LABOUR had to rely on the vote of new Mayor Elaine Sherrington to squeak through its committee appointments for the coming municipal year.

Following this month’s local elections the controlling group has an effective majority of just one.

But with new Labour councillor for Kearsley David Evans not in the council chamber, Mayor Sherrington’s vote was decisive as leader Linda Thomas’ motion scraped through by 30 votes to 29.

All the opposition groups voted against the proposals, as did independent Carole Swarbrick.

David Greenhalgh, tabled a defeated amendment asking for the vote to be postponed to allow a full debate to be held on a different date to the Mayor making ceremony.

Cllr Thomas later criticised the move for souring the occasion of Cllr Sherrington’s inauguration.

But he had told the chamber there he had “no desire to politicise a very special civic day,” but his party could not support the system being put forward.

Following the vote Cllr Greenhalgh said Labour having to rely on the Mayor’s vote was “pretty unprecedented”.

He continued “They had to add her name to the list to get the numbers, they needed her vote when the Mayor is an apolitical position, allegedly.

“I’m delighted all the opposition realised that to not acknowledge the new political balance is pretty fundamental. The more reasonable Labour members in the Labour group acknowledge that whenever there’s been this balance the roles of scrutiny chairs have been held by opposition councillors.

“To not do it now is pretty desperate. It shows how desperate they are to cling on to every last bit of power that they have.”

But Cllr Thomas hit out at Cllr Greenhalgh — and the other opposing parties — for voting against her motion.

She said: “It was a fantastic day for Cllr Elaine Sherrington as new Mayor in the 100th year since women’s suffrage. She is going to be fantastic. I’m just a bit disappointed that the Tories and other councillors chose to politicise the meeting.

“They have never done this before, and really it was bad form.”