A SENIOR Conservative councillor on Rossendale Council said the failing authority needed new and younger representatives if it is going to improve.

Haslingden councillor Alan Schofield said he decided to step down because he had found it impossible to dedicate enough time to the council due to work and family commitments.

"I had to put my hand on my heart and ask if I was doing the best job that I could.

"I realised the council was coming third in my life, behind my family and my work, and that was not good enough."

But Coun Schofield, who has represented Greenfield ward for four years, added that there were other, longer serving councillors who should ask themselves the same question.

He said: "It is like a pensioners' club at times, many of them are long-serving councillors who are bereft of ideas.

"They have been there during the demise of the council and I would question whether they are the right people to turn it around.

"We need some younger people to come in with some fresh ideas.

"People who have a future and want to build a council for the future."

The 50-year-old councillor said: "We have been castigated by the auditor but we still haven't admitted that we got anything wrong.

"These people who have been on the council for years seem to be proud of that, but I would not be shouting too loud because they have stood by and watched the town go into terminal demise."

His decision to resign means Labour now has one more seat on the council than Labour, previously they both had 17.