THE new chairman of a Blackburn race watchdog left reeling by the resignation of a founder member today promised impartiality over investigations into the organisation's activities.

Junaid Quereshi, recently elected chairman of the Blackburn with Darwen Racial Equality Council, said nothing will be swept under the carpet in an investigation into the scandal of the organisation's former chairman, Coun Mohammed Khan, being offered a £22,000 per year job on the body.

And he rejected claims that he was "tainted" by the scandal, saying he was only elected two weeks ago and was still familiarising himself with the issues.

Coun Khan resigned his position as chairman after being offered and accepting the post of harassment supervisor at the REC.

Founder member Roy Martin later resigned his membership of the body saying that "wheeling and dealing" which had surrounded elections to the executive committee of the body had sidelined him.

But Mr Quereshi rejected those allegations and promised a totally impartial inquiry into the £22,000 job scandal, which also claimed the high ranking council jobs of Coun Khan and his deputy on the town hall housing committee, Coun Dave Hollings.

Mr Quereshi said: "I lost my position on the REC last year and was only voted back on a matter of weeks ago.

"I am still unsure of the ins and outs and am coming to terms with the issues at stake. But I am looking into the matter and taking advice from the commission for racial equality.

"I can assure everybody that I will be impartial and nothing will be swept under the carpet at all."

Mr Quereshi also answered Mr Martin's charges that "wheeling and dealing" prior to the executive's elections had cost him his place on the body.

Mr Martin had been due to head the investigation into the £22,000 job affair, until the elections cost him his position on the body.

Mr Quereshi said: "There is always canvassing before elections of any kind, be they to the REC or any other body."

Mr Martin also alleged that the present director of the REC, Abdul Hamid Chowdry had given "explicit instructions" that REC minutes should not be circulated.

Junaid Quereshi said that all of these allegations would receive the attention of the inquiry team.

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