A LABOUR member of Darwen Town Council should stand down, veteran Liberal Democrat Cllr Paul Browne has said.

He said Cllr Pete Hollings, elected to represent Sunnyhurst Ward for four years in 2016, had now moved out of Darwen and is fighting a Blackburn ward in the borough elections on May 3.

The Labour politician is giving up representing Sunnyhurst on the borough council and standing in the safe Tory Livesey with Pleasington ward.

Cllr Hollings now lives in St Martins Drive in Blackburn.

Sudell's Cllr Browne will raise the issue at the annual meeting of Darwen Town Council on Tuesday May 15.

He said: "Cllr Hollings no longer lives in Darwen and is standing for the borough council in Blackburn.

"He should stand down from the town council and indeed should have done so before.

"Then we could have had the by-election on May 3 at very little cost rather than have to pay for one before his term ends in 2020 or wait another two years for him to go

"Cllr Hollings has only attended four meetings of the town council in the last 12 months."."

Sunnyhurst Labour borough and town councillor Dave Smith said: "Pete has lived in Darwen for many years and is perfectly capable of continuing to represent the people of the ward of he wishes to.

"He has had a motor bike accident as the town council chairman knows."