THE council leader has apologised for questioning whether a councillor is 'certified' during Monday's budget meeting.

TUSC's Fairfield and Howley councillor Kevin Bennett accused Cllr Terry O'Neill (LAB – Burtonwood and Winwick) of being 'hell-bent' on turning Warrington into a city.

Cllr Bennett also asked how members could sleep at night 'in their nice warm beds' if the YMCA is forced to close because of service cuts.

Shortly after, Cllr O'Neill highlighted Cllr Bennett's time as a Labour councillor before he resigned and switched to TUSC in January last year.

He said: "Did he resign? He cost the taxpayer £24,000.

"We are here to protect our communities in Warrington. It has never been easy.

"It is the easiest thing in the world to be a coward. I am not sure we can class Cllr Bennett as being certified."

Immediately after the comment, Cllr Stefan Krizanac (LD – Westbrook) raised a 'point of order'.

But yesterday evening, Cllr O'Neill e-mailed his former party colleague to apologise for the phrasing used, in what Cllr Bennett labelled 'bullying and harassment'.

In the e-mail he said: "Please accept my apology for the words I used when responding to you at the full council budget meeting last night.

"The word certified that I used was said in the context of your budget proposals and was not aimed at you personally.

"However, on reflection my comments to you were inappropriate."

Cllr Bennett thanked the council leader but is calling on him to apologise publicly.

He added: "The use of the word certified has potentially offended a number of people.

"The use of that word would have been taken by most people to be demeaning mental health problems, especially bad when the part of the discussion was over cutting funding for YMCA.

"They support people with those problems and some of those people were there on the night, how do you think it made them feel?

"I also feel that some of the other remarks you made were unbefitting a person of your position and in a public place.

"I will therefore wait for your decision on this matter and look forward to your reply."