COUNCILLORS will tomorrow night vote on a motion of no confidence in a borough leader facing three separate investigations into his behaviour.

Conservative group boss Cllr Ken Hind has vowed to fight the move to unseat him and rejected any claims of misconduct.

It has been put down on the agenda for Ribble Valley Council's full meeting on Tuesday by Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Allan Knox.

The move follows an investigation by the Lancashire Telegraph which revealed that Cllr Ken Hind was the subject of an official council probe into a bullying complaint from Conservative group colleague Cllr Sue Bibby.

A three-month investigation also disclosed police were ‘looking into’ a complaint alleging possible misconduct in public office against Cllr Hind and that he may yet be probed by the Conservative party nationally.

It also revealed his behaviour towards Cllr Bibby sparked the resignation of five councillors from the council Conservative group.

The probe also disclosed that borough chief executive Marshal Scott had expressed concerns about Cllr Hind's 'undermining' of and 'interference' with the investigation by the borough's Accounts and Audit Sub-Committee.

The no confidence motion will be supported by the breakaway Democratic Conservative group led by Cllr Terry Hill.

Cllr Knox said: “I think the watershed moment for me was the comments of Chief Executive Marshal Scott about interference and undermining of the complaints procedure.

“This is about Cllr Hind’s behaviour as leader.

“As council, we need to pull together and work for the people of the Ribble Valley.

“With all that is going on in the background (including the revelations by the Lancashire Telegraph) and Cllr Hind’s partisan approach I do think that can happen at the moment.

“I think we need a new council leader, who obviously will be a Conservative, so the council can work for the people of the borough.”

Cllr Hill said: “We will be voting for the no confidence motion.

“This is partly about Cllr Hind's handling of the market development but also about his behaviour as leader.

“Our concerns about this were increased by the Lancashire Telegraph investigation.

“His behaviour as leader is high-handed and arrogant and he does not listen to others.”

Cllr Hind said: "Cllr Knox complains I have interfered with the complaint's procedure. The system is chaotic and the Conservative group has already decided to review it.

"The suggestion I have interfered with the process from the chief executive I totally reject.

"The motion is brought by Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Allan Knox. It is an electoral gimmick done with an eye on the council elections in May.

"The Liberals will be supported in this motion by five Independents who left the Conservative group having failed to gain control of it in April."