HUNDREDS of people are expected to protest outside Bolton Town Hall tomorrow evening, calling for council leader Cliff Morris to step down.

Organisers are calling for a peaceful protest, which will take place from 6pm, ahead of a meeting of the full council.

Members of the public will be joined by councillors from the borough’s Conservative and UKIP Councillors who believe fresh leadership is needed at the town hall.

One of the organisers is 41-year-old Darcy Lever resident Natalie Yates.

She said: “So far we know of about 250 people who will be coming along, but hopefully there will be more.

“We absolutely want to stress that this will be a peaceful protest with no room for racism or aggression - we simply want to tell Cllr Morris that we believe the town has lost confidence in his leadership and ask for him to resign.

Ms Yates, who works as an accountant, added: “I think a lot of people feel that Bolton has gone to pot under the leadership of Cllr Morris and this stories like the Asons grant have added to this.

“We have had enough and we need someone else to come in and run the show.”

UKIP leader Cllr Sean Hornby will be in attendance and will be joined by Conservative Cllr Bob Allen, who will then directly ask Cllr Morris to resign during the meeting inside the council chamber.

He said: “I have said I will attend the protest because I think it would be a bit churlish if I didn’t, considering I am the one posing the question in the meeting.

“I have got a lot of respect for Cliff but I do believe that there should be a time limit on how long council leaders can stay in post because I think when someone has been there for such a long time there is an automatic mistrust from the public.

“I think it is in the interests of the public and the council that there should be a change, I think people have lost confidence in him and he is also bringing the council down in the estimations of the public.”

As is always the case at full council meetings, Cllr Morris will be quizzed by opposition members, although there are expected to be a number based around the controversial decision to grant Asons solicitors £300,000.

Ahead of the meeting, he said he respects the right of people to protest, adding: “They have every right to protest and I have every right to my own opinion, which I will give during my answers to questions at the meeting.”

The council meeting itself will start from 7pm inside the council chamber.

Members or the public can attend or follow theboltonnews.co.uk for live updates.