NEW allegations have been made to a town hall watchdog against one of Bolton Council's most senior councillors.

Cllr David Wilkinson, executive member for regeneration and development, has been reported to the Standards Board for allegedly bringing his office into disrepute by misleading the public over a traffic management scheme which brought chaos to roads in Westhoughton.

Thousands of motorists endured weeks of misery at the end of last year as a result of lanes being changed at Chequerbent roundabout.

Afterwards, the Liberal Democrat councillor blamed the scheme on the council's previous Labour administration both at a public meeting and in a letter to the Bolton Evening News.

But former Labour deputy leader Guy Harkin, who has made the complaint, claims the lane changes were not designed until six months after the Lib Dems came to power.

He said: "To abdicate responsibility for something like this is cowardice of the highest order."

But Cllr WIlkinson today said he was standing by his comments and had nothing to fear from the complaint.

It is the fourth time Cllr Wilkinson has been reported to the Standards Board. A decision is expected next month on claims made by six colleagues on Westhoughton Town Council that he failed to treat others with respect, failed to withdraw from a meeting in which he had a prejudicial interest, and of bringing his office into disrepute.

Two earlier complaints have been thrown out.

If Cllr Wilkinson is found to have breached the councillors' code of conduct, he could be barred from holding office on any council for up to five years.

He claims the scheme - which has been replaced with a different road layout - originally appeared on Labour's capital programme and was carried out by officers without his knowledge because the previous administration did not have adequate structures in place to ensure that members were informed of decisions.

He said: "The original concept was theirs and the first I knew about this was when I was stuck in a traffic jam.

"It never came to me because it was approved by the previous administration.

"I think Mr Harkin is trying to use the Standards Board to try to score political points."