A COUNCILLOR who was controversially blocked from becoming Deputy Mayor of Oswestry is fighting the decision.

Councillor Duncan Kerr was next in line to fill the role in accordance with the list of seniority which is used to elect the mayor and deputy on an annual basis.

But a in shock move councillors voted for Cllr Mark Jones to assume the role.

Cllrs Kerr and Mike Coppock have requested an extraordinary meeting of the council on Wednesday (March 27).

He said: "Oswestry Town Council has a constitution which states that appointments to the position of mayor and deputy-mayor will be made on the basis of the length of service as a councillor.

"On this basis I should be the deputy-mayor for the civic year starting in May 2019 and mayor from 2020.

"However, whilst I was given leave by the council to work as a social worker in Uganda for two months the members of the Conservative-controlled council made a surprise change to the rules and nominated a Conservative councillor, with less service than myself, to be deputy mayor."

Cllr Kerr said that the draft minutes do not record any reasons for this.

"Their actions are not just unfair, they may also be unlawful, because they contravene the principles of natural justice by denying me any opportunity to hear, and respond to, any genuine concerns," he added.

"Settling a legal claim on this basis would be expensive, time-consuming and contentious for the council.

"I don’t claim to be perfect, but in my 40-year career in public service, I have done nothing that would preclude me from becoming the deputy-mayor. Indeed, just last year I was elected by the members of Oswestry Town Council to the position of deputy chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. I have served as a town councillor for nearly six years and during that time I have never been reported, or investigated, for any breach of the Councillors Code of Conduct.

"At the last election I not only increased my vote by some 30per cent but received more votes than 16 of the 17 other members of the council.

"In order to try and get to the bottom of this, and avoid any prospect of a legal challenge, Independent Councillor Mike Coppock and myself, have called for an extraordinary council meeting so the issue can be properly reconsidered, hopefully in the public arena so that the many residents who have expressed their support for me can make their views known. I hope all members of the council will see the wisdom in respecting the fair and equitable rules of the council."

At a meeting in January Cllr Peter Cherrington said he believed Cllr Kerr’s “passions” could cause a “conflict of interest” in the council, and proposed Cllr Jones as the deputy mayor elect.

Cllr Cherrington said: “I will not go into any details regarding Cllr Kerr’s passion, or his opinions, or those of the party.

“But, we can’t allow any passions which I believe may cause conflict of interest, and therefore could be detrimental to this council."

Councillors voted in favour of suspending the standing orders which mean Cllr Kerr would take on the role, by a margin of 10-6 in favour.

The minutes of the meeting record that after discussion, Cllr John Price was unanimously voted as mayor.

Wednesday's meeting at the Guildhall will start at 7pm.