THREE Conservative councillors who rebelled at a council meeting look set to remain members of the authority’s ruling Tory group.

Chipping’s Cllr Simon Hore, Salthill’s Cllr Ian Brown and Langho’s Paula Dobson voted to support an opposition motion of no confidence in Ribble Valley borough leader Cllr Ken Hind.

The debate on Tuesday night followed a Lancashire Telegraph investigation which revealed that Cllr Ken Hind was the subject of a council inquiry into a complaint of bullying from a Tory councillor and also faces police and nation Conservative party probes.

Cllr Hind won the vote on theLiberal Democrat motion backed by the breakaway Democratic Conservative group by 20 to 13.

The Conservative group will now consider whether to take disciplinary action against the three rebels.

Cllr Hore, who chairs the councils community services committee, said: “I voted with my conscience. The article in the Lancashire Telegraph increased my concerns about Cllr Hind’s behaviour. I accept may lose my committee chairmanship.”

Cllr Brown said: “I do not intend to resign from the Conservative group.I did what I thought was right on Tuesday.”

Cllr Dobson was unavailable for comment.

Cllr Terry Hill, who leads the Democratic Conservatives, said: “None of the three councillors have approached us so far.”