Parish councillor de-selected following code of conduct hearing

David Roper was the subject of a code of conduct hearing at Ightenhill Parish Council as aresult of written and verbal complaints made by the public.

Mr Roper, who was also elected as a Liberal Democrat borough councillor for Whittlefield with Ightenhill ward in May, has now also left the party and is sitting as an independent on Burnley Borough Council.

Coun. Tony Moores, chairman of Ightenhill Parish Council, said: “The council had received both written and verbal complaints from local residents regarding the behaviour of a parish and ward councillor.

“Ightenhill Parish Council addressed these concerns and reached the following conclusion. That David Roper would be de-selected from the parish council with immediate effect.

“The clerk will inform local bodies and the relevant political party. This will create a vacancy on the council.”

In a separate development, the leader of the Burnley Liberal Democrat group, Coun. Gordon Birtwistle, said that Mr Roper was no longer a member of the party after failing to renew his membership several months ago.

Coun. Birtwistle said: “I have been made aware of the complaints but I don’t know the details. I do know that his party membership ran out and he has been asked several times to renew it, but to no avail.

“As far as I am concerned, he is now sitting as an independent councillor on Burnley Council.”

Coun. Roper was unavailable for comment.