LEADERS from both sides of the council chamber today urged independent councillor Adrian Shurmer to consider resigning. But Coun Shurmer denied any wrong-doing and claimed that opponents on the council were using the episode to launch a political attack.

It is understood that the council's top brass feel Coun Shurmer may have been naive could launch an investigation into the events.

Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "If I was in Coun Shurmer's position, I would consider whether it is right to continue as a councillor. All I can say about any investigation is that I will be speaking to the chief executive about how we might proceed, and a full statement on the matter will be given next week."

David Welsby, Hyndburn council's head of corporate services, said: "The council's monitoring officer has spoken to Coun Shurmer to discuss the issues surrounding the introduction of Mr Burton to the authority. The council will consider what future interviews need to be undertaken over the next few days."

Labour leader Coun Ken Curtis said: "Coun Shurmer should take a long look at his position and think about whether he should continue as a councillor. I am surprised that he has been taken in by this man - as an ex-policeman he should be a better judge of character."

Coun Britcliffe said he was first contacted by Mr Burton on June 13 following an argument with Coun Shurmer.

Coun Britcliffe said he received a phone call later that day from Mr Burton, who claimed to be acting on Coun Shurmer's behalf and arranged a meeting the next day.

Coun Britcliffe said: "At the meeting, Coun Shurmer said we should not set up a traffic review panel and said we should appoint a consultant instead. I said I wasn't prepared to talk about it, since we were supposed to be talking about Coun Shurmer's position. "But both Mr Burton and Coun Shurmer were leading the conversation back to the issue of appointing an independent consultant. Coun Shurmer made reference to traffic studies which Mr Burton had carried out and said he would be well qualified to do such a job.

"I felt uneasy about the conversation."

Coun Shurmer said he could not remember who had set up the meeting between himself, Mr Burton and Coun Britcliffe. He claimed that Mr Burton had latched on to his campaign and said: "Mr Burton was interested in traffic calming. I had told him I was going to pull the plug on the Conservatives because they were not moving quickly enough on the issue.

That was when he asked to come along to the meeting.

"He was not acting for me, he just came along with me. I thought 'he is a solicitor' and I saw no reason why he shouldn't. I cannot remember who arranged the meeting, it might have been Coun Britcliffe."

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