WYRE Forest District Council’s Liberal and Independent group has been accused of “selling out” by the Labour Party.

Sparks were flying at a full council meeting last Wednesday as three of the five Liberal and Independent group councillors were voted into top positions.

Liberal and Independent group leader Fran Oborski was voted vice-chairman, Independent Helen Dyke re-elected overview and scrutiny committee chairman and Liberal Tim Ingham as deputy chairman.

It came days after former Liberal Rose Bishop defected to the Conservative Party.

Mrs Oborski and Conservative group leader John Campion have both denied any agreements between the parties.

Labour deputy leader, Howard Martin, said: “The Liberal and Independents have five members, three hold some of the main positions in the council.

“The public wanted change. Liberals have sold out and let the public down who did not want a Conservative administration with overall control.”

Another Labour councillor, Chris Nicholls, said: “Nationally we have the Con-Dems, locally we have the Con-Libs.”

Mrs Oborski said: “We have no agreement formally or informally with the Conservatives on policy. No party has overall control therefore whatever administration there is needed some support from other parties.

“The Labour Party are total hypocrites because if we had gone into a rainbow alliance with them and ICHC that presumably would have been ok.

“What saddened me was the appalling behaviour and gross misconduct of Labour. I hope we are not going to have another year of that.”

Mr Campion said: “Let me make this clear – there is no coalition, no agreement. We take things issue by issue we have 21 councillors and we have always wanted to work with other groups.

“What we saw on Wednesday was the Labour Party make it personal, talking about the politics rather than the policies. The public do not want to hear that and they are letting their electorate down.”