THE leader of an East Lancashire council has now been 'rebuked' by her party over remarks during a committee debate over a planning application from the property arm of Blackburn’s billionaire Issa brothers’ business empire.

Hyndburn Council's political Cllr Marlene Haworth had already been reprimanded by the authority's standards committee on the issue.

In January it ruled she breached the council's code of conduct and ordered her to undertake training.

Now the Conservative Party has also acted and a disciplinary panel has decided Cllr Haworth had broken its conduct regulations.

The decision says 'the panel decided the appropriate sanction is a rebuke'.

Cllr Haworth was ordered to apologise to Tory party chairman Greg Hands MP.

Former Hyndburn Labour MP and the party's general election candidate Graham Jones has called on her to quit as council leader.

The two probes followed a complaint about Cllr Haworth's behaviour during a borough planning committee meeting in March last year discussing an backdated application by Monte Blackburn Ltd to change the approved design of two warehouses on its Frontier Park development.

She questioned why the original approval in February 2020 was taken by an officer rather than councillors.

Cllr Haworth said in the meeting: “Why did the original plans not go to a committee meeting for discussion yet two days later was approved under delegated powers by an officer who also works in the private sector offering the same services privately and advertises on social media.

“This stinks and needs investigating.”

Principal planning officer Elizabeth Hindle complained about the remarks to the council alleging they breached its Code of Conduct for Members.

Mr Jones said: "Cllr Haworth has been disciplined over this twice - by the council and her own party.

"She should stand aside as leader of the council. She is not up to the job."

Cllr Haworth said: "I accept the party and the standards committee judgements.

"I have done everything I have been asked to do. I have undertaken the training and I have written to apologise to Mr Hands and Ms Hindle.

"As far as I am concerned the matter is closed.

"I have no intention of standing down as leader of the council. I shall be getting on with the job."

Her deputy Cllr Peter Britcliffe said: "Mr Jones's comments are absolute nonsense.

"Cllr Haworth was merely representing her residents in her typically trenchant style. She is doing a great job as council leader."

Mrs Hindle declined to comment.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "The party’s processes are confidential and we wouldn’t comment on internal party matters."