A FORMER Labour councillor has vowed to 'scrutinise' the council's executive board after being 'overlooked' for any committee position.

Cllr Kevin Bennett (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition – Fairfield and Howley), who resigned from Labour in January, admits he was disappointed not to have been selected for a role.

At last week's council meeting he accused council leader Terry O'Neill of 'freezing' him out of a position.

The claim came moments after Cllr O'Neill (LAB – Burtonwood and Winwick) said his former party colleague 'puts in little work at this council'.

But despite the frustration regarding a committee role, Cllr Bennett, who sat on the development control committee, planning applications sub-committee and licensing committee last year, is vowing to keep a close eye on the council's decisions.

"I enjoyed these committees and I felt I had a positive input into the issues that came up on these committees," he said.

"I am dismayed that I have been overlooked for any committee position this time around but I am not entirely surprised.

"Once again it feels like a conscious decision by the leadership of the council to exclude me from having a direct input into the business of the council.

"I will therefore be attending the executive council meetings in order to try and scrutinise any decisions made by that body."