A TOP councillor has been branded a liar' and his rivals ignorant pigs' after a political row about a notorious set of traffic lights turned personal.

And another was rebuked for talking to the mayor like she is a child' during the argument in last week's ill-tempered full council meeting.

The insults came after it was revealed that the traffic lights on Cromwell Avenue in Westbrook - blamed for chronic congestion in the area - have cost more than half a million pounds.

Labour leader and Burtonwood and Westbrook parish councillor Terry O'Neill had demanded to know from the executive board member for environment services, Brian Axcell: l Why the council replaced the original roundabout with the lights?

l Who was consulted and when.?

l If a safety audit was carried out?

l How much it had and was going to cost and when the traffic chaos' would be solved?

Clr O'Neill also claimed Clr Axcell (LD - Appleton) had signed off the controversial scheme in January 2007 as part of the council's local transport plan (LTP).

However, Clr Axcell rejected the claim, insisting it had formed part of a programme of works that all members (including Clr O'Neill) signed up to in March 2006'.

He revealed the cost had been £385,000 with a further £150,000 of additional costs and said the consultation process had involved leafleting and a public exhibition.

He also denied that the junction was chaotic', although he conceded that the lay-out was under further review'.

He accused Clr O'Neill of shameless' political profiteering' from issues surrounding the lights, which he claimed were initiated when the Labour group was still in control of the council'.

But Clr O'Neill, hit back, alleging that Clr Axcell has misled this council'.

He claimed that at no point, when the issue has been discussed by his parish council, did his fellow members and Clr Axcell's party colleagues, Bernard Long and David Earl, say they had been properly consulted.

"We're talking about a £million scheme of chaos here," he said.

"He has misled the council and he's doing it again, telling lies to this council."

Clr O'Neill later agreed to withdraw the liar' allegation after being invited to by the Mayor, Clr Celia Jordan (LD - Stockton Heath).

Clr Earl, who did not speak publicly about the lights at the meeting, also had to withdraw remarks he made about Labour councillors being ignorant pigs' after front-benchers overheard him.

Earlier in the meeting, Clr John Morris (LAB - Whittle Hall) had been called a disgrace' by Clr Sheila Woodyatt (CON - Lymm) for addressing the mayor like she is a child'.

Last year it emerged that the decision to install the new lights had been based on traffic data that was four years out of date. nick.lakeman@guardiangrp.co.uk