A POLITICAL row threatened to ruin the special Mayor making council meeting as tempers flared at the Town Hall.

While Bromley Cross Cllr Alan Wilkinson was proudly being inaugurated as Bolton's new mayor, fellow Tory Cllr John Walsh blasted the council over plans for its new-look "cabinet-style" council.

Labour party members became agitated, mumbling "disgraceful", clearly angry that the traditional highlight of the civic year had been marred by politics.

And with the packed room ready to leave for a buffet lunch in celebration of Cllr Wilkinson's appointment, Cllr Guy Harkin, deputy leader of the Labour-controlled council, sent a stinging rebuke towards the Conservatives, shouting: "You ratted on us."

The row centred over an alleged pact between the two main parties in which Cllr Walsh had apparently agreed to put aside his party's misgiving's over the outstanding plans for the council's "cabinet."

Instead, Cllr Walsh seized the opportunity to point out each of his party's problems with the proposal. He said: "We object to the way in which the cabinet was allocated. We feel it goes against the democratic process.

"The Labour council has failed to debate modernisation properly"

The debate continued after the meeting, in which Cllr Wilkinson, whose career as a nurse was cut short by a car crash in 1991, gave a light-hearted speech telling the packed chamber he was honoured to become mayor of Bolton, jokingly referring to the fact he was born in Preston. Cllr Harkin said: "There was an agreement that the Tory councillors would express the fact that they didn't agree with our proposals at a later date.

"This was a ceremonial occasion and for it to become a forum for politics was unforgivable.

"The Mayor is a Conservative and so I can only guess at how he felt about it.

"All Cllr Walsh has done is open up the debate at a very inappropriate time. If we had known that this was going to happen and we were ready to debate the issue, it would have prolonged the mayor meeting and we did not want that to happen."

Cllr Alan Wilkinson takes over as Mayor from the present Mayor Cllr John Monaghan, who became deputy.

The changes to the way the Council is run are being brought in as a 12-month experiment, but legislation is expected to come into force later this year which will ensure all local councils "modernise" the way they are run.

Talking about the row, Cllr Walsh said: "Guy Harkin interprets things as he wants. We spoke of our intention with the chief executive. It was planned."

A letter sent to council leader Bob Howarth by Cllr Alan Rushdon, leader of the Conservative Group appeared to back his claim.

It said: "Not all members of both opposition groups are happy that a stand will not be made but we are agreed not to spoil the new Mayor's Inauguration.

"Councillor Walsh on behalf of both opposition parties will make a brief statement acceptable to opposition councillors in seconding the first motion (appointments). This hopefully will be accepted by all."

Cllr Guy Harkin disputed the claim that the statement was brief.