INDEPENDENT councillor Adrian Shurmer will not chair the review panel set to examine transport issues, including traffic calming, on Hyndburn's roads.

Hyndburn Council's policy and resources committee have voted to remove the Great Harwood councillor as proposed chairman of the panel. But Coun Shurmer, who was not at the meeting, said he was determined not to be sidelined on the issue.

Coun Shurmer, a former police driving instructor, is a fervent campaigner on traffic issues and in recent years has been critical of traffic-calming policies in the borough.

Coun Shurmer said: "I was voted in on this issue traffic calming and I had the biggest turnout and the second biggest majority in the borough elections. I won't be sidelined. People want the council to sort Hyndburn's roads out.

"I don't care about the committee's decision. I see this current set-up as a temporary state of affairs. This council is putting the sheep in charge of the sheepdogs and it can't go on much longer.

"If other councillors think they can push me aside then I will show them I am not about to lie down and die."

A council spokesman confirmed that Labour councillors proposed a motion that a member of the controlling Conservative group should head the panel.

The motion was carried although some Tory councillors, including council leader Peter Britcliffe, voted against the proposal to remove Coun Shurmer from the position.

Coun Shurmer recently withdrew his support for the Conservative group which had relied on him to take power after May's borough elections. Coun Shurmer lost his place on three council committees, including policy and resources, after he withdrew his support.

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