A VETERAN councillor believes the council 'did not take' the opportunity to show its 'commitment' to community cohesion after just four members turned up for a service at Warrington Islamic Centre.

Conservative leader Cllr Sheila Woodyatt highlighted her concerns to Mayor Cllr Faisal Rashid at the full council meeting on Monday.

He had invited each of the 58 councillors to a prayer service for the new civic year at the centre, which is home to a mosque, in Bewsey, on Lockton Lane, on May 29 but many failed to take up the offer.

Cllr Woodyatt said: "You may recall you invited every member of this council to the mosque – it was an amazing event, I enjoyed it very much.

"I was just shocked that out of 58 councillors just four people turned up – me, Cllr (Kath) Buckley, Cllr (Bob) Barr and Cllr (Rebecca) Knowles.

"We had a golden opportunity at the mosque show this council's commitment for community cohesion and we did not take it.

"And following your (Sunday) civic service event, just 11 councillors out of the 58 turned up.

"It is a great pity that the majority of members were not there to heed what was said. I think it could have made a dramatic difference.

"When I joined the council the ethos was very different, the mayoralty had 110 per cent support from members – the only excuse to miss an event was death.

"I hope members will give you 110 per cent support for the rest of the year."