OPPOSITION parties will attempt to block Labour’s proposals for town hall committees at today’s Mayor making and annual council meeting.

The various panels must reflect the new political balance of the council following the local elections earlier this month.

Council leader Linda Thomas last week offered political opponents vice chairman positions on policy development committees.

But Tory chief David Greenhalgh says his party cannot support plans that do not hand the chairmanship of scrutiny committees to opposition members.

And the Conservatives will today call for the vote on the proposals to be postponed to allow for a “full debate”.

Cllr Greenhalgh said: “ On our side we find it impossible to support the appointments tomorrow. We don’t see there’s been a recognition of the new political balance regarding the local elections. And all the talk of inclusivity and how they will listen — we don’t believe that’s the case.”

And he says a postponement is the best way forward, as the Mayoral inauguration should be non-political.

He continued: “We don’t want to politicise the Mayor making and spoil a special day. We are calling for a deferment to an extraordinary meeting. We don’t believe tomorrow is the place for a large political debate, but we can’t support the lack of acknowledgement from Labour that they area living in much more split political times.”

The minority opposition parties have also indicated they may support the Tories amendment.

The Liberal Democrats are also opposed to the new committee plans David Wilkinson, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “If that is something that is being put forward, I think we would have some sympathy with that.”

He added that the annual meeting of the council and Mayor making ceremony should never have been combined. “It is a meeting when all’s said and done. But also it looks bad as you are trying to have a political meeting at the same time as a civic ceremony,” he said.

UKIP leader Cllr Sean Hornby said: “It’s an interesting amendment and one our party is giving some serious consideration to. Our concern is that the total inclusion doesn’t appear to be there.” And Cllr Paul Sanders, of Farnworth and Kearsley First, said his group was due to meet to discuss the amendment.

But he added: “ Scrutiny committee - the clue is in the title, we have to make sure we are able to scrutinise and not in favour of one party above the rest.