TWO councillors who resigned from a Racial Equality Council after being at the centre of an appointments controversy have been told they can re-join the organisation.

But bosses have admitted they need to review their selection procedures after the saga.

Labour councillors Mohammed Khan and Dave Hollings will be able to stand for re-election to the Blackburn with Darwen Council body's executive committee after being cleared of any wrong doing.

Conservative Coun Edna Arnold, another member of the selection panel, has also been told she did nothing wrong.

A panel set up by the REC to investigate the controversy has cleared all those who sat on a selection panel which offered Coun Khan a job at the REC.

The panel which offered Coun Khan the job included Coun Hollings - even though at the time the two were chairman and vice chairman respectively of Blackburn with Darwen Council's housing committee.

REC chairman Janaid Qureshi confirmed that if either councillor wanted to re-join the REC's executive committee, they would be free to stand for re-election.

He added: "The panel set up to investigate the recruitment of the supervisor last year is satisfied that the officers of the REC have acted in a professional manner within the constitution of the organisation. "It interviewed all the selection panel and the members of staff concerned with the recruitment, looked at all the evidence available, and concluded that the selection panel had acted in good faith and the spirit of equal opportunities had been adhered to. It had also not breached any procedures.

"The executive committee of the REC, in approving the report, felt that one or two members of the committee at the time could have exercised more discretion and dealt with public concerns in a more professional and responsible way.

"Instead they allowed their own views to get in the way of the best interest of the REC and indeed the facts."

But Mr Qureshi added: "In the interests of the REC and in view of last year's adverse publicity, we will review recruitment and selection procedure by seeking advice from the commission for racial equality and other agencies."

The National Lotteries Charities Board, the body which funded the post which was at the centre of the saga, has already carried out its own inquiry into the affair and concluded correct procedures were followed.

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