even been argued that the dimensions of the room means that the space offered for each councillors goes against national health and safety regulations — something the council has rebuffed.

UKIP Bolton chairman Cllr Paul Richardson said: “I have been into the room and measured it and when you divide the volume between the five of us, it works out at just under eight cubic metres per person — the Health and Safety Executive states that areas where people work should provide at least 11 cubic metres per person.”

The council has pointed out that the HSE guidance relates only to spaces where people work throughout the day — rather than using rooms for meetings.

Nonetheless, UKIP are not happy and said the fact the council will not offer them a larger meeting space is an “insult.”

Cllr Richardson said: “It is a cubby hole with no windows and the five of us cannot fit around the table.

“This is a matter of respect. We have five councillors and we are now the third party in Bolton and we feel that we should be treated that way.

“The council has just spent £6.5 million on refurbishing the town hall and the best they can do for the third party in the town is effectively a small broom cupboard?”

He added: “We know the ruling Labour group do not think we are of much consequence, but we are just as elected as they are and we find this insulting.”

The meeting room measures 3.9 metres by 3.4 metres and now includes three computers, three desks and a meeting table with six chairs.

UKIP became Bolton's third party last week when Cllr Rees Gibbon saw off David Evans to join Cllr Sean Hornby and Cllr Richardson as ward councillors in Little Lever and Darcy Lever.

Cllr Mark Cunningham also defeated Carol Burrows in Kearsley.

A council spokesman said: “We appreciate that the number of UKIP members has risen from three to five in the recent election.

“However, the rooms allocated to councillors are based on the premise that they drop into the town hall for occasional visits, but that they do the majority of their work from home and out and about in their constituency.

"Since the election, we have already added a new desk and computer to the UKIP room, which now includes three computers, three desks and a meeting table with six chairs.

“We consider this room is more than adequate for a group of five people to do occasional work from and this is also fully compliant with the guidelines from the HSE.”